At the end of each year, the motorcycle industry gathers in Long Beach to display its wares for the 2011 season. The 30th annual Progressive International Motorcycle Show wasn’t as strong as previous years, with a number of key manufacturers and vendors missing as a result of the flat economy. However, those that did show up put on an impressive display of two-wheeled titillation.

While the Team No Limit Stunt Show with Jason Britton and Eric Hoenshell returned to the Convention Center to entertain the crowds in the rain, the big stories inside were the Ducati Diavel, Triumph Daytona 675R and Mission Motors’ new Mission R electric sports bike.

While the Ducati Diavel was officially unveiled at the Milan show, and was introduced at the LA Auto Show when AMG announced its sponsorship and collaboration with the MotoGP team, Long Beach was the first chance for motorcycle fans to see it in the flesh.

Marketed as a cruiser but looking like a mix of VMax and Streetfighter, the 456 lb, 162hp Diavel with its 1198cc engine appears to be style over function, particularly with its massive 240-section rear tire. However, those who’ve already ridden the machine report it’s actually very capable, far more dynamic than almost anything else in its target market.

While the more expensive Diavel Carbon in its black paint scheme will probably be the most popular, we were drawn to the red version, which looked sportier. And while we’re still not sure about the large snouts either side of the fuel tank, the Diavel is undeniably purposeful from behind.

For more information on the Diavel, check out our postings on the News pages at www.eurotuner.com

Triumph unveiled seven new machines at the show, offering everything from cruisers to sports bikes and dual sport.

For the cruiser market, they had the new America, Thunderbird Storm and Speedmaster. And while there was a new Speed Triple, we were far more interested in the new Triumph Daytona 675R. The highlights include race-bred 43mm Ohlins NIX30 forks and TTX36 rear suspension, radially-mounted monoblock Brembo calipers, a quickshifter, carbon bodywork, Crystal white bodywork, a black bellypan and a distinctive red subframe along with a new Triumph font.

As fans of the current Daytona 675 for its flickable chassis and good power delivery, we can’t wait to see how this new machine compares. It’s clearly aimed at track-day enthusiasts, who no longer need to dig through aftermarket catalogs to find the tuning parts they need to prepare the 675 for the circuit.

The British manufacturer had also been busy creating the new Tiger 800 and 800XC. The adventure bikes offer street and dirt ability with sharp styling, especially once equipped with accessory lights, bars, etc.

The Mission Motors Mission R is an electric racing bike that can apparently reach speeds up to 160mph in a single CVT gear. The motor puts out 140hp with 115 lb-ft but some interesting options included customizable regenerative braking, throttle and traction control maps to allow teams to tune the bike for individual circuits. Along with a number of other ambitious electric motorcycle racing projects, the future of zero-emission motosport looks very interesting.

Honda had some interesting concepts, including the Honda Switchblade. Designed by Edward Birtulescu from Honda R&D, he transformed a 2010 Sabre 1300 into this incredible custom. It featured carbon fiber bodywork, race suspension and Brembo brakes to mix cruiser with sports bike influences. Unfortunately, the rear shock adjuster was cut into the front of the saddle, making testicular trauma highly likely. Yet it was stunning to look at.

Another Honda concept was Erik Dunshee’s “Slammer” based on a 2010 Stateline. Looking like the BatBike, it featured air suspension, full bodywork in matte black, along with a sound system with a 10” subwoofer.