This is brilliant

[kingoffleece]

I made the Cardinal SIN of stating on a BMW forum talking about bike reviews that I thought about 99% of them are nonsense.  Not mean spirited, mind, just as discussion.  Oh my.  Armageddon was unleashed upon my now damned soul.  Hey, I KNOW several (ex) moto magazine editors and several reviewers and they are good folks.  That said, so much of what's passed off as "moto news" is simply a cleaver rehash of the marketing materials distributed at the launch.  You've heard me say here many times that BIKE and MSL from the UK hit closest to home as they keep the bikes for quite a while-usually 5K miles which provides at least a basis for getting to know a machine.

Try this on for size.  https://www.webbikeworld.com/10-lessons-from-a-motorcycle-journalists-career/
Good read.

Having led 100's of factory demo rides I stand firmly by my statement that most moto reviews are, well, entertaining at least.  I know I'm no God given expert, but when a rider returns from the world's worst 10 mile demo "parade" and then spouts of within ear shot of all to his "brand x" buddies about everything under the sun wrong with the other guy's motorcycles-well, you know............... .....

At least some admit that their entire review is based on a 300 mile day ride.

[kingoffleece]

Oh, BTW, brilliant refers to the linked story, not my ramblings.......... .............

[Guzzi Gal]

Oh, BTW, brilliant refers to the linked story, not my ramblings.......... .............

[twowings]

One of the mainline bike rags published an "interpreter" for the deciphering of motorcycle test reviewer catchphrases that was a funny read.

The one I remember the best was "Controls fall readily to hand"="They fell off in my hands after simply touching them!"

Wish I could remember the publication   

[dirtiegirtie]

I'm with you. I'm tired of seeing review after review stating everything under the sun is just wonderful. Any reviewer that doesn't clearly point out the flaws, and refuses to call even the worst POS a pile of rubbish, is not a real reviewer... they are just an extension of the marketing departments.

[twowings]

My pet peeve is they rarely list the weight, height, and inseam of the test rider.

Maybe THAT RIDER was 'uncomfortable' with the bike ergos, but just maybe I can use that information to rule that bike in/out for my use, mmmkay?

[Alfetta]

I never pay much attention to any reviewer. especially if its a new bike and the first ride.   Seriously, what can a reviewer say except, this brand new bike, prepared for a reviewer, didn't break all day !
I know enough that what i like, is most likely not what others like, and that any opinions other that mine are next to meaningless.  Ok to be fair, if a reviewer reported that the handling sucked at any speed, parts look cheap, fuel mileage blows, and the motor makes unsettling noises. I might take some of that to heart.

and this hold true for most any product, to me the best review is the used market value, if an item is still holding value 10 years after, it's a good device.

[lucky phil]

I made the Cardinal SIN of stating on a BMW forum talking about bike reviews that I thought about 99% of them are nonsense.  Not mean spirited, mind, just as discussion.  Oh my.  Armageddon was unleashed upon my now damned soul.  Hey, I KNOW several (ex) moto magazine editors and several reviewers and they are good folks.  That said, so much of what's passed off as "moto news" is simply a cleaver rehash of the marketing materials distributed at the launch.  You've heard me say here many times that BIKE and MSL from the UK hit closest to home as they keep the bikes for quite a while-usually 5K miles which provides at least a basis for getting to know a machine.

Try this on for size.  https://www.webbikeworld.com/10-lessons-from-a-motorcycle-journalists-career/
Good read.

Having led 100's of factory demo rides I stand firmly by my statement that most moto reviews are, well, entertaining at least.  I know I'm no God given expert, but when a rider returns from the world's worst 10 mile demo "parade" and then spouts of within ear shot of all to his "brand x" buddies about everything under the sun wrong with the other guy's motorcycles-well, you know............... .....

At least some admit that their entire review is based on a 300 mile day ride.

You are correct and 99% have no technical ability at all. I was part of a 4 rider test team for a magazine here 35 years ago. A 3 day test and it made me realise what nonsense most of it was. When I was at Steve Wynns Ducati in the mid 80's a Bimota DB1 had just been returned by a British "Jurno" after him having it for a while as part of a magazine test. The Jurno had commented upon returning the bike how he had needed to adjust the rear suspension preload and play with the damping adjustment to "get the handling right". After he left Wynn grabbed the back of the DB1, eyebrows raised and lifted it about 3" to reveal the shock spring rattling around on the shock. These are the sort of people doing tests.

Ciao

[stubbie]

If I'm looking at any certain bike I read as many reviews as possible and then glean the good, the bad and the ugly from all of them. It's the only way to get a good reflection of any bike without actually riding the bike yourself. There are so many discrepancies in the reviews. You can get a half dozen different seat heights, weights, fuel range, speed etc. And all the reviewers opinion, size, weight is different.

[blu guzz]

back when i read reviews, i used them to point me in the direction of a bike or anything else reviewed for that matter.  i would then start to really research.  a great example was a review i read in the early or mid 80s about a bike called a Lemans. the reviewer talked about humming along on country roads very near where i live now and the solid, planted feel of the bike.   i wanted one desperately then, but could not afford it.  but it did plant the seed and i am happy to say, about 30 years later, i got my first guzzi.  so, reviews aren't all useless.

[egschade]

Interesting take on moto journalism. I like the line, " No one ever did anything truly memorable by managing people’s expectations and sticking to the rules." I'm not sure it's a universal truth but it resonates with me.

I recall the early days of Motorcycle.com and Motorcycle Daily where the e-journalists complained about being 2nd, even 3rd class participants in marketing events. My, how times have changed!

[huub]

actually the same goes for most classic bike mags , i stopped buying them
they all have nice pictures of classic bikes , and if you start reading you soon find out they did not get to ride one .
anybody who road tests a guzzi v7sport , and raves about the front brake probably did not get further than second gear.

they are great for investors , or collectors , but pretty useless for a classic bike enthusiast who actually enjoys riding a bike. 

[kingoffleece]

Treat yourself to a copy of BIKE or MSL.  Yes, all reviews are not crap-just most of them-but if you want to see it done correctly the folks in the UK have it dialed in quite well.  Mind, the issues are 10 bucks an issue at the news stand which I realize will exclude a lot of potential buyers............. ..............

[twowings]

Most journalistic editorializing has to walk a fine line between integrity and biting the hand(s) that feeds them.  Understandable from a balance sheet standpoint but there's always the taint of a concerned advertiser greasing the skids...or palms.