Ideas needed for three unusual biking features

[Bob]

Hi All,

Thinking caps needed. There is a job come up at a major national motorcycle magazine here in the UK, for a features writer.

Now I think the CV stands up (worked for 14 years for various publications, written road tests, product reviews, features and news). But they also want 3 ideas for features.

I've got one idea - being to cover unusual places you could do mini-tours (like the one I did a couple of years back when we stayed in a Tipi!), but I need a couple of ideas.

So, what would you like to see written about in a bike mag? It could be a one-off or a series potentially.

Any ideas really appreciated. I've got to submit the CV early next week, so thinking caps on please!

Thanks all,

Regards,

Bob

[Gremlin]

Something I might be doing for a mag in the near future is writing up all my rides in build up prep for the TT2000 (http://www.tt2000.org/) so perhaps a feature on high mileage riders? The type of riding and distance they cover is certainly unusual? Ok, fine, my rides are always "adventures"

The usual gear suggestions, gloves, boots, heated equipment (perhaps the most useful heated piece of equipment, pitching gloves against vests etc?)

Perhaps the best of the best fabric, ie, best leather, or textile? Metrics inc abrasion, waterproofness, cost etc

And since I'm on the thought train at the moment, best lighting (longevity, cost, performance), ie, headlight alternative? +50 or +90 bulbs vs HID etc? Maybe best reflective material?

I guess, instead of the usual main areas, dig into a specific field that while most don't care about, either they should (and therefore find out about it) or appeals to a category of riders? Is best biker meeting place a regular item featured? Could ask for reader submissions, then judged, series would have a couple profiled every issue, so could extend for a lengthy period (depending on publication cycle)

roads, tyres etc, all done, perhaps look for unusual equipment as well? Best luggage? sounds a bit common tho...

ok... probably need to stop thinking now

[thehovel]

Road tests on off-road bikes and gravel ability of road bikes. Basicly tests outside the usual parameters. Regards Richard

[FROSTY:Me]

theres the old classic- basic suspension setup

[Mental Trousers]

Don't know how this would go in the UK but how about the crazy sort of machines that turn up on the racetrack down this way??

For instance people I've chatted to online about my bike (a Triumph TT600 running as a 450 ala Chris Osbourne) are incredulous and can't believe it runs let alone is competitive. There's also Jason Easton's Aprillia 550 engined Tigcraft and others if you go looking.

[tigertim20]

Hi All,

Thinking caps needed. There is a job come up at a major national motorcycle magazine here in the UK, for a features writer.

Now I think the CV stands up (worked for 14 years for various publications, written road tests, product reviews, features and news). But they also want 3 ideas for features.

I've got one idea - being to cover unusual places you could do mini-tours (like the one I did a couple of years back when we stayed in a Tipi!), but I need a couple of ideas.

So, what would you like to see written about in a bike mag? It could be a one-off or a series potentially.

Any ideas really appreciated. I've got to submit the CV early next week, so thinking caps on please!

Thanks all,

Regards,

Bob

dunno if this covers your bases, but I hate picking up magazines, and the focus is on brand new bikes, 600+cc. Fuck, not everyone has 20k + to spend on a bike, Id suggest features on bikes aimed at learners, eg features on new and second hand bikes up to 6 years old, that are good learner bikes. what to look for, popular mods etc.

also the same but for 600cc + bikes, that are 2-6 years old, that area is a big fucking market.

[Gibbo89]

tend to agree with tiger as mentioned above.

Sure some people like to see what is brand new in the bike scene etc but fuckin' eh... for people with shallow pockets a 'bargain' section would be nice. i.e. a section that recommends a solid learner that may be a bit older that is easy to maintain and still ticks all the right boxes. Or, instead of a learner bike, a nice 'classic' (classic could mean 1980's through to 90's) for people to get back into biking after a stint away from the biking world and have forgotten a thing or two about what is nice to have when re entering the bike scene.

[Bren]

I dont know what sort of mag it is but how about a review of good bikes ten years on, 20 years on and 30 years on... Bikes back then reviewed for today..ie how they stack up compared to the modern things, and hints/tips for people looking to buy these older bikes

For example...my list
1970 CB750four K1...the first of the "superbikes"
1980 Suzuki GS100S
1990 Ducati 750 Sport
2000 HAYABUSA..nuff said

[Smifffy]

dunno if this covers your bases, but I hate picking up magazines, and the focus is on brand new bikes, 600+cc. Fuck, not everyone has 20k + to spend on a bike, Id suggest features on bikes aimed at learners, eg features on new and second hand bikes up to 6 years old, that are good learner bikes. what to look for, popular mods etc.

also the same but for 600cc + bikes, that are 2-6 years old, that area is a big fucking market.

+1 for this
Also is there any IP on these ideas, seems like a pretty good way for the mag to harvest some good features ideas from a bunch of top candidates, even if they only give one of them the job.

Cynical ole me again I guess.

[Milts]

Another vote for Tiger's idea.

And me being the geeky bastard I am, I'd love to see some real research based reporting in bike mags - articles on things like Proffessor Lamb's research, other academic/governmental/professional research into accidents, crash barriers etc, and tests on safety gear (for impact and abbrasion). Regular safety comparisons - eg one week on jackets, another on helmets, another on back protectors etc would also be nice. Could be in the minority there though.

[Old Steve]

Another vote for Tiger!

A comparison of 2 to 6 year old bikes, reliabilty, rideability and cost, across different segments. Don't know what the learners restrictions are in the UK, but something like learners bikes (up to 250 cc?), 'second' bike (600 to 800cc), bigger bikes, sports bikes, cruisers. You could make a five or six part series out of that.

[warewolf]

1) Low budget motorcycling.

Look at the cheapest way to get in to motorcycling: cheap bikes, gear etc. Give say 5 riders a $1000 (quid, pick a number) budget to buy a bike & gear, get them to explain their choices. Review say the cheapest helmets, look at features/models to avoid. Include licence costs eg for mandatory training. Compare decisions made by novices vs very experienced riders.

All too often reviewers say "buy the best you can afford" but what about getting away with the cheapest? What features do you really need, what ones are luxuries?

2) expanding on Mental T's theme: most unusual conversion/cross-over bikes. I'm an adventure rider and ppl are always modding road-ish bikes to make them more off-road capable. So unusual bikes could be like the guy who rode round the world (RTW) on an R1 rather than a R11xxGS. Putting knobbies on a GSX-R1100. Going the other way, customising/chroming a dirt bike. Unusual motard conversions.

Basically bikes that are used (successfully) far from their design brief.

[Smifffy]

Maybe a story pitched at those returning to riding, covering changes in technology etc from bikes in the 80's 90's to now.

[Mental Trousers]

2) expanding on Mental T's theme: most unusual conversion/cross-over bikes. I'm an adventure rider and ppl are always modding road-ish bikes to make them more off-road capable. So unusual bikes could be like the guy who rode round the world (RTW) on an R1 rather than a R11xxGS. Putting knobbies on a GSX-R1100. Going the other way, customising/chroming a dirt bike. Unusual motard conversions.

Basically bikes that are used (successfully) far from their design brief.

That sounds shit hot. Maybe something along the lines of Is ingenuity still alive in motorcycling??

[piston broke]

Hi All,

But they also want 3 ideas for features.

I've got one idea - being to cover unusual places you could do mini-tours (like the one I did a couple of years back when we stayed in a Tipi!),

Bob

i tried a similar thing here ages ago,
sadly not too many replies.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ccom-around-NZ

best of luck