Record-Breaking Attendance and the Other Highlights of Medellín’s Feria de las 2 Ruedas Motorcycle Fair

Medellín’s annual motorcycle fair, Feria de las 2 Ruedas, is one of the largest in Latin America. And this year, for its 10th anniversary edition, the event broke an attendance record.

More than 58,000 people gathered over four days to see the exhibition of motorcycles, take home bikes of their own, buy new gear, and generally celebrate Colombia’s biker culture. This represents a 10% jump over the 2015 event and shows that this is a growing market that is drawing more and more attention each year.

There are many facets to the four-day conference, which is already gearing up for what organizers hope will be another record-setting outing in 2017.

The following are the aspects of Feria de las Ruedas that it was proud to highlight this year.

Business Conference

The motorcycle industry in Colombia shows no sign of stopping, and this was clearly seen in the results from the Feria 2 Rueda 2016 Business Conference, with 102 successful deals reporting projected sales of over $46 million USD.

Moreover, it is estimated that business deals made in other spaces during the fair, and post-fair, mean that the true figure is certainly much higher.

Showroom Innovation

Inspiring innovation at the fair was in the hands of the exhibitors who, with great shows and special presentations, initiated the brands and new products that they are bringing into the market.

The following stood out the most:

• Presentation of new AKT models

• Launching of the new BMW motorcycle

• Launching of W Elite Team Attire

• Presentation of new Suzuki motorcycles

• Presentation of new AIMA models

• Presentation of the new Harley-Davidson line

• Launching of Honda motorcycles

Launchings

Without a doubt, launching of new motorcycle models represents one of the main attractions for motorcycle lovers at the Feria de las 2 Ruedas. Among the most important launchings that took place at this version of the fair were:

• CB 190R and CB 250R by Honda

• SV650 and Gixxer SF by Suzuki

• G310R by BMW

• Fat Boy S and Softail Slim by Harley-Davidson

• Rock Z 125 and Stryker by TVS

• Challenger, Freedom II and New Mocca by AIMA

Academic Hall

Forums and academic talks continue to play an important role in the the fair. To be precise, this year the following activities took place in the Academic Hall.

• AKT Convention

• Launching of Shell products

• “Motocinema Diaries” Presentation  by Andres Franco

• 2nd National Motorcycle Forum by F2R and University of Antioquia

• Launching of “Impercap” Seventh Generation

• “Motorcycle Women” by F2R and University of Antioquia

• Motorcycle Clubs Symposium

• R&R Lubricants Safe Driving Course

• Champion Spark Plugs by Federal Mogul Training

• Mastech Distributors Convention

• Technical Conference on Spark Plugs by NGK

• Castrol Conference

• Rules and Regulations on Helmets by Inducascos

• Chinese Industry and its impact on the Colombian Market by Suotong

A total of 1,438 people attended these presentations, illustrating that the Academic Hall is still the epicenter of debate regarding the motorcycle industry.

2nd National Forum of “Motorcycle Women”

Also in the Academic Hall, 66 attendees led the second forum dedicated solely to women riders. Speakers at this meeting were: Natalia Mesa Balbil and Yofir Acosta Vasquez from the Mobility Secretariat; Marta Giraldo Duque of the Fundación En los Zapatos del Peatón (In the Pedestrian’s Shoes Foundation); and Gustavo Alonzo Cabrera from the National Faculty of Public Health of the University of Antioquia.

This forum promises to go on growing and consolidating as a space for thinking and the great nationwide encounter for female motorcycle riders. The report of this encounter can be downloaded from Feria de las 2 Ruedas website.

National Symposium of Motorcycle Clubs

This academic event generated the greatest expectations — and surpassed all attendance forecasts of with 85 representatives from motorcycle clubs across the country.

Lectures were delivered for four hours at one of the greatest academic encounters ever held for clubs in Colombia, where talks were given by: Gustavo Alonzo Cabrera Arana of Safe Mobility Colombia; Juan Camillo Gómez González of Human Mobility Management Medellin; Pedro and Daniel Gómez, travelers who have gone around the world by motorcycle; William Bolívar or Harley-Davidson Dealer Medellin; Guillermo Pajón Carmona, director of F2R. And they all spoke under the moderation of José Manuel Garzón, president of Cundinamarca Motorcycle Clubs.

At this encounter, all kinds of themes referring to passion for motorcycles were discussed, from experiences lived while traveling to the brotherhoods generated between enthusiasts.

Tax Free Zone

As in previous years, the organization of the fair offered exhibitors the permanent Tax Free Zone service operated by Plaza Mayor, a benefit received by all exhibitors at F2R who brought their products from abroad both for exhibition and for later importation.

A total of 15.7 tons of merchandize entered the country from Panama, China, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Taiwan, Spain, Hong Kong, and the United States. Exhibitors brought everything, ranging from motorcycles, accessories, publicity materials, souvenirs and set designs for stands.

Test Drive

This year, Feria de las 2 Ruedas offered exhibiting brands an exclusive covered track for test drives and another outdoor track. The brands that took part in this space in 2016 were: AKT, AIMA, SYM, Suzuki, and Harley-Davidson.

Hall of Fame

Our Hall of Fame this year showcased four sportsmen presented by the exhibitors who sponsor them. These guests of honor were: Francisco “Chaleco” López from Chile; Rafael Pasierbek “Stunter 13” from Poland; Andrés Marin “Musingo”; and Steven Castañeda from Colombia.

It should be mentioned that the fair, as part of the celebration of its 10th year, made a great investment to be able to bring in international sportsmen to the Hall of Fame.

On Sunday, organizers handed out an award to each sportsman in recognition of his successful sporting career and a certificate to accredit him as a Hall of Fame sportsman.

Social Responsibility

This year we activated the #Conducebien good-driving campaign, with the support of the Medellin City Hall, which also joined in to raise the awareness of participants at the fair through its “Black Shadows” strategy. This initiative consists of a group of artists completely covered by black cloth who moved between all of the stands at the Fair.

With this campaign, Feria de las 2 Ruedas once again showed the industry’s commitment to the well-being of motorcyclists, something that it managed to make visible through communications and interactive media on the web.

Sports on 2 Wheels

More than 2,000 people in the stands and around the track enjoyed sporting exhibitions and competitions presented daily. This was thanks to the spectacular facilities created by the organizers of the event, which once again was equipped with the only Enduro Cross track in Medellín. It is one of the few set up on urban terrain in Latin America, and the design of the track allowed people to fully fell the adrenaline of the motorcycle competitions.

Also worth highlighting is the numerous group logistics group who guaranteed security in the sports areas and the excellent work of the Antioquia League of Motorcyclists, which allowed the sporting agenda to be carried out and ensured the presence of the professional sportsmen.

The mobile ramp needed for the Freestyle FMX and BMX, as well as the “Globe of Death” (a show that was presented for the first time at the fair) are structures that require a great investment and put on a show seldom seen live by the visitors.

This year, the following competitions were held: the 10th Gulf Pride Motorcycle Speed Cup (DT Original 150cc to 200cc, 4-wheel motorcycles, Mini Motorcycles, and Girl´s 4-wheel Motorcycles), Enduro Cross F2R DT Initiation (Free, Senior and Professional), and the YCF Mini-Motorcycle Star Competition.