
EICMA Motorcycle Show is held in Milan every year and it serves as the venue for numerous world premieres for various manufacturers and an important trade show for businesses and suppliers. But with the current predicament that the world finds itself in, this chances of this year's edition going on just like it always did already seemed bleak.
With major manufacturers like BMW and KTM pulling out of EICMA 2020, things seemed even bleaker. But the governing authorities of the motorcycle show have stated that there are no plans to rearrange the show and it will take place in November 2020 as it was supposed to.
Both KTM and BMW have withdrawn citing a commitment towards safety as their reasons. While this is surely a big blow, the bigger problem is that their decision might set a precedent that other manufacturers may follow.
As we said, the COVID-19 pandemic was sure to have cast a shadow of uncertainty on EICMA, whether we have some semblance of normalcy by November or not. But with 2 major manufacturers pulling out and then the chances of a few more doing the same thing, it is sure to put EICMA in a difficult situation.
We are yet to see what happens but for now, EICMA remains committed to sticking to its November 5 – 8 date for 2020 regardless of the thinner manufacturer involvement. But they have stated that they are monitoring the situation closely.
Speaking to Italian media, EICMA councillor and president of ANCMA and of the Italian General Industrial Confederation (Confindustria) Paolo Magri said: “These are complex times in constant evolution that require cohesion and we need to pay attention to what the wishes of the two-wheel industry and its suppliers are. For that reason, we are already discussing with the biggest national and international manufacturers in order to evaluate every possible solution in regards to our event, taking health crisis's evolution into consideration."
Nagri also contests BMW and KTM’s decision is a premature one seven months before the event was due to take place, but while the latter suggests it would return if the event was moved back to 2021, he says there are no plans to reschedule EICMA.
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