Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: ant_129 on May 09, 2006, 12:02:16 AM
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Hey guys,
First of all I would like to apologize if this is a repost but I couldn't find anything with search.
I am looking to subscribe to a motorcycle mag but I don't know which one to get. Do you guys have any suggestions, I would like to limit it to the US?
I have done some research and it looks like I might like "Rider", "Motorcyclist", and "Cycle World".
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I recently started getting RoadRacerX. 2-monthly, so tends to be a little late on the MotoGP, AMA's, and WSBK newsfront. Great articles about racers and teams, and delightfully lacking in the GIXXRHONDANINJA Shootout-Comparo-Blahblahblahs.
I know you said US, but I have to admit that I get much more enjoyment out of one $9 newsstand copy of 'TWO' or 'Bike' than I do out of an entire year of Motorcyclist or CycleWorld.
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As much as it pains me to admit. Brits have the best motorcycle mags. I like streetfighers, two and fast bikes. I can't say I'd recommend any north american publications... they're all a little too conservative for me.
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As much as it pains me to admit. Brits have the best motorcycle mags. I like streetfighers, two and fast bikes. I can't say I'd recommend any north american publications... they're all a little too conservative for me.
I still haven't been able to successfully convince the missus that I want to get 'Streetfighters' for bandit ideas, and not the T&A...any pointers?
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Have to agree with the "Brits have some of the best mags" statement. Here in NZ we have some local bike rags which are not bad. One mag in particular 'Motorcycle News and Trader Mag' has all the interesting bike tests and would news etc, but also has a classified section of normally about 30 or so pages both dealer and private sales. Included is a updated list of dealer retail prices along with any special manufacturer offers.
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If you have to go domestic, I'd give the nod to Motorcyclist.
Rider has better editorials, Cycle World has Peter Egan and loads of cruisers.
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I still haven't been able to successfully convince the missus that I want to get 'Streetfighters' for bandit ideas, and not the T&A...any pointers?
You've gotta play the "You're more attractive then any of the women in this magazine" card. Works like a charm.
Some of the girls have more modifications then the bikes but I swear, I really do buy it for the bikes!
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Streetfighters is okay as long as you had a low score on that gay test posting...
jim
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Streetfighters is the only mag on my monthly must have list. :bigok:
And to keep up on the local goss Aust Motorcycle News. :motorsmile:
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I am not crazy about the mags that are filled with pretty pictures of someone's custom paint job. Yeah, they're pretty, but so what? I can't use that info.
I'm also not crazy about mags that are full of reviews of new bikes...I' won't be buying a new one every three months, or even every three years. But of those types, I think MOTORCYCLIST is the best.
I do like RIDER because it's got a lot of info you can use about enjoying your CURRENT bike...trip reviews, maintenance tips, accessories, etc.
ROADBIKE has a similar focus, and is all-metric, but not quite as skillful in its content.
And then there's the "no pretty pictures" MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS, which packs a lot of hard info into a few B&W pages.
Finally, if you really enjoy reading MC travel, the quarterly MOTORCYCLE ESCAPE and bimonthly ROAD RUNNER are good. RR's writers are not always the most skillful writers, but they can be pretty honest about unfriendly towns or great finds.
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I really only like Rider. It's a good general purpose mag. Someone sent me a CycleCanada mag last fall and it is a slick mag. I just subscribed to it. I think I may end up liking it better than the U.S. mags.
Of course, Bike is great, but it's British.
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I've only seen a Brit mag a few times. You have to go into the big city to get one and I hate that. The times I've seen them, I didn't see what the big deal is about them, other than there's more T&A (esp Streetfighters)... and you have to fight your way thru all the British coloquialisms. They do seem to come to firmer conclusions than the mainstream US mags. Seems like in shootouts, the US mags try to make them all sound like winners... and to a certain extent, todays bikes are that way. I just look for the things that interest me to form my decision over which bike I'd rather have... even if I'm not planning on buying one.
I subscribe to Cycle World & Motorcyclist because they're both real cheap to subscribe to. If you were to buy two issues of each off the newstand in a year, you pretty much bought a subscription. CW is a more well rounded rag and covers dirt & street. I enjoy reading Egan, Edwards & Cameron's tech pieces in CW, but don't care one way or the other about any of the chopper/cruiser content that shows up. Motorcyclist has some good interviews/stories about racers and the thing that got me to subscribe was a couple years ago when they had Kenny Roberts writing autobiography pieces frequently.
The other mag I subscribe to - and no one has mentioned it yet - is Motorcycle Consumer News. You probably won't find this one for retail sale anywhere. It's pretty much a subscription only thing. It has no advertising, has only B&W photos and is printed on paper stock not unlike what's in most copy machines... and it's expensive. Since it has no ads, they pull NO punches on their road tests. Their tests are more focused on real world riding rather than race track results, which is the kind of riding I'm more likely to do. They also do frequent shootouts of m/c related products, some of which I've posted up here before - like the chain lube & tire pressure gauge shootouts. They've done ventilated jackets, flip face helmets, and a host of others.
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Streetfighters has to be my all time favourite magazine. Sadly though reading it and seeing all the mods you can get for the bandits makes me feel poor.
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The other mag I subscribe to - and no one has mentioned it yet - is Motorcycle Consumer News.
Hey, *I* mentioned it!
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My bad. You did!
The sun came out this morning (a rare thing this time of year) and must have glared the screen right where that line was.
That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it. :wink:
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Paul's right, CYCLE WORLD and MOTORCYCLIST are so cheap to subscribe to (much like TIME and NEWSWEEK) that it's a crime to buy them on the newstand more than once or twice a year...even if you don't actually read them.
I also like RIDE TEXAS, which I pick up a couple times a year when I'm down that way.
The Brit mags can be fun since they use the sort of winking humor that a lot of Brit mags have, but overall, they aren't THAT different from the others. I do envy the articles where they can circle the island in a day, then take the Chunnel train and cross three or four countries in another day. (As my letter one of the mags printed stated!)
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I like the UK mag Bike, expensive but worth it.
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Remember what he said:
I would like to limit it to the US
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I guess I am not totally against a forgien mag, I just don't really want to read about bikes I won't ever have a chance to ride, buy or even see in person. Plus I figured they would be a bit more pricey for delivery to the door. I may look into a few brit mags based on the discussion.
I am looking for something that is more naked bike focused (I don't want it primarily cruisers and crotch rockets) and can provide a few reviews here and there. I also would like to read tips for riding, modding, or whatever related to motorcycling.
Thanks for all your input, I think I just need to go to a book store and get a few mags of the ones recommended and see what I like.
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I also subscribe to MCN after Paul quoted them on here a year ago or so. I am a Consumer Reports subscriber as well. I would say MCN is to bikes as Consumer Reports is to cars.
I love the no BS reviews and I am willing to pay for it. I have read Bike and thought it had tons of info but was difficult to read as stated earlier in this thread.
Cycle World is okay but I seem to have allowed my subscription lapse on that mag.
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Try a new rag called "Motorcycle Escape" - so far pretty decent. Not so much about our bikes but more where to ride 'em.
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Motorcyclist for me, along with the occassional Brit mag that I can find at the local B&N.
Roadbike is one of my least favorite mags out there, mosly due to every other paragraph using the words "cool" "hot" or "bad-ass." The wrench skills of some of the "how-to" writers are sorely, sorely lacking based upon the crap that they put in their articles.
Max
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Is Motorcyclist still put out by Peterson Publishing? They always seem to have the lowest quality product (even physically), IMHO. Whether it be Guns & Ammo, Motorcyclist, or anything else they do.
Now, the groups that do American Handgunner, Guns & Weapons For Law Enforcement, Car & Driver, and Rider seem to be much better.
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I like Sport Rider,besides testing new bikes they test race bikes new and old.Good editoroals,ask the geek,riding tips,tire comparos,helmet comparos,pipe comparos.Art and science section. I'm always wating for the next one to come out. A few yrs back they had Carry Andrews customized Bandit featured.Well known engine builder and endurance racer,I still have that one stashed somewhere.
I just got my 1st copie of Road Racer X too. Lots of racing news and info.