Whats your favourite bike mag?

[timbo]

So the weather is pure dreigh, the fires lit, and I've just popped open a light ale 
There is nothing better than sitting down with your favourite bike mag for a good read, which in my case, is Real Classic. The only bike mag I now get. I've always been a fan of Frank and Rowenas writing, and used to love the wee A5 Used Bike Guide, where you picked up bits and pieces from the free ads, before the internet.
Other old favourites were AWOL, of which I still have every copy, (Odgie now contributes to RC every month), and Brit Chopper with Chris Ireland et all.
So what do the rest of you think?

[manxie]

Classic Bike for me timbo but must admit, I only buy it now and then 

[Smithy]

I used to subscribe to Real Classic but got a bit fed up with Frank Westworth going on about yet another bike he'd bought. Probably pure jealousy on my part and a bit silly as I actually like the way he writes. Now I'm a Classic Bike fan because of Rick Parkington who really knows his stuff.

[SteveC#222]

I used to be a big fan of AWOL from issue 1 ( which I still have) until it was sold to Back Street Harley's ( ). (Also have a mint copy of Rich King's collection of Gruf & Nob the Destroyer cartoons from Awol ...very rare these days)

Motorcycle Sport & Leisure was good for a while, they had genuinely interesting articles, off mainsteam bikes and sensible suggestions for rides out ( I know a fortnight tour of the Australian outback or Hindu Kush might be a ride of a lifetime but I'm more likely to go to Derbyshire or Yorkshire for a weekend so a good route would be more useful!). Sadly after a change of Editor it went all 'mainstream' and turned into yet another Hyperbike clone.

I occasionally get Practical Sportsbike as they feature a lot of the 70's/80's/90's bikes I grew up with but these days I only buy bike mags if I see something of interest in there.

MCN is C%$*!!!... when I edited the Cossack Owners Club mag they actually rang me up once to ask if I could point them towards some " really grotty rough Cossacks for a test"... told them where to shove it and have never bought it since!

[timbo]

Steve, I couldn't agree more  . The way Odgie and AWOL were treated by BSH was an absolute f@@@@n disgrace. If you get a chance read Odgies autobiography, a really good read.
M/C Sport and Liesure , I was always told was a great mag, though I never read it myself. A couple of years ago, myself and my friend Tony, bought a huge collection of the mag from 60s too 00s for £30. Boxes of them, but I still havnt got round to reading any 
MCN, shower of s@@@e. I used to be involved in MAG, and MCN really p@@@@d us off. I don't think I've ever bought a copy, though occasionally I get one passed on.

[SteveC#222]

 If you get a chance read Odgies autobiography, a really good read.

I didn't he'd done one - any chance you can PM me the details if you have them?

[timbo]

Crazy Odge: Confessions of an Esoteric Engineer. I would recommend it to anyone, though not all will agree with his lifestyle 
Funnily enough, I heard about it in RC 

[tommy]

practical sports bikes and  classic mechanics ,i loved awol when it was out i remember they built a250n/400n thing called auntie social it was a mad thing you wont see any mags trying this nowadays ,health and safety would be on their case in minutes   ,i used to read streetfighters but it got stupid it went from tidy nice bikes to 20 grand specials that some never seen the road ,time for a beer  tommy

[themoudie]

Motorcycle Mechanics 1970's, Motorcycle Sport 1970's - 2000 ish, Classic Bike from the start until it became repetative, Classic Mechanics when Mr Creasey scribed articles, Bike from No. 2 till about early 1980's and Superbike No. 1 until early 80's. A lot of pulp these days!

Not bought a mag since SteveL's SRX was featured in Practical Sports Bikes and nothing after stopping the succesor to Motorcycle Sport, Motorcycle Sport and Leisure in the early 2000's. Too many pictures and not enough good reading, as was in the 1970's Motorcycle Sport, MZ 2/'s, BMW, Craven fibreglass and Continental tours, Dave Minton on Italian exotica ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz

My early Bike were sold on Fleabay, the rest pulped, Superbike pulped, Classic Bike and Motorcycle Sport could go the same way soon as they haven't been read since at least 2000 and unlikely to start again soon, with more than enough to do in the workshop and the craic on here and some Blogs that I have a neb at every now and again.

If somebody is serious about the Classic Bike I could stick them on here, or PM me on the site; heavy, very heavy for carriage and lots on Fleabay

Regards to all, Bill

[guest1726]

Real Classic. Love the old British thumpers.And they are well covered in Real Classic.

[iansoady]

Real Classic for me - it's the only half way intelligent one (although I wish there was more from Humbernut and the like). When there's a 3 for £1 offer for the others I try them out but have never been tempted to take out a full subscription. The worst is classic bike guide which seems to be directed at hipsters and poseurs - odd as Frank Westworth is now editing it. Still I suppose he has to get the money for his new bikes from somewhere......

I subscribed to Motorcycle Sport (as it was then) from the early 70s up till the late 90s when it went downhill. British Bike Magazine used to be good but folded.

[Richard]

Stopped buying them all.  Don't like modern bikes enough to read about them and pretty much everything that can be written about the classics has been.  Rehashes of old stories now.

[Andy M]

I haven’t bought a magazine since about 2005. I was given a bundle over the summer. Motorcycle Sport and Leisure, Ride, Adventure rider and another I can’t remember.

They were awful. Every bike tested was fantastic. Every bike was firmly categorised and dog help you if you dared even think about taking the “little commuter entry level basic “ 750cc 50 HP bike on a motorway. Every article was written by the upgraded Journotron 3000 v2.0 which has now cut down on the wheelie, wheelie, kneedown, wheelie stuff MCN used but still can’t be prevented using fixed descriptions ; Britbike Triumph, Reliable BMW , Quality Honda…..

The journalists just don’t have the detailed knowledge of actual use you get on the web and as everything is just handed to them they don’t care about the practicalities. They are also basically working in advertising so it’s in their interest to try and convince you to trade the K1200GTS for the K1200STG because you feel like leaning over a bit further in the corners today.

Andy

[timbo]

Glad I started this thread, interesting and similar views being expressed. Ian, it was reading your letter in Dec RC, that gave me the idea   
Keep the viewpoints coming.

[xbally]

I've read most of the mainstream stuff since the early 70's and had quite a few on subscription until recently including Classic Bike, Real Classic and Practical Sportsbikes. I used to like the old Classic Mechanics when Bob Berry was the editor and the Used Motorcycle Guide where the readers sent in articles of varying quality.I also liked the early 70's Bike,Superbike in the later 70's and Motor Cycle International in the 80's.In those days the free ads were brilliant until the internet spoilt it all!Now i can't be bothered with any of them-they all seem the same-new bikes or classics.As others have said you get a bit fed up reading the 1000th article on what a great bike the Z1A is/was etc etc.I would love  good read of anything motor bike related if anyone can recommend something a bit different?