Rat Bike News Magazine wants you!

[xddorox]

There's been talk about making a Rat Bike magazine and the cost of publication has been an issue for making this happen. I discovered http://issuu.com after publishing my book and if you guys take the time to go over and check some of the other publications in full screen mode, you'll be amazed on how cool and easy it is to read the documents. You can even download and print if you want. Which brings me back to our magazine idea. If we go with this, we could have a magazine for our hobby distributed around the world for $0.

I already have an address reserved on blogger for this to get the word out about it outside the forum. Here are some ideas I have:

Editorial, member bike features, rat bike related how-to articles, ride stories, reader mail (why not?), artwork, featured member, events and ride announcement, etc... We could even make a feature article on previous build off's to announce our annual craziness.

I'm offering to put the mag together and to write the first editorial. So, who's in?

Here's a mock magazine cover I did sometime back to give you a taste of what could be

 

[maddogrider]

I think that sounds pretty cool, Im in
The cover needs a girl :mrgreen:

 

[johnny nightwolf]

That's a pretty great idea, I would definitely enjoy reading detailed articles about a ton of the bikes that are on here, and elsewhere. I'd also suggest doing profiles on the various bike clubs that are out there.

 

[Downtune]

This is an excellent idea. I could be your Aussie correspondant! :mrgreen:

 

[bmxerpete]

I think that sounds pretty cool, Im in
The cover needs a girl


+1 :mrgreen:

 

[stepper]

I would love to participate.
By the way, I am a senior graphics designer so if you need any graphics done just let me know.

 

[elvis51]

dude that would be super cool! but would this actually get published as a paper back type magazine or is it just an online type zine?

Easy E

 

[aka_locojoe]

Here's a cool one to check out even though it's in spanish http://issuu.com/streetmotors/docs/rodc ... 424d37c528

Sounds like a pretty cool idea. What would differentiate this from BR&K?

Some things that come to mind for content...
culture
clubs
interviews
art
clothing
centerfold
product (parts and tools) reviews
life behind bars. editorials from someone whose main mode of transport is a bike.
advertising (wouldn't be a magazine without advertising)

 

[xddorox]

Excellent! All great ideas. If you guys can send me text and pictures to [email protected] I can start slapping things together. If anyone can provide a tasteful cover picture, that would be very cool. Stepper, wanna work on a general look and layout? If you send me a file I can work with in PS Elements, that would be great. If anyone on the site wants to feature their bike, just give us the ok in this thread to use the pictures or provide me with better ones, as long as you indicate that it's ok to do so. We can even have some adds, the price is you have to contribute something to the mag. I think Steve is already covered on that one. :mrgreen:

How about a target publishing date for May 15th? If all goes well, we could make it a quarterly. Easy, if you know someone with a pile of money to throw away, yeah we could go to print. We'll keep it as a Ezine for now.

Finally I just want to make it clear that the Mag belongs to nobody and all of us at the same time. I'm sure we can put together something really awesome...Rat style!

 

[xddorox]

Here's a cool one to check out even though it's in spanish http://issuu.com/streetmotors/docs/rodc ... 424d37c528

Sounds like a pretty cool idea. What would differentiate this from BR&K?

The '31 Buick in that Mag is just insanely cool! To answer your question Randy, BR&K is more of a website layout, what I want to do is an actual Magazine layout. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I read that the editor in chief is not too fond of primered customs like we do here. I love all your ideas by the way and they could definitely all work.

 

[jon]

i second the motion, and a paper mag would be great also!! nuthin more i like than to open a car mag when im out drivin around and nothin to do.
and a paper mag can reach people to show when a PC isnt handy.

 

[spinman]

My hat's in the ring.

Spin

 

[kram]

For publishing you could load it up to a print on demand site like either lulu.com or blurb.com and then there is no initial investment. If people want one they can order one. The cost per book might be kind of high, but on lulu you can do comic book size (6.625x10.25) with 20 pages for about $10.50 per book. I've seen books from both of those sites and the quality was pretty high. Just an idea.

 

[xddorox]

Thanks kram, that is certainly an option. spinman, you're on.

 

[JoeyMac]

I'd be willing to help out in any way I can, great idea Gerry!

 

[xddorox]

Cool stuff Joey. Now folks, get typing and send me your texts, pictures, authorizations, ideas, you name it and we will get this show on the road.

 

[MaXXXwell]

Good idea!

 

[elvis51]

I'd be willing to help out in any way I can, great idea Gerry!

+1 to helping out anyway i can. id love to be a part of this in anyway possible.

Easy E

 

[xddorox]

Priority will be given on a first come first serve type basis. I already have a featured bike spot reserved from a member. I'm also posting a deadline: May 1st.

 

[aka_locojoe]

For those that don't know... there were a couple of custom bike magazines published in Europe but only put out a couple of issues each I believe.

Note: I didn't know if shoes in the photo of bike magazines was required or not so I included them just to be safe