LeMans Corp. has impressive turnout for first NVP in Milwaukee
This story originally appeared in the November edition of Powersports Business.
The 2024 North American NVP Product Expo at the newly expanded Baird Center on September 7ā8 exceeded expectations and broke new ground with its extensive floor plan. With an impressive turnout of vendors and attendees, the expo highlighted the latest powersports innovations, solidifying its place as a must-attend event for dealers and industry insiders.
āItās nice and spacious, and youāre never going to be in a situation where you canāt stop and see the booths you want to see. So I think that most people would say it is positive,ā comments Paul Langley, chairman of LeMans Corp., on the move to Milwaukee.

The expanded venue offered an updated, more spacious layout, accommodating a record number of new and returning vendors. Attendees were treated to an impressive array of products, innovative technology, and hands-on demos, including an exciting lineup of electric bike (e-bike) highlights. Capping off the excitement was an e-bike credit giveaway, adding a valuable incentive for dealers looking to invest in this growing segment.
A highlight of the weekend was the Saturday night Bike Show and meet-and-greet at The Mecca Sports Bar, located in Milwaukeeās vibrant Deer District. With enthusiasts gathering from across the region, the event featured a thrilling stunt show sponsored by ICON.

Some people had flashbacks to the show in Cincinnati when they first walked into the convention center in Milwaukee, a town that revels in motorcycle culture and history.
It was the initial āwowā factor that gave some attendees goosebumps to the glory days of the NVP. And with all of the doom and gloom being discussed, the show was like a shot in the arm for the industry.
Madison was a great venue for many years and served LeMans Corp. well over its time near the companyās headquarters in Janesville, but the parts distribution giant had outgrown the space, so that was a sign to move on to something new.
āI would consider this first inaugural show to be a success,ā says Langley. āI think most people, when we send the survey out in a couple of weeks, will give it pretty high marks.ā
By our unofficial estimates, it looked like about 300ā350 exhibitors, which is already more than what Madison could handle, according to Langley. āThe main thing with Madison was that vendors couldnāt have as much space as they wanted. And then there were many vendors that we couldnāt invite. So thatās why we wanted to switch.ā
While itās nice to have more space and a nice footprint, we also noticed a lot of booth density, meaning there wasnāt much wasted space for extra-large booths. Many booths were smaller in size, predominantly 10-foot-by-10-foot or 10āfoot-byā20āfoot, and there was still plenty of room to grow.
Another reason for NVP moving to Milwaukee is that it is easier access for dealers. āThe thing about Midwest is that weāve got dealers from Peoria, Illinois, which is a three-and-a-half-hour drive, and weāve got dealers that drove eight or nine hours,ā Langley shares. āTheyāll come up, and if they get it all done in one day, theyāll fly or drive home. If they need both days, theyāll go home in the evening or stay till morning. Thereās more flexibility and more connectivity by air in Milwaukee than Madison.ā
Langley says that the goal, and Fred Foxās vision, is to maintain business relationships through the good times and more challenging ones. āAs a company, weāre trying to manage for all times and maintain who we are. We could save a lot of money if we cut the sales force, but thatās not who we are. We have sales reps. Some of our competitors donāt, but we are committed to a sales force that goes out and visits and takes care of the dealers. We donāt have to do these shows. Again, in the short term, if we want to save some money, we could stop doing these shows, but the long term is building and helping those relationships with our dealers. Weāre trying to continue on as Fred would, which is a long-term view, investing in the future.ā
Fredās vision and Langleyās ability to carry it out to the letter has paid off in these crazy times. And while the OEs are having a difficult time right now with excess inventory and soft demand, the distribution giant just keeps going and going.
One of the standout booths at the show was MIC. AIMExpo show organizers were there to not only stay on the radar for dealers but to discuss a potential tie-in with LeMans Corp. in the future.
āLook, honestly, this is our show. We do it our way. We do it the way we want to do it. We invite the vendors we want to invite. We invite our dealers,ā Langley explains. āBut we are an MIC member company as well, and we are in support of a potential national show thatās successful. Everyone can have an opinion about it, but mine is [a national show] should be in the Midwest to be successful. But we are supporting AIMExpo as we have for the past two years. We have a space with meeting rooms and no products. And I believe for the upcoming show, weāre going to have a little bit of an expansion.ā
We are looking forward to following up with Langley and his team should there be more news on the AIMExpo/MIC front, and Langley told us that the summer NVP is in Milwaukee for the long term. But the spring show in Louisville could move to a combined event with the MIC at some point in the future. In the meantime, the Louisville NVP Product Expo is set to take place on January 25ā26, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky for its annual spring event.
oddly enough ? I think P.U. dropped e BIKES ? AT LEAST THE QUAILITY ONE INTENSE? WAY TO KEEP UPDATED !
Intense had a booth at the NVP. Not sure if they have been dropped since then.