Press release follows:
Bonnier Corporation Acquires Cycle World from Hearst Corporation
New York, N.Y. — Bonnier Corporation announced today the purchase of Cycle World magazine from Hearst Corporation. The announcement was made jointly by Terry Snow, CEO of Bonnier Corporation, and David Carey, president of Hearst Magazines. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Cycle World — the No. 1 media brand in the motorcycle industry — joins Bonnier’s impressive collection of top brands in the U.S. that include Popular Science, Parenting, Field & Stream and a number of special-interest active lifestyle titles.
“With its very loyal audience of motorcycle enthusiasts, Cycle World will be a great addition to Bonnier’s portfolio of special-interest magazines,” Carey said. “We are pleased to be working with Terry and his team on this transaction.”
“Our company excels at serving passionate special-interest audiences, so Cycle World is a solid strategic fit,” Snow said. “The Cycle World brand holds a position of leadership and respect in the motorcycle industry. That means a lot for us as we look to enhance the connection that marketing partners can have with this audience.”
Bonnier, which formed in 2007, has grown to more than 50 brands, mainly through acquisitions. The company has also become an industry pioneer for its approach to emerging digital platforms. Bonnier was one of the first to launch a magazine title on the iPad with Popular Science in April 2010, and has followed that up with aggressive R&D innovations.
Founded in 1962 and based in Newport Beach, Calif., Cycle World publishes a monthly magazine with a circulation of 235,000. In addition to the print publication, the brand has a robust website, events, licensed content, research initiatives and mobile apps. It was the first motorcycle brand to publish a mobile app with the launch of the Cycle World iPhone app in 2009.
Cycle World will be moved under Vice President and Group Publisher Eric Zinczenko’s Outdoor Group.Cycle World’s current staff will remain. Mark Hoyer leads the editorial team as vice president of brand content and editor in chief of Cycle World. Hoyer has worked for the brand since 1999. Andrew Leisner leads the business side as vice president of integrated sales and marketing. A former professional motorcycle racer, Leisner has worked his entire career in motorcycling with a wide range of responsibilities, including publishing, advertising, sponsorship sales and promotions.
Link: Bonnier Corporation via New York Times
B50 Jim says
I wish the folks at CW all the luck in the world — these are tough times to operate a paper-and-ink publication. I’ve been a subscriber since the late 70s and have always found CW to be professional, informative and often amusing. I’ve followed Kevin Cameron’s TDC column from the beginning, thoroughly appreciating his skill at explaining technical and engineering subjects in a way that ordinary riders like me can understand. And of course the first page I turn to when I get a new issue is the back page for more adventures of Ted. Let’s hope the bean counters don’t decide CW isn’t making enough money and “kill the book”.
Hawk says
I seem to remember when CW and a few other Motor Magazines were owned, at least in part, by Saddam Hussein.
Let’s hope that the new owners don’t interfere with an excellent staff.
kim says
Saddam Hussein? The Iraq dictator, or another SH?
Hawk says
Nope, THAT one …..
I’m trying to remember the publishing house but he was a major stock holder.
Hawk says
I remembered. It was part of the Hachette Filipacchi group of which Saddam was a large shareholder.
Walt says
What a fresh breeze Cycle World was back in the 1960s, when it was first to publish complete and accurate specs and performance figures while the rest of the MC press was into impressions, highly colored by ad dollars. I recall being astounded when a Royal Enfield Interceptor clocked the quarter at (as I recall) 13.6 seconds! (Probably heavily breathed on by the factory, but still . . . ) They’ve continued ever since, touching on just about every segment of the hobby, from dirt bikes to bobbers and baggers. I have a long term subscription so I hope they hang in there.
Bob says
I’ve had a subscription to CW since Cycle folded and my Cycle subscription was transferred to CW. I’m a big fan of Kevin Cameron and some of Peter Egan’s digressions. I’ve enjoyed John Burns work way back in Motorcyclist (and Cycle I think). I’m probably going to let my subscription lapse. Post David Edwards, CW has been pretty bland. Many issues I only flip through once, read Cameron, and then it ends up on the stack. I like that they’ve added some fresh content from Gary Inman and Paul D’Orleans, but, I already subscribe to Sideburn and regularly hit the Sideblog and Vintagent blogs. I can blame the internet. Sites like this one and many others provide lots of content, lively discussion, and lend themselves to
When I used to have time to drop in to B&N and the defunct local newstand before it to look through the magazine rack, I was always impressed with the number and quality of motorcycle mags from the UK. In spite of having a smaller population they are able to support more general interest and sporting motorcycle magazines than we do in the U.S. Sideburn, a magazine that celebrates American flat track racing, is published out of Gary’s house in the UK. I think it has something to do with the lack of cable television.
Bob says
Oops “…and lend themselves to (highlight) (right-click) (search Google for…)”
Didn’t realize “” get processed as HTML or something
Tin Man says
Cycle World is about the last of the adult bike mags, Great staff with the always interesting Peter Egan being the 1st page I look for. Nothing will ever replace the paper and ink publications, the Net has its place but so does a good quality mag.
Warren says
Cycle World, with Kevin Cameron, et al, is the most “cerebral” of the bike mags. I’m sure the new owners look at the acquisition as a business move intended to make money. Usually, this is at odds with the desires of the customer.
Won’t be long, now. R.I.P.
Oldtimer says
As opposed to?
Have you made any business moves intended to lose money lately?
I don’t think even “Kevin Cameron, et al,” will write for free, no matter how cerebral.
Oldtimer says
I would suggest a subscription to whoever doesn’t have one. (You won’t be disapointed) Or you can read them at the library for free..while they last!
Stillwelding says
They’ll have to step up their game with the website. I’m a print and web magazine kinda guy and even subscribe to Cycle World, but their web site is weak. I like large format dowloadable wallpapers (even with the magazine logo) and I don’t see taht stuff on their tiny print web-mag. Good Luck.
john t says
Jo Bonnier was part of the family that owned Bonnier Corporation. He was an auto race driver that was killed in the 60’s. We lost a lot of drivers in that decade.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
I had completely forgotten that name until you mentioned it. Thanks for the reminder. It also makes me think Cycle World may have found a good home.
Raisin' Cain says
The one place reading print publications is superior to reading online publications is in the bathroom. That being said, my bathroom is littered with Cycle World issues.
JasonB says
It probably won’t affect the magazine either way- it’ll still be lame as hell. Compared to the British magazines, CW comes off as not much more than a buyers guide that can be pretty much be read for any interesting content in 8 minutes, standing up at Barnes&Noble. Since we’re on the subject, at this point Peter Egan ain’t all that either, to be honest. Maynard Hershon at Motorcycle Consumer News (and from SF’s City Bike), is a much more relateable and readable. He’s the real deal, one of us. With Egan, it seems pretty disengenous that everybody is his old friend (including you, the reader!), and ooops, here he goes again buying up another one of his old bikes to restore! Not buying that act, or the magazine’s either. If it disappeared, it wouldn’t really be missed like Cycle Magazine under Cook Neilsen still is. Weak sauce, indeed.
Tin Man says
What, You think Mr.Egan is lying about the friends he has in the bussiness? After more than 40 Yrs of this stuff the world is pretty small, and a nice guy makes friends. You dont like the Mag that is fine, but snarky comments about one of the nicest guys in the bussiness is out of line.
Barry says
I started reading Cycle World in 1962, and read faithfully for years. It was always head and shoulders above the others, that seemed to rely on hype and tall tales and were heavily influenced by advertisers. Unfortunately, over the years Cycle World got away from real nuts-and-bolts stuff into an obsession with expensive bling for posers interested only in the latest over-powered and over-priced bike. Hardly a month goes by without another article or roadtest on an Aprilia Tuono….though I’ve never actually seen one on the road….and not all of us have the discretionary income to buy $$1000 helmets and $800 rainsuits. I kept reading for years because of Kevin Cameron, but that’s not enough anymore.
Zipper says
Very well said. What a RAG CW turned into. Self proclaimed experts of the motorcycle industry. The articles are inaccurate and opinions bias. Last year they sent the magazine free and I gave it away. I’m sure everyone at CW is nice but what they print is enjoyed mostly by themselves. ..Z
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Hmm … that’s odd because I kinda like it. Turning out a magazine every month (or a blog most every day) is really hard work, trust me. You should try it sometime before criticizing what they’re doing.
Zipper says
It is a critique of CW not it’s readers.People enjoy reading different things and being successful at anything is not easy. Thanks for letting me state my opinion. Sorry CW is still a Rag. ..Regards. ..Z
Tim says
I ranted at Hachette for closing Cycle. I even wrote them a letter and posted it with a stamp and everything. I’m a relative newcomer, having bought my first issues in 1982, and then when they folded Cycle I got CW. I still subscribe, still read it probably cover to cover, but I was thinking to myself last night when tidying a pile of mags, that in the latest one (last I got was Oct 2011, last week) two of the cover features I had seen before. On the Kneeslider. The Motus, and the Black Falcon. Its also a lot smaller than it used to be, (showing less advertiser support?), the online aspects of it pretty much suck, and the type is too small! some of us are old and trying to read black small font printed over a picture is damn hard! Thinking about it, I get it because of Cameron, I sort of enjoy Egan, I would totally buy John Burns a beer or seven, and I am jealous of the riding talent of Cernicky and Canet.
I even read the dirt bike tests, and I’m pretty far from a dirt bike guy.
Oh, and who remembers “The Duct Tapes” from Cycle? Man, were they funny! Bring back Hertfelder!
I also get UK’s Performance Bikes, but mainly for their focus on specials, and modifying stock bikes or older models. They’re currently just finishing a Triumph 955i which has been interesting.
I also get the local magazine (KiwiRider) for the local scene. And a Classic Bike mag every now and again. Gotta have paper!
john says
I liked the cook nielson article on the ducati that won the race when it came out. 1974? That was a few years into my reading.
Its a pretty-good-to-just-plain-good magazine now. Look at what else is out there. Not much is even pretty good, once you have some real depth like everybody here.
Its hard for a printed mag to compete with the entire internet. Give them a break. A few good items each time is what I want. Flavor reminders. I would like a few more of the practical old bike reviews though. They could do more of that.
Joe Bar says
Hertfelder still writes in Trail Rider magazine. It’s a New England centric off-road mag.
mattg says
Cycle Canada is a really good bike mag. Don’t be put off by the “Canada” in the title. It’s not all snow and moose collision stories.