Fall Issue, Antique Motorcycle Magazine

[exeric]

I must be a masochist to take another swipe at our AMCA magazine as it always gets me in trouble. First, I greatly appreciate the effort that goes into making a first class printed publication which is a tremendous effort. I'm glad so many people take the time, and make the effort to contribute their talents to our great club, and the magazine. And, this isn't just a hollow preamble, myself, and many members do respect the effort and work that goes into that quarterly magazine that depends on journalistic contributions.

Okay; my #1 suggestion is more pictures. MORE PICTURES, MORE PICTURES of motorcycles. I don't care about flowery text describing a meet, a bike at a meet, or who was at a meet; I want to see MORE PICTURES, MORE PICTURES, MORE PICTURES, MORE PHOTOGRAPHS, ETC........ There are fantastic bikes at our national meets, motorcycles that people sweat blood to build so, it would do the bike, and the builder justice by showing pictures of those bikes in our magazine. It was pictures that defined newsstand motorcycle magazines back in the day and that was a proven, and successful template.

I love the history articles, and columns that keep members up to date. The magazine has plenty of room for AMCA club info and topics of interest but please take advantage of the incredible restorations, preservations, and incarnations of the motorcycles that sustain this club, and showcase the devotion our members have, which is the mission, and purpose of the AMCA.

[chuckthebeatertruck]

I thought you were going to comment on the two page ad for the new Suzuki models or the plug for “donations” to help the club, Eric ;-)

I hadn’t considered the lack of more meet pictures. Indeed, there is always a visual bonanza overlooked at every meet.

[exeric]

I think I over-did it again with my magazine criticism, Steve. I love the magazine, and I love the AMCA but I am a visually inspired person, Lately I have been reading old AMCA 'Antique Motorcycle' magazines and get a lot of enjoyment from all of them, (early to recent) however, I always want more visual content. I guess negative criticism will always be the curse for journalists.

[droptopford]

I love the pictures too; the more the better! Visually oriented, visually stimulated, or as Eric said, "visually inspired"... that's me.
Even in my younger days, looking at other magazines, when I said I was only reading the articles, everyone knew I was lying.

[PaulCDF]

I would agree Eric; More pictures

[chuckthebeatertruck]

I think I over-did it again with my magazine criticism, Steve. I love the magazine, and I love the AMCA but I am a visually inspired person, Lately I have been reading old AMCA 'Antique Motorcycle' magazines and get a lot of enjoyment from all of them, (early to recent) however, I always want more visual content. I guess negative criticism will always be the curse for journalists.

Negative criticism is that which has no constructive purpose nor solution offered by the criticizer. It’s just complaining.

You’re offering criticism with examples and preferences. That’s positive criticism and should be welcomed. It’s feedback with a purpose.

Given the average age of our current members, as well as the propensity for younger members to view content digitally, you may be onto something with a more visual and condensed text magazine.

Keep voicing your opinion, our club needs it.

[KNUCK]

So what you are saying Eric is that like reading a Playboy magazine there should be more pictures and that equates to more visual stimulation when viewing the magazine. Agreed, but I usually just subscribe for the articles...................

[tfburke3]

I think there must be ways to get more pics,especially of the national meets.
Not just in the magazine but also on the forum,archives,library .
Maybe incentives from the club to posters,photographers or historians for content.
How about cash for best posted pics of a meet or club event.All submisions become available to members.
Encourage club officers who travel to meets at the club expense post say a minimum of ten pics of attended event.
Hire a photographer to document meets and winner circle bikes to be posted on the forum which I believe can support much more pics than the magazine.
Tom

[Skirted]

I thought you were going to comment on the two page ad for the new Suzuki models or the plug for “donations” to help the club, Eric ;-)

I hadn’t considered the lack of more meet pictures. Indeed, there is always a visual bonanza overlooked at every meet.

Haha me too. That 2 page new Suzuki add was like finding a hair in an apple dumpling at a fall festival. Really enjoyed the well done article on the Indian Verticals with full history background.
I thought the coverage, article & pics, on the European meet by Kim Middelbosch was top level - excellently done. It makes me want to attend some year in future.
Enjoyed the Havorford motorcycle history as well.

Agree there is a consistent trend in general for a pointed focus on super restored examples and racing aspects. This is great to put in the mix but the pendulum could swing back a little to showing bikes that are ridden regularly by members all across the land out of the spotlight. Not perfect, not always pretty, but exmples of bikes that spend their time on the road enlightening and educating the public which has far more impact than viewing an old bike in a museum IMO. I know we do get some of this from time to time such as with NRR event coverage.

All that said, except for the "hair in the dumpling", to me the fall issue had excellent content. A club magazine's content will never appeal to everyone as peoples interest vary greatly.