KR readers - opinion please

[Big Dave]

Kiwi Rider Readers,
Your opinion please:

Should the mag stay with the current distinct road and off-road sections - or would you prefer to see the sections mixed - ie tests, news, new releases to include both dirt and road 'as it comes' ?

bd
(Dropping either section is not an option, blakadmin)

[bugjuice]

I'd love to see how the big thous do off-road.. I can just see the Busa doing a superman now..

I like it how it is, but then without change is without evolution.. Depends what you have in mind

Actually, they got any jobs going? I wouldn't mind workin for a mag like that..

[XTC]

Mix it up so long as it's all colourful and glossy..... Use spell check and get some one to proof read... And not every shot of every bike has to be of someone going round a corner trying to get his knee down.... :confused:

[Big Dave]

I like it how it is, but then without change is without evolution.. Depends what you have in mind



As mentioned in the christmas issue, I'm lucky enough to be doing some art direction and design for a new format on better stock.

Exactly what we are trying to do - evolving to a better product, and not fixing it till it breaks.

We had an brief editorial meeting this afternoon and we kicked around the 'poll question'. (Before I nicked off on the nifty Buell Citycross that's over there)
Opinions were divided, but I figured what a great way to 'vox pop' it, ask the KB'ers.
It's publisher 'vege's' and the ed's decision, but would be good to give them some genuine feedback.

Not sure on the jobs front, I'm a freelancer.
Sending a CV to pete@kiwrider.co.nz mentioning big dave said to do so, is the place to start.

Bayliss! You can vote too.
bd

[Motu]

Mix it up - my tatses are broad spectrum,all bikes,all gear,whatever,all have my attention.I'm left handed,so stand at the magazine counter and flick from the back of the mag,sometimes I don't have time to get to the streetbikes before I have to put it back on the shelf.

[gav]

Oh yeah, Kenny Roberts, should do OK with the KTM power plan and Shakey Byrnes on board, hope he gets a few top 10's!! :niceone:

[Big Dave]

Oh yeah, Kenny Roberts, should do OK with the KTM power plan and Shakey Byrnes on board, hope he gets a few top 10's!! :niceone:


yeah yeah thanks a lot - there is only so many characters allowed in the poll set up dontchaknow. ;-P

[James Deuce]

As I mentioned in the christmas issue, I'm doing some art direction and design for a larger format on better stock.


So long as at doesn't end up the same size as Alan Dick's magazine (DRIVER I think) then I don't really mind. That thing is too big and unweildy to read easily in your average cafe, and I throw it away because it doesn't store easily. I actually used to buy about 4 or 5 Driver magazines a year because I enjoy Alan's rants, but I haven't bought one since the first issue where they changed the format to that giant layout on thick, super glossy (I think just about every page has an aqueous coating) stock.

Frankly the dirt section puts me off altogether and then I buy BRM instead. I know dirt riding is super popular in NZ, but I feel like I've spent $8.95 for $4.47.5 value.

[FROSTY]

Actually I'm seeing the lines b=etween road and trail bikes getting more and more blurred Ive been tempted on more than one occassion to have a crack at a 500cc plus traillie as a road bike
So Id be happy the two sections being mixed up

[LB]

I'm with SpeedMedic on this one - I too only glance over the dirt section, though there are some articles in it that I read.

Full colour and gloss would be nice, but to be realistic I imagine it's cost prohibitive - I'd rather have the current style than pay $5 more for glossy colour.

[Krusti]

I like the way it is. When my son was racing MX we only really read the Dirt section. Now we only really read the front half. Even ad wise you know that road related stuff is at the front etc.

Would like to see a few more second hand tests, readers rides etc. Otherwise I like it.:niceone:

[Midnight 82]

:yeah: 2 sections then you only have to go through what you need to :spudwhat:

[What?]

I like it how it is - I read the first half, then thumb through the dirt section in case there's something interesting to me. The adventure ride reports seem to be semi-segregated as well, which is cool as I read those too. It doesn't take me long to read KR, so it's good to ba able to go straight to what I want in it.

[White trash]

Put in some sports bikes doing stupid shit. See attached pic.

[chris]

Bayliss! You can vote too.
bd

Just Baylis ?? Hi Dave.

[Biff]

WT - On that kinda bike that is indeed serious "stupid shit"!!

Dave - I also avoid the dirt bike section, as I have no interest in it whatsoever. As such if I have a choice between KR and other mags that only cover road bikes on a shop shelf I tend to choose those mags that don't cover dirt bikes.

Please don't mix things up, because 'roadies' like myself will permanently move on if we have to dig between the dirty bike bits in order to locate some clean, mean roadie stuff.

[Paul in NZ]

I don't really mind 'cos I seldom buy it. Actually, I buy maybe 1 a year.... But only if there is nothing else to read on the ferry or if a mate overseas wants to know about bikes in NZ..

No offence, it's a very nice magazine but i kinda stopped being interested in new motorcycles several years back so it's me thats odd.

Paul N

[jrandom]

Well, I buy magazines for the road bike articles. Since I can generally get everything I'm interested in out of KR by hanging out by the mag stand and reading it for 5 minutes, I usually don't buy it.

I guess I'm just not the target market. If I had a dirtbike, I would be, and I'd be buying the mag. Meh.

[vifferman]

I didn't vote, because I don't buy Kiwi Rider. In fact, I don't buy any bike mags at all at present, after having bought hundreds and hundreds in the past. Every time I feel like I'd like to buy one, and pick one up to read, there's either nothing particularly new and interesting, or the journalistic style is off-putting, or the poor writing turns me off. Any news of new developments or bikes I can get from the Interweb, and I find the 'real' stuff that's written here on Kiwi Biker is better than the egotisitical blatherings of so-called professional moto-journalists.

I have read lots of issues of KR, but they were all ones I was given. To be quite honest, compared to other mags, apart from 'imported articles" (like those from Alan Cathcart), the quality's just not there, and it's really only the NZ content that's (mildly) interesting.

[Blakamin]

Frankly the dirt section puts me off altogether and then I buy BRM instead. I know dirt riding is super popular in NZ, but I feel like I've spent $8.95 for $4.47.5 value.
exactly....

and if I did spend the money....
Full colour and gloss would be nice, but to be realistic I imagine it's cost prohibitive - I'd rather have the current style than pay $5 more for glossy colour.

If you run a bike shop, I can Imagine it being more interesting (motorcycle awards coverage... I dont wanna see tuxedos in a bike mag)... but I'm sticking to BRM at the moment coz the last 3 KRs I bought pretty much ended up in the bin... (actually, I gave 2 away)

btw, dont change it or I'll definately not spend... as opposed to the "occaisionally" I do at the moment...