My extreme disappointment in my purchase of "Iron Horse" magazine compelled me to write a letter to the editor. I did not expect a reply but this was posted in the next issue:
My letter:
I live in a small town in Southern Oregon so I frequently don't have much of a choice in motorcycle magazines. I'm an avid motorcycle fan and very open to all types and styles of riding and motorcycles. To each their own is my motto. It doesn't matter what you ride, it's that you ride.
Last week I picked up your magazine and finally got around to reading it tonight.
Wow... What a total disappointment.
The models weren't real bikers (no biker would dress like that). Funny, the men all appear totally dressed! (I added some penis' just to make it more interesting). It was also odd that one woman appeared in your magazine seven times. Could you not find more women who wanted to dress slutty and pose by choppers?
There didn't seem to be any REAL biker stories (just bragging stories about bikes they built). I can't give you any real suggestions to make your magazine into one I would read, and you probably don't care anyway. If you are looking at entertaining chopper building sexists - good job.
Enclosed is your magazine - you can have it back. I must tell you that I have NEVER written a complaint letter before, but my disappointment in your magazine compelled me to write this.
Lesson learned for me, I won't buy it again.
Sincerely,
Sandi Roush
"Real" Motorcycle Rider
Yes, I did return the magazine to them with notes in the pages about how many times the same model appeared and circled all the crotch shots and drew penis' on the guys (that was the margarita's talking). I'm AM an opinionated female motorcycle rider and I was on a mission.
Here is the response published in the magazine.
When I opened this, I just tossed in the garbage as trash but then I thought the readers may get a kick out of reading the sexually confused banter of spurned dike... In tepid response to your missive, let me just say that it's obvious that you have never sat on a bike nor have ever been around bikers. You seem to have a thing for the female genitalia and circle every body part of the girls in the magazine in apparent lust for things you can't have or don't have. And of course these models don't ride, just like you. But unlike you, there are hot which guys like to see. Why you chose our magazine to vent your pent-up sexual frustrations I don't know , but there are many other magazines you could have chosen to have a Dr. Phil moment with. Ok I got it. You struggle with your sexual identity by drawing female and male genitalia all over our pages as if it will help you cope with your life-long crisis. Maybe it does, but please next time you get cramps and a need to vent, pick up Playboy or Maxim; they would probably enjoy the rantings of an old depressed dike.
Chopper Building Sexist administration
Maybe I'm not a typical woman rider but I have been married 27 years (to a man), I put about 1000 miles a month on my motorcycle (so I do ride - a lot), and am quite happy with my sexual identity (which shouldn't matter to a motorcycle magazine).
To strike out with such venom sure shows what he doesn't know about the new wave of bikers on the rise. We are normal women who are members of a growing number of motorcycle riders.
Yes of course they can have their opinion but it should be stated on the front - "A magazine for super-sexist chopper building braggarts" At least that would have given me a warning. I'm not saying you shouldn't read the magazine either, but your sexual orientation shouldn't be their issue.
If you are a woman that rides, do me a favor and send this guy a note. I'm sure he would like to hear from you. Tell him Sandi sent you.
BACKTALK@IRONCROSS.NET
