Passes & Canyons Blog

I’ve wondered for a long time why the (previously Cycle World, now Progressive) International Motorcycle Shows don’t come to Denver, and yet they go to a small town like Greenville, S.C. Now I understand.

I’m in Greenville at this moment, at the show, and it’s actually kind of small. The Colorado Motorcycle Show & Swap that takes place in Denver each January is a much larger show. I’m guessing that’s why the IMS doesn’t come to Denver, they can’t compete. The Show & Swap has it all sewed up.

so OK, question answered. I’ll try to make the best of things here anyhow.

I came down here because I wanted to come to this show that I’ve read so much about for so many years, and my mother lives just out of town. So it was a natural for me to come here, rather than, say, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, or wherever.

And of course there are lots of motorcycles and parts and accessories. The show hasn’t quite opened yet so with my press pass I’m able to get a lot of good photos of some of these bikes without having to deal with crowds and trying to get a clear shot.

I’m also running into people I know. I just spent about an hour and a half with Sue Slate and Gin Shear, who run the Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation, which raises funds to fight breast cancer. I met them in 2009 when they ran the Adventures for the Cures Dirty Dozen dual-sport ride, taking off from Keystone. And then just a couple minutes after I left them I ran into Alisa Clickenger, aka MotoAdventureGal. We had a lot to talk about, too. So now there’s one more person I think I might run into here. We’ll see.

And hopefully I’ll get a lot of good material for several stories out of this. That is, of course, the reason I wanted to come. But I have to say I’m a little disappointed. I figured it was going to be a huge thing, and it isn’t. Now, the Show & Swap, in Denver in January. That’s huge!

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Progressive International Motorcycle Show kicks off in Greenville

Biker Quote for Today

Warning: If this bike is on a trailer it is being stolen.

For the biggest and most important motorcycle show in the country, it’s really bizarre the cities that the International Motorcycle Shows visit. And by the way, this year there is “Progressive” on the front of that name, whereas the past few years at least the first part of the name was “Cycle World.” New major sponsor, new name, presumably.

Back to what I was saying. So what cities does the show visit? Nothing surprising in New York, Cleveland, Chicago, and those. But while you won’t see Kansas City, Phoenix, Denver, or anything west of the Mississippi other than the west coast, you do have Greenville, SC. Now what’s that all about? Greenville?

Doesn’t matter, it works for me. I made the decision this year that if the IMS wasn’t going to come anywhere close to me, I would go to it. And conveniently enough, my mother lives just 40 miles from Greenville. So I arranged for my press pass, booked my flights, and told my mother I was coming to visit. And oh, don’t expect to see much of me because I’ll be spending all day for several days in a row at the show.

Yeah, I will spend time with my mom, too. I’ll go down a couple days early and stay a couple days after the show. And I won’t have to pay for a hotel room. That helps.

So this is just a heads-up. I’m absolutely certain I’ll have some interesting stories to tell you after this is all done. Check back in about six weeks.

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Biker Quote for Today

Between safety and adventure, I choose adventure.