Had the chance to attend the 2026 AIMEXPO Powersports Tradeshow in Anaheim, California. After taking a wrong turn off Disneyland Way and ending up in a 30-car queue for Disneyland parking, the guy in the booth directed me to the Anaheim Convention Center.
The AIMEXPO Powersports Tradeshow is produced by The Motorcycle Industry Council (of which I used to be a board member) and is intended to match producers of powersport products and services with powersport retailers. Tradeshows have taken a hit, dwindling dramatically in size and number and I just don’t get it. There is not a more cost-efficient way for manufactures and their dealers (or potential dealers) to meet face to face for a deep dive into products, services and market factors facing the industry. Luckily, the AIMEXPO Powersports Tradeshow was well attended by both suppliers and the folks who sell them. The AIMEXPO seems to be bucking the trade show trend and that is good news for consumers.
Here are just a few of the products caught my eye while perusing the aisles.
Unreal Virtual Reality:Moto Trainer offers simulators for GP Racing, road riding and motocross. The company will tailor the simulator for your desired experience be it training, teaching or just for fun.
Round It Up:Road 2 Recovery’s Jimmy Button and Jennifer Gabrielli were in the hall to show retailers how easy it is to set-up RoundUp so spare change from sales go to this worthy cause. They are changing lives.
Suzuki GSX-8TT: Suzuki says this bike draws inspiration from the T500 Titan, but I don’t see the resemblance. The GSX-8TT is a show stopper in its own right and with a suggested retail of $11,149, good luck finding one on Suzuki dealerships showroom floors.
In The Family: This is the bike that inspired the GSX-8TT?
KO’ed By Kayo:These guys offer a giant line of very affordable powersport vehicles from minis to trail bikes to ATVs. Mostly four-stroke powered, they offer a growing line of electric vehicles.
Small-Sized Fun:CRTmoto offers over 140 models (according to their website) and this 168.9cc DF200SST-23 is the one that caught my attention. How fun would that be to scream up a canyon on? Don’t think you’ll see many at your local motorcycle shop. Americans like their displacement.
Threesome: Supremach offers a deep line of vehicles but the MP200-M3 is the one that caught my attention. It uses a 180cc, 4-stroke motor that the company claims will get you up to 50 miles per hour. Great small-town or inner-city transportation.
Have I seen You Before?:REX Motor offers over 40 models. They’d probably offer more, but the copy machine ran out of paper. Harsh? It takes an eagle-eye to spot the difference between a REX and a Honda, KTM, Beta, Husky or Kayo.
Chain Reaction:Gates wants to get you off the chain gang and on their smooth and quite belt drives. Not sure the “quite” matters on the El Borracho (The Drunk) but the lack of oil flinging onto your pant leg is a plus. Think of the money saved on chain lube.
Warm Fingers: If you ride anywhere except maybe Costa Rica, you have experience cold hands (and maybe worse). Hippo Hands makes cold riding almost fun with a product line. Adventure riders can extend their riding season with these handlebar mounted mitts.
Morini vs. Triumph: These two bikes use 350cc and 400cc to help refocus how much fun you can have on a motorcycle that won’t go to 140MPH. Maybe you have to be an old dude to get excited, but it works for me.
Be Seen:Brake Free offers a helmet light that senses when the motorcycle is reducing speed. It activates when you grab the brakes or simply during engine braking. That’s incredible because car drivers have no idea what engine braking is.
Re-inventing The Wheel:Zhejaiang Datai New Energy Company is betting that future motorcycles will be electrically powered by their wheels. While many Chinese companies keep their origins low profile, Zhejaiang proudly wears the connection on their sleeve.
Electrifying: The hall was full of electric-powered motorcycles. I still don’t see too many of them on showroom floors.
Required Equipment: I’ve reported a lot on e-bike battery fires. Lives have been lost as well as homes and businesses. Every dealership that sells and services electric vehicles need Full Circle products. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it is catastrophic.
Indian’s Future: The company has a claimed 125 year history, but their display certainly didn’t look vibrant. I would council companies not to have a display rather than have a display with nobody in it. The lawn chairs on the wall were loved by tired dealers.
Norton Under Glass: The First Edition is still more of a promise than a production model. Every model on the Norton website is ‘Coming soon.” You can get on a waiting list for a First Edition without a deposit.
No Pop A Wheelie: This Droyd electric minibike comes stock with a wheelie bar so the hard acceleration doesn’t flip you over backwards.
Too Pretty To Get Dirty: I would hate to get the Brawley dirty and let’s not talk about scratching it. I’ll bet it could be licensed in some states. They claim it has 404 horsepower and climate control for the passengers.
My lips Are Sealed: Can’t say anything about this yet but watch your TV listings. A lot of well-respected craftsmen will be associated with this show when it is released.
