THE MOTOR BIKE EXPO 2024 IN VERONA, ITALY. SUNDAY’S PRESS RELEASE AND IMAGES.

Press release provided by the Motor Bike Expo, Images by Polina Krasnova from Bikers Insider.

MOTOR BIKE EXPO
Veronafiere, 19 – 21 January 2024

PRESS RELEASE

Growth for the Verona motorcycle show,
which confirms great numbers and great results
MOTOR BIKE EXPO: EXTRAORDINARY ATTENDANCE OVER THE THREE DAYS

From the BMW world premiere, to the new Borile engine;
from Suzuki previews to Mototherapy. The top of custom from all over the world
and the candidacy of the Vespa as “Heritage of Italian culture”.
And the “pink quota” is growing even on motorbikes

Growth in visitors, compared to the last edition, for Motor Bike Expo 2024, which closed today at Veronafiere, confirming the constant evolution of the show designed for motorcyclists, one of the most visited trade fairs in Italy and Europe.

An exhibition tailor-made for enthusiasts which for three days presented all the souls of the world of two wheels, bringing together sport, mechanics, colour, creativity and solidarity, in a unicum which can also be found just by scrolling through the layout of the pavilions: street , custom, racing, touring, off road, vintage, lifestyle, urban mobility, travel.

In an impossible synthesis of news and initiatives, never as numerous as this year, here are five flashes: the world premiere of the BMW R12 motorcycle; the new motor that revolutionizes the distribution system, patented by the brilliant “winemaker and technician” Umberto Borile, already visited by numerous mass production designers; the three Suzuki motorcycles previewed for the Italian market; the 6 freestyle motocross champions who, under the guidance of Vanni Oddera, brought 80 disabled visitors on their bikes for an unforgettable day; the selection of the best customizers in the world in whose creations mechanics, customs and art intersect. And even the collection of signatures for the recognition of the Vespa as a “Heritage of Italian Culture”.

For Paola Somma and Francesco Agnoletto, co-founders and organizers of Motor Bike Expo, “our show offers what the motorcyclist wants to see and know, and its success lies in its ability to involve this entire world of styles, passions and aspirations . The mass of fans and visitors and the seven hundred exhibitors are here to talk to each other, get to know each other, compare notes: only those who experience Motor Bike Expo can truly understand the passion for motorbikes”.

Maurizio Danese, CEO of Veronafiere, states: “Motor Bike Expo 2024 concluded by confirming its leading role in the international motorcycling panorama: the first event in the world for the custom segment and second in Europe for 360-degree two-wheelers A result marked by the increase in the quality of the offer which rewards the commitment of the organizers Paola Somma and Francesco Agnoletto, and of Veronafiere, together with the teamwork of an entire supply chain and the visitors, sponsors and institutions who believed in the project and contribute with us to creating an exhibition that is able to interpret the evolutions and needs of the market at each edition”.

A curiosity: the female presence is also increasing among motorcyclists. From online ticket sales, year after year, there is a constant growth in the share of women visitors.

The appointment with motorcyclists will be renewed from 24 to 26 January 2025 for the 17th edition of Motor Bike Expo at Veronafiere.

MBE 2024 also represented a sort of “red carpet” for protagonists and exponents of the world of motorcycling, institutions and entertainment. Speakers at the event included Luca Zaia, President of the Veneto Region; Flavio Massimo Pasini, President of the Province of Verona; Damiano Tommasi, Mayor of Verona; Gianmarco Mazzi, Undersecretary of Culture; Federico Bricolo, President of Verona Fiere; Maurizio Danese, CEO Verona Fiere; guests of the President of the Italian Motorcycle Federation (FMI) Giovanni Copioli, the MEPs (Lega) Isabella Tovaglieri and Francesco Borchia who explored the issues of electric mobility on two wheels; Damiano Zamana, Deputy Director General of the International Motorcycle Federation; Jacopo Cerutti, Aprilia rider, winner of the Africa Eco Race 2024; Alessandro Botturi, Yamaha, second place Africa Eco Race 2024; Joan Pedrero, official off-road Harley Davidson rider, took on the Eco Race with a standard Panamerica; Michele Pirro, MotoGP Ducati Corse rider and tester; Franco Picco, African rally driver; Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing MotoGP Team Principal; Loris Capirossi, former MotoGP rider; Ruben Xaus, pilot; Andrea Del Bianco, official Yamaha CIV rider; Francesca Gasperi, African rally driver; Andrea Dovizioso, ex-MotoGP rider, motocross organizer; Luca Lunetta, Moto3 world rider with Team Sic58; Paolo Simoncelli, team principal; Nicola Dutto, former Dakarian, first paraplegic driver to finish the 2024 Eco Race and reach the Dakar Pink Lake; Lorenzo Savadori, Aprilia tester; Vanni Oddera, of Mototherapy, Luca Salvadori, influencer&pilot; Alvise Rigo, former rugby player, model and actor; Ringo DJ, Artistic Director Virgin Radio; Omar Fantini, radio and television host; Vittorio Brumotti, television host; Roberto Parodi, writer and journalist.

At the center of the Triumph stand is a national novelty in the panorama of 2024 presentations. In pearl white, the new Daytona 660, three cylinders for a name that is a guarantee. The English company has a showcase at the Motor Bike Expo in front of which enthusiasts and potential users have been able to admire the characteristics of a product that will participate in the newborn BSB SportBike, a championship that will welcome rivals such as the Aprilia RS660, Yamaha R7 or Kawasaki 650, the prelude to a series world championship with guaranteed media coverage and high sporting interest. Around the novelty, further models recently presented to the public, including the Tiger 1200, “big sister” of the 900, advanced versions of the Scrambler 400 and the iconic Street Triple, the true philosophy of a British brand that achieved great success in Verona of public.

Elegant setup at Motor Bike Expo for Moto Morini, which brought the well-known X-Cape 650 to the stand, with new accessories to equip the Scrambler and Street versions. The most important novelty, in line with the philosophy of the fair, is represented by the Calibro, a custom in “bagger” setup offering a front fairing and side bags, useful accessories for travel. Red in colour, the 1200 model Milano, historic cubic capacity for the brand, which has great requests from the public in the X-Cape of the same displacement. Another novelty is the Corsaro 750, equipped with a V-twin engine which will characterize the future range, as explained by the managers present in pavilion 4.

For MBE, Yamaha did not want to stop at just displaying the models in its 1000 m2 of exhibition area, but hosted the Official Clubs, the community that brings together passionate owners who want to share the sensations of riding, the technical details, their enthusiasm for your motorcycle. It was possible to discover the numerous initiatives and programs for lovers of vehicles from the Itawa company. E-bikes are also present in Verona; Furthermore, a very important innovation for Yamaha customers was announced: the extension of the warranty to 7 years.

Massimo Rivola attended the Aprilia and Moto Guzzi stand, as CEO of Aprilia Racing and representative of the brands belonging to the Piaggio Group. From the MotoGP signed RS-GP prototype, to series production, up to sporting achievements: Rivola paid homage to Jacopo Cerutti’s victory in the Africa Eco Race, at the same time exchanging words and impressions with enthusiasts and users, who also came to the fair to establish contacts with high profile professional figures like him. Massimo is, in fact, a manager who often loves to jump in the saddle, playing his role in the round.

The protagonist of the area dedicated to Street Culture is BMW Motorrad’s innovation in terms of urban mobility and sustainability: the CE 02 “e-parkourer” electric scooter. To complete the area in the heart of Pavilion 5 and curated by Wheelz-mag, a skateboard ramp, a corner dedicated to balance boards, a live performance by a street artist and a tattoo station.

The Chinese giant QG Motor, which arrived in Italy a year ago, “immediately chose to be present at MBE – states Gianpaolo Cerizza, Sales and Marketing Director – because it is the motoring event focused on the BTC, the most important in Italy and, for some commercial segments of Europe. MBE attracts a homogeneous audience, continuously growing in terms of attendance, with audiences coming from all over Italy and abroad. The end consumer comes to Verona to choose the motorbike to buy, it is the first fair dedicated to two wheels of the year and the last showcase before the final decision; this is why it is of fundamental importance for a motorcycle company in its infancy like QJ Motor to be there, obtaining a warm response from enthusiasts.”

The Royal Enfield stand is full of innovations and models that are achieving great success on the market, starting with the Super Meteor, which is on display here in Verona, in addition to the Special proposals: an expression of creativity and passion for customization.

Verona is an unmissable event for every motorcyclist and this year Royal Enfield does not disappoint. Present the brand new Shotgun 650, a custom motorcycle with a unique design and a sporty ride, which joins the renowned Super Meteor 650 in a completely renewed guise. The new Himalayan 450 is the protagonist for off-road lovers. This Adventure bike, with its 40 horsepower liquid-cooled Sherpa engine, marks an important step forward in design and performance, inheriting and surpassing the success of the Himalayan 411.

Umberto Borile, known for his handcrafted motorbikes, brought to MBE a new and revolutionary engine equipped with a distribution system patented by him. It is a single-cylinder engine with desmodromic rods and rocker arms with camshafts in the crankcase in which two solid bars of harmonic titanium are mounted above the rods. This system, in addition to being very compact, needs very little lubrication because there is no sliding friction of classic systems but only rolling, just as valve adjustment is not necessary. All this translates into lower consumption, less heat dissipation and reduced pollution. There is a lot of interest around this project, the result of the genius of Umberto Borile, entrepreneur and winemaker from Veneto, well known and appreciated for his handcrafted motorbikes. The engine, seen by numerous mass production designers, will be mounted by the end of the year, in 300 and 450 displacements, on a new Borile Moto model. The goal of the entrepreneur from Vo’, near Padua, is the production, when fully operational, of 100 models.

Faithful partner of Motor Bike Expo, Ohvale, in addition to displaying the products on its stand, has launched a new championship, aimed at involving motorcyclists from Central-Southern Italy. The project is called Ohvale Cup, recognized by the Italian Motorcycle Federation and organized in collaboration with EMG Eventi; owners of a model from Valerio Da Lio’s company will have the opportunity to participate in the series divided into four seasonal events. The same number of facilities were chosen for the races: Circuito il Sagittario in Latina, Circuito Internazionale d’Abruzzo, Autodromo Gianni de Luca in Airola and Autodromo Levante in Binetto. The Ohvale factory, located in Mogliato Veneto, has a fixed meeting point in the Verona fair for enthusiasts, friends, customers, sector workers and others.

At MBE Insta360 presented Ace Pro, the latest model of waterproof action camera ideal for use on motorbikes, thanks to 4 peculiar features: the one-inch diameter lens, created in collaboration with Leica, which allows you to capture images sharp even in low light; numerous accessories to connect it to the motorbike or helmet; remote GPS control; finally the possibility of pausing filming to create a single continuous file.

Midland proposed to MBE its latest R1 Mesh intercom, which allows group communication for 6 motorcyclists up to 2.2 km, with hybrid Bluetooth and Mesh technology, simplified user interface, magiclock magnetic fastening system, RCF audio experience and compatibility with TFT dashboards.

Among the most faithful of MBE, present for thirty years with their exhibition spaces since the first edition, this year celebrates forty years of activity Valeri Sport, a megastore founded by a young motor enthusiast Valesca Valeri who has collected the best specialized clothing brands for two wheels. A solid family company from the upper Treviso area; says Francesco Forner, Valesca’s son: “MBE offers the variety of an audience ranging from custom, café racing, to racing, not only from Italy but also from Europe, in particular from Switzerland, Germany and Austria. There are regular customers who have been coming to Verona for years for the usual purchases at the Motor Bike Expo. This year in particular, the results exceeded expectations not only in terms of public turnout but also in terms of sales volume.” Valeri Sport is also present at MBE with the Valeri 84 Rider District brand dedicated to the café racer and custom world, managed by Alice Bellotto, former classical dancer at La Scala, now Marketing and Sales Manager and Francesco’s wife.

The triptych of the latest custom contests on Sunday opened with the Choppers Magazine Invitational, entirely dedicated to the chopper style, invented after the Second World War by American veterans and celebrated in the 1969 film Easy Rider. Promoted by the publisher Cary Brobeck of the famous American magazine, in collaboration with Eternal City Motorcycle Show, Michela and Mirko Marinelli, a Latina customizer expert in this old school style. Three bikes on stage to which three prizes will be awarded: the Editor’s Choice went to the Veronese customizer Marco Facchinetti for his 1967 Panshovel; the Best Chopper at the Genoa Wild Wheels workshop, which brought a 1954 Panhead to Verona; the most coveted award, Best in Show, went to Gianfranco Lentini of the Meccanizzate workshop in Cormano (MI), an imaginative personality known in the biker world with the nickname of Piffio, who also receives a special prize from Antony Hiro and an exhibition space at the next edition of the custom event in Rome, which will be held on 28 and 29 September 2024.

Then it was the turn of the International Clubstyle Contest, promoted by Punta Courchevel. Four motorcycles were awarded for as many subcategories of this timeless style that comes from the American West Coast and involves Harley-Davidson FXR and Dyna models, new generation Softail and Touring models. The Classic category was won by the Dutch Michel Visser with an FXR; the Clubstyle GT from RP Motorcycle’s Dyna-based “Carbon Blaster” from 2003, painted by Kustom Family Milano; the Naked from the Swiss IceHouse Customs workshop in the Canton of Ticino with another Dyna; finally, the Performance Bagger from the Road Glide by Vity’s Design made with carbon parts from the Italian-American company Carbon Visionary.

The organizers of Punta Courchevel also announced a national contest within the LowRide bike show, which traditionally closed the Show, awarding the Dyna Low Rider S from DynaMite Garage in the Clubstyle category. LowRide magazine also awarded the Top 20 and 8 other “Best of” in the categories Scrambler, Cafe Racer, Modified (which was won by Bad Boys Garage, multiple winner also on Saturday in the MBE Pick with its 975 Monza), Bagger, Paint, Bobber, Chopper and Freestyle. The tenth category reserved for Sportster models was judged by Paolo Ghiringhelli of the Duecilindri blog, organizer of Sporty Meeting, the largest European gathering of H-D “small block” cars, who presented the Sporty Award to Alessandro Meneghini for his XL 1200 Sport . Pepe Lazzara of Los Sicanos triumphs in Best In Show, with a 1994 Chicano-style Softail, which also became popular thanks to the TV serial Mayans, as opposed to the Clubstyle made famous by Sons of Anarchy.

There was great interest from the MBE public in the Small Wheels District dedicated to fifties, mopeds, Vespas and Lambrettas, animated by prizes and special initiatives. Among these is the third edition of the “Special without gears – Moped&Scooter International Contest” award which rewards the most valuable moped. Fifteen fifties competing from Italy, France, Germany and Hungary. A highly specialized jury decreed the winners: first place Albieri Motori 50 cc, a twin-cylinder entirely made, frame and engine by the creator; second is a splendid restoration of a 1954 Beta Cigno, and finally third is Giacomo Zanetti’s Pigizeta, holder of the FIM speed record, conquered in the Bonneville salt lake in 2018. He assembled a Mosquito with the recovery of rare pieces with a Verlicchi chassis, Tomaselli saddle and Longagnani handlebars. Big applause from the audience present.

Motor Bike Expo was the scene of a “national” reconciliation between Lorenzo Zanetti and Michele Pirro who exchanged a handshake on the stage of the Verdi Auditorium. The two riders, who arrived in Imola in the decisive duel for the 2023 CIV Superbike title, had arrived at loggerheads on the track and a heated discussion had ensued. The Verona Fair gave both of them the opportunity to rediscover human and sporting contact. The Federmoto awards proved providential.

The drivers of the CIV Classic also took to the stage of the Verdi Auditorium, awarded for their respective feats, in each category and engine capacity. Celebratory plaques, cups, trophies, caps, medals, gadgets and special conventions: the 2023 edition recorded successful registrations, spectacular races, a growing movement by gentleman riders, each of them trained, fit and with varied experience track. At the same time as the ritual recognitions, the launch of the 2024 season began which, as for the Italian Speed Championship, includes events organized on global tracks, including the new Cremona Circuit, which is about to host the world SBK. Motocross Epoca then rose to prominence, a knobby wheel specialty capable of attracting numerous participants, as demonstrated by the many jumps and dirt track enthusiasts who came to Verona for the three days of the fair.

Great satisfaction declared by the Federmoto managers, an organization that has always been a traditional partner and a permanent presence at the Motor Bike Expo, also for the outcome of the driving school for children, entrusted to the federal technician, former speed champion, Gianluca Nannelli who, at the end of the three days, put over 130 children on the saddle for the first time.

“My Dakar is still underway: I landed, late, at 1am tonight at Malpensa (going from +38° to -4°), the car already rented was no longer there, fortunately I found a lift , at 4 I was at home, in Vicenza, after a while I left and now I’m here at the fair”. Thus Franco Picco upon arrival on Sunday at the Motor Bike Expo where he met many fans and admirers to talk from the stage of the pad. 7, his extraordinary experiences and for the “copy-signing” of the book on his Dakar that Massimo Tamburelli and Matteo Aramini dedicated to him.
Despite the tour de force, Franco appeared calm, relaxed, tanned and smiling. Which confirms his reputation as a man of extraordinary energy, over whom 68 springs don’t seem to have passed at all, but which is also the mirror of his state of mind. “Let’s go back with our heads held high” he says proudly, as D.S. of , which brought all three of its drivers to the finish line, riding the 450 XEF Rally. The Englishwoman Jane Daniels, already enduro world champion, twice with Fantic, ranked 48th, the only woman to reach the finish line and therefore triumphant in the women’s ranking; the Frenchman Jeremy Miroir, making his debut at the Dakar, came 31st and 3rd among the Rookies; the Italian Tommaso Montanari (who received “live” advice from his fellow citizen Danilo Petrucci, the only one to have won in MotoGP and on desert tracks) finished in 96th place. “Books like this are written when a career comes to an end – said Picco -, mine doesn’t necessarily have to: and to think that after the first Dakar, I said ‘enough!’. And now I’m back from my 30th experience in this extraordinary rally.”

Roberta Ponziani and Beatriz Neila Santos are the names of the winners in the Sport Stage area of Pavilion 7, where the organization of the Italian Women’s Speed Championship and Women’s European Championship recognized the merits of the Italian, who won the national title, and the Spanish, winner of the European version. Of both series, characterized by the Supersport 300 category, the 2024 edition was then presented which will start from the Misano World Circuit: both the CIV and the WEC will include 5 seasonal events.