Chase winter blahs away on two wheels
Vancouver Motorcycle Show brings promise spring is just down the road
The gloomy weather of late might not conjure up thoughts of riding, but this weekend’s Vancouver Motorcycle Show will help get you in the mood for spring and two-wheeling.
Billed as “British Columbia’s ultimate power sport show,” the threeday event at Tradex in Abbotsford is a one-stop shop for riders looking to find the newest makes and models of motorcycles as well as the latest products, accessories and technology for the motorcycle lifestyle. As showgoers have come to expect over the years, there will be hundreds of motorcycles — new and old — to ogle, interesting exhibits to take and interesting special guests to listen to.
New this year is the made-in-B.C. stunt show Ride the Vibe (RTV, a freestyle motorcycle trials stunt show that features the team’s Bahala Bus — a one-of-a-kind repurposed deluxe bus that serves as the travelling headquarters, on-tour accommodation and moto-trials playground for the team.
Founder Sam King, who moved to B.C. from Australia in 2014, will perform trademark RTV stunts as well as answer any questions about his unique business, which supports a variety of top athletes from around the globe who specialize in performing on any surface in any type of weather with no residual damage.
Other exciting performers to check out include local favourite Wild Bill Hitchon from 5th Gear. You’ve seen him before at the show, but this time he’s bringing five other all-terrain vehicle riders and Flat Track Canada racing, North America’s longest-running and most traditional motorcycle racing series.
Also new this year and presented by Parts Canada is Drag Alley, an entire show area dedicated to aftermarket parts manufacturers like Drag Specialties, Custom Dynamics, Hog Tunes, LA Choppers, S&S Cycle and Rinehart Racing. Each company will also have brand experts ready to answer any and all questions.
Everybody’s favourite, She Rides, is back for its Friday night premier where the entry fee for ladies is cut in half after 5 p.m. One lucky lady on this night will walk away with a brand-new 2018 Kawasaki Versys-X 300 ABS courtesy of Canadian Kawasaki. The grand prize draw will take place Friday at 8:30 p.m. and the winner must be present to win. She will also have to be over 19 years of age and will be required to show valid photo identification upon claiming her prize.
Yamaha Riding Academy is also returning for kids between the ages of six to 12 who want to learn how to ride the latest Yamaha TT-R offroad motorcycle in a safe and secure environment and in the company of trained and certified instructors. Each riding session is approximately 15 minutes and is limited to eight riders total. The academy is free of charge with admission.
And for the more mature riding enthusiast, there are a number of learn-to-ride seminars offered all weekend long.