Indoor Winter IMS Tour Permanently Dropped in Favor of Outdoor Summer Event Series
As COVID-19 and the broader 'new reality' challenging existing trade show and indoor expo events continues to reshape how specialty markets communicate with their consumers, news that the Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS) series, as we have known it for past decades, is no more.
Not just postponed, nor even just canceled for the next year, but done, gone, over.
Instead, phoenix-like from the ashes, an interesting new concept is slated to arise as organizer UBM (United Business Media AKA Advanstar) takes the shows into the summer and outdoors in a reimagined format for the annual tour with IMS Outdoors.
The United States' largest consumer motorcycle tour will return in summer 2021 "and be the most immersive powersports experience yet."
Backed by IMS' title sponsor of ten years, Progressive Insurance, Progressive IMS Outdoors "represents the revamp of the tour's nearly 40-year stint that will not only transition IMS from the traditional convention center set-up to a new open outdoor experience, but will also create a festival-like atmosphere that promotes enthusiasts of all ages and levels to come together to better engage with products, each other, and the industry.
"While continuing its presence as the nation's largest consumer motorcycle tour, Progressive IMS Outdoors will support the growth of the powersports community by offering a unique experience the industry has yet to see."
Commencing during the summer of 2021, Progressive IMS Outdoors will stop in a number of cities across the U.S., bringing powersports enthusiasts "multiple days of entertainment, learning and interactive activities. In addition to showcasing the latest street bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers, scooters, and ATVs, as well as the latest gear and aftermarket accessories, the new outdoor format will feature market adjacent products from micro-mobility to electric bicycles, overland and RV products and more, thus welcoming potential and qualified riders into the industry.
"Attendees can also expect the remodeled tour to be more interactive than ever with an array of on-road and off-road demo opportunities for all ages and riding abilities, including the continuation of the successful 'Discover the Ride' program. The reimagined tour, which has been five years in the making, comes at a perfect time as 2020 has seen off-road product sales soar."
"At IMS, we have always placed an emphasis on evolving our shows to better support the community and enthusiasts," says Tracy Harris, SVP, IMS. "Progressive IMS Outdoors will be the greatest evolution in the brand's 38-year history. Taking IMS Outdoors not only changes our venues, but opens up an array of opportunities for our team to deliver a truly first-of-a-kind experience for the community as the only event in the nation taking the proactive step to actively serve both the new rider and core audience."
Dates and locations for Progressive IMS Outdoors will be announced in December. As Progressive IMS Outdoors is an evolution of IMS' traditional tour, the shows traditionally held in various cities from November through February will not take place this year.
Planned dates will likely be between mid-May and October. At this time it is unclear as to whether the J&P Cycles sponsored Ultimate Builder custom competitions will continue (either as part of IMS or otherwise). We have seen indications both ways in third party channels, but UBM/Advanstar's announcement press release didn't mention the custom shows either way. Historically it has been the one feature that has effectively kept the indoor winter IMS tour series alive in recent years, and it is tough to see how they could be any less popular outdoors in the summer.
Also, it is unclear yet which of the major OE manufacturers will be backing the initiative - we certainly hope they will support this opportunity as their involvement will no doubt be critical to the viability of the concept. AMD Magazine certainly wishes the organizers well with the plan.
As a group (on both sides of the Atlantic), motorcycle manufacturers must not underestimate how important initiatives such as this could be to their own futures. In an era in which institutional memory is increasingly viewed as an unnecessary expense, those who work for the market's motorcycle manufacturing factories would do well to dwell on the impact their first motorcycle ride had on their senses.
There is plenty of evidence emerging to suggest that the motorcycle manufacturing community is in danger of overestimating the effectiveness of online "activations" and "engagements" and forgetting that riding is actually about an entirely illogical and visceral emotional experience that reaches the parts that screens cannot inspire.
www.outdoors.motorcycleshows.com
