Motorcycle Consumer News is dead

L

LongRanger_imp

Road warrior
Thread starter
Can't say I'm surprised given how quickly the magazine went downhill after Dave Searle left a few years ago. The next editor was lame and the publication suffered greatly as a result, IMO. After being a loyal subscriber for over two decades, I let my subscription lapse following Dave's departure. Sorry to lose yet another motorcycle magazine, especially one as superior as MCN used to be, but that's the world we live in. They didn't accept advertising and I guess their readership declined to an unsustainable level.
 
The best thing about it were the pretty objective road tests and data panels. Other than that, there were a bunch of opinionated and or off-subject columns.

I agree, when the road tests were done by a couple of inexperienced know-nothings, it was no better than the average blog. No more hard data available except from Europe. Sad.
 
Like, dead dead? I got an email a while back, saying that upon my next renewal, I'd have the option of renewing the print copy for a lot more, or continuing with a digital-only subscription for the price I was paying already. I read the articles on my phone now anyway, so if it didn't die altogether, I was going to renew the digital version.

Surprised it lasted this long, really. I work in the publishing business, and have seen the steady decline of print over the years. On 12/6/20, TEN, the last gasping vestige of the once huge Petersen Publishing empire, killed all remaining print titles except for three: Hot Rod, Motor Trend, and Four Wheeler. The following week, they had their normal booth at the Performance Racing Industry show, and they had news racks full of their magazines to show their "extensive reach" into the automotive market. Everyone thought that was a little weird, especially when most of their show staff were shopping their resumes with the other businesses at the show. They will continue a confusing array of websites to try to salvage ad revenue from the people who were spending money to keep them alive.

Changing times.

Well, just read the sad notice on their website. Bummer.
 
as an old guy I don't know how anyone reads a magazine on their phone lol. I will get print magazines until they are no longer available, then I will basically quit reading about motorcycles I guess.
 
I used to like reading the magazines on my ipad. I got rid of the ipad, though, and I have become frustrated with trying to read the phone version.
 
MCN had a very smooth app, turned pages on a screen just as easily as turning print pages. It's definitely not for everyone.
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
Like, dead dead? I got an email a while back, saying that upon my next renewal, I'd have the option of renewing the print copy for a lot more, or continuing with a digital-only subscription for the price I was paying already. I read the articles on my phone now anyway, so if it didn't die altogether, I was going to renew the digital version.

Surprised it lasted this long, really. I work in the publishing business, and have seen the steady decline of print over the years. On 12/6/20, TEN, the last gasping vestige of the once huge Petersen Publishing empire, killed all remaining print titles except for three: Hot Rod, Motor Trend, and Four Wheeler. The following week, they had their normal booth at the Performance Racing Industry show, and they had news racks full of their magazines to show their "extensive reach" into the automotive market. Everyone thought that was a little weird, especially when most of their show staff were shopping their resumes with the other businesses at the show. They will continue a confusing array of websites to try to salvage ad revenue from the people who were spending money to keep them alive.

Changing times.

Well, just read the sad notice on their website. Bummer.
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I am very interested in your Time Machine! Is it made by Honda?

Did Trump get re-elected?

:angel:
 
I just renewed MCN for three years to get the best price ! Guess how much money THAT saved me , unless they send a rebate for issues I do not get.
 
Olyrider, took me all of January to start putting '20 on everything, now I can't go back to '19.

Houtman, if you look at the statement on their website, there's something about obtaining a rebate for upcoming issues.

I was too busy to go to the IMS show in Long Beach last year ('19, Oly), and I always renewed my MCN subscription at their booth. Since I didn't go, guess I saved some money.
 
Thread starter
MCN was conspicuously absent at the Denver IMS show last month, but I chalked it up to the show’s return after a ten year hiatus. I used to shake hands with Fred Rau at the Long Beach IMS show and renew on-site.
 
Huh. Well look at this. Just picked up today’s mail, and here is what I’m assuming is the final issue.
 
Sadly, publications of many sorts continue to drop almost weekly for years. Mind you, many publications should be dropped. Dislike seeing m/c mags go though.
 
I dropped MCN a few months ago. I kept hoping the content would get back to the level that it had been under the former editor but no. I tried the on-line for a while but it's hard enough for me to read a post on a forum let alone a magazine, I want to hold printed pages. I'm so glad I'm old. Too many changes.
 
Businesses come and go just like in decades past. It so appears today that change is fast and furious. It still bites when it negatively affects our riding lifestyle.
 
LongRanger, never had the pleasure of meeting any of the editors at the show. That would have been cool.
 
I have quit reading...Makes my eyes hurt...:D

The ferret_imp said:
as an old guy I don't know how anyone reads a magazine on their phone lol. I will get print magazines until they are no longer available, then I will basically quit reading about motorcycles I guess.
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Keep the dream alive, Ferret and Redbirds! My company still has one print magazine left... keep the dream alive!

With the demise of MCN, that leaves one print magazine that I still subscribe to - Hemmings Classic Car. It's a wonderful resource for someone like me, who works in a car museum. I can glean something out of every issue, and much of the time they have articles about the cars that I show people on my tours.

But, looking at the advertising, it's clear who the target audience is for that magazine - assistance scooters, hearing aids, lift chairs... no offense to anyone here who's older than me, of course.
 
Thread starter
Gone in 60_imp said:
LongRanger, never had the pleasure of meeting any of the editors at the show. That would have been cool.
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MCN held annual "Meet the Staff" rides about twenty years ago. The rides would depart from their Irvine office, head over 74 to Lake Elsinore, then take back roads through Joshua Tree and Amboy to Laughlin, NV, where they'd host a dinner at one of the casinos. The ride would continue the following day through Oatman, Kingman, Hoover Dam, and back to Laughlin. Some folks stayed for the whole thing, while others joined up as they were able.

I met a number of the MCN folks at these events, including Dave Searle, Fred Rau, Lee Parks, LT Snyder, Glynn Kerr, David Hough, and a few others. It was always a great time. I still have a souvenir license plate frame from one year.
 
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