Winter Issue

[LouieMCman]

Again I have the pleasure of reading the current (?) issue of the Antique Motorcycle on the web BEFORE I receive it in the mail box. I know I live in EBF Georgia, USA, but shouldn't a 20 years paying member get it BEFORE the rest of the world ???

Louie

[flthead]

it was in a discount magazine store before i got mine for 3 bucks

[exeric]

I just replied to the 'Informal Survey' post here in 'Parking Lot Chatter'. That is a heated topic among club members because it involves most aspects of our club such as the magazine, judging, road runs, swap meets, and the general philosophy of every member. This forum is dealing with the winter issue and just like everyone has a (you know what), I also have an opinion.

To me the magazine seemed a bit lightweight on content, like filler. The Harry Sucher article came out of his 'Milwaukee Marvel' book, Dale's museum got another full color, multi-page promotion, and the ride to work thing dragged on for 6 pages.

I can only imagine how much work it takes to put together our club magazine. I know it is a daunting task because I am a good friend of Charlie Carter who did the magazine for many years, and who (by the way) is ignored and shunned by many of the officers in this club. He had a great deal of difficulty getting people to contribute articles and material to the magazine and I am sure it is no different for the current editorial staff.

I have been thinking that I should make an attempt to contribute something to the magazine. My favorite articles are first person accounts from people who restore their own motorcycles. I am doing a Detroit Henderson right now and it's been a real trip. I have a good friend who is doing a 34 VL and he has a wealth gruesome stories that are amusing and informative.

The other thing I would like to see are features on bikes that show up at the meets for judging. A lot of these bikes may be seen once and then go back into their owners cave, never to be seen again. I think it would be great to read a brief description and see a few pictures of these treasures. It's so frustrating to look at the judging results and see a 1920 Excelsior big X (for example) was at Oley and there is no picture of it. Instead we get pictures of some fat lady dishing out potatoe salad at a banquet. That just isn't news worthy as far as I'm concerned.

I would like to suggest that the editorial staff tell us how to submit potential articles and photos so that we can make it easy for them to put it in the magazine. I know this has the potential for becoming a can of worms, but if you required the contributor to include return postage, the unacceptable stuff could be easily returned.

I would be curious to hear comments on these suggestions.

[bobdo]

Winter issue

Seasons Greetings,
I also can't imagine what it takes to put a magazine together. I suspect in
order to make it easier you create a format to follow. Any new ideas are
probably time consuming & few and far. That being said, I agree with you. I'd love to hear stories of what it took to restore the judged bikes. Wouldn't it be great 50 years from now to have an old bike along with a written history of how it came to be? Hell, if the magazines were full of restoration stories my wife would never get me out of the can! Some might find my restoration project interesting, but I'm afraid most would find it pathetic. I've been working on my Knuckle for close to thirty years! This bike has become who I am.
Bob

[AdminGuy]

Well ya, your right. You have NO IDEA of what it takes to put the magazine together. It's a big job -and he wears many hats. He's always open to new ideas. It's your club.

If you write (craft) a story, spell check it, grammar check, submit with photos suitable for reproduction, it will be considered for the magazine. Simple as that. Email it to Rick Schunk.

Chicken scatch on a piece of cardboard with photocopies doesn't cut it.

[INLINE4NUT]

Well,
I guess Ill weigh in on this one too !
First off I wouldnt want Richs job for any money and he has done a GREAT JOB for quite some time! My hat is off to ya! Ok now here comes the hard part.... I do think as members of the club we should get ours BEFORE anybody else,nuff said!
As for the content???? well all that filler ads ect is paying for the rest of the mag....I asume ??? or a good part of it ! The problem I see is repetive stories! We saw Wheels of time just a few months ago,instead of seeing repeat repeat lets see more of what is happening at the meets,are they that boring??? I have to agree I would like tosee more of the MCs that are at the meets and even more of the bikes that are around the meets that DONT get judged ! But again thats just my feelings!

SEASONS GREETINGS TO ONE AND ALL!!!!!

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

I have no problem with the advertising portions of the mag. I understand that it takes money to produce the mag and the advertising dollars are much needed. I also like finding out about members that are doing the hard work of creating exact reproduction/replacement parts for the old bikes.

I believe that this is what its going to take to get more and more of the rare early bikes up and running and help get'er done in something less then a 'lifetime' of time. You younger members might think you have forever, but at 51 years old I can tell you it would be nice to finish a project before its given away in my Will!

As for "filler' that's probably just a matter of opinion. What constitutes 'filler' anyway. I have the Milwaukee Marvel book as well as over one hundred others M/C books which I plan on reading someday. Probably not too many Indian or foreign make owners have read that book either. I wouldn't fault our mags editors for inclusion of a book passage....well not unless its been done previously in an earlier Club mag issue.

One could probably do an articile on Dale's Museum or most motorcycle museums a couple times a year and still not see everything that's on display. Its all new to us that haven't seen it before. Perhaps some detailed info on what's being shown would make it more interesting to those that have been to the museum or have seen some other mags articles.

exeric does make a good point of making available some type of Form that could be e'mailed to the member's that would make submitting Articles less mysterious for us laymen. An Idiots (that's me) Guide and a Standard Form that could be down loaded would save time and effort.

I would like to see a 'Garage' or 'Workshop' article on a regular basis. Visit our members home workshop and take some pics. Check out their on-going project(s). Include some shop layout ideas, home made tools and stuff like that. I never tire of seeing how other guys set-up their shops and solve problems with home made tools, jigs and limited work space.

How about a paragraph or two on what the Editors of the mag need from us member's to include in an upcoming issue. Maybe we can make it easier with research articles or photos that we have in our possession.

OK, I'm ending it here cause I'm starting to drag on.... Hrdly

[mcarver]

winter issue

Ok, I have to crawl out of my hermit cave for a while and contribute.... I would like to see more pictures, especially of the chapter meets. Maybe someone could snap pics of the motorcycles that were present (regardless of whether or not they were judged), along with some information. If we can include photos of volunteers (including the generous individuals who donate their time to dishing up potata' salad) then I would imagine it wouldn't be too hard to have more motorcycle pics.
Also: I like stories; stories of finding motorcycles, stories of selling/buying motorcycles; stories of restoring motorcycles; stories of riding motorcycles; you get the picture. Did I mention I like pictures of motorcycles? Do they have to be restored? NO!!! I actually like to see them BEFORE they are restored or even complete!
(Maybe it's like seeing a woman with less than her full outfit on... sorry ladies please don't hate me or be offended, I can't help the way my brain works), but I like junkers, rat bikes, originals, partials, rust buckets, jalopies, rolling turds, you name it. The restored ones are nice, but they look new and new is new is new.... Now for the Japanese connection: for a long time I disregarded Japanese motorcycles. Then I bought a 1970 CB750 in near mint condition for $480.00 (less than 1 year ago) and nearly soiled my shorts on the first ride when I just about pulled my shoulder joints out of socket .... the bike screams! I thought my Ducati 900 had some poop!!! Plus I am beginning to find it attractive (the Honda I mean, the Ducati has always been sexy).
About more articles: many, many magazines rely on freelance contributions, many pay a nominal fee for articles (we know the club has money, couldn't contributors receive $50.00 for an article with photos?????) I don't have any ambition or inclination to take on the responsibilities of publishing the mag, I know how much work goes into that sort of thing, but more stories and photos please!!! At any rate, I hope everyone can keep an open mind.
Now I will retreat to the safety of my hermit cave for a while.
-MC

[LouieMCman]

I agree that it's one of the best club magazine, and I have had stuff published in it. But, WHERE IS MY MAGAZINE, I'M I THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T GET IT YET ???

Louie

[KNUCK]

This is a terrific magazine. I can't imagine the work it takes to make it happen. The bigger we get the harder it is to make everybody happy. When I look at an issue from 20 yrs ago I am amazed how great it is now. (It was good then.)

Let's all keep are powder dry, we have all winter to read it. Keep up the great work!

[LouieMCman]

I'll have to take your word on that........still waiting to see it......

Louie

[INLINE4NUT]

Louie,
if you like i will send you mine..Im done with it!

[LouieMCman]

Well it's not even funny anymore. I would like to know when it was mailed, the web says Nov 14th. Also, is the renewal in with the mag? I guess I'm the only one who didn't get one, so I guess it could have been lost or stolen in the mail. I'm going to call some other EBF Georgians and see if they got their's. Does anyone read this that knows when they get mailed? If so, please email me with the details and maybe I can take it up with the post office. I'm, sure there will still be some good deals left from the want ads by the time I read them!

Sign me...Still Waiting
Louie

[c.o.]

Hey Louie,

This isn't going to help you much. But I can answer one question. The renewal was in with my copy. I did get my last chance for the calender and the roster seperate though. In my past experiences I've had the post office transport my stuff to points unknown before I received it. Here's hoping it shows up for ya soon.......

[LouieMCman]

One more question...I ordered a calendar a while back, are they coming in the winter issue or mailed separately?

Louie