Worthwhile bike maqazines?

Originally Posted by jim@55

+1 on that...ive recently suscribed to bike as well,freebie is a windproof micro-fleece edz thing looks good ,i was going to subscribe anyway so ,i thought 'why not now'

i subscribed bike for the freebie as well, got my fleece through the post last week. and I can honestly say it's a top bit of kit. well worth getting Bike just for that

I just thought i'd voice my opinion on MCN, seen as this is a motorcycle publications thread...

...its ****e.

It used to be good. Good reveiws of new bikes, in depth tests, good product reveiws, excellent racing coverage, and some superb pictures.

Now...its crap. Its more concerned about its Babe Squad and the politics, which they seem to give out the impression that for all these things that are happening, only bikers will be prosected and car drivers etc will be let off. Most of it will never happen. I was also tinking about this GPS tracking of vehicles which they predict will be used to judge your speed...well, that wouldnt stand as GPS systems are accurate to withing a +/- X distance from any given point, is that not true?

I dunno, i dont bother buying it anymore. PB is quite good, i find it amusing, and TWO & RiDE are very good for getting information about things.

I'll stick to the internet for sport updates though.

Matt

Used to be an avid buyer and reader of bike mags but don't bother now.

A quick flick in WH Smiths is about it. Will buy one if it covers a motorcycle I like. Motorcycles are now seen as lifestyle vehicles...they no longer bother with older bikes and how to keep on the road with 2 shillings and sixpence...

None of the above.

I used to have MCN reserved at the news agents for years until they followed the lead of the bike magazines and focussed too much on the sports bike scene and which knee sliders are the best etc.

Thats why I stopped getting MCN years ago and never read bike mags.

When I actually upgrade (to a sports bike) I may buy a few for reviews but it will only be for one week.

You are right about how the whole "lifestyle" thing has taken over. I recently went to a chatroom for motorcyclists to find that only one in ten of the people in there had ever been on a bike and in most cases that was only as a pillion. I asked them what the heck they were doing there and they just said they were into the "lifestyle". I pointed out that I had been riding for 23 years and had no idea as to what this "lifestyle" is supposed to be but they couldn't explain!

I swear most sports bike riders just buy their machines and leave them in the shed for 360 days a year and spend the rest of the time reading magazines and talking about it down the pub.

Originally Posted by "tiggers1963" [/quote

i subscribed bike for the freebie as well, got my fleece through the post last week. and I can honestly say it's a top bit of kit. well worth getting Bike just for that :

go on then, whassit like?any good,does it fit ,does it ,does it

fast bikes ok ok ok i know it's not really worthwhile but they are bad asses & i like it


SORRY

[northwind]

Poll's no good, you can only vote for one... I get PB, Ride, Bike, TWO and Streetfighters. I'm thinking of dropping Ride, it realy is pish. If I could only choose one, it'd be PB or TWO- PB at its best is fantastic, but it's a bit variable IMO.

On the other hand, if you want to experience true rubbish, get 100% Biker. My word, that's awful...

Bought BIKE on and off for 25 or so years.

It is becoming too focussed at sports bikes...or am I getting too much of an old fart and need Classic Mechanics

Originally Posted by jim@55

go on then, whassit like?any good,does it fit ,does it ,does it

wore it today for the first time. went to Aberystwyth with Valleyboy, DeanoN and lemmings 99. top bit of kit. wore it over a teeshirt and under my leather jacket weather was frigging freezing, snowing over Brecon Beacons and it kept me as warm as toast. And the zip doesnt go straight up the front like most fleeces it zips up from the shoulder to the throat. i ordered my size which is medium and it fits me perfect (i'm a 42 chest)

I subscribe to Bike for "serious" reading and MCN-style notification/warning (slightly more reliable though ) changes in legislation, "biking issues" as well as bike reviews.

I respect Ride's recommended tag and make purchases based on it, but don't read the mag very often.

Streetfighter is a good laddish "hooligan" mag. A sort of biking FHM, bought from time to time.

Fastbikes/Performance Bikes/Superbikes, are all a bit snobby for my tastes. Sort of, unless you ride a litre sportsbike, you're a poof. It all seems a bit try-hard to me and for some reason I always picture an R1 rider in their late 30s with race rep leathers, 2 inch chicken strips and "used" knee sliders on the wrong way when I read their articles.