The REAL Reasons Motorcycle Reviews are Always Positive (not what you think) 

⚡This video has generated a lot of strong opinions. I suggest watching the entire video before commenting. I absolutely agree that there are conflicts of interest due to how reviews are done. So, what should we do about it? That was the point of the video. Also, let's just say it. I am not able to be 100% unbiased about ANYTHING, due to my business model of making money from videos and affiliate product sales. I understand that. So, what can be done to improve that? One potential way to eliminate all bias would be to have this channel 100% supported by memberships (patreon, etc). I'd only review bikes, parts and gear that I purchased myself. To make that financially possible, I'd realistically need at least 10X or 15X the membership support I currently have. I don't think this community is ready to do that. ➕SUPPORT➕ [I may receive commissions which are invested back into the channel] ⚡ Patreon: www.patreon.com/bigrockmedia ⚡ Rocky Mountain ATV/MC: bit.ly/33kgRIz ⚡ Revzilla: imp.i104546.net/6bxxXN ⚡ Mosko Moto: moskomoto.com/bigrockmoto ⚡ Pacific Powersports (Motoz Tires, Barkbusters): pacificpowersports.com/ USE CODE BRM2024 ⚡ 3D Cycle Parts: www.3dcycleparts.com/?aff=3 ⚡ Taco Moto : tacomoto.co/?ref=fi6gv640 ⚡ Cyclops Adventure Sports: tinyurl.com/2kaknpfn ⚡ Denali Lighting: tinyurl.com/9746het9 ⚡ Amazon: amzn.to/3viGZ0A ⚡ Merchandise: big-rock-moto.myspreadshop.com/

It might not be a paid vacation but it is still a trip sponsored by a manufacturer. My employer would never let any supplier to pay for a work trip because it creates a conflict of interest. But i understand that paying for everything is not a sustainable business model for the absolute majority of channels

Most of us non journalist assume that a negative review will result in fewer invitations to these sorts of events. We assume that this is why so many reviews are overwhelmingly positive. It seems only natural that negative Nancy s will find themselves on the shit list of manufacturers.

Conflict of interest is absolutely real in these paid manufacturer review trips. It is very common in other businesses to have strict policies and registries around vendor paid events and gifts. There are some car reviewers on YT that do pay for their own flights and hotels. They do get free access still. And potential lack of future access, that you pointed out, is also a major factor in positive bias. As many have commented - I watch reviews with a heavy grain of salt, mostly for their entertainment value. Unless a review is a long term one it provides no real value except “person a liked bike a better than bike b”. For me short term reviews rarely provide any real insight. Mostly opposite, as an example: reviewers complaining about switchgear not being lit - on my bikes I _know_ where all the switches are. I still watch your reviews because I do value you at least being open about these things.

the pharmaceutical industry is a well-known case. the medical information delegates paid for everything for the doctors, conferences, trips, accommodations. Everything so that doctors could better " understand " the medicines. And of course they had to prescribed them. Needless to say, this caused a huge outcry and today, in many places, delegates are not even allowed to enter healthcare facilities. Does this have to do with the model used by the motorcycle industry with journalists? in my opinion yes

Love your work Ian, thank you for continuing the work. I think you don't have to worry too much about this. You are adding value by creating professional relationships with different manufacturers and present the best or optimum product; sometimes the product has to be modified to fit different needs. A lot of folks do not have time or energy to do all the research, and find what is best for them. Like think about a working person; they won't be able to spend 10k on a bike and later modify it for 5k only to find out it doesn't work. You provide easy to digest knowledge on how to address this hobby, wihtout being financially irresponsible. Regarding bias, even if you are unbiased and treat this as work; at the end of the day, youtube is an entertainment platform, and for any artist, reach and influence is their selling point. (An instagram model won't get any sponsorship if he/she doesn't have at least 2-3 photos on a yatch.) So if a youtuber has videos from Belgium, UK, Canada, Argentina, South Africa, it naturally makes their channel enticing - thus providing organic growth for their business. In order to get invited to this places, a youtuber have to be on good pages of the manufacturer. I am not saying you do it, but it is how a youtuber is perceived. It doesn't matter to me, as mentioned I find value in you bringing together your experience and connections. I remember a youtuber, singing praises of a 2018 ducati monster, and as soon as the person climbed on 2019 ducati monster the next year, he started singing praises of the 2019 model - and started listing faults from the 2018 model(mind you these faults were not mentioned in their 2018 review). If I hadn't been a continuous subscriber I wouldn't have noticed it. I immediately unsubscribed.

🚨 Let’s not overthink this…these reviews are very helpful. Watch the review, maybe several and make a decision. I really appreciate it and plus it’s informative and entertaining! Thanks 🙏

As a scientist who has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for many years and witnessed how rules have gotten stricter to avoid conflict of interests and biased reviews of medications up for approval, I can tell you that the only way of providing unbiased reviews starts with staying away from manufacturer’s funding in any way shape or form. I still find value in the comments you and others provide, but I take them with a grain of salt. I never conducted a statistical analysis, but top of my head I rarely see any strongly negative comments about any given bike… which is odd. Just my two cents

Hats off for taking the time to share your thoughts on this topic. Completely agree with all your points and I truly believe you genuinely mean what you say. I also would say that you have the perspective of someone who has been around the airport & hotel a few times (Your not influenced by this stuff). We are lucky to have you as a true critic of most products that you review. Important to note that someone just getting in to this field will have a very different perspective. LAST COMMENT- You have built a reputation and have earned it, with the perspective of someone who has long-lived a Full Time career. Keep up the great work and Thank you.

This is how the world works and anyone who thinks it shouldn’t is naive. It happens in every industry. Ian I appreciate your desire to be honest and take feedback. My concern with a lot of RU-vidrs is that they let comments affect their product. What you don’t hear in the comments is that majority of people who subscribe to you can pick and choose and judge for ourselves. Take feedback but just do you your way.

A couple of suggestions : include from time to time a third party into your videos to solicit their opinion, even if dissenting from yours; or add to your videos a review of other published reviews and tell us what you think if your opinion differs from what is published

Thanks for the video, it is really a great topic. There are couple of perspectives: 1. THE OWNER's that paid for his bike, gathering the money and having lots of expectations regarding the bike, NOT beeing afraid to express his dissatisfaction about the bike's issues and cons. Usually this person makes more Km than avarage and keeps his bike for at least 2-4 years. 2. THE SHORT TERM OWNER's, usually buys an expensive bike and rides ocasionally on week-ends. He has a very positive opinion about his bike, he thinks no one can compete with him. 3. THE RU-vidR's that temporary owns a bike or two, usually most popular bikes from the year, new released bikes, that can create more bussiness and views. 4. THE TESTER's doesn't even has his own bike, he just borrows the dealer's bikes, or different friend's bike and makes his "reviews" random. 5. THE PROFFESSIONAL RU-vidr's that wants to win both sides: the dealer's side and the audience. Usually had great video quality content, he pretends to make honest reviews, he sometimes gets money and has a contract with a dealer (it happens in my country Romania). He makes 90% positive reviews, he speaks general stuff like specs or just nothing in depth reviews. My conclusion: There is NO PERFECT motorcycle journalist / youtuber / influencer and will never exist ! it's better to make your own opinions, ok you can listen a bit just as an idea and other opinions, but DON'T FORGET that at the end YOU are the one that will ride the motorcycle, YOU will pay it from your own money, as you said TAXES, MAINTENANCE, CRASH DAMAGES, GASOLINE, ACCESSORIES, ETC. Greetings and thanks for the video !

Let's take an example: Honda Transalp. I watched your series and still think you did a great job. But then I saw Ryan's video in which he laid out how we in the US got short shafted vs. Europe and if anyone wants to the real potential of the engine, they have to flash the ECU. Where was that in your review? Ryan's video was MUCH more critical and rightfully so. Is he getting cut off by Honda? I don't think Honda would want to mess with a guy that has 2 million subscribers. Which, I know, opens another can of worms.

I just recently bought a W800 cafe. An unpopular bike that was not very well received by many journalist or simply not much attention was given to it. It is one of my favorite bikes. I simply cannot understand how it is not more popular but then I think of motorcycle journalism, it is mostly driven by the manufacturers. Manufacturers set the schedule of videos and prep the journalists.. That’s the only explanation to it. Everything is about adventure bikes or fast bikes and many just continue to repeat each other thoughts and experiences on the bikes. You’re unique in your niche area but in general there are not many good reviewers out there.

Por un lado están los periodistas que inevitablemente tienen una influencia de la industria, porque “viven” de ella. Pero como dices Ian los tiempos que disponen de las motos es muy corto para que surjan defectos serios. Por otro están los propietarios que pasan mucho tiempo con sus motos, pero muchos tienen un conocimiento muy básico, o una perspectiva incompleta. Y eso los lleva a que sus opiniones no tienen suficiente sustento. En fin hay que mirar mucho, y sacar lo importante de cada uno. Es es lo difícil. Saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷

I deeply appreciate the content you bring us Ian. I am aware that being able to produce this level of content requires building relationships with manufacturers. I can definitely understand where traveling to manufacturer sponsored events can be a job. Every manufacturer that has a product to sell will wine and dine to people who work in the industry from time to time. I have been on the receiving end of this in the HVAC trade occasionally. However, at the end of the day, the manufacturer is not the customer, and they are not paying my bills. As I see it, the RU-vid audience is your customer base, and your loyalty seems to lay in that direction. Keep bringing us that level-headed presentation that you do so well. You bring a depth to motorcycle reviews that seems to be lacking from most other outlets. I am eagerly awaiting more content on the 800 DE, as this will most likely end up being my next motorcycle. Thank you very much.

Let's be honest guys, what bike have you ever ridden for 5 hours that you got off and said...i had a real crap time and i hate this bike? I've ridden my fair share over the last 25 years and i can't say, with the exception of the sportser 883, that I've disliked any bike I've ridden.

Difficult topic, i guess big channels like Fortnine don't need to maintain access to bikes, i usually prefer user reviews, but from professional reviewers you're one of my favourites

Fear is understandable when an individual relates to a multinational company; in my opinion, you need to establish some kind of business association, union... and thus protect objectivity in reviews, which will, as a result, protect both you and us. And let's be honest, reviews are not only for those who want to buy a motorcycle. We all have motorbikes, so we watch all the reviews anyway, for bikes that we know in advance that we would never buy. These reviews are therefore a form of entertainment.

It is really quite simple. When the motorcycle manufacturer pays (part of) your expenses, by definition there is a conflict of interest, and the review is therefore then no longer 100% reliable. The review may still be very good & correct and the product may well be absolutely wonderful, but we (as the consumer or review-viewer) just don't know for sure.

To be honest, If I'm interested in learning about what is being reviewed, then my goal is seeing through what the reviewer is saying. You touched on it at the end and I believe ultimately no professional reviewer or journalist can be fully trusted on thier words. Its the old addage: "Dont bite the hand that feeds you." You all are feeding from the hand.

I would think most who watch know that this is your business and that sometimes there are some perks such as trips to go review bikes. I think your honesty comes through and that’s what makes your channel popular. Some channels really plug some products heavily and i understand they need that support for their channel. You have data on views on your channel. I would bet they are increasing everyday. Keep doing what you have been and people will watch. Thank you for clearing that up with some may not have known how this works.

Great vid, as always. I've traveled for work a lot, both within the US and globally. It's never vacation, ever. One other aspect that I think contributes to positive reviews is that bikes are just very good. Most manufacturers have been at it long enough that they're pretty good at it by now. And if you're searching for a bike in a certain segment, the bikes in that segment all tend to be at least almost great, and many are great. It comes gown to splitting hairs, and taste, to say that one is significantly better than the rest. Your other comments are very insightful. And your reviews are always critical, which we all appreciate. Thanks Ian

Like you said, when your livelihood is based on creating content about something you have gated access to, you are beholden to those who hold the keys. No matter how hard one tries to be unbiased, human nature dictates that one will always be biased towards self survival. I watch most tubers with more of a "this is a paid sponsor spot" as opposed to a genuine review. A "here are the stats and facts of said bike". I then go find more sources of reviews, likely all tainted (lol), and go from there. F9 has this exact problem which is why they very rarely get bikes from manufacturers but rather from RideBC rentals and viewers. They circumvent this problem by creating other engaging and entertaining content that does not require being beholden to bike manufacturers. I've watched this "survival moral crisis" unfold in the tech tuber industry for years. If you're not nice to Nvidia or AMD or Intel you'll get blacklisted and not get their products for launch and won't be on that almighty algorithm train. It's a tough trail to ride on and I genuinely wish you success.

Also that's not what the data supports. The value of the dollar is significantly lower. So just because the price hasn't outrun inflation does not mean that the value proposition is better overall. More factors have to be considered than just looking at "adjusted for inflation numbers". That's basic data science stuff.

I understand some of your points esp if you deliver too many negative reviews or negative points for one company you'll find yourself off the guest list thus reducing your content and earning potential. Road tester reviews give us a small insight into the bike. Long termer reviews slightly better. Long term ownership reviews the best most honest. We need to keep in mind that the main focus on most road testers is not to educate the public but to earn a living

Ian your video reviews are my favorite because of your integrity and honesty. I understand Ryan's viewpoint and I am sure many moto journalists are NOT objective and honest, but some are and you are one of them. I am 71 years old, I have been around the block, IMO you and Dork In the Road are very honest. You are thorough and he has a great sense of humor. You have proven to your followers that you are unusually honest and objective but tactful enough to not burn any bridges. Keep it up! PS- You can't please everyone, don't try.

To me, this video is like taking the placebo of a drug and swearing it’s the real thing because “you really feel it though!” You’ve made it so your entire livelihood revolves around pleasing as many people as possible; of course there are conflicts of interest, whether you are conscious to them or not.

Ian, you do the best job of being objective regarding reviews. Thank you for that. My biggest issue with the manufacturers is this. They give RU-vidrs a bike to ride for a month but for the average rider it is difficult or even impossible to get a test ride and if you do it's a 5 mile loop. Demo bikes need to be available. Better yet, let us rent bikes to cover their costs and let the rider experience the bike. So, my $.02 is this, a fleet of press bikes are cheaper than a global fleet of demo bikes so manufacturers are leaning on influencers more than they should. I will not buy a bike if I can't test ride it first and that limits my options.

That’s why Ryan F9 has millions of views… because he doesn’t give a crap about how the manufacturers are going to react. It’s also why Top Gear was such a popular show… they just gave you the truth.

I do watch one guy from spain, and he doesn't hesitate to criticize any element he don't like, BUT in most cases he criticizes something comparing to 5-10 other bikes of the same class. Means, if a bike has the worst suspension in a class, he'll tell that it's the worst. Also the opposite is true: if it's the best - that's how it is. And the guy just rents the bikes he reviews, so no one 's limitting him neither in opinion, nor in time of a test. So, the keys for a honest review are comparison base and independence from manufacturers.

Even legacy motorcycle mass media on my country rarely say any negative feedback on any brand new motorcycle product in my country, not in a first ride/first impressions though. Even when the occasion arise when to do the full review, the negative side are usually a minor incovenience one.

Huge respect for what you do. I disagree though, particularly with your earlier example. When I travel for work, my company I work for compensates me. If I’m visiting the vendor and they start paying for my trip, that is a huge conflict of interest. You don’t work for the motorcycle companies. You’re an independent journalist. Having said that, I completely understand that’s just the way the industry works. Gotta make a paycheck and support your family. I can also tell you go to great effort to remain objective. It’s why I subscribe to your channel. Appreciate what you do!

Thats just you, and that why we love this channel. Cause you provide us with details of ACTUAL usage of motorcycles, not just repeating marketing materials. But looking at other moto "journalists" - most of them are just over-excitedly translating brands marketing materials ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and never point on pretty OBVIOUS problems which are clear to anyone who rode example motorcycle more than hour.

I've never doubted your honesty and sincerity for a moment, Ian. Ignore the haters, they will always be there spewing malicious nonsense.

I just started doing moto reviews on my channel and I totally get what you are saying. It’s hard to think of something negative to say on just a short experience of a bike. I review the Ninja 1000sx and had to cut out a bunch of footage because I just kept saying how nice the engine was lol. I agree that pretty much all bikes are great these days. I guess the key is to discuss the differences and what tool is best for what job.

All very valid points. I travel a lot for work and it's a similar situation. People always say "U are so lucky, it must be awesome to travel and work" But from my experince work travel is not an enjoyable expereince, and you do much more work compare to what u are paid for. Would much rather be at home with family and comfort.

If an employer send an employee to another location, that is a work trip. What you have described is a third party paying for travel for a Big Rock Moto representative. They are very different things. Ask your accountant. When a vendor sends me tickets to see a product launch, the IRS considers this compensation and is taxable. - Frank

Hmmm. An all expenses paid trip to ride motorcycles at a scenic location might be considered work by some, but it is very different work than what most of us do and better than what 99% of us do for work. A lot of moto journalists do a good job, including Big Rock, but imo the system is stacked against fair and unbiased reviews. If you go on a paid trip, develop a personal relationship with manufacturer reps, and have a good time, how likely are you to give a negative review after that? On the other hand I agree that most motorcycles are pretty good these days and therefore the reviews should reflect that. I can ride almost any bike for a day and have a good time, but that is different than living with a bike for a few months.

To quote Shadetree, "I like bike". Most moto journalists like motorcycles. It is not much of a stretch to find things you like about any bike in a demo ride setting. It is also easy to be tactful with negative comments such as qualifying them with 'they probably did this to hit a price point'.

Ian, Please don’t be offended but some of us don’t care too much about your(or any other reviewer’s) business model…we only care about the truth, honesty and integrity so that you can serve us much more than you serve the manufacturers. There are reviewers out there that find the way to review bikes without engaging in this symbiotic relationship 😅 I don’t think Ryan is doing so bad business-wise for choosing a more viewer/follower/subscriber-centric approach to this line of work He’s no saint by any means but when he gives his opinion about a bike we know it’s not because the launch had absolutely fantastic Lobster and champagne 😊 I still appreciate your hard work but you asked for honest feedback so there it is 🍻🍻

The Law of Reciprocity is a well-known psychology principle, perhaps best described by author Robert Cialdini in his famous book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.

Your analogy of employer paying for business trip is, self defeating. If they are your employers, Your reviews will be influenced.

Real journalism is going out there and tackling issues. How many motorcycle journalists are out there actually fighting for information and the truth for fellow motorcyclist. Where were all the journalists when KTM was having issues with camshafts for years?

I have watched a lot of bike reviews and I find them very helpful. Most journalists do a good job reviewing motorcycles. I like what you and Ben from Dork in the Road do in your reviews. I have a CRF300L Rally and watched a lot of reviews on it before I bought it and I have that most of the reviews spot on about this bike. So thank you guys and gals out there doing motorcycle reviews.

Personally, I think this video was a mistake. I listened to the whole video. Between 10 min point to 11 min you summed it up. You give positive reviews so you are invited back for the next release and also you don’t want to be excluded as all your colleagues and friends will be there and you may not. You tried to make it sound like it is really hard work and your personal life suffers. Trust me, what you do does not come close to the stress, worry and personal sacrifices many people make in their day to day work lives.

This guy is so full of crap. He needs the manufacturers just as much as they need him. He gets free trips on their dime and gets to ride their newest bikes, which helps his channel. They get free advertising from this influencer. Now, does anyone think this guy would get another free trip if he talked trash about their new bike?

An ok motorcycle bring ridden in Sardinia just seems to generate a lot more praise than when the same bike is ridden later on normal roads. That is my issue. Most rides by most riders are on normal roads.

Ian your honest when you review bikes. It should be obvious. I get all the rest of that too. You’re doing a great job. Keep it up.

For me, I watch those reviews just to see the features of the bike and how it operates, things like that. How is the dashboard looking how do you use it. Some geeky stuff. The conclusion I left for myself, the bad size of motorcycle industry is that you can't get a test drive on a motorcycle of your choice. It is kind of possible but it's very hard and some manufacturers don't have a test bike.

You may get cut off from early access, but you would not be prevented from purchasing a bike out right as you did in the beginning. I would rather wait a little and get a 100% unbiased review than a review that is softer due to fear.

First up I’d like your work including points others don’t do such as picking up the bike from the ground, comfort factors etc. but I can’t stop thinking that maybe your missing some point.. It used to be that in past there were dangerous models such as the Kawasaki 500 two stroke triple or just bad models such as the Yamaha XS 650 which apparently had a hinge in it’s frame, bad tires that just didn’t grip the road, the list is endless. Which brings me to the point I’m trying to make, there are still bikes out there that have bad components like windscreens that don’t stop the wind, bad tire selection, concrete seats that maybe good to look at but not for riding any more than five minutes, Along with wet weather gear that leaks water into the crutch.I tend to think that you’re looking at the bike and not at it’s components/equipment, maybe you should be evaluating those components when you bring the bike home with X brand tires that are best but not fitted as standard as new. My son is the proud owner of a FJR1300 but uses X brand tires but not fitted as standard from new. Maybe that’s you should be looking at. We have come a long way since frame choice, seat comfort, and cheap Japanese tyres fitted new have been a consideration but those are still around.

I can’t remember ever seeing a negative review (except Kevin Ash) by a press-launch review. No one can review a bike thoroughly in a few days (that’s why your long reviews are so good). And a negative review will end your invites. No doubt Ryan is partially correct (‘influencers’ trying to kiss manufacturers butts). Many reviewers make it look like ‘a party’ so next time have a little fun!

So, in your analogy the who is your employer then - I know you are saying you are your own boss, but when you are not paying for your own airfare and accommodations, i think it proved F9's point. Same with your disclaimers when a product has been provided for review. These things matter and to say they don't typically doesn't sit well with those of us who don't get things thrown at us for free. :)

I like most of your reviews, particularly for the details you share. But I have also test ridden bikes that I thought were horrible after a 30 min ride on mixed surfaces. And you gave those bikes neutral to positive reviews. I appreciate your reviews but would like to see you being more critical and when appropriate bring up issues that are widely reported such as the KTM camshaft issues.

Face it, Ian, we all just want to be you! 😂 Seriously, most of us pay attention to your reviews precisely because you are so scrupulously conscientious about trying to do honest, thoughtful reviews. I know I couldn’t do it. I interact with motorcycles kinda like I interact with dogs - I love ‘em all. Sure, some are better than others, but they’re all great in one way or another. And motorcycles are just _so_ good, anymore. It’s really kinda hard to find fault with most of them. And where there are faults, they’re generally pretty easy to correct in the aftermarket- which is something you also cover very well. Keep up the good work! 😃

"if you travel for work and employeer pays for it, are you at vacation?". Mate, if you treat the motorcycle company providing bike for review for you as your EMPLOYEER, that automatically screams BIAS, as nobody EMPLOYED by company precisely to talk about THEIR products gonna be objective. It's a terrible argument. So no, don't make that argument coz it is garbage. The fact is that people in better mood will more likely be giving better review, and being on funded trip exacerbates that change. Yeah, sure, you're not being paid but you're not being in objective conditions. Now, some people can do that and still make a critical review of the bike (and I believe you can stay mostly objective just fine), but that's SOME people, not all of the reviewers, so it is absolutely CORRECT to be skeptical of reviews that were on paid trip rather than "here mate, have a bike for few weeks". You pretty much made video saying "well, we moto journalists can't be trusted because we're too afraid to say bad thing about the bike in fear of being cut off"

what's going on with the suzuki 800DE ????

I am not sure what to say about the message you shared in this video, but I want to say that your camera is amazing and of superb quality.

It seems to me that you agree with Fortnine. He said reviewers feel pressure to be positive to avoid being uninvited to press launches, which is what you are also saying at about the 10 minute mark of your video. Having said that, you are far more honest than most with your reviews. I like JaketheGardenSnake and Chaseontwowheels, but those dudes are clearly being paid by CFMOT. Doesn’t mean those bikes aren’t good, just wish those were honest about being paid by the manufacturer.

If you would rather stay home with your family, that is a choice that you should make. Bikes will always be there, your kids will grow up quicker than you realise. Like your reviews but the long term reviews have value rather than the company sponsored marketing they use you for on these trips

It’s just logical and efficient for the manufacturers to bring everyone to one location. Imagine if they had to ship each test bike to the nearest dealer for every reviewer? Imagine if they didn’t serve meals, people would be scattered around and all arrive back at different times. The meals are an excellent venue for the manufacturers to answer questions in a group. Perhaps people think they should just be answering emails? To me, it’s the obvious solution. I can’t imagine any reviewer buying airplane tickets and hotel accommodations out of their own pockets. Ask yourself; if Kawasaki or BMW was offering free test rides, where they expected you to pay for putting gas in the bike, would you fly across the country to go?

I want to know if there's a fault or not so great aspect so a reviewer that doesn't give constructive criticism where it's due could become less popular. I like your reviews because they're realistic, warts and all, keep it up Ian.

Most of these videos for bike launches are first impressions. And, let's face there isn't many bad bikes and it all boils down to what we're prepared to pay.

Thanks again for this great video, I always enjoy your positive and negative points about motorcycles. That’s why we follow you for your opinion. Thank you for that. Ride well and ride safe.

Be they self-directed or otherwise, aren’t all work trips designed to influence attitudes and decisions?

A pinch of salt.

Love your honesty. Great video.

By your logic it’s not a paid vacation. You are there for work and employed by the company that paid your way. Same as when I travel for work.

Influencers plays their part and so does the customers. A fantastic review will not decide what I choose as there a lot of other constraints. This channel has a certain format for reviews with a walkthrough of technical features and comparisons to similar bikes. I like the format and I hope that Ian enjoys what comes with the job.🤓

To point number one, the expenses paid trips- yes, there's little out-of-pocket expense for the reviewer and likewise no direct compensation. But that doesn't mean that there's no compensation. There is, and it's indirect or deferred. You describe your RU-vid activity as your business, and so it is. The basic product that fuels the business, makes it profitable, is the review. By going on a press trip, you acquire that fuel for a review. And that is the compensation received for the trip: Go on the trip, come home and make money off it. I don't particularly object to that reality since we out here on the other side of the screen wouldn't get the information we do get without this process. I want to see and hear about motorcycles so I go to RU-vid channels to accomplish that. To the overall theme of reviews being so positive I have a little different perspective: motorcycles (and related products such as tires and gear) have gotten so much better than even a few short years ago it's hard not to be impressed. Having begun riding in the 1960s, I still have strong memories of carburetors shaking apart, instruments working hardly at all, lights that may or may not work, and on and on, a new, quality motorcycle is truly a fabulous thing compared to the junk of the olden days. And that hardly describes the incredible, unbelievable improvement in tires. Good heavens, in 1969 experiencing a bike's rear end sliding out was as common as a cloud in the sky- and clouds made that much, much worse. I came into adulthood on a BSA twin with Dunlop K70s. Traction was, to put it politely, a sought-for goal more than something you could bet your collarbone on. A set of Road 6s back then would have (apart from the awful suspension and rubber frames) been practically incomprehensibly predictable and safe. So, yes, bikes are really, really good nowadays. There's so little to criticize that the reviews are certainly going to tend towards positivity.

Might be the most nice guy diss to his supporters a guy has done. Even went as far at to say bikes have gotten cheaper. Bikes have kept up with inflation. They are just as expensive as they have always been

Ian, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I see your reviews as very well balanced. You hit the nail on the head with "disagreeing without being disagreeable". I see Zack Courts "Daily Rider" as the epitome of this. Zack covers a really diverse cross section of motorcycles and sets his personal preferences aside to showcase the positive and negative attributes of each bike. I think it's the way he delivers the negatives that really shine.

Awesome video! It's all about semantics. Best!

I usually agree with you but not on this one sorry Ian! It’s called conflict of interest as soon as the company pays for your trip no matter how you put it.

I was a great fan of yours, Ian, but stopped watching your channel after what I thought was an incredibly biased review of the Himalayan. When I rode it a few weeks ago, I thought it was one of the worst bikes I’d ever ridden, and yet there you were, saying it was the best thing since sliced bread🙁

I just recently bought a W800 cafe. An unpopular bike that was not very well received by many journalist or simply not much attention was given to it. It is one of my favorite bikes. I simply cannot understand how it is not more popular but then I think of motorcycle journalism, it is mostly driven by the manufacturers. That’s the only explanation to it. Everything is about adventure bikes or fast bikes and many simply just continue to repeat each other. Your uniqueness in your niche area but in general there are not many good reviewers out there.

Hi Ian, thanks for this video. I’d like to hear your thoughts on the recent proliferation of AI videos about motorbikes. I ride a KLR 650 and get bombarded with vid after vid of AI generated garbage about the ‘new 2025’ KLR that simply doesn’t exist.

Reviews should be mostly positive. Every model is the right choice for someone. I watch RU-vidrs who are good at exposing the strengths and weaknesses of the machine they're reviewing. I even find value in reviews for bikes that I will never buy. The more knowledge I have about the marketplace, the more prepared I am to find the machine that fits best my riding environment, budget, skill, fitness level and numerous other factors. That could very well be a bike that is unpopular. I would also guess that being a negative nelly does not boost a channels subscription numbers.

Well, seems like the comment section is disagreeing with you.

This was perfect, exactly what I have always thought of review channels

Hope your home is okay , I see they are evacuating some areas near wrightwood due to the fires . If so good luck and be safe .

It's like when you have to attend a convention. Its work, not a vacation. But to the outsider you are getting to travel, free food, going out for drinks and lots of free swag.

A RU-vid review of any particular bike is an advertisement for that bike, whether the channel paid or not. The channel benefits by getting more bikes to review and can gain more views, subscriptions etc. It would not be in the channel's best interest to be negative in a review as you would likely get less opportunity in the future. The manufacturers are buying positive reviews but it is much more nuanced than a paid party weekend.

Good video and I really enjoy your reviews.

You are either trolling us or do not understand how humans work. Admittedly people are far more complex machines than motorbikes :-) But seriously, this topic, completely out of your element, simply overwhelmed you. It is a mishmash of random and sometimes contradictory statements without a solid structure. You are a far more reliable source of useful information about specific bikes than FortNine. FortNine is much more fun combined with psychological-philosophical aspects of motorbiking. After your review I know more about the bike. After watching FortNine I feel like I know more about myself. They are thinkers even though they too sometimes misfire.

When you say you’re not on vacation because your employer pays for you to be there… that’s the point, you’re now a paid employee of that company since you accepted compensation. That’s fine, you’re in the entertainment industry, not an unbiased journalist. Just accept it.

I've been with you since your beginnings and I want to say that you have come a long way. Always look forward to your posts. Now, you are running a business and you have to walk a fine line when it comes to reviewing motorcycles. If you are flown to Portugal for a few days to ride a MC you can only review what your experience is from those couple of days. As we know anyone would enjoy a new bike in a beautiful setting. We have our favorite YT reviewers and respect their thoughts on a bike, but if you are really in the market for a bike you need to dig deeper and spend at least a year viewing real ownership reviews from people that are a regular Joe and can give a review that won't effect their way of life. We rely on your content and respect your opinion, because for me I do think you are "Brutally Honest" with your opinions. Also, I have to say this, some RU-vidrs are in a very comfortable financial position and can afford to be more negative on a product than others, but if you are seasoned you know when you are getting a very positive review on a product that your gut is telling you, nah.

In short, you are saying: "This is not a vacation, so the fact that manufacturers pay doesn't mean l would give positive review". It's a wrong premise. Think of it as natural selection: those that give positive reviews are more likely to be invited by manufacturers and, as a result, they have greater chance to build audience and become popular over the years. In a sense, manufacturers are - indirectly - cultivating journalists who provide positive reviews. Fortnine criticism stands: they are indirectly buying positive reviews.

Let's not be full of shit and admit, I'll probably be in love with most of the motorcycles, considering the circumstances. I mean you're in some great place, riding brand new model and it's all for free. What's not to like. It's about creating an inviroment, where the reviewer is in good mood, positive review will just follow naturally. So yea, I mean who can blame you guys, I'll be positive about most motorcycles too if I were in your shoes.

Oof so much to unpack here...I think I'll just wait until we run into each other at an event and have a conversation after your groupies clear out 😁 Love your work Ian.

Don't sweat it. You're doing fine. You state very clearly when there is potential bias and your audience knows it.

If you gave a bad review, how long do you think it would take until you were no longer invited back? That is incentive enough for you to give positively biased reviews.

Ian, how many times have your expenses been paid for by a motorcycle manufacturer? How many times did you give them a bad review?? Never??

My perspective goes back to 1971 when I purchased my first motorcycle. Modern bikes are *** SO *** MUCH *** BETTER *** than what I started on. These days it's splitting hairs within the classifications. I think there are some basic evolutions that can generate valid criticism, but everybody is making really good bikes. I've no problems with your reviews Ian, well, except I'm too old now to justify buying the latest and greatest.

Maybe one reason for positive reviews is that bikes are generally well made. It would be suicide for a manufacturer to produce a motorcycle with major shortcomings. And.... Why would a reviewer choose to waste time reviewing a bike that is well known to be inferior. I would want to be in line to review (ride) the latest and greatest available.

Oh the irony of proclaiming journalistic independence while wearing a manufacturer's sweatshirt

I like that you show video of T7 while talking about negative reviews for T7 there is really a lot of negative

I totally get you! I'm a hgv driver. People say things like...oh great, you get to see the world! No! I get to see motorway after motorway and industrial estates! 😂

Your analpgy on business trip is just dead wrong. Its like asking "if your employer pays for your business trip, but you have to write a review on its product and your continued employment depends on whether employer likes your review, do you consider it a vacation?"