37 replies to this topic

[GeorgiaRoller]

Unless I'm missing something (please fill me in) I've yet to come across a specific ST motorcycle magazine. Roadrunner is probably the closet I'm aware of but it only hightlights 3 or 4 routes per issue and many of the rides are not on specific ST style bikes.

I'm tired of going to Barnes & Noble wanting to read some specific ST style magazines and seeing 23 issues of Ironhorse HD style bike mags or custom chopper bike mags or a dozen sport bike magazines and virtually nothing for the style of bikes we all ride.

Does such an animal even exist? If not, then why not? We might be a much smaller segment of the overall motorcycle market but I got to believe there's enough of us for there to be at least 1 freaking magazine dedicated to our type of riding and our type of bikes.

[Tyler]

Probably because they're out riding.

[GeorgiaRoller]

Probably because they're out riding.

Or on internet forums...

[Tyler]

Probably because they're out riding.

Or on internet forums...

Touche!

[txvoyager]

Down here we have Ride Texas in both electronic and paper versions. although it seems to feature Harley's, it always has great routes with both ride reports and maps. Really good reading and planning help.

Of the national mags, Rider seems to come closest...

[BwanaDik]

Like this?

[GeorgiaRoller]

Probably because they're out riding.

Or on internet forums...

Touche!

.......

Down here we have Ride Texas in both electronic and paper versions. although it seems to feature Harley's, it always has great routes with both ride reports and maps. Really good reading and planning help.

Of the national mags, Rider seems to come closest...

Yeah "Riders" will have a write up on a new ST bike model...but that's about it. Still not a really what I'm looking for. The ride Texas mag. might be pretty cool for you guys though. More like a local "Roadrunner" mag is sounds like.

Like this?

Well I'm not "old", my glasses are thin not "thick" and I always keep my beard trimmed...so no this is not the mag I was looking for. .....

I can see this thread is going to be a fail. sigh.

[ShawnKing]

I can see this thread is going to be a fail. sigh.

Bottom line is, motorcycling is a niche market and Sport Touring is far too much of a niche of a niche for publishers to be interested in spending the money to target that group. Sorry.

But if you ever get the money together to start your own Sport Touring magazine, I'll test bikes for you...

[wheatonFJR]

Atleast you got your answer to your question. Probably market share is the determining factor as this is still a free market system...not worth the publication costs with the likely small advertising revenues.

[wheatonFJR]

...But if you ever get the money together to start your own Sport Touring magazine, I'll test bikes for you...

Doggoneit, I was gonna offer that first. That HAS to be the best job on the planet....and from I've read, you don't even have to put much thought into what you write.

[SouthernCruizer]

Like this?

Great magazine! Check the Feb 2012 issue, page 24 for an article on motorcycle ST camping for the entire family (including grandma)

[BigOgre]

Can't say I'm an avid reader but always thought I should try a subscription one of these years.

Backroads

[rogdeb]

I used to subscribe to Rider Mag ... http://rider.com-sub...CFQZ_hwodXU-0xg .. nearest thing I read to a ST mag

[El Toro Joe]

Great magazine! Check the Feb 2012 issue, page 24 for an article on motorcycle ST camping for the entire family (including grandma)

Now that right there, is some funny shit

[backfill]

Like this?

That headline should probably read "The Magazine For Older Riders With Thick Glasses And Untrimmed Nose Hairs"

[GeorgiaRoller]

So my conclusion is that yes we're a niche market but it's plenty big enough for someone in the magazine industry to do at least a bi-monthly magazine dedicated specifically to the ST crowd.

Have you seen all the magazines available for other "niche" markets?

- Vegetarian mag.
- Herb mag.
- Ferrets mag...WTF!!!...I mean seriously!!!

[ScottyUSN]

So my conclusion is that yes we're a niche market but it's plenty big enough for someone in the magazine industry to do at least a bi-monthly magazine dedicated specifically to the ST crowd.

Have you seen all the magazines available for other "niche" markets?

- Vegetarian mag.
- Herb mag.
- Ferrets mag...WTF!!!...I mean seriously!!!

+1

As for ST bike tester... That would be a great job, but I am still holding out to be one of the guys who gets paid to paint bikini's on models

[Bounce]

I agree with those who noted that you have to have a large enough target audience to sustain your business model. S-Touring is a hybrid/tweener market that straddles 2 genres and is served by magazines targeting to those audiences (enough) while the larger (primary) audience keeps the cash flowing.

MCNews is the closest IMO.

[txvoyager]

Backroads

Thanks for that link! Looks like some good reading. Back issues are online...

[ShawnKing]

Have you seen all the magazines available for other "niche" markets?

Yup - which shows just how niche sport touring is. I guarantee it's smaller than the market for a vegetarian magazine (I live in Portland, OR and every 2nd person is some variation of a vegetarian. I'm OK with that - more meat for me!). The same can be said for herbs and yes, sadly, ferrets.

I have a passing familiarity with the magazine market and know that to get a (quality) mag off the ground takes one million dollars - *before* a single issue goes to print. A publisher then has to be willing to lose a *minimum* of $30,000/month for at least a year while the mag gets traction in the target community.

And you're talking about a market that can be argued is served, in various ways, by any number of other magazines in the same market. There's only so much advertising to go around.

Believe me, if the publishers of Rider or RoadRunner or any of the other bike mags thought there was a viable market (defined as "would make money") for a specific, dedicated Sport Touring magazine, they would already be publishing it.

Now - if you wanted to test that theory, try it right here. Put together the "FJRForum Sport Touring Magazine" (You'll come up with a better name ). Ask fellow forum members to write articles, take pictures, do ride reports, write reviews. Using Apple's iBooks Author software, you can package the articles up in a format that would allow you to publish it on the iPad/iPhone. With significant effort, you could put out your own Sport Touring magazine and maybe even make some money at it.

I'd be happy to help out with that effort however I can.