Progressive International Motorcycle Shows Outdoors Announces 2022 Tour Schedule
When we first learned of the Progressive IMS shifting to an outdoor, demo rides format for 2021, we felt it was a grand idea whose time had fully arrived. After nearly 40 years of a winter convention center display format, the Informa Markets team (organizers of IMS) transitioned to an open-air riding experience last year, with stops in cities across America during the summer and fall, and the results were spectacular.
Here’s some interesting stats they shared with us from their 2021 tour:
- More than 35,000 motorcycle demo rides were taken across the eight-city tour.
- Nearly half, 44%, of attendees were new to riding or prospective riders. That’s an amazing achievement.
- The introduction of SxS and eBike demos was quite popular and indicated the community’s growing interest in adjacent products.
- Influenced by the IMS award-winning “Discover The Ride” program, three different programs put more than 1,600 adults and teens on a motorcycle for the first time.
- Nearly 1,700 kids rode two-wheeled balance and battery-operated bikes with Strider, Harley-Davidson, and Husquvarna.
Heading into their sophomore year, the experience-focused event will bring back the popular two-wheel and four-wheel demo programs, eBikes, expanded shopping, the popular custom and vintage bike shows and music, while also offering more chances for riders and newcomers to engage with brands and their riding community, from ride-ins and races to speakers and charitable efforts. This year, the 8-city series will revisit three markets that hosted the indoor version of the International Motorcycle Shows (Colorado, Arizona, and New York) and return to five markets that IMS Outdoors visited last tour (Chicago, Pennsylvania, Atlanta, and Northern and Southern California). Tickets go on sale March 24 at www.motorcycleshows.com.
“The launch of IMS Outdoors was an exciting challenge that armed us with learnings we look forward to applying on the 2022 tour, including an expansion of the highly successful demo program, growing our electric footprint, and adding more experience-focused offerings,” said Tracy Harris, SVP of Progressive IMS Outdoors. “The Powersports industry is amid a transformative period in time as new brands emerge, such as bespoke and electric companies, and we welcome an all-new generation of riders. We are so proud to cater our event to the changing needs of the industry and reunite everyone from new riders and kids to life-long enthusiasts. We could not be more excited to announce this year’s tour schedule, which was built in partnership with the industry’s leading OEMs. Our team is working diligently to produce an even more robust event that brings the love of riding to life and we look forward to sharing more details regarding activations and participating brands with our community soon.”
Here’s the dates and venues they’ve confirmed so far:
- COLORADO
The Ranch Events Complex
June 17-19, 2022 - CHICAGO
Goebbert’s Farm
June 24-26, 2022 - PENNSYLVANIA
Carlisle Fairgrounds
September 16-18, 2022 - NEW YORK
The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
September 23-25, 2022 - ATLANTA
Venue TBA
September 30 – October 2, 2022 - NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Santa Mateo County Event Center
October 21-23, 2022 - ARIZONA
Westworld of Scottsdale
October 28-30, 2022 - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
OC Fair & Event Center
November 4-6, 2022
We attended the Atlanta event last fall, and despite some questionable weather at times, the event was enthusiastically attended, demo bikes were rolling in and out of the venue all weekend, and we were frankly blown away by the whole experience. So much better than a static, stationary, stale indoor convention format. In a convention center, you look at and (maybe) straddle some motorcycles. At IMS Outdoors, you ride those bikes, all day, each day. There’s simply not another motorcycling showcase event like it.
For more info and to stay abreast of new details, as well as ticket sales opening March 24, bookmark this site:
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