Motorcycle.com Adds a New Editor

While some moto publications are cutting back and constricting, Motorcycle.com is proud to announce the addition of a new editor to our masthead.

MO readers, meet Jon Langston, our new Associate Editor. I knew Langston was a cool cat when I first met him at the Harley-Davidson Blackline unveiling in January 2011. Held in Manhattan’s SoHo district in New York, the event was just across the East River from Langston’s current home in Brooklyn. Jonny, as his friends call him, was there on behalf of RoadBike magazine, but I kept him in mind in case we’d be in the position to expand our editorial staff.

Well, that time is now, as today marks his first day on the job. We’re thrilled to have him aboard, as he has a perfect background for the job.

Although he’s a die-hard fan of New York, Jonny actually grew up in SoCal where he’s now relocated. He fondly recalls riding his Yamaha YZ80 as a kid and idolizing moto heroes such as MX legend Hurricane Bob Hannah and master showman Evel Knievel.

After graduating from Cal State University, Fullerton with a communications/journalism degree, Langston made a cross-country move to New York City in 1994 to intern at SPIN magazine. After “a nowhere life of slinging cocktails and failed rock bands,” Jonny was brought into the motojournalism ranks when he was hired in 2005 as Assistant Editor at TAM Communications, publisher of American Iron Magazine and RoadBike. His 2008 year was eventful, as he was promoted to Associate Editor of RoadBike and married his “Angel from Milwaukee,” Colleen.

Although Langston was happy where he was at, he was intrigued by the opportunity of working for Motorcycle.com. But that would mean uprooting his family which now included two kids: Harley and Mazie.

But, thankfully, we eventually wore him down and coerced him to join the MO crew. Having spent a lot of his time writing about cruisers, Jonny will bring a fresh perspective to our editorial bent and will better enable us to write authoritatively about that enigmatic market.

But he’s definitely more than just a cruiser guy. When asked to pick three of his favorite bikes currently available, he tossed out a diverse trio. He really digs Triumph‘s modern classic range, especially the T100 Bonneville and the Scrambler, explaining the reinvigorated brand inspires him. In addition, he has affection for the versatile and rugged BMW R1200GS. And, in the cruiser realm, he believes Harley‘s Dyna line provides a great balance of coolness and comfort.

We’ll be happy to benefit from Langston’s varied knowledge base, but more than that, we’re pleased about how he thinks of motorcycles in general.

“I like to ride for probably the same reason I always ride with the window open in a car and must have the window seat on an airplane,” he explains. “I don’t want to miss a thing. I need to see, feel, and smell where I’m going and where I’ve been.”

Glad to have you on the Motorcycle.com team, Jonny!

By Kevin Duke