OFFICIAL: Intermot 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19
COVID-19 claims another victim of the motorcycle calendar as the Intermot motorcycle show is cancelled for 2020
GERMANY’S biggest motorcycle will not take place in 2020 as the organisers confirm that Intermot 2020 is cancelled.
The organisers of the show, originally scheduled to take place from 6th to 11th October this year, came to the decision as they could not see a way to make the event happen safely given current restrictions.
Indeed, most large events organisers have a completely new set of guidelines to wrangle when it comes to planning a large scale event such as a motorcycle show.
Social distancing and how to enforce it is one of the key concerns for the team behind the event, as is the worry that thousands of members of the public touching and sitting on bikes could cause a second peak of the virus.
In a statement, Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Kölnmeße, said:
“An event that depends on its appeal as an experience and event cannot be held in this form at this point in time and thus does not meet the expectations and needs of the industry. Our customers’ resources for 2021 are already under heavy strain as a result of the SARS/COVIC-19 crisis. As an important part of the motorcycle industry, however, and particularly in difficult times, we want to actively support our partners and are now working full steam on a digital format. With the digital INTERMOT news stream, we are creating a communication platform that will provide sustainable inspiration for the industry and the motorcycle community alike. We can then turn our full focus to the event scheduled for 2022. In future, trade fairs such as INTERMOT will incorporate more hybrid elements – to supplement the on-site experience with added digital reach. All of the stakeholders involved now have plenty of time to prepare accordingly for the next INTERMOT in Cologne, and to make this the meeting place for the international motorcycle community once again”
Other high profile motorcycle shows falling by the wayside include Motorcycle Live at the NEC in Birmingham which was confirmed as being cancelled just over a week ago.
In that instance, ‘concern for public safety and well-being of industry colleagues’ was the key issue that led to this year’s event being postponed until 2021.
“Motorcycle Live is all about audience interaction, meeting with friends, climbing onto all the latest machines and trying on the all latest gear,” said managing director Finlay McAllen. “Many of us use it as an annual pilgrimage to meet with friends and family and enjoy a great day out together.”
With Motorcycle Live and now Intermot both falling by the wayside, Europe’s biggest and most well-known motorcycle shows, EICMA, is remaining steadfast. With the event still slated to take place in Milan between the 5th and the 8th November.
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
