'Two Wheels mag' ....is crap

[Armitage Shanks]

Have'nt bought 2 wheels for years ,not sure why but I took the bait and picked up the Gold covered August copy on the strength of the 40 years theme, hoping it had improved. What a bloody sucker I was. The cover said 'Forty years of the Honda four' and I expected a run down of the bikes in the last 40 years, all I got was a brief synopsis of the early CB750 and the latest CBR1000, ( nothing mentioned in the index ),crap write-up, secondly the '40 Bikes that mattered' over the last 40 years....have you heard of the 'Foggy Petronas' ? ( #38) ?, and why was'nt the DT1 Yamaha there, or the XL250, early '70's or the Z1 900 and the rest of the bikes we all grew up with ? How about the 99 Hayabusa , was'nt that a landmark ?, where was the RD350, or the GN250 ? instead we got the Buell Battletwin at # 22, the what ?

Gggrumphhh, I hate getting ripped off....has anyone else been ??

[Max Headroom]

I had that mag in my hands yesterday at the stationery shop. Came close to taking it to the counter, but had a quick flick through the "40 Years" feature and thought it was very weak. Put the thing back on the shelf.

I'd have been upset if I'd brought it home......

[James Deuce]

Yeah, I blew it too. "40 years", I thought. Must be worth a look. As was pointed out to Mr Smith, there wasn't much in the kitty to make a good go of a celebration.

[munterk6]

Haha, suckers! :yes:

[Zealnz]

What biker mags does everyone buy? I need something to read at work and on the days when it's too wet to go out!

[James Deuce]

Zeal. I have a huge pile you can have dude. PM me and you can come and get them or I'll drop them off or something. I've stopped buying (except for the latest Kiwi Rider and Two wheels. One is awesome, the other sucked.) since I subscribed to Cycle World and I want to get rid of my old ones.

[Big Dave]

Pains me slightly to read this about 2 wheels.
I owe some of my 'thingy' to that publication. They had a Deckson 125 Minibike on the cover not long after they started and it set an 8 year old's course somewhat.
I look at the kid's section in Kiwi Rider with some pride and remember it every month.

Then since I became a Junketeer I've been on some epic rides with the staff and enjoyed their company greatly too.

Oh well - I'm back to work on the KR cover.

[Coyote]

I read Kiwirider.

And Big Dave did not threaten me into saying that. No sireee bob.

[Big Dave]

I read Kiwirider.

And Big Dave did not threaten me into saying that. No sireee bob.

You are a person of infinite taste.

[Forest]

I read MCN when it is available.

Kiwirider when I'm in NZ.

[imdying]

Yep, this month KR got the nod over TW :yes:

40 years of bikes that mattered doesn't have to be 40 years of top selling porridge though :no: Sure the GN sells well, but I still don't give a crap about it :lol:

[slowpoke]

Yep, "Two Wheels" is pretty ordinary, but it's still way better than any of the Kiwi attempts. I read about 40% of AMCN, 30% of TW, 20% of the Kiwi mags making none of them worth buying.

I'd rather pay twice as much for a certain Pommy mag and read every single page.

[Big Dave]

I'd rather pay twice as much for a certain Pommy mag and read every single page.

Just like I told Random - you deserve each other. :-)

[CookMySock]

A tree book ? WTF why bother ? Theres KB, youtube, and google.. What more do you want ?

DB

[Big Dave]

Try wiping yer bum with you tube in an emergency.

[imdying]

A tree book ? WTF why bother ? Theres KB, youtube, and google.. What more do you want ?

DBI tried pinning the centrefold of youtube to my garage wall, but the screen broke :weep:

[Big Dave]

I tried pinning the centrefold of youtube to my garage wall, but the screen broke :weep:

But the pages weren't stuck together.

[iamkirk]

Does nobody here read BIKE from the uk? i think it is definately the best by a long shot.

[Oldfulla]

KiwiRider and Motorcycle trader

[James Deuce]

Does nobody here read BIKE from the uk? i think it is definately the best by a long shot.
I've just gone through a financial "reorg" and the UK bike mags just aren't good value any more. Great read, lots of info (though mostly negative info about anything vaguely un-sporting) but the price doesn't change with the exhange rate, unlike the US ones which can range from $9-$11. AMCN turned to crap at the time Ken Wootton was planning his escape and while Mr Matheson may have got it back up there, I lost the "habit". I realised I was buying Two Wheels because of the columnists. They were a link to the early days of my motorcycling. PB is shit. Simon Hargreaves destroyed it in the wake of John Robinson's death by weeding out the technical excellence and replacing it with boobs and bike photo spreads. All that's left now are the big photo spreads and barely any written words. TWO magazine is good, but it's a vehicle for two very good "B" grade UK ex-racers, and their never-ending amazement at being taken seriously wears thin.

I can no longer justify $50-$70 a month on mags. So I subscribed to Cycle World and apart from the odd burp, like the current KR, just stay away from magazine shops.

I have a 1.5m stack of mags to give away. Some one come and get them.

Please!

[pete376403]

I have a 1.5m stack of mags to give away. Some one come and get them.
Please!

Ya got any "Cycle" magazines, a US mag that ceased production about 8-10 years back. Thats where Kevin Cameron started writing, plus they had Gordon Jennings, Cook Neilson and a bunch of other who could write and ride. Twas a good read, I miss it and would like to go over some of the articles.

[RDJ]

Cycle World to my mind is invariably a class act, no matter which type of bike you ride. Motorcycle Consumer News is also good. Kiwi Rider is a great New Zealand motorcycling magazine. I'll occasionally buy American Iron, Rider, Hot Bike or Easyriders of a newsstand before flying especially if they have a feature such as on roadside assistance or exhausts, or a particular new moel review that is worth looking at; but unlike the US magazines, the UK magazines are too parochial and too sportsbikecentric to be value for money.

[slowpoke]

Ya got any "Cycle" magazines, a US mag that ceased production about 8-10 years back. Thats where Kevin Cameron started writing, plus they had Gordon Jennings, Cook Neilson and a bunch of other who could write and ride. Twas a good read, I miss it and would like to go over some of the articles.

I loved Cycle as a kid. I'd spend hours pawing through my old man's stash, catching up on Lawson, Rainey, Cooley and co's exploits on their firebreathing superbikes. Mark Homchick was brilliant. I don't mind Kevin Cameron although after picking up one of his books I was less than impressed and think he's overrated (blasphemy!).


PB is shit. Simon Hargreaves destroyed it in the wake of John Robinson's death by weeding out the technical excellence and replacing it with boobs and bike photo spreads. All that's left now are the big photo spreads and barely any written words.


Sounds like you have got PB and Superbike mixed up. No boobs in PB nowadays, unlike Superbike, and the advertising dweebs have only recently added a handful of sexy phone adds that virtually fill the back half of Superbike. They still choose interesting bikes to feature and I like the "build it don't buy it", get your hands dirty philosophy. Yep, dominated by sportbikes but they don't promise anything else.


Cycle World to my mind is invariably a class act, no matter which type of bike you ride. Motorcycle Consumer News is also good. Kiwi Rider is a great New Zealand motorcycling magazine. I'll occasionally buy American Iron, Rider, Hot Bike or Easyriders of a newsstand before flying especially if they have a feature such as on roadside assistance or exhausts, or a particular new moel review that is worth looking at; but unlike the US magazines, the UK magazines are too parochial and too sportsbikecentric to be value for money.

Hmmm, horses for courses, I guess. I just hate buying the "all things to all riders" mags and having to wade past the waffle about scooters, or how to adjust your chain, or touring Peru, or a columnists' piss up, to the few remaining articles that interest me.

I'm not really bagging the mag themselves, it's more about my own narrow interests I guess. Then again I hate buying any product or service and thinking I could have done better myself.

[pritch]

....have you heard of the 'Foggy Petronas' ? ( #38) ?,

Yes. Haven't seen one though.

The Foggy relates to the former multiple World SBK Champ and current whinger Carl Foggerty.

[F5 Dave]

Heya Jim, guess I'm keen to take some, might have a swapsy of some of mine, shall I give you a yell?

I've bought every PB more out of habit. I swear to stop if Hargreaves comes back & I hate Innman, should go back to Classic Bike (but sometimes they do have articles about RZ etc worth a flick in the shop).

I quite like Motorcycle Mechanics, have to look to find it. Sport Rider is ok for a US mag.

[Paulo]

Classic Bike (U.K) is a good read if you like older bikes, Not cheap though about $15 a pop, Discovered they have a good stack of them at the wellington library (including current issue)

[Coyote]

You are a person of infinite taste.
Churr

So when do I get my endorsement cheque?

[James Deuce]

Sounds like you have got PB and Superbike mixed up. No boobs in PB nowadays, unlike Superbike, and the advertising dweebs have only recently added a handful of sexy phone adds that virtually fill the back half of Superbike. They still choose interesting bikes to feature and I like the "build it don't buy it", get your hands dirty philosophy. Yep, dominated by sportbikes but they don't promise anything else.





No I haven't. Read what I said.

It's not dominated by sportsbikes, it's dominated by pictures of sportsbikes. There's no words.

It takes about as long as a Commando comic to read.

[James Deuce]

Ya got any "Cycle" magazines, a US mag that ceased production about 8-10 years back. Thats where Kevin Cameron started writing, plus they had Gordon Jennings, Cook Neilson and a bunch of other who could write and ride. Twas a good read, I miss it and would like to go over some of the articles.

I have one left with a review of an RC30, which "made" me buy my one.

It's mine.

Sorry.

[Big Dave]

Churr

So when do I get my endorsement cheque?

I hereby endorse Coyote. Check.

[fridayflash]

KIWIRIDER KIWIRIDER KIWIRIDER and occasionally MCT&N which has come
a long way since it split from AUTO TRADER.
but i find KR is a true grassroots bike mag and covers it all equaly

[AllanB]

I've been a Cycle World subscriber for the past 7 years. Cheap (with subscription).

I used to get Two Wheels but gave up years ago.

I enjoy the occasional English mag if there is a specific bike I am interested in, but I am selective at $15 a pop.

I usually buy one of the NZ mags monthly - you only need one as the three on the market are all testing the same bikes and feature the same advertisers etc.

I do very much enjoy the 'what's available' in the retail market section of KR and I'd like to see this expanded but I presume it is funded by the importers thus restricted by $.

One comment about bike reviews - fark me if all the modern bikes are not so bloody good that there is nothing bad to say about them any more!

Apart from the English - they will compare a GSXR1000 with a SV1000 and slam the SV totally ignoring the price difference and intended use of each.

[Big Dave]

One comment about bike reviews - fark me if all the modern bikes are not so bloody good that there is nothing bad to say about them any more!



Quite so. My approach is to say that this machine is good for...

If you like doing...then this machine will suit you. I try and describe the pertinent features for the intended user.

As I've seen recently the English mags are more likely to take a Ulysses to the track and write something 'provocative' calling it a slug compared to a CBRRRRR. Duh.

[magicfairy]

Does nobody here read BIKE from the uk? i think it is definately the best by a long shot.

Agree, I give my other half a subscription for his birthday every year. That way I get to enjoy it and get brownie points.

[SPman]

I have one left with a review of an RC30, which "made" me buy my one.

It's mine.

Sorry.
I had a similar experience with the Ducati GT750 issue .......I think I lost it in the move over....:weep:

[Big Dave]

I think I lost it in the move over.

You'd already lost it and I thought you went over to get some.

[popelli]

Does nobody here read BIKE from the uk? i think it is definately the best by a long shot.


have to disagree with you there

bike is one of the worst excuses for a motorcycle magazine ever, it has a very very narrow perspective of motorcycling

they rarely test anything except sports bikes, if it isn't a CBR an GSXR an R1 or an R6 or something close then basically they are not interetsed

apart from the OGRI cartoon there is very little positive I could say about BIKE

a far far better magazine is Motorcycle Sports and Leisure it has a far wider coverage of all things pertaining to bikes

[MD]

Can't be bothered reading all the replies but must agree with the first poster - Two Wheels is absolute crap. Not even worthy for bog paper. AMCNews is good value.

[cameltoe]

anyone read RAPID?? i think thats a bloody well put together mag