The final issue

I discovered "Clubman Magazine" about 12 years ago. I noticed on the magazine rack at my local Kinokuniya bookstore. I couldn't read Japanese, but the bikes inside were great. The magazine reviewed new bikes, but it's focus was on following the full range of customizing in Japan. Not customizing like we think of it here in the US, Harleys with stretched frames and monster motors, but all the ways you can customize any motorcycle. They were championing supermotos and streetfighters before it became fashionable. Being a Japanese magazine, it's natural that the focus was on Japanese motorcycles, but bikes from other countries were also well-represented. Features on Itialian, British and German motorcycles regularly graced their pages. They also covered the multitude of bike shops in Japan that were doing fascinating things with all types of motorcycles. I saw more unique customized motorcycles in that magazine than all the other English-language motorcycle magazines combined. So it was with a great deal of disappointment when I picked up the latest issue only to see "Arigatou" written big on the cover. The financial apocalypse has finally done what eroding worldwide magazine sales couldn't do. After 22 years and 288 issues, the June 2009 issue will be their last. There's still plenty of new model reviews, but instead of their usual features on custom bikes, they have reprinted some of their favorite moments from the last 22 years. The sublime photography of Takao Isobe is prominently featured. There's even a great double-sided foldout poster in the back of the magazine. And all throughout the book is the exhoration "motto motto norou!" or in English, "keep on riding!" I'm going to miss the magazine, but I"m grateful to Clubman for the magazines I have, and the expanding of possibilities they have inspired in me. 

Lincoln Stax