No, of course not. Join the forum (pay the dues) and get full access at any time.
And just to be clear, when the six months is up, a forum subscriber does not 'get the boot', not at all. Anyone / everyone can still read the COG forum but you cannot search, and you cannot post. But anyone can read most though not all of the forum without logging in, which is how it will be after the six months trial period.
At least that is how I understand it. I have no information other than what is already published on the COG website and so may well be wrong.
As I understand it, this change was done in response to some members feeling they were footing the bill and forum subscribers were sort of hanging on for free. Back when I was a member, there was a lot of abuse delivered by forum members (read: not dues paying members), and I viewed it as basically I was paying for others to be obnoxious and abusive. The current changes have absolutely nothing to do with me as I have not been a member of COG since '14 IIRC but the principle still applies, again at least in my opinion. And this is just one of many changes COG management has made to the forum to improve things and reduce or eliminate obnoxious behavior, and I believe it has been successful overall.
One other thought- dues are only $37 / year and that is really not a big deal for most, maybe all, who own and ride a motorcycle anyway. What is that, basically one oil change per year and even then not with the high- dollar oil? Decent headlight bulbs are close to that in cost and no one would lay-up a motorcycle because it blew out a headlight lamp.
So say a person signs on as a forum subscriber and in six months gets the boot cause he/she didn't buy into what they're selling, is said person then proscribed from ever being a forum subscriber again? I'd ask over there but I can't unless I sign on to be a forum subscriber which would start the six month doomsday countdown.