I was exploring Sherco Forum and Gas Gas Forum when i came across Clay Stucky's opinion piece about how shabby the Magazine crowd treats the importers who are not blue, green and yellow. The exception is of course KTM. Very good read that mirrors most buyers of euro brands opinions to a tee. Great stuff. I would do the link but i'm not that techno. Old chilly even got some reverse love. I'll be buying me some Exotic scooter from the Clay S. this spring. Exotic Gas Gas will be just swell. { using a Dirt Rider term }.
He had said he's not willing to mod the bikes for a test like other manufacturers. It was interesting to read what he said but at the same time, do what you have to do. I'd mod it how they see fit and have them annotate it in their article. Everyone wants to see reviews of their bikes. The TC449 gets crap reviews and it's my favorite.
Totally agree. Had some "interesting" experiences with the US mags people myself. US mags are a bought off joke for the most part. Crap info on about 2 bikes disregarding any other manufacturers but who pays their bills. Some Australian and British mags are very good. Go to Boarders or buy them on line and get real info.
I have found that Motocross Action's reviews pretty much mirror my own experiences with several purchases, I think they got the '12 CR144 almost spot-on. Of course, this is in the context of the magazine, which is hardcore-moto only. And there is where I think a lot of confusion and hurt feelings come in, people judge the magazine review out of the context of the test and through their own personal riding setting. I doubt there are many expert MXers that would choose a TC449 over the others....that's not to say it can't do it adequately, there are just better choices for that purpose. And if they ran all the MXers down some snotty singletrack and up some truly fearfull hillclimbs, I bet the way they rate them would change. There is one (unnamed) moto magazine that I think is junk for anything but humor and pretty girls.... As for the offroad-oriented magazines, I guess I just wouldn't know.....How can I be qualified to criticize their reviews if I don't ride that way? Some of the gripes are addressed in this article, may be interesting: http://motocrossactionmag.com/Main/News/THE-BEST-MOTOCROSS-BIKES-OF-THE-PAST-33-YEARS-DID-7707.aspx In the end, motorcycles are just plain fun to ride. I loved my 77 can am MX175, widely regarded as junk and probably was, but it was fun for me. Same with my 78 CZ125. I devastated on my '94 Honda CR125, widely regarded as ill-handling. And my favorite bike I ever had and was closest to being "dominant" on was my '01 Husky CR250, which didn't light the mags on fire. Loved my '07 CRF450 and so did the mags. Could never gell with my '08 CRF250 and it won the shootouts that year. And that's a small sample of the bikes I've owned, I could go on and on. Point is who cares what the mags say. Don't take it personally, just enjoy what you like. I've never needed a magazine to qualify or add credibility to a bike that I ride well and have fun on.
Yes but it would be really nice to have real mags doing real off road tests in real woods on all the euro bikes not just KTM and now Beta. As not many places allow test rides mags and forums are our source for what might be good for us. That they dont care a bit about TM, GG, Sherco, Husky (well didn't now they will), and several other nice offerings to be considered we get a mag full of KTM hype. Would just be nice to have more useful info to make purchasing a bike EZer.
I used to subscribe to Dirtrider, until they turned into KTMrider. Now I need a magazine called Oldrider.
there is also the brand side of this as well. for example TM needs to be willing and able to spare and to give them a bike to test and beat up, and TM US for one is a small org. on a smaller budget level. Also there is the actual bad press issue......As the importer I know all ready know that on a fun ride Mr. tester rode my brand machine and did not like it..(or even I know in its OEM form the other brands are much more tester friendly).....example I the importer dont really think its a great idea to send them my brand bike to slag in the test. many(better said-most all) bikes get high marks when they are set up "neutral" and easy to ride, some are OEM set narrow focus out of the gate, some may get high marks by the EU press in their backyard but get thrown under bus by the US testers....goes for Oz etc etc. Thats kind of the other side of the test coin.......bias of course, Ive never really heard any Italian mags fully slag a TM the way other country mags have in the past, they have pride in their homegrown machine despite its differences or frailties (now a days even they have gone very much mainstream is design and set up)
My dad got me a subscription to dirtrider and it keeps coming. They sent me a cool well done vid of the erzberg rodeo so that was cool. the mag itself is OK but most info in it I have already known about via that there interwebs.
I agree on the foreign magazines. I like the Brit enduro and sportbike mags. They really give great tests on the bikes and seem to be very impartial on brands. Used to have alot more topless women in the mags haha but they seem to have toned down on that tom foolery.
Simple one hand washes the other business. Those accounts like the Big 4 and KTM are the lifeblood of the magazine. To stay in business and actually be able to print those things that don't require a broadband connection they need to keep those advertisers happy. It wouldn't do to continually rank your bread and butter below other offerings from lesser or non-advertising brands by actually doing an honest to goodness comparison. Why spend advertising dollars with a mag that doesn't throw you a few bones in the articles? Ever notice how it seems like the ad for the winner of the shootout you just finished magically appears in the next page or two? I stopped subscribing to magazines a long time ago, plus I gets the hand-me-downs from Dad. Cycle World and Rider are still pretty well rounded these days FWIW. By the way, I did look at the new Dirt Rider that had an article on the new Husaber...er Huskys. I liked the way that Malcolm Smith clearly pointed out that it was a bummer that they don't have a DS bike right now and that a direct injection 2T would be a great way to get back in the market, but I digress....
The big roll out of the new Fantrific Huskies should add an interesting complexity to things if your a Blogger [ unnamed ] or the dirt Mag's. How are Husky products to be presented, as the latest greatest or rather that husky has seen the light and is assimilating KTM? you sure wouldn't want to piss off your meal ticket. . Now what? two different brand names with exactly the same attributes except for the plastics i guess we will leave it to the wordsmiths. I also subscribe to Old Rider where fitness comes in a can and Husky were Swedish or made in Italy by craftsmen. So there you are, fire up the WR 2-stroke with red and white colors and bedazzle your self.
