SPECIAL FEATURE - JUST BIKES turns 250!

Since its debut in 1989, the magazine has undergone several changes, not least being changes to the cover, the logo, the addition of new features, new advertising options and new exposure for what has undoubtedly been Australia's favourite motorcycle marketplace. While it's impossible to cover every detail of the magazine's history, the following is a snapshot of highlights and developments of the magazine over the past 21 years.

1988/9 - After developing and publishing a popular range of marketplace magazines, founder of Just Magazines, Shayne Hunter, looks at bringing the same successful formula of photo-based national classified advertising to the motorcycle market. JUST MOTOR BIKES is born.

April 1989 - Thousands of flyers promoting the upcoming magazine are distributed at that year's Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island.

June 1989 - JUST MOTOR BIKES 1st issue. The first issue of JUST MOTOR BIKES magazine hits the news stands. A real 'kitchen table' effort, all the layout and paste-up of the magazine is done by hand in a room at the Hunter household. The debut issue features a simple colour cover and black & white internal pages. With no date on the first issue, and no issue numbers recorded or collated until late 2003, a retrospective calculation of issue numbers mistakenly attributes July, not June 1989 as being the first issue. Oops!

Highlights from the debut issue include:

• Private sale adverts on all covers.
• An as new Honda RC30 for only $16,900, JPS Norton Commando for $8,500, and a restored 1928 Indian Scout for $13,000. While these were the 'big dollar' units, most bikes advertised were under $10,000.
• 'First Edition Specials' from Central Coast Motorcycles. Familiar names that are still a part of the magazine today include Morgan & Wacker, A1 Motorcycles, B.J.'s Bikes & Bits, Spot On Motorcycles, Top Gear Motorcycles and Don Newell.
• 100 pages. Advertising costs were $18.00 for photo ads and $2.00 for word only classifieds. Debut cover price of only $2.00 would remain until 1996.

December 1989 - By the end of its first six months in the marketplace, JUST MOTOR BIKES has already grown in size by almost 50%. Cover 'colours' rotate between red, green, yellow and blue. 'Missin Mates' and 'Whattayaupto Mates' sections are forerunners of the 'Club Notices' and 'Rallies and Coming Events' classified sections.

June 1990 - The magazine has grown to 170 pages packed with bikes for sale from 95 dealers and innumerable private sellers Australia wide. JUST MOTOR BIKES celebrates its first anniversary with a special offer - free ads for private sellers who use the coupon in the June issue! The same coupon previewed a new format that would debut with July's issue.

July 1990 - The magazine drops from 170 pages to 128 pages. Why? The internal pages are switched from a two column to three column format, which allows more bikes to be advertised without increasing printing costs. Photo ad cost is dropped to $10.00, while classified ad costs rose to $6.00 for one month, or $8.00 for two. Still a bargain! A $100 (later $200) 'prize' is offered for the photo chosen for the main front cover image. This helps attract more and better quality photographs from sellers. Front cover bikes are also featured inside the magazine, a feature that would return in March, 2009.

September 1990 - Photo adverts on inside front, inside back and back covers are in colour for the first time.

January 1991 - Acknowledging the importance of swap meets to bike enthusiasts, JUST MOTOR BIKES adds swap meet adverts to the dealer index listing at the back of the magazine.

February 1991 - The infamous 'pink' cover. With printers relying on our handwritten instructions for colour specifications, a simple slip-up in specifying the process colour mix resulted in a pink cover, not the red one it was supposed to be!

March 1991 - JUST MOTOR BIKES offers free advertising to motorcyclists trying to track down stolen bikes, as well as tips on preventing theft.

June 1991 - Familiar names like Bob Jane T-Marts and Western Underwriters Insurance (later to become Western QBE) advertise regularly. Classic bike specialist, Steve Hazelton, features a genuine 1961 Manx Norton for $30,000. Another classic dealer, Vin-Tek, features rarities like a 1911 Rex, Vincent C-Series Rapide and 1923 Excelsior Big X.

April 1992 - A one-off Australian creation, the Honda XR 600-based 'Le Roo' is advertised on the inside front cover for $6,000.

July 1992 - Cost of a 12 month subscription to JUST MOTOR BIKES increases from $40.00 to $50.00 - and has stayed at that price ever since, despite increases in the news stand price!

October 1992 - The impact of JUST MOTOR BIKES on the market is recognised by BMW, who place one of the first 'corporate' ads in the magazine, promoting the new K100 RS with 'security pack' (lockable panniers and alarm system). The following issue, BP advertise their range of two & four stroke oils - with the chance to win a Harley!

November 1992 - Over 150 dealer advertisers require the index listing to be enlarged to a full page format. In the midst of "the recession we had to have", Geelong dealer, Pro Cycle, promote their 'recession sale', while in December's issue, Honda Australia offer their CB250 and CB750 models as 'recession buster' motorcycles.

March 1993 - A new cover design and revamped logo debuts. New colours were also added to the cover palette. With the magazine regularly featuring more than 150 pages (close to the limit for staple binding), the decision is also made to go to 'perfect binding' (ie. glued, not stapled) starting with this issue.

July 1993 - Dealer advertisers feature on covers for the first time. Shogun Honda of Queensland (who also advertised in the very first issue), is the trailblazer, and would hold the premium back cover slot for eight and a half years. When offered, dealers would snap up the other prime inside front and inside back cover positions in February and March 1994 issues, respectively.

August 1993 - JUST MOTOR BIKES 50th issue.
Highlights from the 50th issue include:

• Very tasty 1938 Harley-Davidson W model outfit on the front cover. Ex-Police BMW K100RT (still with stickers and siren!), '47 Vincent HRD Rapide for $25,000, 1914 Royal Enfield outfit and the "Pulse" 750cc bike built by Ossa that looked like a jetfighter!
• Noel Shipp Triumph featured a limited edition 'Royal Wedding' Triumph T140 Bonneville, while Moto Italiano featured a choice of the futuristic Gilera CX or a classic 175cc Motobi.
• 188 pages. Photo adverts are still only $10.00 for 2 months, classifieds are $5.00 for two months, $3.00 for one.

October 1993 - A dedicated 'Swap Meet Notice Board' is added and placed closer to the front of the magazine. With 218 internal pages, it's also the biggest issue of the magazine to that time.

May 1994 - Just Magazines moves from the Hunter family home in Lara to new premises in North Geelong. The 'Donga Road' address and the smell of fish (if you went there, you'll know!) would soon become familiar to many advertisers.

October 1994 - Stay Upright make their first appearance. It's the start of a long association between the rider training provider and JUST MOTOR BIKES.

December 1994 - First appearance of 'Just Bikes Forum', an editorial section that features news, race results, product information, competitions, rider training articles, new bike info and more. The forum soon becomes a popular part of JUST MOTOR BIKES and the debut competition - for an AGV helmet - attracts over 1,000 entries.

February 1995 - JUST MOTOR BIKES editor and publisher, Shayne Hunter, joins the two wheel world when he receives his motorcycle learner's licence. Shayne shared his riding experiences with readers in a series of 'From The Editor's Desk' columns throughout the first half of 1995.

June 1995 - A separate JUST MOTOR BIKES 'Annual' goes on sale. Featuring a compilation of the rare, desirable, unusual and outstanding motorcycles advertised in past issues, the Annual is a huge hit with enthusiasts and sells out within weeks. All the major and many of the minor brands that have been advertised in JUST MOTOR BIKES since the magazine's inception were featured, except for Velocette, which was inadvertently missed, but added to the July, 1995 issue of JUST MOTOR BIKES. Overwhelming demand from enthusiasts leads to a reprint and reissue of the Annual in January, 1996.

November 1995 - A 1972 Triumph T150 Trident is the first of a 'Classic Bikes' feature series added to the Just Bikes Forum.

July 1996 - Ever increasing printing, paper and distribution costs leads to JUST MOTOR BIKES's first cover price increase - to $2.50. Superbike privateer, David Emmerson, starts a regular column on the Aussie Superbike scene.

October 1997 - JUST MOTOR BIKES 100th issue.
Highlights from the 100th issue include:

• Tips on scootering from Stay Upright. Just Bikes Forum reports on Mick Doohan's fourth 500cc world championship and Aaron Goberts's dumping from the Lucky Strike Suzuki squad following a positive drug test.
• 1948 Velocette Mk VIII KTT for $25,000, ex-British ISDT Cheney Triumph, innovative Yamaha GTS tourer and the 1981 Castrol Six Hour-winning Team Matich Suzuki GSX 1100.
• K&M H.D. feature seven tasty Nortons to choose from, Central Motorcycles advertise a rare Swallow Gadabout scooter for only $2,500, and the lovely 'Hoss' from Metropolitan Motorcycle Spares poses with the stock!
• 204 pages. Private sale photo ads are $15.00 for 2 issues, $8.00 for classifieds.

November 1997 - JUST MOTOR BIKES reports on the return of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to Phillip Island, where Mick Doohan had his now infamous turn 1 crash, and a young Troy Bayliss, riding as a wildcard in the 250cc race, finishes an impressive sixth.

September 1998 - JUST MOTOR BIKES founder, Shayne Hunter, passes away in mid-September. His loss is felt throughout the industry. Shayne's eldest son, Ashley, takes on the mantle of editor and publisher across all 'Just' titles, determined to continue and build on the success established by his father.

January 1999 - To allow riders to find their local bike shop quicker, the magazine's dealer index listing is sorted by State. This format would remain until the May, 2000 issue.

March 1999 - Advertising space is sold on the spine for the first time, with Western QBE the first to take advantage of the exposure. SA-based advertiser, Cowley's Motorcycle Collectables, features everything from Franklin Mint bike collectables to a 'Harley Barbie'. Yes, really!

August 1999 - The Just Bikes Forum reports on the Jianshe-built 'Coyote' PY 80cc dirt bike, one of the first of the Chinese pocket/fun bike imports, which would boom in the following decade.

January 2000 - Everyone survives the 'millenium bug' and JUST MOTOR BIKES's cover price increases to $2.75.

July 2000 - Implementation of the GST means JUST MOTOR BIKES is actually cheaper under the new sales tax system, dropping from $2.75 to $2.50. However, private advertising costs increase from $15.00 to $16.50 for photo adverts and $8.00 to $8.80 for classifieds.

May 2001 - Former Australian Superbike champion, Marty Craggill, starts his own regular column on World Superbike racing - 'World Superbikes Seen Through Mad Eyes'.

July 2001 - Colour internal pages are added. Starting with a 16 page section on uncoated stock, the colour pages soon grow. Private sale photo adverts are offered in colour for $44.00, and have stayed the same ever since.

August 2001 - Cover price increases to $2.95.

October 2001 - JUST MOTOR BIKES reports on the first Australian Motorcycle Expo in Melbourne, where our stand features the latest Suzuki GSX-R 1000, as well as a classic RG 500.

December 2001 - JUST MOTOR BIKES 150th issue.
Highlights from the 150th issue include:

• The first of our popular Christmas Gift Guides, Suzuki's GSX-R/4 four wheel concept car and new V-Strom sports tourer.
• Private ads include a $39,000 AJS 7R replica, Honda Goldwing-based Lehman trike, Kawasaki Z9 drag bike and rare 50cc Norman 'Nippy' scooter for only $2,200 ono.
• The Inaugural Michael Doohan Ride School offers the chance to ride with Mick - as well as Kevin Magee and Darryl Beattie - for $1,100! The Motorcyclist's Emporium features a rare 1911 FN vintage bike, while Parts & Pieces run their ad upside down - again!
• 196 pages. Private sale photo ads are $44 for colour, $16.50 for black & white, while classifieds are still only $8.80.
   

July 2002 - Western QBE Insurance start their long tenure on the magazine's premium back cover position. Colour section is up to 32 pages and ad highlights include a concours-quality TZ500 racebike for $30,000, 1942 Harley 'Liberator' for $12,500 and very rare AJW 'Grey Fox' 500cc twin for $15,000.

February 2003 - Cover price increases to $3.45. Just Bikes Forum covers Harley-Davidson's centenary and Dodge's V10-powered 'Tomahawk' concept motorcycle. Ad highlights include an immaculate Harley FX Superglide for $45,000 ono, an RGV racer with a KLX 650 engine for $6,000, and an immaculate Vespa PX200E (with sidecar!) for $7,000.

September 2003 - Issue numbers are added for the first time. Retrospectively adding up the past issues, JUST MOTOR BIKES arrives at number 171 - incorrectly as it turns out! - for the September issue.

January 2004 - JUST MOTOR BIKES reports on the Geelong Speed Trials, where eye candy like the Britten V1000, Hunwick Hallam race bike and a rare TZ750 Yamaha were on show and in action. JUST MOTOR BIKES begins a partnership with Australia's premier dirt bike racing team, Craig Dack Racing.

July 2004 - A new editorial feature, 'Motorbike of the Month' debuts, showcasing a bike from a dealer advertiser. The first bike featured was a 1962 Harley FLH Duo-Glide from Pacific H-D for $35,000. JUST MOTOR BIKES also mourns the passing of Jono Porter.

September 2004 - ATK returns to Australia, imported and advertised by Bruce Collins Enterprises. Import pocket bikes, mini motos and quads are abundantly advertised through the JUST MOTOR BIKES's colour pages. The Chinese invasion has begun!

January 2005 - Cover price increases to $3.75. Internal colour pages are upgraded to a coated stock. The improvement in quality and vibrancy is appreciated by advertisers and readers alike.

July 2005 - JUST MOTOR BIKES increases its association with Craig Dack Racing by running 'CDR Tech Talk', a monthly series of maintenance tips from CDR's expert technicians. Growth in the motorcycle market means the magazine is regularly over 200 pages in size.

January 2006 - Cover price increases to $3.95

February 2006 - JUST MOTOR BIKES 200th issue.
Highlights of the 200th issue include:

• Shannons 'Summer of the Bike' promo insert, offering the chance to win $20,000 toward your next bike.
• Cornering tips from Stay Upright, plus a Scooter Special and Suzuki's 'Stratosphere' concept.
• Motorcycle Accessories Supermarket's bold yellow ad is crammed full of riding gear, Classic Style Australia feature a beautifully-restored Ariel Leader, while Docteur Desmo advertise a rare Sachs 650 Roadster.
• Private ads of note include a Norton F1 'Short Stroke' race bike, rare Iso scooter for $4,950, MV Agusta F4 Senna, two Mike Hailwood Replica Ducati 900s, as well as big dollar Paul Yaffe and Arlen Ness custom choppers.
• 228 pages. Private sale photo ads are still $44 for colour, $16.50 for black & white, while classifieds are still only $8.80.

April 2006 - JUST MOTOR BIKES circulation is ABC audited for the first time. The monthly sales figure average of 34,863 copies confirm what we knew already - we're Australia's top selling motorcycle magazine! In the same issue, a 'Parts & Services' directory debuts, offering a bargain advertising option for spare parts, repair and maintenance businesses.

May 2006 - Choppers enjoy a resurgence in popularity. One of the wildest - King Pin's 'Croc Chopper' - features in May's JUST MOTOR BIKES.

September 2006 - JUST MOTOR BIKES moves premises again, relocating to the 'T&G' building in the heart of Geelong. September's cover features a pair of striking Harley-based trikes.

October 2006 - Our first XXX rated issue? No, not really, but we did feature the 'XXX Redback' mini MotoX as the Motorbike of the Month. Oddities and rarities included a rare Hesketh V1000, ex-Swiss Army 'Condor' with a Ducati 350cc engine, and a genuine Bangkok 'Tuk Tuk' taxi!

December 2006 - At a whopping 242 pages, December's JUST MOTOR BIKES is the biggest ever, featuring 136 colour private sale photo ads, 200 black & white private sale photo ads and too many classifieds and dealer ads to count!!

January 2007 - As costs increase, so does the cover price, this time up to $4.25.

March 2007 - An all new logo and cover design debuts, officially dropping 'MOTOR' from the title. The JUST BIKES change is part of a redesign across all JUST publications.

June 2007 - The Just Bikes Forum section is moved to the end of the internal colour pages, and opened up to advertisers with the addition of banner advertising options on each page. June's cover, featuring an immaculate 1949 Vincent Series B Black Shadow, is hugely popular, prompting calls for reprints and poster copies.

October 2007 - A spot colour option is offered for dealers in the black & white pages to add a bit more 'punch' to their adverts. Just Bikes Forum features Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary models. Previews of the upcoming year's Harley range becomes a popular addition.

November 2007 - JUST BIKES commissions a huge reader survey in conjunction with Roy Morgan Research. More than $10,000 in prizes are offered and thousands of surveys are received. Contents page is moved to page 3, with Ashley adding a regular 'Editor's Comment' column from the December issue, where the ABC audit showed JUST MOTOR BIKES still leads the way, with 37,144 average monthly sales.

January 2008 - Cover price increases to $4.75. Just Bikes Forum is something of a 'Brit' special with features on Vincent and the 2008 model Triumphs.

June 2008 - JUST BIKES interviews CDR Yamaha team principal, Craig Dack. JUST BIKES also starts an association with Motorcycling Australia.

November 2008 - Just Bikes Forum features a special interview with 2008 SX champion, Chad Reed, as well as a report on Gold Coast Bike Week and the arrival of the Victory cruiser range down under. Cover price increases to $4.95.

December 2008 - Another jumbo issue, 242 pages equalling our biggest ever issue and crammed full of bikes for sale, news and information.

February 2009 - JUST BIKES celebrates 20 years in the marketplace. A 'Just Harleys' zip-out advertising feature is trialed in the January and February issues.

April 2009 - Cover and logo are revamped again, with the now familiar format of one feature photo and four smaller photos finalised in the following issue, where new 'Buyer's Guide' features - on winter riding gear and Cruiser bike options - make their debut in the Just Bikes Forum.

August 2009 - ABC audit figures are again strong, with 35,166 copies sold on average every month, despite the global financial crisis impacting on motorcycle sales. A new feature, Motorcycling Australia's 'Guide to Ride' debuts, covering the requirements to go competitive riding in a range of categories.

September 2009 - JUST BIKES celebrates the success of 'our' team - CDR Yamaha - in securing the 2009 Australian Motocross championship. Action Motorcycles feature the ultimate - and fast! - touring package in the form of a supercharged Harley Ultra Classic Electra Glide custom with matching trailer.

December 2009 - www.justbikes.com.au, the online companion to JUST BIKES magazine, is launched.

March 2010 - Just Bikes Forum is downsized and competitions are dropped from the magazine, as part of a restructure of the magazine's non-advertising content.

April 2010 - JUST BIKES 250th issue
Highlights of the 250th issue? You tell us! We'd like to know what you think of JUST BIKES. Tell us what you've loved, hated, missed or longed for over the magazine's 250 issue journey. Email us at: [email protected] with your thoughts.