As explained by Denis Rouse and Bill Estes in this month ’ s Exhaust Note ( page 58 ), Rider was launched in 1974 as a passion project . No one on staff had run a motorcycle magazine before , so the early days involved a lot of trial and error . The first issue was a success because it tapped an unmet need for honest , real-world information about motorcycle touring .
Like any magazine , the face that Rider presents to the world is its cover . It ’ s what inspires readers and draws them in . Early covers often had grainy , out-of-focus photos shot
by staffers who were motorcycle enthusiasts but not professional photographers . As the magazine evolved , so did the quality of its photography .
Early Rider covers captured the spirit and adventure of motorcycling . The Spring 1975 issue included a test of rainsuits , and the cover showed a rider on a touring bike equipped with a Vetter fairing riding in the rain . The June 1977 cover features a lone motorcyclist on Alaska ’ s Haul Road . On these pages are some of our favorite covers from Rider ’ s first decade .
December 1980 May 1981
August 1981
June 1982 September 1983
April 1984
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