Change is afoot for SuperBike magazine

- it's changing format to a mainly digital mag

John Newman

• JohnNewman
• Magazines
• Superbike

After 38 years publishing as a monthly, the February edition of SuperBike Magazine,  will be the last edition from Blaze publishing.
It was sold recently to Blaze Publishing, who produced the magazine for 16 months before selling it on to the Editor John Hogan who will continue to produce it as a bi-annual print publication, with the online presence being the main focus as Hogan believes this is the journalistic medium that will ensure survival.
Speaking of the deal, John Hogan said
“It’s clear to me the thirst for quality digital content both nationally and internationally is growing, while UK newsstand sales continue to decline. If the majority of the UK motorcycle media continues to ignore the importance of the growing online market, how do they expect to engage with that hard-to-reach audience of new bikers and new media users? SuperBike magazine will still appear in print, but with reduced frequency than at present. We have the largest (organic and unpaid for) social media footprint of any UK motorcycle publication, we have a globally recognizable brand name and will continue to create defining content, we’re just not convinced that people should have to wait four weeks at a time to see it any more.”
Sales of fast sports bikes have been in decline year on year, although you would not think it given the constant hype and publicity heralding the latest batch of mega bhp models coming out of Japan, and BMW and Ducati.
The paradox being that the younger people likely to buy these bikes in the future are being eased out of motorcycling by licence restrictions, relatively cheap cars, and no doubt massive insurance premiums.
What do you think about Superbike's switch from print to mainly digital? Do you read most of your bike news online or do you prefer to buy a magazine? Let us know your thoughts - drop us an email at: [email protected]