"No one move!
I think I dropped my contact lens." The Pais Motorcycle Show was
jam packed elbow ro elbow for 9 days straight. Here in America we just
don't come close to the huge enthusiasm that Europe has for motorcycles.
Similar consumer shows in England, Germany and Italy are just as packed
with visitors.
How
we spent our fall vacation...
The Paris Motorcycle Show
September
30 - October 7th 2001, Paris, France - by Jim Gianatsis
A
week after the world's big annual Intermot Motorcycle Show, this year
held in Milan, Italy, the manufacturers pack up their exhibits and head
for Paris, where just a week later they set up again for the big 10
day Paris Show filling 3 huge event halls. The Paris Show continues
to grow in prominence with 900 exhibitors in attendance and the Show
drawing some 50,000 spectators per day -nearly 1/2 million in all!
Some of the major
manufacturers are now holding back at Intermot and using the Paris Show
to premier new bikes. The most note worthy being Yamaha who had a huge
exhibit with their crown jewell being the premier of their new YZR-M1
Grand Prix 4-stroke for next year's MotoGP World Championship. Parked
next to it on a ground level tier was Max Biaggi's 500cc GP 2-stroke
bike. But it was the YZR1000 which stole the show sporting all carbon
fiber bodywork that changed from titanium silver to gold in color as
it rotated in the lights on it's turntable.
The Sachs 1000cc
V-Twin Beast which premiered last year at the Intermot Show was on display
again in Paris, Sachs hopes to have the bike in production soon. The
minimalest design use the engine as the frame as well, simailr to the
concept introduced by Britten some 10 years ago.
Ducati had one of
the biggest and most popular manufacturer's displays at the Show and
featured Troy Bayless' 2001 World Championship winning 996R Superbike
on display, fresh from the previous week's final race. You can see more
of Troy's winning Ducati right now together with our beautiful FastDates.com
umbrella girls in Member's
Corner.
MX Agusta took their
750cc inline 4-cyclinder Superbike motor and put it in a trelis tube
frame with a single sided swingarm,
The result, the Brutal, their high end answer to Ducati's popular monster
naked sportbike.
Along with the Europeans,
every Japanese manufacturer offered a full lineup of traditional naked
style sportbikes. This XJ1200 aircooled model from Yamaha was one of
our favorites. Note the stock Ohlins piggyback shocks and the massive
front brakes. We want this in America!
Our hotel during
our stay in Paris was right here on the Seine River, just at the left
side of this bridge, facing Notre Dame Cathedral at $115 per night.
Round trip non-stop, Air France just $650!
Pit
Lane News • Paris Show
page 1 • Paris Show page
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