The first motorcycle trade fair of the year attracts motorcycle fans and the international trade + Total of around 100,000 private and trade visitors in Cologne + Exhibitors praise high-quality conversations + Young public with strong representation
The INTERMOT, International Motorcycle and Scooter Trade Fair in Cologne, which ended on Sunday, 9 October 2022, experienced a successful restart. As the first motorcycle trade fair of the year, the event presented world premieres and innovations but also new products that had already been introduced digitally over the course of the year. At INTERMOT, the motorcycle community, motorcycle fans and the trade, could finally see the motorcycle experience world and all exhibited models live and in colour again. “After a four-year interruption due to the pandemic, the motorised two-wheel world is back in Cologne, and the visitor response underlines how important an industry platform is, especially under difficult circumstances. Consumers and the trade are looking forward to being able to go to trade fairs again, to experience and touch the products up close, especially such emotionally charged lifestyle products like motorcycles or scooters. The mood among trade fair participants was very good. One could sense that the industry had missed exchanging ideas in such a framework again. That had simply been missing in recent years. Even if the industry was not yet completely represented in Cologne after the pandemic, INTERMOT 2022 has demonstrated its strengths as a trade and consumer fair and positioned itself on the market again”, is the shared summary of Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse, and Reiner Brendicke, General Manager of the German Motorcycle Industry Association e.V. (IVM).
INTERMOT 2022 registered a total of around 100,000 visitors from 75 countries. The international specialised trade for the brands participating in Cologne thereby represented around 20 percent of total visitors, around 30 percent of which came from abroad. They informed themselves about the offering of around 500 exhibiting companies and brands from more than 30 countries. More than 80 percent of the visitors were satisfied with their visit to INTERMOT 2022 and would recommend the trade fair. Nearly 40 percent of private INTERMOT visitors were under 30 year of age. “INTERMOT thus also makes an important contribution to addressing new target groups. This is also underlined by the feedback of our exhibitors, who praised the high quality and the detailed specialised knowledge of INTERMOT visitors and reported intensive discussions”, Oliver Frese and Reiner Brendicke continue.
Especially motorcycle fans were enthusiastic about finally being able to admire, sit on and even ride the more than 1,300 motorcycles and scooters that could be discovered in Cologne in the halls and on the neighbouring event grounds. The flow of visitors into the Cologne exhibition halls was enormous from Thursday to Saturday, the test track was hardly able to deal with the crush. Especially the e-test track with brand new e-motorcycles and e-scooters and the 125 cc test track for new and returning riders were very much in demand.
INTERMOT 2022 thus provided the young target group with the perfect entry point with the WORLD OF 125 cc – from a comprehensive assortment of 125 cc machines through the right equipment to driver’s license advice and of course the test track, both young bikers and friends of the B196 driver’s license found everything they need. “It’s only a shame that some manufacturers were not in Cologne, but INTERMOT was also a great experience just as it was. One can try out sitting on any machine and test many bikes on the test track. The 125 cc test track was paradise for me as a driver’s license rookie. And now I know which bike I want to buy”, a visitor using the school vacation to already come to INTERMOT on Thursday was pleased to say.
The WORLD OF SHOP@INTERMOT was also well-received by the public. Consumers had the chance at INTERMOT to buy products for the first time at the trade fair, primarily from the clothing and helmets sections. Long lines formed at many exhibitors with visitors looking to secure something new at the end of the season for the first ride in the coming spring. “The conceptual adjustment, including sales at the trade fair, was a complete success for us. Our stand was practically under siege on the visitor days. Vistors also expect to be able to buy at a motorcycle trade fair”, according to Matthias Kroner, Country Manager Rukka Motorsport Germany/Austria.
The WORLD OF eNNOVATION exhibitors received a great deal of attention. Especially the providers of e-bikes and e-scooters reported very good and promising discussions with potential traders on the trade visitor days and great interest in vehicles with alternative drive technologies on the public days.
In addition to the test drive track, the stunt shows, the European Street Freestyle Championships and the special shows, such as the UNIQUE MOTORCYCLES, were well-attended highlights in the event programme of INTERMOT 2022.
The next INTERMOT takes place from 1 to 6 October 2024.
Comments from the industry
“The long wait was worth it. After the corona-related pause, INTERMOT 2022 proved, as usual, to be the ideal business platform for maintaining contacts in the motorcycle industry, presenting new products and planning the coming 2023 season together with our customers.”
Alpha Technik
“As a German motorcycle manufacturer with a nearly 100-year tradition, the entire BMW Motorrad Deutschland team naturally has a great interest in presenting our brand and products to INTERMOT visitors, with a strong INTERMOT trade fair partner in the German market, which is so important to us. This is why we were very much looking forward to meeting our customers and motorcycle fans in person again at INTERMOT 2022, and celebrating motorcycling together.”
BMW Motorrad
“We at Kawasaki are very pleased to once again be able to exhibit at INTERMOT after four years. The personal contact with our fans and friends of the brand, with our customers or those who will hopefully soon become them is very important to us. We want to offer them a lovely and positive brand experience at INTERMOT and have done a lot to ensure this. We are certain that this will pay for the Kawasaki brand both in the short and the long term.”
Kawasaki
“After four years without INTERMOT, with a global pandemic in between, one could again immediately sense how valuable a personal exchange is. Regardless of whether with specialised traders, press pros or colleagues from the industry, the many good face-to-face talks were more than refreshing – they also brought us all closer together. We were able to present the complete Royal Enfield programme, show several of our most beautiful custom designs and celebrate a European premiere in Cologne with the new Hunter 350 – we thus see a positive trade fair balance for Royal Enfield.“
KSR Group / Royal Enfield
“INTERMOT 2022 completely met my expectations for customer discussions. On the trade visitor days, we were really able to welcome many business partners from the German market, but also international customers at the Motorex stand. With few exceptions, motorcycle manufacturers clearly demonstrated their commitment to the German market and offered motorcyclists the possibility to finally experience new models live. On the first public day, I was astonished at the full aisles, which I could observe from my own stand.”
Ronald Kabella, Motorex AG
“Reliability is the best basis for passion. For many decades now, MOTUL has stood for reliability and top performance in motorsport in general, but also especially in motorcycle sport. The proximity with fans and riders, this shared passion, is very important to us at all levels. We are therefore not only at INTERMOT to inform about our products, but also to listen very carefully, to spend a great time together and of course for our own inspiration.”
Motul
“We, the Öhlins company, are very pleased to attend INTERMOT as the only chassis manufacturer with our own stand and to present our latest products to visitors. We really did miss the direct exchange with our customers and therefore want to welcome all our Öhlins fans at our own stand in Hall 9. With our presence we want to continue to show that direct contact on location is very important and further reinforce the existence of the INTERMOT trade fair.”
Öhlins
“We are very pleased that Suzuki Germany was once again represented at INTERMOT this year after a four-year pause due to the pandemic. Our extensive activities on location show how important the leading motorcycle trade fair is for Suzuki. With the Address 125, Avenis 125 and Burgman Street 125 EX, three new scooter models have celebrated a world premiere in Cologne, and we have exhibited the new V-Strom 1050DE for the first time on German soil. We have also used the trade fair to further strengthen the relationship with our traders, in that we invited them to a get-together at the trade fair stand.”
Daniel Schnell, Deputy Managing Director, Suzuki Deutschland GmbH
“It is good and important to be present at INTERMOT 2022. Following the forced pause caused by the COVID19 pandemic, we were able to organise long hoped for live meetings and enter into a direct exchange with trade representatives of the industry and our customers. The mobility concepts presented at the trade fair have also sharpened our senses. The variety of exhibitors was good based on experience.”
SW-MOTECH
“We used the first two press and trade visitor days intensively to reestablish various contacts in the scene or to deepen existing contacts. Whether in the field of developing trader networks, industry partnerships or press work, all of the colleagues enjoyed finally having personal contact again, which we had all been missing for a long time. The highlight for us was of course the Bond-Party concluding the first press day, which was obviously well-received by all participants. A truly positive surprise was the rush of visitors on Thursday, the first public visitor day. Our trade fair stand was very well-attended throughout the day, and the quality of the conversations with visitors was extremely good. We are already looking forward to the next INTERMOT in two years!
Triumph Motorrad Deutschland GmbH
Koelnmesse – industry trade fairs for the mobility segment: Koelnmesse stages INTERMOT and THE TIRE COLOGNE, two major international trade fairs in the mobility segment, hosted at its trade fair grounds in Cologne/Germany. From 2022 Koelnmesse will expand its portfolio with polisMOBILITY, a new hybrid event that shows how mobility in cities can and must be designed in the future. Alongside tires and wheels, THE TIRE COLOGNE focuses on equipment for motor vehicle servicing and tire fitting centres and presents a comprehensive range of products and services for tire retreading and the recycling and disposal of old tires. INTERMOT is the show for motorised two-wheelers and presents the key innovations in electromobility, accessories, clothing, parts, customizing, touring and workshop equipment. The events serve as central, international business platforms, bringing the industry together with a carefully targeted approach to showcase the latest products, developments and innovations.
