KTM and Husqvarna delivered a big blow to the 2018 International Dirt Bike Show today as they revealed they will not attend this year’s popular event at Stoneleigh.
While many top moto brands are committed to the off-road show on November 1-4, including Dirt Bike Rider and its sister brand TMX, the revelation that two powerhouses of motorcycling will not have their usual large stands will cause some concern among exhibitors.
Their presence will also be missed on the main stage with KTM regularly providing surprise high-profile guest visits from their top stars including Tony Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings.
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Both KTM and Husqvarna have repeatedly shown support to the off-road industry, not only at the very highest level where they have in recent years dominated premier competition with moto wins and championships both in Europe and the United States, but importantly at grassroots level too.
So with that in mind, it’s a shock that they have elected to miss 2018’s International Dirt Bike Show.
In near identical press releases, Husqvarna and KTM say they have reviewed the way they communicate with its customers. The firms have assessed their event and marketing activity for the remainder of 2018 and plans for 2019, and that after “careful consideration” the IDBS will not be part of those plans.
It appears that the companies will utilise their resources at a very different type of event. While dropping the Dirt Bike Show both Husqvarna and KTM will give their customers a chance to see their motorcycles at the 2018 Weston Beach Race on October 19-21. They announced that they will display an extensive range of current bikes alongside race squads and dealer teams.
“The huge reach of this event, the crossover between Motocross and Enduro, and Weston’s direct correlation to the sport ensure that Husqvarna Motorcycles will be highly visible across the entire event,” the company said.
The brands will also attend two further events, the first is Motorcycle Live (November 17-25) and the second is early in 2019 at the MCN London Show (February 15-17).
KTM and Husqvarna both stressed that they will continue to be highly visible in its core sporting markets, including off-road with an ongoing commitment in the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship. KTM will also continue their successful partnership with Judd Racing in the British Youth Nationals championship.
“Nurturing young talent is key to KTMās future success and proves the performance of the product in the Youth sector,” they said.
In Enduro, KTM enjoys massive success with homegrown heroes Jonny Walker and Paul Bolton while Husqvarna support UK-based riders Graham Jarvis and Billy Bolt whose profile and performances are consistently world-leading in the WESS series.
We have reached out to the IDBS organisers for comment and will update here if they respond.
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