We always love road trips and our most recent excursion to vend at the Vancouver Motorcycle Show in Abbotsford was no exception. Even with some decidedly dodgy January weather, the twin line-ups to get in on opening day stretched the length of the Tradex in both directions. So while it may not have seemed as busy as prior years, with maybe fewer vendors, there were still plenty of folks to chin wag with and lots of space to do it in. Loved seeing the new VMax over at the Yamaha display, even if the young sales rep was decidedly underwhelmed at having a model, "that's been around for twenty years" blocking the sight lines to all his shiny new couchmobiles and crotch rockets. What can I say? Vintage custom love is what we do and we appreciate a pedigree. It was Especially great to see Tim Renshaw and the gang in the back hall getting everyone hyped for this year's 3rd Annual Vintage Canyon Run!
Another nice benefit was having more time to chat with the other vendors that stopped by our booth. Several of them tell us they want to distribute our product lines, which is flattering as Hell. We work hard to produce awesome looking and comfortable Kustom gear, so it's always a good day when we hear the love. The crowd certainly seemed to dig our offerings, they damned near cleaned us out of saddle roll blankets and flip-up 3 snap bubble visors! It can be tough to find retro and custom, or alternative looking gear at an event primarily driven by the large manufacturers' mobile showrooms, but it's not all cookie cutter skulls, studs and plastic. I mean, nobody buys a bike because they want to look just like everybody else, right? Gotta have some diversity in the mix. So, if you look long and hard enough, you can still turn up some gems. There were some pretty rad armored high tops on display that would've come home with me if they had actually been on sale. Maybe 2017 is the year I finally break down and buy one of them shiny new lifts they trot out every season. They seemed pretty solid and we always try to support local and small businesses when we can. It took a while, but we finally managed to get out and find some souvenirs for ourselves on the last day. Getting service can be tough when everybody's tired and you don't look like a given vendor's demographic, but a smile and letting them know that you know what you're looking for can go a long way. We did dig ourselves up a couple of Matching leather his and hers vests, with side laces and buffalo head nickel snap covers that gave us a lot of joy. A pretty bitchin' Sugar Skull bag for Ms. Evil Overlord and a pair of armored retro brown leather gloves for Big Daddy Me rounded things off perfectly. We even managed to pick up a nice surprise piece for a client build that we're working on! Our final night in Abbotsford we decided to hit up the local Milestones for some rare prime rib and fishbowl bellinis. Service was awesome, especially considering we had come straight from the show and probably didn't look like a Stepford couple. Our server John kept the booze and the laughs flowing and we'll be sure to hit them up again the next time we're in the area. All in all, The Motorcycle Show Vancouver in Abbotsford was a solid event with plenty to see and do. It's the largest shindig of the season, and it definitely got us pumped for all the fun still to come this year. Next up is the Vintage Classic Swap & Show at the Cloverdale Agriplex on April 23rd. We'll see you there!
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That's right, with just a week to go, we're loaded for bear and ready for love. Always a good time, and the biggest motorcycle event of the year here in B.C., The Motorcycle Show Vancouver is not to be missed. We'll be right in the front row of the hall, down to the left as you enter the main doors. Check out the map at the bottom of this post for directions. Don't forget, if you're looking to save money on shipping, stopping by the booth to see us in person is the way to go. Or, if you're looking for one of the items from our online store that we don't regularly bring to events, just email us at [email protected] and we'll help you to pre-order without paying shipping charges. Your item will be ready for you to pick up at the Killman Customs Independent Buildhouse booth when you come on by! Get your party fun pants on folks, this is the big one! |
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