Sao Paulo Two-Wheeler Show Bigger Than Ever

SAO PAULO, Brazil- The Salao das Duas Rodas, the largest two-wheeler exhibition in Latin America, attracted more visitors than ever at this year's show. Held between 22 and 28 November at the Anhemi Exhibition Center in Sao Paulo, the motorcycle, scooter and bicycle show attracted 277 exhibitors displaying products on 70,000 square meters of floor space. A total of 302,400 visitors attended the show. During the first edition in 1991, 220,000 visitors showed up to view bicycle, motorcycle, moped and scooter products displayed by 133 exhibitors on 23,000 square meters. In the last four years Brazilian bicycle sales have shrunk from an estimated six million units to just four million. The country's largest manufacturers are involved in heavy competition as large retailers--both foreign and domestic--up their focus on low-end bikes. The result is that the IBD sector currently makes up only about 8% of total sales. In contrast, the Brazilian motorized two-wheeler market is thriving, lead by Honda with an incredible 93% share of the market. (JW)