For nearly four decades, Progressive International Motorcycle Show travels from city to city from late fall to early spring, opening stores at major convention centers in major metropolitan areas. The IMS show is where motorcyclists from around the country can cycle on the latest models, try their hand at exotic custom bikes and shiny vintage machines, shop for gear aftermarket and get inspired for the upcoming riding season.
Back in the late ’90s, when I started riding motorcycles, I went to the IMS show in Philadelphia. The show is in February, so it’s freezing and gray outside. My VFR750 was covered and chained for the winter, and I took public transit to the large convention center near Chinatown. Even at 25, I’m still like a kid in a candy store. I was on a Ducati 916, and I got autographs from racer Steve Rapp. (Nearly 20 years later, while Press release AraiI have to go with Rapp, he’s in the Aprilia RSV4 and I’m in the KTM 1290 Super Duke GTon my favorite back street, California Road 33.)
In late November or early December, the IMS tour will kick off at the Long Beach Convention Center near Los Angeles, and it’s an annual tradition for those working at various motorcycle publications that will attend media day on the Friday before the show opens to the public.
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Then the pandemic happened. Like so many events, the 2020-21 fall/winter IMS tour has been cancelled. For years, IMS organizers considered moving the event from indoors to outdoors, and a nasty little bug called SARS-CoV-2 finally forced it to happen.
For 2021, the tour is renamed to progressive IMS Outdoors. Performances will be held in the summer and fall in outdoor venues, where they will have a more festive feel. There will be demo rides from major manufacturers, test rides on e-bikes, sales areas, food carts, live music, etc.
Moving IMS shows outdoors is just what the tour needs, especially as the specter of Covid-19 still looms, but not without a few hiccups. The Southern California stop, originally scheduled for early July, was rescheduled for late November due to a conflict with a venue. The New York City show, scheduled for Labor Day weekend, was canceled due to challenges with Covid testing requirements.
The first performance of the 2021 tour is in July at the Sonoma Raceway, in Northern California’s Bay Area. Other shows were in Chicago, Central Pennsylvania, Fort Worth, Nashville, Central Florida, Atlanta, and Southern California. In addition to the test races and vendors, there is also the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show, the IMS Vintage area, etc. At the Adventure Out! area, visitors can receive a free copy of the Rider magazine and listen to guest speakers such as Longhaulpaul (Paul Pelland), Bret Tkacs, Ryan Turner and Alex Chacón.
Young and inexperienced people can explore the world on two wheels at the Discover The Ride area, which includes a Kids Zone with Strider, introductory rides for kids on electric balance bikes Electronic Husqvarna Factory Replica Staycyc and New Driver Course with Power Assist Yamaha Electric Bikes and Speed Limiter Zero Electric Motorcycles. The Motorcycle Industry Council has introduced a new program called the Ride With Us Moto Intro experience, a 45-minute mini MSF course for small gasoline-powered motorcycles.
At each stop on the tour, IMS Outdoors has partnered with All children’s bikes donate and provide a training program to a local elementary school, which includes balance bikes, pedal conversion kits, helmets, teacher’s bikes, and a full curriculum to teach kids to ride a bike in Gym class.
Progressive IMS Outdoors has announced dates and locations for 2022. You can find the full schedule at Motorcycleshows.com.
