AdvertisingAge today reports the $1.2 B-as-in-billion sale of Primedia’s Enthusiast media devision to Florida-based investor group Source Interlink, which is in turn controlled by Yucaipa Cos., a supermarket-holding company owned by billionaire Ron Burkle.

The package includes over 70 magazines, more than 90 web sites, in excess of 400 branded products and 40-plus events.

For our purposes, it means venerable two-wheeled pubs from Motorcyclist to Street Chopper now have new owners.

Good news or bad? Cash strapped Primedia’s made no secret of their desire to shed debt for most of the past decade, after venture capital allowed them to gobble up magazine after magazine until they nearly choked on the overhead and debt service. The same backers who funded the expansion also sat tight when bankruptcy seemed the only option, preventing the otherwise certain collapse of the publishing house.

What happens next for titles like Hot Bike, Hot Rod Bike Works, Super Street Bike, Dirt Rider and others our powersports market has known for many years? The Magic 8-Ball says change is inevitable.

In a market crammed full with pubs of every description, claiming to fill even the smallest micro-niche, and where published ad rates for the most part are just numbers on paper, well, somebody’s going to have some explaining to do.