Progressive IMS Outdoors 2021 Tour Update: Tens of Thousands of Consumers in Attendance and Delivery of New Riders Through Expanded Learn to Ride Offerings

September 20, 2021

The reimagined, festival-like Powersports event series heads to Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas, with upward of 14,000 successful demo rides under its belt thus far

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Progressive IMS Outdoors, the nation’s leading motorcycle tour, has successfully completed three events along the 2021 tour, Northern California, Chicago, and Pennsylvania, with five markets still to come. Throughout the three events, tens of thousands of experienced and new riders participated in IMS’ vast assortment of experiences, including on and off-road demo programs, shopping in The Marketplace and The Range, discovering new brands, expanded Learn To Ride experiences, listening to music from local artists, and reconnecting with fellow enthusiasts.

In December 2020, IMS revealed the Tour’s exciting refresh from an indoor convention setting to outdoor venues that broaden the experience for consumers, enabling attendees to fully immerse themselves with brand-new models and engage with products that complement the motorcycle lifestyle. “Transitioning to an experience-forward event series has been very well-received by both our attendee and exhibitor community, a model everyone is excited to continue,” said Tracy Harris, Senior Vice President of Progressive IMS Outdoors. “This new and improved layout mirrors the Powersports lifestyle by providing a fun environment for enthusiasts to reconnect after so many months apart and demo product of interest, from on and off-road, four-wheels, to the latest e-bikes on the market.”

EXPANDED DEMO OPPORTUNITIES

With each participating OEM running an average of 20-minute demo rides all weekend, the first three weeks of the Tour delivered upward of 14,000 demos. “Progressive IMS Outdoors has been a great opportunity for Kawasaki to showcase our exciting Side by Side lineup to the IMS fan base and the motorcycle industry,” said Kawasaki’s Chris Brull, Vice President of Marketing and Racing. “The Kawasaki demo experience is equal parts educational and exciting, especially for first-time riders. In addition to our complete lineup of motorcycles, including Ninja®, Versys®, Vulcan®, and Z motorcycles, we are thrilled to offer attendees the chance to ride our new Teryx KRX®1000 side x side lineup through a unique off-road course and tackle any obstacle with ease.”

“Progressive IMS Outdoors has proved to be a major success for Indian Motorcycle,” said Taylor Young, experiential marketing manager, Indian Motorcycle. “We’ve been thrilled with the exposure to new and existing riders, as well as our family of Indian Motorcycle owners who’ve been coming out to support. We look forward to the remaining markets on the Tour.”

DELIVERING NEW RIDERS

A focal point of this year’s Tour is building a solid base of new riders through more Learn To Ride opportunities which will become the next generation of purchasers. Nearly half of surveyed attendees in Chicago were either prospective riders that plan to start riding in the next 12 months or are new to riding. IMS’ transition to an experiential event series welcomes a handful of entry points into the world of motorcycling through:

Greater opportunity for eager new and interested riders to hone their ability to ride via Discover The Ride and the MIC’s Ride With Us program delivering hundreds of new riders
Participation in Harley-Davidson’s Invitation To Ride Program available to consumers in Texas, Nashville, and Central Florida.
An expanded electric footprint with Serial 1 powered by Harley-Davidson and Yamaha Power-Assist electric bicycles available tour-wide, and in select markets, Giant and Momentum e-bike courses for all riders and a course designed specifically for women produced by Liv
A more inclusive Kids Zone presented by Strider that teaches kids as young as two learning the lifelong skill of riding a bike

“I loved the chance to ride a Zero Motorcycle. My wife learned how to ride a motorcycle at the event; she will be taking the MSF in the near future,” remarked a delighted IMS attendee.

Another IMS attendee shared: “I loved the learn to ride area. The people and experience were amazing! I ride with my husband, but I have never ridden by myself because I didn’t want to spend $300 to take a course and not be sure if I like it or not. This quick course has influenced me to sign up for a motorcycle class. Thank you so much; what a terrific experience!”

Harris continued: “We do not have plans to return to the indoor event series. Our mission is to support the industry’s growth, connect enthusiasts with the brands they love, and provide an experience that is so much more than simply looking at new models—and the summer months allow for this level of engagement. With so many smiling faces in Northern California, Chicago, and Pennsylvania, we could not be more excited to share that Progressive IMS Outdoors is here to stay.”

UPCOMING PROGRESSIVE IMS OUTDOORS EVENTS

Serving primary markets across the U.S., each regional pocket brings unique topographies, weather, and local culture.

Texas

Texas Motor Speedway

October 1-3

Nashville

James E. Ward Agricultural Center

October 8-10

Central Florida

SUN N’ FUN Campus

October 15-17

Atlanta

Georgia International Horse Park

October 29-31

Southern California

OC Fair & Event Center

November 19-21

To join the fun and participate in Progressive IMS Outdoors, secure your single day or weekend-long pass here: www.motorcycleshows.com/schedule.

Connect with IMS (#RidersUnite and #IMSOutdoors):

About Progressive IMS Outdoors (motorcycleshows.com)

Progressive IMS Outdoors is an evolution of the Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® tour’s nearly 40-year stint that not only transitions IMS from the traditional convention center setup to a new open outdoor experience but will also create a festival-like atmosphere that promotes enthusiasts of all ages and levels to come together to better engage with products, each other, and the industry. While continuing its presence as the nation’s largest consumer motorcycle tour, Progressive IMS Outdoors will support the growth of the Powersports community by offering a unique experience the industry has yet to see. The Tour will span eight cities across the U.S. IMS Outdoors is organized by Informa Markets, a division within Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the world’s largest B2B Events organizer. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.informa.com.