Trail Bike Adventure Magazine (TBAM)

[Eddieb]

I discovered TBAM while in Aus last year and have been buying it regular in NZ.
It's very glossy, Bi Monthly, and only one of two magazines I've found that aren't the offroad equivalent of perfomance/fast bikes type wank magazines, and the only one that appears to have equal focus on 'proper' adventure riding rather than just off road trail riding. Every few issues they have also been including a DVD of rides that support articles in that current issue.

Anyway, in a rare case of consideration (for me) I thought I'd email the editor in Aus a few words of how I like the magazine.... & I got a reply back in 18 minutes.

I was pretty impressed with that as I didn't expect to get one at all.

I reckon Big Dave needs to ring these guys and get some freelance NZ content in there.

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From: Eddieb
Sent: Wed 1/17/2007 9:01 AM
To: Tom Foster
Subject: TBAM

Hi Tom

In mid 2006 I came over to Sydney from NZ for a short holiday. One day while waiting in Sydney Central station for a train to Newcastle I discovered TBAM in a magazine kiosk. (Issue 7)

Engrossed, my train journey passed all to quickly as I devoured the contents of this new found wonder. As a sport bike rider but one time R80G/S owner I've been thinking of returning to a dual purpose machine as I find riding the same roads over and over offers me less and less of a riding experience.

Returning to NZ I have managed to find one local agency that carries TBAM on it's shelves. TBAM has now replaced my magazine buying habits as the only one I purchase, buying each bi monthly issue as soon as it hits the shelves, and I would be snapping it up monthly if it was available.

So thanks for the great magazine and keep up the DVD's, they rock and go straight into the DVD player for viewing.

As with everyone else I have my own suggestions for what I think could make TBAM that little bit better so here's my 2 cents worth.

How about buyers guides, highlighting the pros and cons of each model and the variations over the years, one model per issue. And not just the latest XR/WR/DRZ/CRF/KTM but include the old stalwarts & tractors like the KLR/GS/XT/F650 and the like that budget challenged buyers and others may be looking at to get themselves off the roads.

More New Zealand content, adventure/trail riding appears to be undergoing a resurgence here, my own experience shows dealers can't get enough cheaper dual purpose machines. (See the adventure riding forum on www.kiwibiker.co.nz NZ's largest motorcycling forum).

More DVD's
Go Monthly.

Thanks again for the great mag, looking forward to the next issue.

Cheers
Eddie
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Sent: Wed 1/17/2007 9:19 AM
17 January, 2007

Good Morning Eddie,

Glad to hear you're enjoying the magazine, but a little distressed to hear it's difficult to find. I'll ask the circ guys to have a look at what's happening there.

The buyer's guide you've described is a standard and should certainly be a part of what we do. I need to get off my backside and make it happen.

More New Zealand content would depend on how many we sell in the Land Of The Long White Cloud. I was scheduled to spend a few days there in November, taking in the ISDE and doing tours with two different groups. A problem meant I had to cancel the trip the day before I was due to leave. It's on the 'postponed' list, though, and I hope to be there between March and May sometime.

Monthly!

I wish.

From your e-mail straight to the publisher's...um...in-box, I guess. I dream of how much better the mag could be if it were done monthly.

Thanks for the e-mail and the suggestions. Punt me an email any time.

Copya soon,

TF

[cooneyr]

Who do you get the mag from? A local seller or a chain retailer? I've heard good things about this mag from a few now but have never seen it around. Anybody in chch have a source for the mag?

Cheers
R

[Ghost Lemur]

There's a magazine place in town (High St/Cashel Mall) that I'm pretty sure stocks it.

Saw a couple of months ago an aussie off road magazine which had a large feature about NZ as an adventure riders holiday destination. Might have been the same mag.

Will certainly keep an eyeout as I have no interest in the MX type mags that are all that seems to be so common.

[warewolf]

Distributed by one of the big players (otherwise you wouldn't see it at all). Ask your newsagent to look for it on their database and order it in for you. Tell your mates to go buy it at the same place so they keep getting it in.

I'm a subscriber these days, inherited from "SideTrack" which was merged into TBAM last year. Still reckon TK (Mr SideTrack) has a better writing style, but it seems he's out of the game now.

It's written by blokes that get out there and do it, a couple hang on advrider.

[Eddieb]

I get it from either 'magnetix' who I think are a bit of a chain, or another little local agency. The big players don't seem to carry it and you need to go to the little dedicated magazine shops.

[Chipster]

Paper Plus carry this magazine, although from experience each store tends to only get a couple of copies in of each issue. I order my copy with them here in Kerikeri and it's there for me every time. Just ask your local magazine store to get it for and they will.

The guys at TBAM love to hear from Kiwis. I sent in some photos from a trail ride last year, and within a day or so got an email back saying thanks, and telling me that they'd be straight in the mag. Hey Presto, next issue, there's my pics!! Great. I intend to do the same this year.

There's another great mag that comes out from Assie every 3 months called Australian Trail Rider. Keep your eyes peeled for that too.

[NordieBoy]

No sight of the June one yet.
The website is also down.
The publishers link to subscribe to the mag says "magazine not found".


Nooooooo!

[Eddieb]

No sight of the June one yet.
The website is also down.
The publishers link to subscribe to the mag says "magazine not found".


Nooooooo!

It went bust about 3-4 months ago.

[Night Falcon]

No sight of the June one yet.
The website is also down.
The publishers link to subscribe to the mag says "magazine not found".


Nooooooo!

There was talk about reintroducing it at some point and I hope they do, it was the best ADV mag on the market.

[NordieBoy]

There was talk about reintroducing it at some point and I hope they do, it was the best ADV mag on the market.

Other than TBM of course...

[Night Falcon]

Other than TBM of course...

you cant beat glossy pictures and a free CD TBM is my no1 now though, by default.

[dino3310]

Hey Eddie can we subscribe from NZ

[Eddieb]

Hey Eddie can we subscribe from NZ

To TBAM? nope cause it's dead.

I have an online subscription to this http://www.adventuremotorcycle.com/

Very American focused but there's some good articles in there sometimes. It's bi-monthly and is a downloadable PDF, only $9US for 6 issues.

[NordieBoy]

To TBAM? nope cause it's dead.

I have an online subscription to this http://www.adventuremotorcycle.com/

Very American focused but there's some good articles in there sometimes. It's bi-monthly and is a downloadable PDF, only $9US for 6 issues.

I subscribed to AdventureMotorcycle via Zinio last year. Well written and produced but too focused toward big bikes.

I was also getting TBAM over Zinio onto my iPad and was looking forward to the new issues.
You can still get the older issues though.