BIAE 2010: Disappointing

Top Gear Show Bangalore

The BIAE 2010 was held in the sprawling courtyard of the Bangalore Palace but was neither royal nor extravagant. Sure there was glitzy lights and thumping music but there was nothing extravagant to write home about.

Touted as South India’s version of the Auto Expo at Delhi, it sure did look like the emaciated sibling accompanied by emaciated models strutting their stuff.

I have nothing against models but the fashion show at the Top Gear ‘Supercar’ stand was unnecessary. The ‘Supercar’ stand by the publishers of Top Gear magazine in India not only lacked the namesake ‘supercars’ but was severely lacking class. The only cars found forcefully standing were a VW Beetle, a BMW X5, a Nissan 300 ZX and a souped up drag-spec Toyota Supra. Further sacrilege to the Top Gear verve were three Ducatis – the Monster, the Hypermotard and the 1098. Regulars of the T.V. show will know what I’m on about.

In the main deck, VW exhibited their India range and so did Tata, Skoda (no Yeti, if you were pondering) and Chevy (the Beat, the Cruze and the Camaro). Motorcycle exhibits included Bajaj (the Ninja 250 was exhibited, poorly), Honda, TVS, Mahindra scooters and a custom builder going by the name ‘Skni Customs’.

Kawasaki Ninja Superbike Photo Bangalore

Now I don’t want to be negative about creative freedom and young blood and that sort of thing but the concoction spewed was truly hideous. Skin customs made hash of an RD 350 by turning it into a skeleton bike thing that would make even Beelzebub throw up. The pictures are up with a ‘viewer discretion advised’ disclaimer.

Walking through the stands, I lost my will to live. The show was packed with parts suppliers and zit-faced teenagers with their creations for the Baja competition. I did not get the point of those stands! If they wanted to show their Frankensteins off, they should have had an outdoor Baja competition where a few more pasty teenagers were showing off, sans proper gear, on their motorcycles. I love motorcycles and I could not bare to see those fuckwits do what they were doing.

Ducati Monster Superbike Photo at Bangalore Show 2010

To sum up then, this was a pathetic dig at the Auto Expo held in the capital. The show was obtuse and boring. If the organisers are reading this, which I doubt they will be considering they are silly fat businessmen, here is some food for thought okay, If you think the Indian petrolhead is going to be won over with a few stationary superbikes and pretty women, you are daft and as a result, should be not allowed within a kilometer of a anything automotive.

The investment for a show like this, however ludicrous, must be huge and I reckon anyone reading this will want that money to be better used in constructed a racetrack in Bangalore. Say what?

Bangalore International Automotive Show 2010: Photo Gallery

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March 16, 2010 | By Shourya · Tags: Auto Shows in Bangalore, Bangalore Automobile Show

Comments

7 Responses to “BIAE 2010: Disappointing”

Suraj Singh on March 18th, 2010 8:42 pm

Dear Shourya,
This is one of the organisers, I sure am not a silly, fat businessman… on the contrary I am person with a passion for anything automotive.

While you have a nice article here.. (I do appreciate your views and notes). I would like to point out that it’s a herculean task to get where Auto Expo is.. but yes we intend to get there in the next 2-3 years. If you had noticed, we included every aspect of the industry from zit-faced teenagers (we call them ‘young engineers) to mechanics, to corporates… infact anybody and everybody who drive the automobile industry.
This was one automotive event which had concurrent events unlike any.

We did fall short of expectations inspite of hardcore marketing (across the world). you are right, we do second it and add to it by declarint that success of any expo venture is based on the quality of its participants. Which we tried earnestly in this edition.. if not for certain last minute cancellations, we truly would have had a spectacular show.

Let me conclude by promising you that the next edition will surpass your expectations.

Once again, it was a pleasure reading your article.. it sure has done wonders to my resolve of delivering something which will elicit a positive article in this space.

Suraj
roshan on March 19th, 2010 1:02 am

interesting article with a fitting response…hope this leads to a better next edition of BIAE which can be the south indian equivalent of the Delhi Auto Show.

P.S – I really appreciate the fact that they managed to get GM to loan them the Camaro Transformers SE for the expo. :)
Shourya on March 19th, 2010 10:04 am

Hi Suraj,

In the cluster of plutocratic organisers I’m sure there are a few who do have a 4 cylinder heart beating. There will be a few misfires and we sure hope they get tuned out and BIAE is good to rev up and get the gear rolling !

I am a huge fan of the Baja series. True talent scanner, that. But I maintain that the significance of the hard work is somewhat diluted indoors. Show them the track, let them prove their mettle there, will be so much more exciting than looking at their cash award.

Thanks for the good words and I’m glad that you have taken positives out of the article. Only goes to show you are an enthusiast. Looking forward to BIAE 2011, we sure hope you keep up your promise! :)

Cheers!

Shourya

P.S.: South India is the hub of Indian Motorsport, maybe you can market this out in your expo next year? unsolicited thoughts..
Suraj Singh on March 19th, 2010 7:34 pm

Thanks roshan, We will surprise you with some European exotics in the next edition (No competition from either the Geneva Show or Auto Expo.. so!). Unfortunately a lot of people missed out on our concurrent events, namely the ATV University Challenge (17 colleges), Auto Cross (24 Dirt Bikers) and the Stunt Biking Competition (30 Stunt Bikers). The tracks were done by a legend, Mr. Shyam Kothari. (This also answers Shourya Post Script).
To cut to the chase, we have laid the foundation for an all round automotive experience and from hereon the only way we head is upwards.

PS: Shourya, thanks for the encouragement, considering a lot of our ilk will pass by your hands… this is for you…
“In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. They risk little but enjoy a position over those who offer their work to a critic’s judgment. Its here that a good critic knows that in the grand scheme of things, an average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than the criticism designating it. With a world often unkind to new talent, new creations and new ideas, the critic must understand that anything ‘new’, needs friends….and he should be a friend”
Baasha on April 3rd, 2010 9:31 pm

for your expectations, u should not have come at all!!
this is bangalore!!not Geneva..
check out all the rides u like on the net.. livin here.. tat’s the closest u’l get to any o them!!
by the way.. may we know wat your ride is?? an exotic? italian? german? american? tel us bout u’r ride compared to the junk u saw at the expo!!
Shourya on April 3rd, 2010 10:41 pm

HI there, I am not satisfied with mediocrity. If this was a local affair, why bridge an international name. Anyway, it’s good we made our expectations clear as one of the organisers wrote back promising a better show next time around. You are welcome.

Cheers,

Shourya
madhu sudhan on September 12th, 2010 7:12 am

Can u plz list all the name of the songs which was played in stunt show. . . . .