Possible New Magazine

[Buzz K]

Call me nuts, but I keep trying to figure out how to successfully publish a high quality magazine for classic motorcycles here in the US.

My first one was Old Bike Journal, which I launched in 1989, and sold to Auto Trader (Walnecks) a couple of years ago.

I have been running at least one classic in every issue of American Iron Magazine, which I have been publishing since 1991.

Then I published Indian Motorcycle Illustrated for a few years (still have many of the issues for sale in the original boxes).

Now I am considering launching another one aimed at classic American bikes and am curious what other AMC members feel belong in it.

I am not committing to it at this point, but am doing some homework and am asking for input.

Thanks.

Buzz Kanter

[Barry Brown]

That raises an interesting question. How are sales of the AMCA club magazine doing on the news stand? On our local news stand the same issues seem to languish forever, I hope this is not an indication. Lets face the cold reality, we are a fringe group of nuts, and unfortunately only a very small percentage of our progeny take a serious enough interest to carry the torch.
Maybe now that some of our motorcycles are being looked upon from other circles more as blue chip investments than evocative history, a new magazine "Antique Motorcycle Investor" would be a booming success! Am I becoming a curmudgeon ?
I'd say go for it. The more positve publicity ALL facets of two wheeling get ,the better it will be for all of us but better not stick to just American made or it will fail. I'm certain you can do a better job than the Brits who seem to have found some sort of formula for commercial success in spite of the inevitable redundancies with a 25 year+ run ( Classic Bike etc.)
You will need a good library, you can buy mine. ( shameless plug!) Good luck whatever you choose and thanks for publishing the great Indian magazines .

[INLINE4NUT]

Buzz, Indian Motocycle Illustrated was by far the best rag on the market in my opinion !! Something along those lines would be great!
I would like to purchase a half dozen of one issue of that magazine,if I get you the # is it possible to buy them from you ?? The one I want has a 1946 Chief that Toney Watson Restored and was raffeled for the Cronklin Center on the front cover, I have owned the MC for quite some time now and would like copies for my friends! Thanks!

[BUDSCYCLES]

I SAY GO FOR IT ALSO! I KEEP GOING TO THE LOCAL BOOK STORE, ALWAYS HOPING TO SEE A NEW MAG COME OUT, AND I KEEP BUYING THE CLASSIC BIKE MAGS. I LOVED IT WHEN MOTORCYCLES IN RETROSPECT CAME OUT, AND I FINALLY HAD SOMETHING NEW TO LOOK AT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT WENT AWAY TOO SOON. I ALSO THINK YOU'LL NEED TO MIX SOME OTHERS IN TOO. BUT, MAYBE HAVE A CUT OFF YEAR, LIKE 1965.

[Paps]

Indianut...my good friend.

The AMCA mag is just great. Any new mag that puts forth old vintage iron will be in my possesion. As with other replies, I think additional bikes will need featured as well. 65 for a cut off ? More like 75 if you asked me. Paps

[Paps]

Oh yeah.... I still owe you a story Buzz. I just haven't had the time to put it together. I'll get it to you though. Paps

[RSmith]

New magazine already in the process

Somebody has read your mind
and they are already coming out
with their own new Vintage magazine.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

July 27, 2007

Welcome to Retro Moto Magazine. RM is an American vintage motorcycle magazine with the goal of filling the gap between modern media and vintage motorcycles. What does that mean you ask?

Well, basically we are going to bring vintage bikes into the computer age. The bikes may be old, but that doesn't mean that we have to look at them in the same old ways.

www.retromotomagazine.com/biography.html

While we are looking to the future, we are staying firmly rooted in the past and intend on getting back to basics with real road and track tests, restorations, and informational articles to feed your obsession. Bikes should be ridden, we intend to do that.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

August 2, 2007

Announcing NEW Retro Moto Magazine!!!

We would like to give you the opportunity to advertise in America ’s newest vintage motorcycle publication, Retro Moto Magazine, for free! Our Premier Issue is scheduled to be released in December. Please feel free to visit our website at www.retromotomagazine.com .

Thank you!

[Buzz K]

Originally posted by INLINE4NUT
Buzz, Indian Motocycle Illustrated was by far the best rag on the market in my opinion !! Something along those lines would be great!
I would like to purchase a half dozen of one issue of that magazine,if I get you the # is it possible to buy them from you ?? The one I want has a 1946 Chief that Toney Watson Restored and was raffeled for the Cronklin Center on the front cover, I have owned the MC for quite some time now and would like copies for my friends! Thanks!

PM me with the issue and I will check to see how many (if any) we still have left). Happy to sell old copies of Indian Illustrated to fellow AMCA members. We have most but not all issues still on the shelves.

[Buzz K]

Re: New magazine already in the process

Originally posted by RSmith
Somebody has read your mind
and they are already coming out
with their own new Vintage magazine.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

July 27, 2007

Welcome to Retro Moto Magazine. RM is an American vintage motorcycle magazine with the goal of filling the gap between modern media and vintage motorcycles. What does that mean you ask?

Well, basically we are going to bring vintage bikes into the computer age. The bikes may be old, but that doesn't mean that we have to look at them in the same old ways.

www.retromotomagazine.com/biography.html

While we are looking to the future, we are staying firmly rooted in the past and intend on getting back to basics with real road and track tests, restorations, and informational articles to feed your obsession. Bikes should be ridden, we intend to do that.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

August 2, 2007

Announcing NEW Retro Moto Magazine!!!

We would like to give you the opportunity to advertise in America ’s newest vintage motorcycle publication, Retro Moto Magazine, for free! Our Premier Issue is scheduled to be released in December. Please feel free to visit our website at www.retromotomagazine.com .

Thank you!

I wish them the very best of luck. A couple of the biggest challanges facing magazines these days are distribution and advertising. Both are very tough to get, as so many others have discovered.

Having a large and successful motorcycle magazine publishing company and almost 20 years of hands on experience, we have a better chance of success then most, but there are no guarantees.
Thanks, and please keep the thoughts and ideas flowing.

[INLINE4NUT]

Buzz I couldnt PM you so I E-Mailed you at your addy listed here thank you for your help!

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Buzz, put me down as Subscriber #1.

I would love to see a magazine dedicated to just 'American Made' Vintage/Classic motorcycles.

I'm sure you wouldn't have to look far beyond the AMCA for a ton of info, tech articles, photos and a bunch of volunteers to have their old American iron in the centerfold section of your mag.

The true cut-off date of American Classic/Vintage motorcycles ended with the last 'Ironhead' Harley-Davidson Sportster.

Good Luck and I hope you follow thru. Hrdly

[Buzz K]

Things are looking promising for the launch of the new magazine sometime in 2008. At this time we are looking for contributors (writers, photographers, owners, etc) for a VERY HIGH quality magazine. More like a book then a magazine actually.

The editorial focus will be a on classic American bikes - the actual machines, the people who are passionate about them, the history, collectibles, etc.

If you have a suggestion on what we should or shouldn't be covering now is the time to speak out.

Thanks and cross your fingers for us.

In the meantime we continue to attend AMCA events with camera in hand looking for motorcycles to photograph and feature in American Iron Magazine.

[RSmith]

Great!

Great idea!

We probably would subscribe,
after taking a look at it. But.
will not be renewing our American
Iron subscription.

Don't really need FOUR magazines -
American Iron, our AMCA mag,
the new Retro Moto Magazine,
(that was announced here a
few days ago). PLUS another new
magazine ..... all focusing on
the same area.

[Kojack]

If it's to be a magazine aimed at classic american bikes I'd buy it. "Retro Moto" isn't going to have anything that really interests me, at least judging from the website. It looks to be aimed more at later british and european machines. "Motorcycle Classics" is another fairly recent arrival and it too covers a lot of the "modern classics" that don't really appeal to me although it has had a couple of interesting features. I'm probably in the minority though. Paisano had, in my opinion, the perfect magazine with "Earlyriders" but they evidently didn't have the sales to support it. Antique and collectible dealers say that people tend to buy and collect items that they remember from their youths. Maybe this trend is duplicated in the collectible car and motorcycle hobby. It seems like Model Ts nowadays have limited appeal compared to musclecars of the 60s. The japanese motorcycles are also becoming more popular as the kids of the 60s and 70s now have time and resources to relive their memories or create new ones. I should fit into that catagory but for some reason I prefer the old stuff. Face it, people that relate to the years from the turn of the century to the 50s are becoming scarce.

[c.o.]

Well, Kojack it's almost as if you read my mind........ In my opinion there can never be enough coverage on the early American stuff!! I search in vain through the magazines on the newstand for something that interests me, and usually come up short. So a magazine that is geared to this idea would be great. Let's hope enough of us think that way. I'll buy your magazine Buzz!!!