Variety is the spice of life!
RS125: We love 'em!
I’ve enjoyed reading CMM for many years, as the content generally varies nicely from the 1960s to the 1990s, and occasionally noughties machinery at a push, though I do concede that some machines of around the millennium are cult classics and some slightly later ones will be like Yamaha’s MT07/09 range.
The writers do vary in interest and subject matter too, though some more than others! It’s nice to see some contributors back like Paul Berryman, but the tale of his R1 is quite depressing that so much carnage has occurred in the motor of such a modern bike. A modern-day manufacturing or design error, surely?
Less appealing is reading about Ralph Ferrand’s blasting of cheaper, but good-value-formoney Diy’-er’s likely tool purchases, but with an apparent hard-on for only the most expensive most extravagant tools and equipment, way beyond the home enthusiasts’ affordability. One wonders how well Snap-on and other top-of-the-range, professionalonly firms pay him for writing up their products as the only option worth having.
My biggest issue though is with Steve Cooper, who has his own rising appendage for Yamaha air-cooled two-stroke twins, usually pre RD era, and struggles to write a buyer’s guide or summon up any enthusiasm for anything else!
I do get that you have to write about the machines you have available, and the ones you get offered to do articles on, but how many pre RD twins can you surround yourselves with? Are they multiplying by themselves?
Instead I’d like to see more articles on the future classics, or even the bikes that took over the mantle of the fast 250s, namely a whole decade of 125 liquid-cooled bikes that are definitely classics and end of an era, but yet seem to struggle to get any airtime at all. Maybe some group tests would be a good option, say even a light-hearted shoot-out between once deadly rivals like RD-LCS MBXS, TSX/RS vs MTX/ KMX, etc., or the last of the cool kids’ 125s Aprilias, Cagiva’s, TZR, RG-FUN, etc.
There are a lot of stories, history and nostalgia around this era of machinery and plenty of people with strong opinions on them, which would make for great articles, in my opinion.
Anyway, keep making a good magazine and keep varying the content, and yes, this means you too, Mr Cooper!
Steve Busk
Bertie says: “Loving your feedback Steve, BUT I must defend Ralph first and foremost and say that – while he DOES get some free tools – he’s the first to champion the cheap stuff! IF it works! And while we all may have our own fave bikes (I’m loving your idea of something on 1990s 125s, having had a Kawasaki KMX which I adored), you’re right in also saying that each of us kinda stick to what we know. It’s why we have a wide range of contributors! Oh and yeah, the MT series are future classics, hands down!”