Our first Italian exhibit at EICMA 2019!

The colder months of the year are when motorcycling as a hobby retreats to the garage for all but the most diehard riders and commuters. But there are other ways to get your motorcycling fix and manufacturers take full advantage of this by attending the many fully indoor motorcycle exhibitions that show off the latest bikes and gear and allow enthusiasts to check them out in person.

As Ultimateaddons is a UK based company we have been attending the motorcycle shows in the UK as exhibitors for many years. Shows such as Motorcycle Live at the NEC in Birmingham and the Carol Nash MCN motorcycle show at the London Excel are a great place to meet like minded motorcyclists and chat about our products. It is also a great excuse to get out and take a look at all the cool new bikes on the market and sometimes on the last day of the show get a great deal on some riding gear!

For most motorcycle manufacturers however there is a very special show that is held once a year in Milan, Italy. Known as EICMA or it’s full name of Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori it is considered by many to be the flagship motorcycle exhibition where the largest manufacturers show off there many stunning new bikes and also reveal their future concept bikes. It is an absolutely huge event and this year had eight separate halls! In comparison to the UK events these halls are the equivalent of 2 halls each so that four times the size of the NEC event!

As a company we have visited the EICMA as guests for quite a few years but until now we have not attended as Exhibitors. With preparations for the NEC event a comment was made about EICMA and after a short discussion about if it was possible to make the event in only a month we decided what the heck! A last minute plan was crazily hatched and a stand space was booked!

Preparations were already well underway for exhibiting at the Birmingham NEC and with only a month to prepare for one of the largest exhibitions in the world that was over a thousand miles away in Italy we thought we had bitten off more than we could chew. But with perseverance and a lot of made phone calls we pulled together all of the things needed to create the stand and made the deadline.

With having not exhibited at a show before in mainland Europe and especially Italy we were not sure how we would be received and what the Italian bikers would be like. But we need not have worried as it appears that the Italians are crazy about motorbikes and motorbike gear! We met so many enthusiastic riders on the public days that we were on our feet from 8am to 8pm every day and the response was above all expectations. They appeared to love our products and the robustness they provide for everyday use in all weathers and also our enthusiasm and love for motorcycling. We also had visits from many people from the UK who had travelled over to the Milan show just for fun and to see all of the huge exhibits and concept bikes from all of the bike manufacturers.

For us the show was an unbelievable success and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people as well as sneaking off and getting to sit on all of the latest new motorcycles!

One of the great things about visiting a motorcycle show in Italy is not just the stunning Italian sports bikes but also the food and this exhibition was no exception. Being in the middle of Milan gave us great access to the best Pizza and Pasta and we made full use of it. We also had a few cheeky Aperol Spritz too!

With Eicma completed and our return back to the UK we had only a short respite before heading straight down to Birmingham for Motorcycle Live. This worked out great as although we love Pizza and Pasta we were now craving a good old Fish and chips!