Cleveland IMS and the WCM: Part 1

Last weekend, I had the rare opportunity to join the inaugural organizing committee of the Women's Coalition of Motorcyclists. This coalition is made up of several women representing multiple female and co-ed motorcycling clubs and organizations. Along with my Women On Wheels® president, Cris Baldwin, we spent most of the weekend assembling the framework for what we hope to be a unifying group that will promote women and motorcycling in all aspects of the sport. I hope to share a bit more about this organization in a future blog post as we solidify the structure of this long-term project.

With that being said, one of our assignments was to head to the International Motorcycle Show at the I-X Center in Cleveland to scout possible leads and sponsors for our cause. After perusing the floor and realizing that majority of the booths were mostly the typical "leather and spikes" stands that you'd see at any floor, I turned my attention to the motorcycles. So here are some of the interesting finds that will make their way to the dealership floor, if they haven't already.

2013 BMW C650 GT: BMW's first foray into the maxi-scooter category still possesses many of the amenities of its larger tourers. Engine is designed by Kymco in a surprising partnership. Also available in a C600 version.

The upgraded luxury package also includes heated seats and grips among other extras.

Optional BMW Motorad IV and electric windshield  shown on this model.

2013 Husqvarna Terra TR650: Street legal enduro with a 21" front wheel that can run over anything. The Strada version has cast wheels. Engine is based off of BMW's G650GS.

Brammo Empulse R: A completely electric motorcycle built in Oregon.

2013 Honda Goldwing F6B: Honda's low-slung, bagger interpretation of the revered Goldwing has heads turning. Using the GL1800's 1832cc powerplant combined with the removal of the topcase among other weight-saving features, this monster is even leaner and faster! Available in a standard and deluxe edition that includes a center stand, self-cancelling turn signals, a backrest, and heated grips.

2013 Honda NC700X: Honda's first standard, mid-range do-all adventure/commuter bike released in the United States since the Honda 599 (Hornet). Available in both six-speed manual or automatic Dual Clutch Transmission with ABS.

Closeup of the NC700X's built-in  21-liter storage. My only qualm about this bike is that the fuel fill is under the seat. That might be annoying when trying to fill up gas with bags strapped on. However, filling up won't be very frequent with a 3.7 gallon tank averaging 64 MPG.

2013 Honda CB500X: A new adventure-style motorcycle with a 500cc parallel twin that's great for beginners and all-around commuting. I'd be interested in taking this for a test ride.

Panoramic shot of one side of the International Motorcycle Show.

More to come in Part 2...