The 2009 event will take place over two days… The Designers Night will be held on November 10th at the “MAD” (Moto Arte Design) located in Milanofiori.

For program details please go to http://www.given.it/mda/ or contact organiser Donato Cannatello

The MDA's Designers' Night will be held after the Köln Intermot press day on Tuesday evening, 7 October.

There will not be an Association AGM at the Paris Mondial this year and there is currently no plan for an 'organised' event, but...

First of all, it was good to see everyone at the Köln Intermot Designers' Night for what turned out to be an enjoyable and informal evening. My thanks to the Brauhaus Sion for accommodating us - they served the longest sausages and the smallest beers I've ever seen...

...I'll admit to downing 9 of the latter during the evening - did anyone manage to beat that? Hmm, do I sense a new award category coming up....? In particular, we all owe our thanks to MDA Treasurer Thomas Katzmarek for making the arrangements. Assuming the Intermot doesn't move yet again, the venue will be perfect for similar events in the future. Thomas - much appreciated!

As has become customary lately, we held a spontaneous "Best of Show" vote for the most outstanding new design unveiled at the Intermot during the evening. Although there were dozens of interesting bikes released at the show, none of the new models were considered to stand out sufficiently to receive the accolade this year. However, some of the more independent designs were thought worthy of commendation.

In "Customizing", an exhibition of custom and modified bikes organised by Sabine Welte of PIX&WORDS, Mike Schween's "El Alamein" - a hilarious mixture of a Suzuki GSX-R, a Buell and a Sherman tank, was unique and audacious enough to get a special mention. A lot of work had gone into that bike along with some truly inspired thinking - the jerry can welded into the gas tank was pure genius!

Some of our guys felt that the striking "white'n'pink" scooter from Desiree Schwan showed an unusual amount of talent in a refreshing look at the female side of the market, especially considering that Desiree is still in her teens.

On the subject of students, Nicolas Dubar & Yves Dufeutrelle ought to be congratulated for producing the full-size "Imme 1200", which was drawing a fair amount of attention at the IVM's design competition exhibition.

And finally, on the Peraves stand, it was refreshing to see a serious design solution coming from a low-volume producer in the guise of the "MonoTracer". More aircraft than motorcycle, the new styling by Tobias Wuelser maintains a clear link to the original Ecomobile, while elevating it through a clean and fresh image.

Ducati Hypermoto voted Milan "Best of Show"

Members of the MDA voted Ducati's Hypermoto as the "Best of Show" from all the new designs exhibited at the 2005 Milan EICMA. The decision was reached during an open discussion at the MDA's Designers' Night, held at the impressive venue of the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo Da Vinci. The evening's events were coordinated by Filippo Corticelli and sponsored by Alias.

Predictably, the decision as to which design should receive the award was not easily reached, and cases were put for several models, from the Bimota Delirio to the Derbi Rambla scooter. But finally, the jury agreed in favour of the Ducati Hypermoto, on the grounds that the Ducati team had produced a fresh and an exciting design within the limitations of a long-established engine and chassis package.

The award will be presented to Ducati design chief Pierre Terblanche by Filippo Corticelli at the Ducati factory in Bologna.

The night also featured a presentation by event sponsor Alias followed by the presentation of this years Honorary Membership Award to Gerald Kiska of Kiska Design, Austria. Mr Kiska gave an informative and humourous presentation on the history and design philosophy of Kiska's 'Edge-Design'.

BMW wins the Paris "Best in Show"

Getting a group of international motorcycle designers to agree unanimously on the best design from all the new models introduced over the past year may sound ambitious. But that is precisely what took place at the 2005 Paris "Mondial du Deux Roues" recently, although as expected, the resulting debate was both lengthy and intense.

Eight models were shortlisted during the MDA's Designers' Night, hosted by the show organisers, on press day, 30 September. The task then left to the jury was to select one overall winner to receive the accolade "Best of Show". The criteria covered innovation, clarity of concept and the integration of bodywork with mechanical components, as well as overall aesthetic appeal.

Among the contenders were Odyssey Motorcycle's X-Rod, a muscular custom bike derived from the Harley-Davidson V-Rod, Yamaha's impressive MT-0S study, the bold new Kawasaki ER-6n, the Triumph Daytona 675 and the Suzuki GSR. Even the Polaris Revolver, a striking concept Quad, was under consideration.

After three hours evaluating the models on the stands, the decision was split between the Yamaha R6 and BMW's HP2. It was an extremely close contest, but the final verdict came down in favour of the extrovert Bavarian.

"The HP2 impressed the jury by its simplicity and clarity of concept", explains Glynn Kerr, co-founder and President of the Motorcycle Design Association. "It is a strong statement, almost Ducati-like in its minimalism, and yet still every bit a BMW. It's a perfect example of how less can mean more."

{mosimage}Jean-Michel Cavret, Director of BMW France's motorcycle division, accepted the "Best of Show" trophy on the BMW stand on the first public day of the show.