Just 955 new motorcycles took to Irish roads in 2012 according to the Central Statistics Office. It’s a far cry from 2008, when 3,194 new bikes rolled out of the showrooms.
Car sales may have taken a big hit during the recession, but the bike market has been pummelled.
The official sales figures might not bode well for a bike show full of gleaming new metal but, while new-bike buyers with money to spend might be thin on the ground, the passion for two-wheeled motoring remained unabated.
And with spring upon us, the time is ripe for the fortunate few who are in the market.
If you have any doubts about it then pop along to the Irish Motorbike Scooter Show in Dublin’s RDS this weekend and witness the crowds of enthusiastic two-wheelers.
Not to be disheartened by the recent meagre sales, all the top motorcycle manufacturers will be at the show, including BMW, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Honda, Suzuki and Triumph to name a few.
There will be live action in the outdoor sand arena, and bike accessories and clothing retailers indoors.
One of the stars of the show will undoubtedly be the unveiling of the new BMW R1200 GS adventure motorcycle.
The new GS is one of the most advanced adventure motorcycles ever launched, and benefits from a superb Dynamic Damping Control (DDC) system.
The DDC is a self-adjusting, semi-active suspension system, that was first introduced to the BMW HP4 supersports bike.
Riders of the new BMW GS will also benefit from Dynamic Traction Control and ABS, both fitted as standard.
The most notable change over its predecessor is the introduction of an all-new water/air-cooled engine. Its power has been increased by 15hp to 125hp. Prices for the new BMW R1200 GS will start at €15,400.
This year sees BMW Motorrad celebrate 90 years since its first motorcycle was produced, the R32.
In celebration of this achievement, three special-edition models have been launched: the R1200 GS Adventure, the R1200 RT touring bike and the R1200R naked roadster.
All three models are finished in black and gold paint, and will be on display at the show.
Also making its Irish debut at the motorcycle show will be the new Honda CB500 range. This includes the new Honda CB500X adventure bike and the CB500F, its naked sibling.
The sports bike variant, the CBR500R, will also be displayed on Honda’s stand.
Triumph will unveil the new Triumph Tiger Explorer XC and Triumph Tiger Sport motorcycles.
The Triumph Tiger Explorer XC is a long-haul adventure motorcycle that’s been designed for covering long distances on the open road and off the beaten track.
The Tiger Sport is a practical roadster with improved power over its predecessor as a result of a new exhaust system.
The Triumph engineers have also tweaked the suspension angles, lengthened the wheel base and included a new ABS system, all aimed at improving the riding experience.
New to the Carole Nash Irish Motorbike Scooter Show for 2013 is a competition called Ireland’s got Biking Talent. This is designed to recognise amateur custom-bike builders in Ireland.
The show is internationally recognised as one of the AMD Custom Bike world championship international qualifiers: the top 12 bikes chosen by the public will be displayed alongside the International AMD competition display.
The Irish Motorcyclists’ Action Group (MAG Ireland) will be launching a smart phone app at the show that will enable the motorcycle community to connect online.
The app allows Irish motorcyclists to access information on events, meetings, traffic news and weather forecasts. It also has a list of motorcycle dealers across Ireland.
Travelling to the show from America will be land speed record holders, Laura Klock and her two daughters.
Laura and her daughters are the first mother-daughter-daughter team in history to hold land speed records simultaneously. They set their records on Victory motorcycles at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Road race fans travelling to the RDS will be in for a treat, as Isle of Man TT hero Guy Martin will be there.
* The Carole Nash Irish Motorbike Scooter Show in Dublin’s RDS run from this Friday March 1st until Sunday March 3rd.