2 Wheel Fair: a tribute to the vehicle that moves the country

As we saw in the last edition of this section, the entry-level car landscape in Colombia has changed so much that while this type of vehicle is still present in the market, its selling prices no longer allow it to be defined as popular. On the contrary, and partly as a result, the motorcycle has become the most popular vehicle in Colombia.

Despite this, the government and many of its users don't take them as seriously or responsibly as they should. This situation translates into an enormous debt to the country, especially considering that motorcycle sales continue to rise unabated, even compared to a record high in 2024, when 815,601 units were registered. At the end of April, the 319,028 motorcycles registered were 4.7 times more than the 67,261 cars registered during the same period.

As we saw in the last edition of this section, the entry-level car landscape in Colombia has changed so much that while this type of vehicle is still present in the market, its selling prices no longer allow it to be defined as popular . On the contrary, and partly as a result, the motorcycle has become the popular vehicle in Colombia.

But leaving aside for a moment the topic of motorcyclist accidents, almost as common as the number of times we've covered it on these pages, since last Thursday and until tomorrow, Sunday, the seventeenth edition of the 2 Wheels Fair, the most important motorcycle fair on the continent, is being held in Medellín , and where these statements could not be more clearly demonstrated.

The more than 61 new model launches presented there demonstrate a range of products that seek to satisfy growing demand.

We were struck by the growing offering in the scooter segment, these easy-to-handle, automatic motorcycles that are often a great first-time option for many and an economical mobility solution for many others.

Established brands such as AKT, Victory and Yamaha had news, whether they were previews of new models like the Jet Evo from the former, launches like the BET ABS from the latter or a renewal like the Nmax from the third, but others such as SYM (which continues to make its way), Hero (the one with the greatest sales growth recently) or QJ Motor (which finally debuted in Colombia) also had their respective presentations for this segment.

Speaking of which, a similar offering comes from the Spanish brand Felo, represented by LGP Colombia, with its striking electric-powered models. The small M1, which echoes the aesthetics of the classic Motocompo; the FW-03, which borrows the silhouette of the iconic Honda Cub EZ90; and the FW-07, one of the fastest electric motorcycles in its category with a top speed of 135 km/h.

On the other hand, some brands ventured into unknown segments, such as Triumph with its MX 250, its first motorcycle for competitive motocross, powered by a 249.95 cc single-cylinder engine, five-speed gearbox, and adjustable KYB suspension.

The arrival of some motorcycles that surely had waiting lists, at least of those interested in seeing them in person, also confirmed their arrival. KTM, for example, revealed its entire new range of 390s, such as the 390 Adventure R; Royal Enfield showed the GRR 450 and Bear 650 ; and the BMW R 12 G/S, which keeps alive the legacy started in 1976 by the R 80 G/S.

And on the aspirational motorcycle side, Honda will steal a lot of attention with its 2025 CBR 1000 RRR Fireblade, a supersport with 214 horsepower from its four-cylinder engine ; Ducati will do the same with the launch of the Panigale V2, which will be an intermediate alternative for those who want the design and sensations of a superbike; or the always impressive Harley-Davidson, which is presenting its renewed line of models for 2025.

In the motorcycle world, it's very easy to start climbing the aspirational ladder, and as in all its past editions, the 2 Wheel Fair allows all attendees to do so in one place. However, it's the entry-level fairers who bear the heavy burden of giving so many people the opportunity to access their first vehicle, their own means of transportation, a work tool, or all of the above. Of course, the 2 Wheel Fair is also a means of achieving this.