The Intermot 2008- Cologne, Germany

Nicole Berman, Marketing manager of Sama Motorcycle Tours, just got back from the Intermot in Germany (the largest motorcycle show in the world) This is what went down:

• The City
• The Show
• The Prize

The City
Locals say “Köln ist ein Gefühl”  meaning “Cologne is a feeling”
From the minute you arrive and you see the gothic like Cathedral dominating the skyline and the beautiful Rhine river flowing through the city, cologne has your heart.
On every corner there is a bakery selling apple strudel, and in the old town, the streets are cobbled and lined with beer halls.

Cycling along the Rhine River with the Cathedral (Dom) in the Background

The roads are a random mix of people, bicycles, trams and cars all somehow managing to pass each other by. The sunsets were spectacular and there is nothing better then sipping an ice cold Kolsch while watching the sun set over the city!

Enjoying the Sunset over the Biker Camp at the Intermot, Cologne

The Show- Cool, Hot, Intermot
The Intermot is known as the world’s best motorcycle show and it is no surprise why.  Every 2 years it is held in Colognes exhibition centre- the Koelnmesse (the 4th largest in the Northern hemisphere.) There are 10 halls filled with motorcycles, gear, gadgets, helmets, gloves and all things “Bike”

The Koelnmesse: Home of the Intermot

This year there were over 200 000 visitors from over 110 countries.
There were all sorts of new inventions, including seat belts for motorcycles, solar powered scooter (with a solar panel on the roof) as well as all the latest models of BMW, Vespa, Honda, Ducati, Suzuki, Yamaha and Buell.

Seat Belts for motorcycles- who would have thought?

The best part of the show for the visitors was probably the option to test out all the newer models on demarcated tracks. Some youngsters had their first ever ride under supervision of professionals at the Teenager track.
The entertainment was also great. The stunt bikers were amazingly skilled and the Cage riders were amazing.

The  Grand Prize draw
At the show Sama Motorcycle tours had a stand in Hall 5, close to the Touren Farher magazine, and globetrotters.

The Sama Tours Stand at the Intermot

Throughout the show we had hundreds of bikers visiting our stand, finding out about riding  South Africa and entering the lucky draw to win a 10 Day motorcycle train tour.
On the last day of the tour, we had a stand party with wines and snacks, and some local Afrikaans music, where we drew a lucky name out of the box

The Lucky Box draw to win a Motorcycle Tour

We’d Like to say Congratulations to Norbert Shröder of Nideggen, Germany.
Out of hundreds of names we drew his and he is now on his way to enjoy a complimentary motorcycle train tour of South Africa. Well Done Norbert!

This is what Norbert had to say:

"Now only I am able to recognize, that it really is true and I am really happy and just trying not to lift off. Under these circumstances it is rather difficult to keep on doing my job"

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