The inaugural Kuala Lumpur Bike Show 2023 (KLBS ’23) was officially launched at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTC KL) and officiated by the Director-General of Tourism Malaysia, Dato’ Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar. Also present at the launch were representatives from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
Dato’ Dr Ammar said, “I commend the organisers for their dedication and hard work in bringing this event to fruition. The Kuala Lumpur Bike Show is the first of its kind in our city, and I believe it has the potential to set new standards as an international gathering point for biking enthusiasts. By creating such unique and captivating events, we contribute to the growth of tourism, stimulate economic activity, and create a positive and lasting impact on the local community.”
Organised by Moventuum Sdn Bhd and RodaRoda Magazine (Bayu D Enterprise Sdn Bhd), KLBS ’23 will be the first exhibition of its kind in Malaysia to solely feature the two-wheel industry.
Farouk Nurish, Director of Moventuum Sdn Bhd, said, “More than just an exhibition, the show truly embraces a lifestyle concept where activities will include music, fashion, and other lifestyle entertainment. KLBS ’23 will epitomise the biking lifestyle and culture while instilling a positive vibe around the show.
“The KLBS ’23 will be the inaugural edition of this annual event that is earmarked to become a staple on the industry calendar. Designed to attract an international audience, KLBS ’23 will become the region’s main event for two-wheels. We have ambitions to grow this event further in the years to come,” continued Farouk.
The Kuala Lumpur Bike Show 2023 is designed for bike owners who reside in Malaysia numbering more than 15 million. While it is essentially an exhibition of different types of bikes and their accessories, the KLBS ’23 team is excited to announce programmes that will be held throughout the four-day event such as exclusive launches of road-ready bikes that have yet to hit the streets of Malaysia.
To reflect the thriving subculture that stems from the diversity of bikers, bike brands and bike types, Malaysia’s renowned menswear maestro, Bon Zainal, will be showcasing his streetwear collection in a dedicated fashion show.
According to recent reports, Malaysia is currently the 12th largest motorcycle market in the world. This year, the first quarter sales of motorcycles are at 167,549, up 21.6 per cent. Meanwhile, the electric motorcycle segment, although doubling at 105.7 per cent still represents only 1.1 per cent of the total.
Director of Bayu D Enterprise (publisher of RodaRoda Magazine), Dr Yusseri Yusoff, said, “The Kuala Lumpur Bike Show, in its inaugural year, is set to take an important place in the industry as a much-needed platform for brands and industry players to highlight the latest technologies and product developments. Statistics on the electric motorcycle segment show there is great potential, especially with the government’s recent focus on electric vehicles (EVs) and the related supply chain, which is why we have ensured two-wheeled EVs at varying heights of technology are included at our show.”
“As we marvel at the bikes displayed at the exhibition, we must not forget the important component of road safety. On display at KLBS will also be safety gear and accessories,” added Dr Yusseri.
KLBS ‘23 will not only look at the lifestyle and overall experience but deeper issues and industry opportunities will also be explored at two high-level roundtables that will take place with industry leaders and related stakeholders. One will be a panel session to address ‘The New Era of Road Safety’ organised by the Crisis Management Centre and the National Press Club of Malaysia; the other will be a panel session to discuss the aspects of ‘Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Mobility’ organised by the Malaysia Global Business Forum.
“An event of the scale of the Kuala Lumpur Bike Show would not be possible without the support of the government of Malaysia and the critical agencies, departments and ministries. We would like to thank Tourism Malaysia, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, as well as the members of the Kuala Lumpur Tourism Association,” concluded Farouk.
Adding to the lifestyle component, two concerts will also be held during KLBS ’23 featuring one of Malaysia’s legendary rock bands, Wings, whose band members made an appearance at the launch today to the surprise of those present. Further details will be announced soon, and concert ticket sales will begin on 1 July. Meanwhile, the sale of early bird tickets for KLBS ’23 has been extended until the end of June 2023. KLBS ’23 will run over four days from 24 to 27 August 2023 at WTC KL.