Possible New Magazine

[RSmith]

Right on target

"Face it, people that relate to the years from the turn of
the century to the 50s are becoming scarce." By Kojack

You are right on target "Kojack". Our members, who rode
in the 1940's, while in their teens, are now in their
mid to late 70's+. A new magazine has to have
a large group of people who are interested in their
product ..... enough who want to subscribe.

"Boomers" began their riding carreers in the early
1960's, the same time the Japanese burst
on to the market. So their memories are
of Honda Superhawks & Scramblers, Yamaha
Big Bears & 350's or Suzuki Hustlers.

And the production numbers of those Japanese vehicles is
staggering. Especially when you consider Honda was
producing 10,000, of their popular 350's, a MONTH during
their high point. That is 10,000 of ONE SINGLE model,
from one manufacturer.

Add to that, ALL the OTHER Honda models, then the
models from the OTHER Japanese manufacturers
and you can see the sheer numbers of motorcycles,
that are now AMCA Legal.

It would be interesting to see how many Indians, vintage
Harleys and Vincents there are still around?

You can see why "Buzz" is "considering" if there will
be enough interest to develop a new publication.

[exeric]

Then what's the point RSmith? It would just be another boring glossy blur on the magazine racks of America's bookstores. Personally, I stopped buying motorcycle magazines because they all try to be everything for everybody. I know it's a business and your first obligation is to make money for the investors but I'm sick of spending a lot of money for a magazine with one article about an old American motorcycle and then fifty million pictures of tatooed rich kids and the choppers they bought from those Tuttle jerks. The bottom line for me is, don't bother unless it's devoted to American motorcycles.

[Barry Brown]

I agree that "Earlyrider's" was very good but it still had unknowledgable superficial commentary. What you want to produce is the motorcycle equivalent of "The Rodder's Journal" This is an expensive fantastic magazine that became an instant collectible as well, back issues are in hot demand. What stands out is the "in depth " research , articles written and researched by truely knowlegable people , not just the same old rehashed plagiarized stuff. Of course it must be printed on high quality paper with perfect photography. People will pay if you achieve all these goals.

[Kojack]

The "Rodders' Journal" style would be great but the fact is that there are a lot of rodders out there to support that type of publication. I just don't know about the early american motorcycle enthusiasts. Are there enough? "Motorcycles in Retrospect" was a good one that failed, unfortunately the same month I mailed in my subscription check. I kind of thought that it just didn't have enough financial backing to allow it time to build circulation. "Classic Cycle Review" was another I liked that didn't make it. Too local maybe? I bought every issue though. I'd buy another publication like that too but it'll take a bunch to make it feasable. I think Buzz knows what it takes to give something like this a good start. I hope he tries it.
Barry, the unknowledgable, superficial commentary isn't all that bad when you think about it. It gives you a reason to send a letter to the editor. Corrections, debate and participation keep things interesting.

[petri]

I would love to see articles on early american motor cycles. There are never enough of them in our AMCA publication. I was born in 1944 just before the baby boomers. Right from the beginning of awareness about vehicles, 8 years old or so, I liked the old cars and motorcycles. My contemporaries always liked what was new and exciting. I just didn't and never fit in, still don't. I got used to it at an early age.

Maybe the AMCA has to appeal to a larger crowd being a national organization. After all the 60's happened and the bikes did arrive from afar. But there's no reason why a speciality magazine can't be dedicated to the old bikes made up to 1950 or so. Geeze, I'm only 63, there ought to be a lot of people out there that would like a magazine like that.

Howard

[p aiello]

go for it buzz you can start with my new 31 vl or my 47 el or my 63xlch cause when you get the bite you can't stop with one machine as you well know so you can profile peoples persenal collections you can do event coverage like rhinebeck and oley and the whole amca community behind you (in my opinion) go for it.
pat

[portagepan]

I get a little bit tired of hearing some people tell me what they don't like, and what is "no good", and the wrong years, etc. If one is gonna do a mag pick what you like, go all out, balls to the wall, and when it fails, you can ask all the Mr. and Miss Negatives why they didn't buy it. I get interested in learning about just about any bike, as long as the article is well researched, and written. If people want a mag on nothing but the older USA bikes, fine. But if it is negative about anything else, bye bye.
Mike

[Barry Brown]

OK, I agree there probably isn't enough potential readership to support the likes of a "Rodder's Journal" type knock off, however I agree Classic Cycle Review was on the right track, if only they had gotten some distribution.
Now, concerning the idea of an "only American " ( does that refer to makes only or riders or only competitions within the continental US boundaries or only those who have eaten at Macdonalds recently? Maybe it should be limited to only pre 32 Illinois manufacured inline fours. I'm sure you get my point, any limiting factor is a recipe for disaster. A great magazine needs some focus but not xenophobic censorship. Surely Vincents at Bonneville, Earle Ovington's FN fours, Bud Ekins desert racers, Jack Milne's English Excelsior and a plethora of others are all worthy of inclusion . I found the drag racing articles in the last two issues of our own magazine to be fantastic reading. And what about a cut off date? Another bad idea. Leave it open and let the quality of the articles determine what get's published.
One more idea. Why not throw more support to our own publication? It seems to be already achieving many of the goals espoused here.
My favourite mag other than our club is "Cycle World". Aside from the cigarette and truck ads it has the best balance of old and new , street and track , tech , feedback and humour.

[exeric]

I think Buzz is getting plenty of feedback but I don't think anything has been said that would clarify a coarse of direction. Obviously he has been successful in the motorcycle publishing business and I would bet that is no simple challenge. He's been successful because he knows the business and he obviously possesses an insight into what will sell. My opinion is clear and not muddled by a one size fits all mentality. I will support a niche magazine aimed at American motorcycles. Portagepan, I have had subscriptions to most every motorcycle magazine that featured American bikes. Some of those mags died before my subscription ran out. I don't complain because those magazines tried very hard to survive and gave me and others what we wanted. I support authors and publishers of books that cater to American motorcycles and I don't complain about the expense because they have given me what I want. Barry Brown, I don't believe a focused intrest in American motorcycles makes me a xenophobe. That was a nasty little P.C. comment.

[LouieMCman]

I'm always supportive of any new magazines related to antique MC's. And although my primary interest is American, I would support any mag dedicated to pre-50's bikes.
I would like to see bikes of all condition in the mag, even the dreaded period modified. I think "Motorcycles in Retrospect" was a good magazine, but every one of the bikes were perfectly restored showroom condition bikes. I wrote an email to the editors recommending unrestored originals or even customized bikes. How about articles about the club road runs or field events where the machines are out on the road being used? Of course these are my personal thoughts, maybe most of the people want to see shiny trailer queens sitting in a garage that you can eat off the floor of.
Xenophobe - Never heard of that, I had to look it up. Maybe you have to be one to know what it is?

[exeric]

You've got it backwards Louie.

[Barry Brown]

Whether you want to admit it or not the "Tuttle jerks" and "you meet the nicest people on a Honda" slogan have both probably done more to popularize motorcycling than anything else. For both phenomena we should be grateful as the survival of our hobby is tenuous at best in a politically correct world. Any effort that will get anyone interested in or rolling on two wheels is to be applauded. All I am trying to do is make suggestions to help avert disaster for Buzz. If his new magazine is going to be dedicated to early American made machines only all I can do is wish him good luck . I will be amongst the first of very few to subscribe.

[Kojack]

Calm down now Barry. You can't accuse anyone of xenophobic censorship just for publishing a niche magazine. Buzz would have to actually steal your copy of "Cycle World" and replace it with his magazine to be guilty of that. If he does that let me know and I'll send you my copy. It really is a great magazine. If only it had more articles on early american motorcyles. Our club magazine is also great and I'll continue to support it, but the club has a rolling 35 year rule and the magazine needs to follow it to continue to attract new members, I guess. That means it's content about the kinds of bikes I want to learn more about will slowly give way to articles about newer machines. I'm not against these newer bikes. I'd better not be because I have a bunch of them. I've said this before and caught a lot of flak but to me, a 35 year old motorcycle isn't an antique. It can't be because that would mean that I'm, well, old, and I'm not ready to admit that, yet. So yes, I'd buy Buzz's magazine. It looks like we all would but we keep coming up with reasons why it will fail. Maybe we'd better lay off the speculation before we scare him.

By the way Barry, were you really able to get "Classic Cycle Review" in Soviet Canukistan?

[Barry Brown]

A bottle of home made vodka in the rights quarters will get you nearly any decadent motorcycling magazine, how else would we know how to chop our Dneprs?

[c.o.]

I used to get my copies of "Classic Cycle Review" via jugs of white lightning on deserted backroads..........

Let's all hope Buzz doesn't scare easily........I'd read a magazine religiously if it was pre 20's only...........but maybe that's just me.............

Make that pre 20's original paint only............