Bike Mags.

[Big IV]

Okay, so Easyrider is not the first motorcycle magazine.
I'm working on a project and want to discuss in it some of the earlier biker mags than easyrider, especially those that put out that idea of party hard ride hard outlaw type of idea like early Easyrider.
Turns out you can't go to a research library on campus and order up a batch of old biker mags.

Anybody remember the titles of pre-easyrider magazines?
Just need some names at this point from people that could possibly remember.

[junior]

well as far back as i can remember, easyrider,ironhorse was some of the firsts that started the bike mag trend back in the late 70s than ity bought out several competitors

[Momz]

Up until about 1971, most motorcycle magazines were similar to car enthusiast periodicals. They ran reports with specifications, quarter mile times, weights and capacities, ground clearance angles, ergonomic, comfort, and other things such as tire/wheel sizes.
There were some tech articles, race reports and a few touring stories. These included Motorcyclist, Cycle, Cycleworld, Streebike, Super Street, Rider, and Touring Rider. There were magazines published by the AMA, Harley Davison, BMWOA, Honda and of course there were periodicals based on racing and competetion events.

But "Easy Rider" was the first magazine that was based on the "adult biker lifestyle". As a matter of fact, several of the early issues quite prominently featured non-Harley machines. "The Iron Horse" later became a similar lifstyle publication that usually featured non-Harley machines, for those that weren't into the HD thing.

But time marches on,.....tastes change,.....publications change owners and distributors,......and they tend to loose there original focus. And of course us baby boomers got older, had families, careers, and our lives changed as did our own focus.

But before Easy Rider came along, there were no real alternatives,.....period!

[Big IV]

Cool UK cover.
Easyrider mag debuts in 1971, actively attempting to create and corner a nationwide niche of bada$$ magazine to make money. It included choppers, parties, naked women, and comic strips and fiction.

Choppers Magazine (1967-1971) featured the bikes and comics, although the comics were not as bawdy they did feature a 'dirtier' side of motorcycling. Choppers Magazine was started by Ed Roth and included his own skewed look at motorcycles.

Colors was out in 1971 as well, although I can't decide if predates or is a peer to Easyrider. Colors had a much smaller distribution number and more limited run.

SuperCYcle was around in the late 60s I believe> I can only find the cover shots of blondes curled up on the choppers. I don't know what was happening in its pages. It ran as competition for Easyrider for a while.

There has to be something before Easyrider. I don't know why, but I think that there was.