I remember reading my first issue of 2Wheel Tuner. It was a free promotional copy I picked up at Laguna Seca, when World Superbike was still the headliner of the race weekend there. At the time, I had no idea that one day I'd see my own name in that magazine's masthead.

We've changed a lot since then: the page count has grown, the production quality has improved, and the overall look of the magazine has evolved over the years. But since our first issue back in 2004, one thing hasn't changed: our commitment to bringing you the best bikes, tech tips, products and events in the aftermarket sportbike scene.

2Wheel Tuner was the first nationally distributed magazine dedicated to the aftermarket sportbike scene — then, our world was a small but growing part in the motorcycle industry. It's been amazing to watch our little niche grow into the force it is today, and we'd like to think we had something to do with that.

Complacency is something we just don't have room for — in the pages of 2WT or in this industry. The scene continues to evolve, and it's up to us to find the most cutting-edge bikes and the newest aftermarket parts that are going to make your ride the trendsetter.

Back when I got that very first issue of the mag, some of the featured customs weren't much more than a pretty paint job and a few chrome bolt-ons. These days we see more one-off parts, and accessories have evolved from being flashy décor to essential parts of the motorcycle. Air ride is a great example: a few years ago, it was sufficient to have an aftermarket shock. After all, there was enough chrome on the outside of the bike to keep onlookers happy. But once everyone started bolting on the chrome, builders and bike owners alike started looking for new ways to gain the advantage. Air ride came into vogue, along with other creative modifications.

Of course, now air ride is becoming the standard, not the exception. So what will set the next crop of bikes apart from the crowd? Superbike-spec motors? Clear bodywork that exposes a bike's inner workings? A windscreen that doubles as an LCD screen for watching DVDs?

It's important for us to evolve along with the industry while maintaining that originality and 2WT style that set us apart to begin with. You don't want your bike to look like everyone else's, and we feel the same way about our magazine. Sure, we've changed a little over the past four years, but we're still the original, and still the authentic voice of the aftermarket sportbike scene.

Our industry owes a lot of its style to drag racing, a sport that is no stranger to evolution. All those extended swingarms and wide tires had their genesis at the drag strip: function was turned into fashion. However, the effect has been seen at the track, too. Customized race bikes are showing up at the strip now, and while speed will always be king, looks are increasingly important. It's part of drag racing's evolution, but everyone agrees that the sport is still an authentic display of speed and skill above all else.

What makes you an authentic rider? How is your bike original? We know these traits are important to you because you've chosen to read the original aftermarket sportbike magazine. Let me know how you set yourself apart from the rest. We'll be here, bringing you cutting-edge bikes, new accessories and the hottest events, just like we have been since 2004.

-Beth