NZ motorcycle magazines?

[Taz]

Whatever. Refer to Post #70.

I'm over this thread anyway.

Toys are now being thrown out of cots. Why'd you bother anyway Dave? Just let people have their own opinion.... You're not paid to defend the magazine any more are you?

[F5 Dave]

So at a $1/page I'm interested in it just doesn't stack up for me. Some of the articles/bikes are so boring/generic they actively counteract the good stuff, making me angry I had to pay for them. Shame, there are so many interesting characters and bikes in NZ that could be written about.

Couldn't have summed it up better.


Wait for the "If you think you could do better spiel" but we're not journos & have other interests or occupations.

[Oscar]

Couldn't have summed it up better.


Wait for the "If you think you could do better spiel" but we're not journos & have other interests or occupations.

The fact is you are entitled to your opinion (however misguided).
It's also a fact that it's a well laid out and very popular publication (as are most of the other mags mentioned here). It is true that it suffers from a generalist approach, and as such is always going to be subject to criticism of the "..too much roadie stuff.." or "..too much dirt stuff.." . So it appears to be a matter of personal taste, and as I have mentioned before I don't think that KB inmates are a true reflection of the motorcycle constituency.

I am also impressed by the way that KR (which I am not a shareholder or employee of) supports grass roots events and local riders.

As for "...if you think you could do better.." KR accepts (hell, has been known to pay for) contributions from Joe Public.

[F5 Dave]

The fact is you are entitled to your opinion (however misguided).
It's also a fact that it's a well laid out and very popular publication (as are most of the other mags mentioned here). It is true that it suffers from a generalist approach, and as such is always going to be subject to criticism of the "..too much roadie stuff.." or "..too much dirt stuff.." . So it appears to be a matter of personal taste, and as I have mentioned before I don't think that KB inmates are a true reflection of the motorcycle constituency.

I am also impressed by the way that KR (which I am not a shareholder or employee of) supports grass roots events and local riders.

As for "...if you think you could do better.." KR accepts (hell, has been known to pay for) contributions from Joe Public.

Well laid out? - It's mostly adds!

Misguided huh? how patronising.

I am a Road rider as well as a Dirt biker, but I also race & have an interest in older bikes & Trials. So they should be able to hit a few bases with me. I am also a previous subscriber for at least a few years.


btw KB stats

Members

24,890

Active Members

3,128

clearly people come & go, but I'd say that is a pretty reasonable cross section of motorcyclists. Can you name a larger one that regularly communicate on such a scale?

[Oscar]

Well laid out? - It's mostly adds!

Misguided huh? how patronising.

I am a Road rider as well as a Dirt biker, but I also race & have an interest in older bikes & Trials. So they should be able to hit a few bases with me. I am also a previous subscriber for at least a few years.


btw KB stats

Members

24,890

Active Members

3,128

clearly people come & go, but I'd say that is a pretty reasonable cross section of motorcyclists. Can you name a larger one that regularly communicate on such a scale?

As I said - everyone is entitled to their opinion (and there is a certain irony in the way you jump to defend this site).

Ps. The "misguided" thing - it's humour. Laugh a little, you'll feel better for it.

[SimJen]

The Kiwi mags are okay, but they only really last me a couple of hours in front of the telly!
The UK ones are the best: Superbike, Performance Bikes, Fast bikes, Bike, plenty of tests of new and old stuff. I really like "Bike" lots of stuff, and some good second hand tests from time to time. They just have a good dose of humour and all the latest gear to test, as well as being able to go to an actual new model launch which is something our journo's don't really get to do.
By the time the Kiwi mags get anything its old news in these times of the internet! Although I do enjoy the odd Alan Cathcart review in the kiwi motorcycle trader....but only if I haven't already read it in a UK mag two months earlier!
Trouble is, motorcycling is such a niche market in NZ, the mags have to be very generalised and as such can feel a little bland. Not there fault!

[brett7777]

...otherwise read my old Twin Eagles!

the people who are starting the new one mentioned something about Twin Eagles, maybe they are wanting to do something somewhat similar? they were aiming to bring out the first issue on 1st April so we will see then I s'pose

[brett7777]

the people who are starting the new one mentioned something about Twin Eagles, maybe they are wanting to do something somewhat similar? they were aiming to bring out the first issue on 1st April so we will see then I s'pose

Well, sadly, 1st of April came & went & their mag didn't make it yet to the shops.
Last time I emailed them said they had hit a hump with funding.
Then I emailed them again just recently but didn't get a reply
That was after them coming & doing professional photos & recording an interview for the article.
Lookin like it might not make it to the shelves?
I sincerely hope they do get there, I know they have a dream to do it.
I guess it's a big undertaking & there must be a fair bit of investment when you put it into print.

[haydes55]

Dredge alert!

I was just at countdown perusing the bike mags, trying to decide which one to buy was a battle. Thought I'd do a search before starting a thread. But these opinions are a bit outdated now

What's everyone's favourites?

[MVnut]

Kiwi Rider mag is the best although I do buy certain issues of the other mags depending what's in them. I have every issue of KR

[Big Dave]

Toys are now being thrown out of cots. Why'd you bother anyway Dave? Just let people have their own opinion.... You're not paid to defend the magazine any more are you?

I'd forgotten the thread till I opened it.

Seeing I missed this question the first time around - better late than never.

Pffftt - 'toy chucking' - just the opposite - stopped caring.

[Big Dave]

Kiwi Rider mag is the best although I do buy certain issues of the other mags depending what's in them. I have every issue of KR

Congrats on youse extraordinarily good taste.

[pritch]

Mean dredge :-)
Regretfully (but not very) I haven't bought a local bike mag in years. Then again, I don't particularly regard that as my fault.

[merv]

I still subscribe to KR, always have, and its the only one I've ever subscribed to.

[R650R]

Well what a dredge alright, read back to the top of this page and that was far enough.
We're lucky we have what we have, I don't buy the mags either anymore, all the news and good images are on the net before mag is even typeset.
Back in the heydays of fastbikes I had big dreams of doing something similar here so wrote letters to just about every HB mag shop asking about bike mag sales.
Surprisingly about half of them responded and the sales were not what you would expect. And that was back when the economy was a bit better and the prices weren't as silly as they are now.

As for the volume of ads, unless you have a big subscription base or high sale price you have to do it. I'd be thankful that the guys we have out there now are contributing what they are as the money for it is likely not to be great.
I'm quite lucky the industrial publications I contribute pay well (compared to the others) but its a rarity in the mag/news sector.
A lot of contributers these days are doing it free or near free for the exposure it gives them if they operate a related business which is making things even worse...