Powered Two-Wheelers Back at IFMA?

MAARSSEN, Netherlands (October 21) - The Amsterdam MotorRai show that is currently taking place, had an extra surprise for the careful listener: strong show-floor rumours confirm what has been in the air for a while: IFMA Cologne might get the motorcycle show back which in 1998 changed to the new showground in Munich. Other sources indicate that when the powered two-wheelers return to Cologne, there will not be a combined show with motorcycles and bicycles. The most likely scenario is that there will be in September 2006 the regular bicycle IFMA to be followed in November with the IFMA for powered two-wheelers. Such a schedule ties in with what the EICMA in Milan is planning for 2005 with regard to their EICMA Bici and EICMA Moto (see also the Show Calendar page on this website). That the organizer of the show for powered two-wheelers, the industry association IVM (Industrie-Verband Motorrad Deutschland), is planning to change back to Cologne has to do with disappointing numbers of visitors during the time the show took place in Munich. The first Intermot drew a crowd of 185,000, which was already disappointing compared to the quarter of a million visitors that usually were at the motorcycle and bicycle IFMA’s. This year’s Intermot that took place last September, got 150,000 visitors according to Messe Munich. However, insiders claim that there were only 120,000. (MH/JO)