Ben Milot and David Étienne Durivage have succeeded in their venture. By taking over the Quebec City motorcycle show, they have doubled the number of visitors since last year. Fifteen thousand visitors flocked to the Quebec City Exhibition Center from Friday to Sunday to discover the latest products on the market, talk to manufacturers and dealers, attend interesting conferences, and immerse themselves in motorcycle culture thanks to the communities represented. All types of motorcycles were present, including adventure bikes, supermotos, motocross and off-road bikes, custom and sports bikes, as well as the MX community of the 80s and 90s with the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame. The Quebec Moto Film Fest was presented for the first time in Quebec City, and the audience was treated to interviews with MX legend Jean-Sébastien Roy, giant Hugo Girard, and Michel Barrette, who proved himself to be a motorcycle enthusiast with tons of stories to tell.
Ben Milot is a key figure in the Quebec motorcycle world. He enjoyed great success in freestyle at the Montreal Supermotocross and internationally before creating his traveling show, Milot Land Tour.
After spending seven years with Franco Dragone’s famous circus show in Macau, he founded his Milot Land Academy and hosts a television show dedicated to motor sports.
To organize his show, he rallied all the communities, put his name on the line to get them to come, and they all responded. Ben worked hard, with numerous video clips and original content.
He was able to bring back the good vibes and reinvent the modern version of trade shows. A space where enthusiasts meet, a place not to be missed. There was energy in the air. A feeling that had been somewhat forgotten in recent years. The show effect is back. Too bad for the diehards who hope (in vain) that one day a show will bring together all motorcycle brands. The interest lies elsewhere.
KTM launches its new KTM 1390 Super Adventure S EVO 2027
KTM Canada was well represented and unveiled the new 2027 KTM 1390 Super Adventure S EVO motorcycle. Matt Deroy and his team revealed the major changes compared to the 1290 version, which it now replaces at the top of the Adventure range. It features a 1350 cc 173 hp engine with CamShift technology, a brand new AMT automatic transmission, and improved chassis rigidity, well supported by advanced WP SAT suspension.
An active and very interesting conference area
In the conference area, Mathieu Gervais was discussing with Hugo Girard, the strong man with a thousand adventures, while Jean Sébastien Roy looked back on his motocross career, which earned him five Canadian 250 Mx championship titles and five victories at the Montreal Supermotocross. He has remained in his hometown of Acton Vale, where he works in construction while continuing to serve as an ambassador for KTM. For his part, Michel Barrette demonstrated his storytelling talents, talking about his travels on Route 66, his epic childhood memories, and his desire to ride without a windshield, like Peter Fonda in Easy Rider.
It was in this space that Marc Provencher presented the 2026 Quebec Moto Film Fest. The film AWE, Riding the Spine of the Himalayas won the jury prize, while the film Le Feu sur la Glace received the Audience Award.
New players in the industry were represented.
Some motorcycle importers based in Quebec were in attendance, such as KTM, which has undergone changes in its shareholding structure. Can-Am was present with its two electric motorcycles at the forefront, but other Quebec vehicles, quads, and Spyders were not forgotten.
Guy Giroux returned from Calgary to present motorcycles from the French brand Sherco. CFMoto is making a name for itself with its Asian vehicles and a booth that matches its ambitions. The Chinese are changing their image with products that meet North American standards.
Starck Future, the Spanish electric motorcycle, and Kove, a Chinese brand seen at Dakar, were also represented.
Quebec dealers were also present. At some of their booths, the motorcycles were packed tightly together. This is certainly something to be reviewed, but their presence was irreplaceable in answering all questions and presenting the current models.
The Adventure Bike segment is still very popular.
- Adventure motorcycles were well represented among the exhibitors. Ride Aventure and STQT, with Marc Chartrand and his team, are the driving force behind the adventure community. Their event, La Classique, is the largest gathering of its kind in Canada. They also connect back roads with the STQT.
- J.P. Tremblay co-hosts the Garnotte et Crampons podcast with Marc Chartrand and trains new adventurers in the specific skills needed to ride on gravel roads.
- Maxaventure in Hawksbury is reinventing itself under the leadership of JC Filion, who offers a dealership that is open to adventure and welcoming to adventurers. They can find vehicles there, but also advice and a gateway to the community.
Motorcycling is also about competition.
Motocross and enduro, more specifically cross-country, answered Ben Milot’s call, and Parc X-Tring was well represented.
The renowned Motocross Deschambeaut booth was manned by the next generation, Dan Thibault’s sons, who bring dynamism to this Canadian motocross institution.
Jean Derek Côté showed off his KTM equipped with WP shock absorbers, which he represents in Quebec. He is one of the top 10 Hard Enduro riders in the American championship.
Absent from exhibitions for too long, the FMSQ presented its national Crosscountry championship, which brings together up to a thousand riders in Quebec, but also in Ontario and New Brunswick. Francis Ouimette, CEO, and Isa More, Director of Communications & Marketing for the FMSQ, received a very warm welcome from the public.
Many topics related to motorcycles were presented.
Hipertech oils have been developed in Quebec for decades. Marc Tremblay’s Honda motorcycle is one of the vehicles that benefits from these lubricants, which have their own formulas made up of various additives that have been validated over time.
Gforce is based in Coaticook. Driven by the passion of Gilles Gagné and his team, Gforce has set several speed records, in Val-d’Or with a snowmobile, or more precisely a tracked vehicle, and in Bonneville with a motorcycle equipped with a redesigned Yamaha R6 engine. Gilles Gagné himself broke a record with the same motorcycle, but with the engine reduced to 300 cc and two cylinders. It’s the passion of a lifetime and the hope of returning to the Bonneville Salt Flats.
The University of Sherbrooke has been involved for many years in a motorcycle challenge whose goal is to design the most efficient electric motor possible. Among other things, they participate in an international competition in Spain where they meet up with students from the ETS in Montreal.
At the show, visitors could meet Steve Maillet, publisher of the Raven Media group, which includes Custom Tour, Planète Quad, and Passion Motoneige Magazine. He was accompanied by his wife Isabelle Chabot, who manages the administrative side of the group. They were handing out paper magazines, an increasingly rare medium, but one that still has many loyal followers.
The MX 80′ 90′ reunion took place there!
To truly capture the community spirit and passion of the show, former motocross riders came out to participate in the “MX 80′ 90′ Reunion,” sponsored by the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Some of the big names from that era were in attendance, and the joy of reuniting was palpable. JSR reminisced about his good times at the Stadium with Olivier Corbeil, the current owner of X-Town Park.
Arnaud Bernard and Daniel Beaudoin recalled their trip to Moscow for a Supercross event won by Arnaud Bernard, general manager of Contant Mirabel.
The new Expo Moto Québec team demonstrated that the concept of the show is not dead, but rather that it requires diverse and captivating content. Quebec City is perfectly capable of attracting crowds, as long as it offers an enticing program.
