Motorcycle Mechanics (magazine)

Motorcycle Mechanics (Motorcycle, Scooter and Three-Wheeler Mechanics, also known as MM) was a British monthly magazine founded in 1959 under Mercury House Publications. With the strapline "The illustrated how-to-do-it magazine", it initially concentrated on the practicalities of owning motorcycles as a domestic form of transport with a focus on home maintenance and repairs.

Motorcycle Mechanics
The first issue, April 1959
Staff writersJohn Robinson from 1968, mostly as Technical Editor
CategoriesMotorcycles
PublisherMercury House Publications 1959–1974
EMAP 1974–1983
Year founded1959
First issue1959 April
Final issue1983 March
CountryGreat Britain
LanguageEnglish

Published between 1959 and 1983, many copies carried the announcements: World's largest sale[1] and Largest sale.[2] When founding-editor Robert Forrest Webb moved on in early 1962, successor editor Charles E Deane's message in June 1962 proudly proclaimed that, in three years from a new start, they had achieved the world's largest net sale of any motorcycle magazine.[3]

As with other motorcycling periodicals, MM moved with the times, changing its name and format to suit readership requirements and fashion and technology advancements,[4] along with a change of ownership in 1974.[5]

In 1972 the masthead was reformatted to Motor Cycle Mechanics (MCM),[6] then reverted to Motorcycle Mechanics, followed by a brief spell as Mechanics & The Biker when it joined with sister publication The Biker.

In 1982 it became known as simply Mechanics, with the final edition in March 1983, from when it became known by the title of Performance Bikes which initially carried the cover-masthead Performance Bikes & Mechanics.

The publication had a long association with the late journalist John Robinson, who had been with the magazine from 1968, then with Performance Bikes until his death in 2001.[7]

References
  1. Motor Cycle Mechanics World's largest sale examples, January + October 1966, March + October 1967, January + February 1968. Accessed 2014-05-13
  2. Motor Cycle Mechanics Largest sale examples, April + October 1969, October + December 1970, and March 1972. Accessed 2014-05-13
  3. Motorcycle Mechanics, June 1962, vol.4, no.9, p.3 Editorial by Chas Deane
  4. Motor Cycle Mechanics, March 1972, p.3 Editorial by Chas Deane Between you and me... "New look MCM! The motorcycle is no longer considered to be a poor man's means of transport—it's a fun machine, a hobby....Motorcycle Mechanics' Racing and Sporting Show highlighted the best in motorcycling and the trends for 1972 and like many of the exhibitors at our Show, we too have to stay 'with it' to keep you, our readers, happy". Accessed 2014-04-12
  5. Motor Cycle Mechanics, December 1974, p.3 Editorial by Chas Deane In the Hot Seat. "Following our move from Mercury House to Ludgate House in Fleet Street, we ran into all the usual troubles encountered by any large publication changing its address. There was the difficulty of redirecting all the post...then there was the advice and service bureaux to re-organise with our new 'masters'." Accessed 2014-04-12
  6. Motor Cycle Mechanics, March 1972, p.3 Editorial by Chas Deane Between you and me... "New look MCM!, ...we too have to stay 'with it' to keep you, our readers, happy. Next month, for the first time since the magazine appeared on the bookstalls, we are changing our cover title panel...the new MCM motif...will appear in red and white on the front cover of the April issue.". Accessed 2014-04-12
  7. John Robinson dies Motorcycle News, 5 August 2001 Retrieved 2014-05-11
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