Polaris Industries Incorporated->ke4818 is sending the 2018 lineup from its motorcycle->ke2239 and Slingshot divisions to the Nationwide Insurance Company-hosted American International Motorcycle Expo for the first time ever this year. Attendees at the Columbus, Ohio AIMExpo to be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on September 23rd and 24th will be able to ogle, caress and test drive units from these lineups, and I gotta expect that to be the kind of exposure that is going to have an immediate impact on sales.

Continue reading for more on Polaris' appearance at the expo.

Bringing The A Team

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Polaris has had a mixed bag to draw from in 2017. After showing the world how competitive an electric bike->ke3364 can be with its Empulse->ke5609 at the Isle of Mann TT, Polaris announced the winding down and shuttering of the Victory Motorcycle->ke1801 company that built the Brammo->ke3399-based, electric crotch rocket. Though that was definitely a blow, Polaris has made progress with its Indian->ke3292 acquisition and self-produced Slingshot->ke4790 models in the past year to sugarcoat that bitter pill. The latest news from Polaris, however, is certainly indicative of a healthy company.

According to Polaris, “The AIMExpo provides both Indian and Slingshot the ideal platform to reach and engage the North American market and to showcase each brand’s new model year lineups,” said Steve Menneto, President, Polaris Motorcycle Division. “Additionally, the city of Columbus is strategically situated within the sweet spot of our consumer base, as well as our dealer network, making it an ideal location to showcase our products to key constituencies.”

The folks at AIMExpo tell us, “We’re excited to welcome Indian Motorcycle and Polaris Slingshot to the AIMExpo for the first time,” said Larry Little, Vice President & General Manager, MIC Events. “Both brands bring a unique story unlike any other brand – with Indian’s historic place in motorcycling and Slingshot’s category-creating design. We fully expect both brands to be well received from attending industry professionals and consumers, and believe Indian and Slingshot will help contribute to make this the best show yet.”

As you can see, both parties are excited about this development, but it's the consumer who really stands to benefit from this new alliance. Although it's still a minute or two away, it's not too soon to get your tickets and book your room. It's not for another four months, so you probably can still get a room, but I wouldn't put it off too long if I were you.