On Friday, Bonnier Corporation quietly announced in a press release that the June/August issue of Motorcyclist will be its last print issue. The brand will move to digital only, with Motorcyclist.com and across all social and video platforms.

(Hat tip to Lance Oliver at Revzilla for picking up on the news.)

“Like other enthusiast-content segments, motorcycle readership has evolved to a truly digital audience,” said Andy Leisner, SVP managing director of the Bonnier Motorcycle Group. “There have been substantial shifts in consumer content preferences as well as advertisers’ desire to reach motorcycle consumers on these growing digital platforms.”

Motorcyclist was the first motorcycle magazine to be published in the United States. It launched July 1, 1912, as a bi-weekly newspaper in Los Angles under the name Pacific Motorcycling. It changed names a few times and was even the official publication of the American Motorcyclist Association where it was renamed The Motorcyclist. In 1940, it changed to its current name Motorcyclist. Bonnier Corporation bought the title from Source Interlink Media in 2013. 

The magazine underwent a major change two years ago, moving from monthly to six issues per year.

In the statement, Bonnier said that “All existing Motorcyclist staff and production resources will be shifted to address the growth on these channels."

It’s been a trying time at Bonnier. They closed Dirt Rider and Sport Rider in 2017, and reduced Cycle World (which had been the largest circulation motorcycle magazine) to four issues a year in 2018. They also closed Hot Bike this year.

This sucks for everyone involved in the publication of the magazine. So long, Motorcyclist.

Main image: Bonnier Corporation