Podcasts about MV Agusta

Dave Roper has been racing motorcycles for more than half a century. The New England native is probably best known for campaigning exotic vintage machinery under the Robert Iannucci-led Team Obsolete banner. He's fast, too. In fact, Roper won more than half of the races he entered on Iannucci's 1959 Matchless G50, including, famously, the 1984 Senior Historic TT at the Isle of Man.“We lived relatively close to Lime Rock Park in northwest Connecticut,” Roper tells “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long. “We used to go up there and watch the sports cars. That's what I thought I wanted to do.” Once he found motorcycling, however, Roper was immediately hooked. “Motorcycles are more accessible,” he explains. “They're cheaper, they're smaller, they're easier to work on.”Now in his 70s, Roper has been the subject of many editorial projects, including a documentary film, “Motorcycle Man.” “I don't feel like I'm all that special as a racer,” he says. “I've had some success. I've arranged my life so I can continue doing it; I'm not married, I don't have any children. I love the social aspect of it, traveling and seeing people who you share a very special thing with.” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

From a teenage pizza-slinging street racer to a professional National Hot Rod Association-winning Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racer, Steve Johnson understands the value of humble beginnings. He also knows exactly how it feels to reach 200 mph in less than 7 seconds. “I always tell everybody it's like hanging on to a bullet after it's been shot out of a gun.”“First to 500” is Johnson's career calling card. “If you go to all the races in the year that the sanctioning body puts on,” he explains to host Mark Long on this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast, “and if you do it for 38 years, you'll have 500, too.” That is a competition milestone no other NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer has ever reached. In fact, no one has even come close.Rather than focus on his many racing successes, however, Johnson would rather talk about his off-track efforts. A California native who now calls Alabama home, Johnson is big on helping students achieve their goals. To that end, he founded the BAT-man Scholarship Program (“BAT” is an acronym for “Be A Technician”), awarded at high schools and technical colleges across the U.S. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Greek philosopher Plato is credited with the expression, “Our need will be the real creator,” which, loosely translated centuries later, became, “The true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention.” Peter Dering knows this feeling all too well, having come up with a device that, in the words of his company, Peak Design, “would make carrying and using a camera an absolute joy.”As he explains to host Mark Long in this episode of “Driven to Ride,” Dering moved to San Francisco for a construction engineering job. With his first bonus, he bought a Honda Nighthawk 750 and an SLR camera. “I used to ride with my camera slung across my chest every day,” says Dering. “Whoever designed the camera strap basically said, “Here's a business idea for you.”Nowadays, Peak Design offers a medley of innovative products, from unique backpacks and duffels to vibration-damping mobile-phone mounts and sturdy camera accessories. “We try to solve problems that we ourselves, the users of the product, encounter,” says Dering. “That's what we're known for, giving a solid rethink to products that are out there in the world.” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

If you're a motorcyclist living and riding in the U.S., Nick Haris works for you. Even more so if you're one of the more than 200,000 members of the American Motorcyclist Association, whose tagline is “Rights, Riding, and Racing.” Haris leads a team of six who comprise the AMA's government-relations department. Their job is to protect your rights as a motorcyclist in the halls of government.In the second of two interviews with Haris, “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long digs into significant issues facing 21st-century motorcyclists, such as autonomous vehicles. “If this technology cannot recognize and respond correctly to other road users,” states Haris, “and I don't care if it is a pedestrian, a bicyclist, a motorcycle, or another car, it shouldn't be allowed on public roads.”Haris sheds light on other hot-button subjects, like alternative energy, helmet laws, land management, and lane filtering. “I often say, ‘Ten percent of the world has an opinion about motorcycling. They're in favor of it—you and I. Ten percent have some reason they don't like it. And then, 80% don't care.' So, let's not move them into the, ‘I don't like motorcycling category,' by doing something stupid.'” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

En 1992 KTM se declaró en quiebra y su gestión la asumieron los bancos… más de 30 años después parece que la historia se repite… KTM supero su quiebra de 1992 para convertirse en el primer fabricante europeo de motos… ¿crees que va a suceder lo mismo? Desde final del pasado 2024 la situación de KTM es complicada: Muchas deudas, muchas motos invendidas y mucha incertidumbre… pero somos muchos los que pensamos que, de un modo u otro, la empresa saldrá adelante por la solidez de su marca, por su tecnología, por su implicación en el Motorsport y por la cantidad de puestos de trabajo que hay que defender. Este es un buen momento para volver la vista atrás y ver cómo nació KTM, como llegó a ser el fabricante número 1 de Europa y luego a entrar en crisis… Pero antes de empezar, lo primero es saber que significa KTM, porque más o menos todo el mundo sabe, por ejemplo, que BMW es Bayerische Motoren Werke (Fábricas de Motores de Baviera), pero ¿KTM? Austria, 1937. El ingeniero austríaco Johann Trunkenpolz estableció un pequeño negocio en Mattighofen donde producía algunos elementos metalúrgicos a la vez que vendía automóviles Opel y motocicletas DKW. A ese negocio lo denomino Kraftfahrzeug Trunkenpolz Mattighofen cuya traducción podría ser “Vehículos a motor de Trunkenpolz en Mattighofen” … pero ese nombre nunca se registró. Los gestores de KTM vieron que la Europa de la postguerra necesitaba vehículos económicos y por tanto motos. Y nace la R100, primero como prototipo y ya fabricada en serie a partir de 1954, cuando los 20 empleados de la marca fabricaban tres motos al día… Konreif falleció en 1960 y dos años más tarde Trunkenpolz… Para entonces la empresa ya fabricaba modelos deportivos, como la Trophy de 125 cm3 y, algo que hoy parece raro, Scooter, como el Mecky y los Pony I y II. En esos momentos la marca ya tenía 180 empleados, pero en 1971 ya eran 400 empleados y ofrecía 40 modelos diferentes. En 1956 el piloto oficial de la marca Egon Dornauer participó en la famosa, aún hoy en dia, prueba de los International Six Days Enduro. Participó y ganó. Y para sorpresa de KTM esa victoria le dio una publicidad enorme y fue la principal causa de que KTM se orientase principalmente al off road. A mediados y finales de los años 80 caen en picado las ventas de ciclomotores y scooter, fallece en 1988 el hijo del fundador y en 1991 y los bancos se hacen con el control de la empresa y como suele ser habitual en estos casos la “despiezan” y la venden. Entra en escena Stefan Pierer, que llega en 1992 y revoluciona la empresa. Solo dos años después de su llegada se pone a la venta la Duke, que supone la apuesta de la marca por el asfalto. Ahora muchos critican a Pierer… pero con él llega la expansión de la marca. Pierer decide, con un acuerdo con Audi, fabricar coches superdeportivos como el KMT X-Bow, llega a acuerdos con ATV-Polaris para suministro de motores, con Kiska Design para el diseño de sus productos, entre ellos su coche, y se hace con el control de las marcas Husaberg, Gas Gas, y finalmente MV Agusta. Bajaj adquiere en 2007 el 14,7 por ciento de la marca, porcentaje que pasa a nada menos que un 47 por ciento en 2017, como quien dice, hace cuatro días. Nada hacía presagiar lo que iba a suceder, pues todos entendíamos que la historia reciente de KTM con Pierer a los mandos era una carrera de éxito, un poco alocada, quizás, con una jefatura un poco dictatorial, puede, pero de éxito. ¿Y qué ha pasado? Pues que a finales de 2024 aparecen 265.000 motos sin vender. El diario alemán “Estándar” fijo en esta cifra las motos sin vender que estaban en los concesionarios KTM de todo el mundo… las ventas de todo un año. Eso era un gran, grandísimo problema… pero no el único. De momento Pierer ya no lleva el timón, los inversores quieren a alguien con mucha cabeza, mucha prudencia y que les trasmita mucha confianza… ye eso para ofrecérselo Gottfried Neumeister, un nombre poco conocido por el gran público, pero de enorme prestigio. La carrera de Gottfried arrancó en Siemens AG Austria; en 2003 fundó “flyniki” con Niki Lauda, que vendieron a Air Berlín en 2012 ganado mucho dinero en la operación; llegó a ser su CEO de DO &CO, una enorme empresa de catering austriaca, entre el 21 y el 23 y entra en KTM AG en 2024. Creía interesante que conocieseis la historia de KTM, porque justo El 25 de febrero de 2025 se han tomado decisiones importantes para KTM… este vídeo está grabado justo el 26. Pero hay una tercera noticia, buena o mala, según se mire. Uno de los administradores concursales que decidirán el futuro de la compañía es Peter Vogl, quien ha declarado a Business Live: “En la reunión de balance del martes, BMW Motorrad ha mostrado su interés en participar como inversor y continuar con la marca KTM, pero ya no en Austria.” Si esto llegara a darse a finales de este año, los 4.500 empleados de KTM en Austria estarían oficialmente fuera de la empresa.

Annick Magac and “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long grew up in different parts of the country, but they share common ground. They both live to ride and ride to live, as the saying goes, and they both have a strong sense of community. What's more, Magac founded her own motorcycle-oriented podcast, “Féroce,” which, as its title suggests, inspires listeners to “live fiercely.”No surprise, Magac has a competitive streak. In her 20s, she road-raced a Grand Prix-style Honda RS125 in American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association and Championship Cup Series events at various East Coast tracks, including historic New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “It was amazing,” she says, reminiscing about the diminutive two-stroke. “I think that may be the most exotic thing I've owned.”In this episode, Magac offers tips for riders who use motorcycles as their main form of transportation. Top of the list, she says, is warmth and safety. “I have heated grips. I have a connect for a heated vest. I don't fool around anymore with being cold. And I always wear gear. That's my commitment to my family and my commitment to myself in case things go sideways.” Check. Check.Annick's website - https://liveferoce.com/Annick on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@annickmagacFÉROCE Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/live.feroceAnnick's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/annickmagac Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

You can find our The Lost Biker Stories book, tool rolls, stickers and prints here: https://www.thelibertatia.com ______________ Please do leave a comment and share your thoughts. If you've got a story, insight or pictures to share, you can also email hi@tuesdayatdobbs.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/@tuesday_at_dobbs My other YouTube channel: ‪@FreddieDobbs ______________ Time Stamps: 0:00: Electric Motorcycles: How Far Have We Really Progressed? 2:17: The Kawasaki E1 and Kawasaki Z E1 electric motorcycles 6:48: Royal Enfield Scram 440 8:00: Mutt Motorcycles Go Bust 9:55: Home Modification Kits for the Honda CB1100 12:53: Bargain Suzuki SV650 16:28: Classic Scramblers in the Alps 18:00: Bikes of the Week: Triumph Daytona 1200, Triumph Bonneville, MV Agusta

Motorcycling and politics don't mix, right? They do for Nick Haris. In college, the Washington state native was an economics major and worked at a motorcycle shop. Degree in hand, he applied for his dream job: a government-relations role at the American Motorcyclist Association. “It was just kind of a natural combination of that interest in politics and that love for motorcycling,” he says.In 2023, after more than 20 years on the job, Haris was made director of the AMA's Government Relations department. In the first of two interviews with “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long, Haris reiterates something we all know, that motorcyclists are a relatively small portion of the U.S. population. “If we look for reasons to divide ourselves,” he says, “we're not going to have a lot of success.”Spending long, memorable days in the saddle gives Haris time to think about the future of our country. “Reality is,” he says, “it's the city council that makes the decision or the board of supervisors that sets the zoning rule that really probably affects you more on a daily basis than anything that Congress is going to do. Day to day, it's the locals that you really need to get to know.” Good advice. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Larry Fletcher grew up in Wisconsin in the late 1960s and early '70s, like a lot of people his age, doing “silly stuff” on minibikes with his buddies. He took a break from motorcycling until he moved to Chicago as a 20-something. “I figured out, what a great way to commute,” he says. “Bikes were an easier way to get around, and I loved getting back in the saddle again. It was great.”Fletcher worked the Chicagoland bar and club circuit. Motorcycles, especially the vintage British iron he favored, were part of the street scene. That eventually led in the mid-1990s to establishing an official chapter of the U.K.-based “59 Club,” which was famously founded by the late Rev. Bill Shergold, known in two-wheel circles as the “ton-up vicar.”Fast forward to the present day. Fletcher, Martin Cimek, and Sean McKeough have grown the annual MOTOBLOT hot-rod culture celebration into an event so big it needed its own dedicated venue. “Whatever you're into,” he says about the biker blowout of the summer, “internal combustion or even now with electric, anything on two wheels, we embrace it.” Invitation accepted! Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

En este episodio de *Dame Rueda* nos traemos un formato diferente y un repaso a la actualidad motera con nuestro toque especial. ¡Acompáñanos en este magazine cargado de noticias, rumores y análisis del mercado de motos de ocasión! **Secciones destacadas:** ✅ *Noticias Flash:* Aprilia Tuareg Rally 2025, Harley Davidson 2025 y Kawasaki revolucionando el 2T ❌ *Bluff:* La crisis de KTM, la ruptura con MV Agusta y la normativa de reciclaje en motos *Tema Central:* El mercado de motos de ocasión en España en 2024 y su evolución en 2025 *Estafas en la compraventa:* Experiencias reales y consejos para no caer en trampas . SECCIONES: -10/11 de Ramón: El cambio de aceite. -Ruta de Alex: Alpes etapa 9 -MotoTBO: La moto de capitán América. -Sin pelos en las Ruedas: Análisis KTM 390 ADV Con la participación de Carlos Prado, Clara V9, Ramón Rodríguez, Alex Lupo, Jorge del Castillo, Ander Miranda y Jose González. ¡Dale al play y disfruta de un episodio lleno de debate, información y buen rollo motero! Whatsapp: http://wa.me/34644020615 Email: Damerueda@gmail.com TIENDA: https://www.latostadora.com/shop/damerueda/?shop_trk Encuéntranos en: Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@damerueda Instagram Dame Rueda: https://acortar.link/bqWGOu Instagram Bicho Raro: https://www.instagram.com/bichoraro_damerueda/?hl=es Instagram Diez-Once: https://www.instagram.com/diezonce_damerueda/?hl=es Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/damerueda Telegram: https://t.me/dameruedagrupo Blog Dame Rueda: https://damerueda.home.blog/ Email: Damerueda@gmail.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@damerueda?_t=8jFKY9ClhWC&_r=1 #DameRueda #PodcastDeMotos #MotosDeOcasión #NoticiasMotociclismo #Kawasaki #HarleyDavidson #Aprilia #KTM #MVAgusta #MercadoMoto #Motociclismo

It's that time of year where we head to Vegas for the AimExpo. This is an industry expo where you can see new bikes, parts, products, manufacturers, organizations and anything else you can think of that is involved in the motorcycle industry. Its a place to network, see old friends, and talk to industry experts all under one roof. We love it especially because of the access to people who can answer all of our questions, and we have a lot of them. Liza talks to Ollie from Oset bikes, an electric trials bike company that makes bikes for every age and size. Emma and Liza talk to John at KTM, and find out what we truly can expect in the future for them, and put to rest the rumors of their demise. Liza talks to Jason at Cometic Gaskets, and finds out what the latest technology in gaskets is and how it works. Phil and Liza talk to Chris at Moto Morini about their latest offerings of bikes, which truly reflect their Italian heritage and design. This is definitely a brand you should be checking out. Jim and Scottie talk to Matt at Cruz Tools, and learn more about these tool sets that are not just brand, but model specific. Scottie and Junky talk to Ted at Blaster, who makes products you know like PB Blaster, Metal Rescue and Gunk. They've developed a complete line of products for motor sports, as well as a new spray bottle cap that's exactly what we needed. Emma talks to Jose at MV Agusta about their future after being sold by KTM, as well as their line of bikes that may well be the sexiest motorcycles you can buy. Craig talks to Clinton at Battery Tender about how important battery maintenance is, as well as the wide array of chargers they sell and the advantages each one has. And lastly we record at the One Show, give a recap of the event, and talk about each of our favorite bikes there. With Liza, Miss Emma, Craigzilla, Naked Jim, Scottie, Junky, Mike and Chris. breakingawayadventures.com/misfits-rally-vol-3 motorcyclesandmisfits.com/shop Join our Discord at discord.gg/hpRZcucHCT www.motorcyclesandmisfits.com motorcyclesandmisfits@gmail.com www.patreon.com/motorcyclesandmisfits www.zazzle.com/store/recyclegarage www.youtube.com/channel/UC3wKZSP0J9FBGB79169ciew

KTM's future is one of the biggest stories in power sports right now, and we get the inside scoop straight from John Hinz, CEO of KTM North America. Live from AIM Expo 2025, we dive into KTM's restructuring, the MV Agusta sale, dealer strategies, and inventory shifts—plus their ongoing commitment to racing. Don't miss this candid conversation on where KTM is headed next!

Thalassa Van Beek fell in love with motorcycling as a teenager working as a hostess and model in her native Netherlands. She was handing out brochures at a trade show when a blue Yamaha YZF-R6 caught her eye. “Right then and there,” she recounts to “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long, “I decided to get my license because I needed to ride that bike.”Van Beek earned her license at age 19, and she has been riding pretty much ever since. She bought a Honda VTR250, which was followed by a CBR600F and then her dream R6. Today, living in motorcycle-crazy Spain, she owns a handful of machines—all Yamahas. “Every time I'm on the bike, it just makes me happy and excited, like I can conquer the world.”Van Beek eventually formed her own agency, “Motorcycle Marketing.” She surrounded herself with experts specializing in copywriting, graphic design, SEO, and social media. She has one hard-and-fast rule: Everyone has to ride motorcycles. “It's a specific language,” she says. “You can just tell when a campaign is written by someone who isn't a biker. It shows.” Indeed, it does. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Moms are the best advice-givers. Wyoming native Brady McLean once dated a woman from a multi-generational motorcycle family. “Her mom is the first one that I can ever remember saying, ‘Go fast, don't die,'” he recalls. McLean took that message to heart and ultimately founded a lifestyle apparel brand by the same name dedicated to “the culture and community that inspired our existence.”Emboldened by the roads he and his friends call home, McLean helps spearhead the “DevilStone Run,” an annual motorcycle ride through the Equality State. The four-day trip begins at Devil's Tower, in the northeast corner of Wyoming, passes through Yellowstone—the world's first national park—and concludes in Jackson Hole at the base of the Grand Tetons.Asked to name the most rewarding aspect of building “Go Fast, Don't Die,” or any of his other businesses, McLean doesn't hesitate or mince words. “It's a million percent—no question, no close second—the people,” he says. “Whatever industry you're in, whatever business you run, you should be saying, ‘How can I make my community's life better?'” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Chiudiamo il 2024 tra gravi difficoltà e molte incertezze, Limitandoci al nostro mondo della moto: KTM, MV Agusta, Green Deal, auto elettrica, monopattini, Bagnaia, Marquez... Aiuto! Qui bisogna che l'anno nuovo si dia parecchio da fare

Dneska budeme tak trochu filozofovat. Z nášupu novinek pochopitelně vyčnívá KTM, která na jedné straně představila novou off-road adventuru a k ní úžasné video, na straně druhé je značka v obřích finančních problémech. Výroba stojí, MV Agusta bude pravděpodobně zase měnit majitele a nikdo neví, co bude dál. Do toho si popovídáme i o dalších novinkách nebo o tom, kam míří kolínská výstava Intermot.

Some might say Aussie Alana Baratto was destined to work in the motorcycle industry. Her father was a rider, both on- and off-road, and he shared that cherished pastime with his daughters. Alana was gifted a Yamaha PW50 at age four and attended her first Grand Prix a year later. “It was something that I grew to love,” she explains, “and then decided to make into a career.”After a stint as a service advisor in a Sydney dealership, Baratto took a role with Aprilia. She went back to school and earned a marketing degree, ultimately leaving powersports for five years. “That passion doesn't go away, I discovered, so I came back,” she says. Four years with KTM led to her current position, head of marketing for Ducati Australia and New Zealand.“Having that understanding of the dealership floor is invaluable,” Baratto tells Mark Long on this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast, “so there's nothing about my career that I would change.” While she admits it can take a concerted effort to keep that passion burning, it's definitely easier to get out of bed every morning when you do what you love. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Riflettori puntati sulla nostra MV Agusta. A un solo anno di distanza dall'acquisizione, KTM  l'ha messa in difficoltà e la situazione è drammatica. Potrebbe davvero riprenderne il controllo Sardarov? Quale futuro per Schiranna?

There are few better examples of a relationship coming full circle than British expatriates Teejay Adams and Arthur Coldwells. The pair knew each other as teenagers, and even dated, but they didn't marry until some 40 years later, well into adulthood, on the heels of other relationships, and, in Teejay's case, raising three children. Another common theme between Teejay and Arthur? A deep and lasting passion for motorcycling.Teejay's earliest memories of two wheels are of riding pillion in London with her boyfriend at the time. “I just loved it,” she says. “We were on 1970s Japanese motorcycles, and they were just chrome and colorful and gorgeous, and I was completely swept up by that whole rugged, manly thing. That was my introduction. From there, I moved on to riding myself.”Coldwells got his start in boarding school, secretly forming a motorcycle club with a fellow student. “I had been reading Motor Cycle News and was completely caught up in the whole racing and motorcycle thing,” he recalls. Arthur founded Ultimate Motorcycling magazine 20-plus years ago. More recently, he and Teejay started their own podcast, “Motos and Friends,” which focuses on bike reviews and culture.Ultimate Motorcycling WebsiteMotos & Friends Podcast Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Motorcycling and music seem to go hand in hand, or at least that's the opinion shared by Wes Fleming, the host of “Chasing the Horizon,” and Mark Long, the host of “Driven to Ride.” Both enjoy playing stringed instruments, Wes favoring the guitar while Mark is a bass player. “I don't think that's a bad thing,” admits Fleming, adding, “It's the two groups of people that I like.”Besides his podcasting duties, Fleming is the digital media editor for the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, a 25,000-member organization with more than 40 years of history and a network of riders across the entire U.S., 10 Canadian provinces, and all seven continents. Despite its affiliation with the German marque, “Chasing the Horizon” covers other brands and aspects of the powersports industry.In addition to “Chasing the Horizon,” which Fleming describes as, “by, for, and about motorcyclists” he produces three other motorcycle-related podcasts, “200 Miles Before Breakfast,” “The Ride Inside with Mark Barnes,” and “Riding Into the Sunset.” Fleming also fronts an instrumental rock band called Hypersonic Secret and plays in a surf-music band Agent Octopus. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Bob Starr considers himself “lucky,” having spent his entire career in the motorcycle industry, including more than 32 years at Yamaha in marketing and, currently, corporate communications. “I turned a passion of mine at a very early age into a lifelong career,” he says with the enthusiasm of a teenager, “and I have really, really enjoyed it. I hope I've made a difference in the industry and, certainly, to Yamaha.”As the New Hampshire native relates, motorcycles made an early impression. Playing in the front yard of his childhood home, he vividly recalls hearing a bike pass by. “It was a Triumph, and it happened to belong to a local volunteer fire-department member. I would always wave, and he would always wave back. He had pipes on it, and it made a lot of noise. It was very influential to me.”Some of the behind-the-scenes highlights that Starr relates to Mark Long, host of the “Driven to Ride” podcast, are almost too good to be true. Like the time Wayne Rainey proposed that fellow three-time 500cc World Champion and mentor Kenny Roberts ride a two-stroke TZ750 flat-tracker at the 2009 Indianapolis Mile in exchange for Yamaha sponsorship at a celebrity pro-am golf tournament. Lucky, indeed. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

The couple that rides together, stays together, right? Well, Cassey Stone, founder of the “Hell Yeah! Moto” women's dirt bike riding school, and Jacob Michna, former head of the AMA Hare and Hound National Championship Series now running the AMA West Hare Scramble Championship Series, bring vastly different two-wheel experiences to their relationship, which probably explains why they get along so well.“Is it a Cassey ride?” That's the most-asked question Stone hears when word spreads of a single-track off-road ride that she may in fact be leading through the wilds of Idaho. “I love showing people around and taking them on trails,” says Stone, adding that she enjoys turning up the heat. “When people start to ride in the desert, the next step has got to be the walk-out-at-midnight ride in the mountains with Cassey.”Both Michna and “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long have survived Stone's outings. “She definitely taught me a lot of the ways of the woods—stuff like how to saw deadfall trees,” admits Michna, whose day job is events manager for FLY Racing. “Any woods knowledge I have, I've definitely learned through her.” Listen to this episode, and you will understand even better why Stone and Michna perfectly complement each other. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Stage names often have interesting backstories. For Ryan Kluftinger, better known as “RyanF9,” host of the “FortNine” YouTube channel, the explanation is straightforward: His boss came up with the internet alias. At the time, Ryan wasn't exactly pleased, but he shrugged it off, figuring that was a small cost for the opportunity to produce his own content. Nearly a decade later, “RyanF9” is a household name in motorcycle circles.Ryan holds degrees in art history and physics, but he takes a journalistic approach to his videos. About FortNine, “Canada's online shopping source for motorcycle accessories,” he says, “From Day 1, they said, ‘Go make some content, brand it under FortNine, and make sure that motorcyclists find it useful or entertaining or valuable.' They never said, ‘Try to say nice things about the stuff we sell or try to promote this brand.'”Kluftinger is no charlatan. He's a second-generation motorcyclist who has been on two wheels since his pre-teen years. The Canadian earned his motorcycle license at age 17, and he doesn't own an automobile. “I tend to buy older stuff,” he admits. He currently owns four motorcycles, a Yamaha TT-R90, a Suzuki RV125 VanVan, a Honda GL500 Silver Wing, and a Yamaha TT350. In other words, he's one of us. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Like so many of his peers, Sean Bice began his lifelong love affair with motorcycling on a minibike. His adventures in small-town, northern New York state eventually led to the purchase at age 16 of a two-stroke Yamaha RD350, which Bice still owns. “My dad was cool enough to go, ‘I'll pay for half, you pay for half, but you have to take care of this bike,'” he recalls. “It's where I got started. I have a lot of memories of that motorcycle.”A writer by trade, Bice kicked off his professional career working for advertising agencies, but he is best known within motorcycling for time spent with first Yamaha and now MotoAmerica. “When I worked for Yamaha as a press officer,” he explains, “there were a fair amount of people who knew me for that, and it was mostly because I not only did road racing, but I also did motocross, supercross, off-road, and ATV.”Bice has been part of the MotoAmerica team for the past eight years. On this episode, he provides a primer on the eight classes that comprise the 10-round national series. Bice also touches on the forthcoming Talent Cup, which will replace Junior Cup in 2025, as well as the youth-oriented Mini Cup. On free weekends, Bice enjoys throttle therapy. “I like to go out on a perfect Sunday afternoon,” he says, “and just bomb around town.” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Keith Keller ventured from the U.S. to the Cayman Islands to experience first-hand the spectacular diving and snorkeling for which the British overseas territory located in the western Caribbean Sea is known, and he stayed for the motorcycling. That description may seem odd to dyed-in-the-wool riders, since Grand Cayman, the largest of the three islands, only encompasses 75 square miles—not exactly tailor-made for touring.On this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast, show host Mark Long interviews Keller, a California native whom he met while vacationing on Grand Cayman. A lifelong motorcyclist, Keller owns Cayman Custom Cycles, a “one-stop shop for all things motorcycle in Grand Cayman.” He also operates “Cayman Islands Motorcycle Tours,” which offers a lap of the island from the seat of a late-model Harley-Davidson Big Twin.Keller is a staunch advocate for the local motorcycling community and the founder of the Cayman Islands Motorcycle Riders Association—don't call it a “club.” The tours themselves are relaxed affairs, as Long can vouch, with Keller leading from the front, albeit on the left side of the road, which is the rule of law in the Caymans. Figure 90 miles round trip. “But,” Keller says proudly, “you see the whole island.”  Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

True story: “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long booked a Kawasaki Vulcan S through Riders Share for the MotoGP race weekend at Circuit of The Americas. Upon arrival in Austin, Texas, he went to the designated location to pick up the bike from owner Guillermo Cornejo. Turns out, Cornejo is the founder of Riders Share, said to be the largest motorcycle-sharing community in the world. What are the chances of that happening?Wait, there's more. The Kawasaki was only available for Long to use that weekend because Cornejo forgot to pause his motorcycle listing on the Riders Share website. Stranded without his usual two-wheel transportation, he was forced to Uber to COTA. “It was a terrible mistake,” admitted Cornejo, adding, “but I still made more money on Riders Share than I spent on Uber.” All's well that ends well, right?On this episode of “Driven to Ride,” Cornejo explains why booking a motorcycle through Riders Share can be easier and more cost-effective than renting one from a national agency or even a local brick-and-mortar dealer. Is Riders Share the right choice for your motorcycle-rental needs? Listen to this episode and decide for yourself. Perhaps, like Mark, you might even meet the owner of the company. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

For generations of teenagers, a driver's license represented independence, a milestone moment that transported fresh-faced wheelmen (and women) one step closer to adulthood. That is less so now, with fewer young drivers showing interest in taking to the road. Andrew Pieper, however, is all about bucking trends. In fact, he couldn't wait to pass his driving exam so he could buy, you guessed it, a motorcycle.“I always wanted a bike,” admits Pieper. “When I turned 16 and got my license, I immediately got my motorcycle endorsement. I didn't even have a car until college. I rode everywhere.” Everywhere, indeed. In June, 2022, Piper set the record for the fastest time on a motorcycle across America—from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Diego, California—28 hours and 42 minutes.On this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast, host Mark Long interviews the South Carolina native, who describes himself as, “Just a guy trying to live life fully alive.” Racing the clock on a Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird isn't for the faint of heart, and Pieper spent a lot of time planning his cross-country record attempt, not to mention enlisting a slew of supporters to help him achieve his unique goal. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

If spectating at a MotoGP race in Europe is on your bucket list, then the Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello won't disappoint, as “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long discovered firsthand this past June. Long spent the week traveling with his buddy Mike, who lives in Switzerland. Together, they enjoyed the full, immersive race-weekend experience camping on the scenic (and noisy!) Tuscan hillsides.To better understand the nuts and bolts of a MotoGP race, especially one held on the Continent, Long spoke with Friné Velilla, who has worked for series commercial rights-holder Dorna for 20 years, the past 15 as media manager. FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel Chairman Freddie Spencer knows his way around Mugello, too, the three-time world champ having won both the 250cc and the 500cc races on the same day in 1985.One of the fastest circuits on the calendar, Mugello is also one of the most difficult to nail as a rider. “It's technical, it's high-speed,” Spencer explained, “but it challenges you mentally.” Long met two more Americans, J.J. and his son Connor. “This is number one on my list of the tracks I wanted to go watch,” J.J. said about Mugello. And Long's post-event advice? Go. Just go. But remember to bring earplugs. You'll need 'em. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

“You've come a long way, baby,” was an advertising slogan created in the 1960s by Philip Morris for cigarette brand Virginia Slims. Aimed exclusively at women, the long-running campaign promoted equality among genders, particularly in the workplace. Crystal Fong has come a long way, too—both literally and figuratively—as she explains to host Mark Long on this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast.California-born Fong, who has ridden her 250cc Honda Dominator through 40 European countries, was first exposed to motorcycling while attending college. “A friend of mine took me on the back of his bike,” she recalls. “I wore a cotton hoodie, with Nike Dunks, and a helmet that was way too big. We went 160 mph and did wheelies and endos. That was really fun, but very nerve-wracking, because I had no control.”Turns out, Fong prefers to be in control, as in the rider, not the passenger. She eventually earned her motorcycle license, bought a bike, and began commuting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she rode with a friend to Yellowstone National Park. The psyche-calming joy of being on a motorcycle ultimately led Fong to set her sights overseas. All taken one step—or more appropriately, one kilometer—at a time. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

“Farm to fork” is a popular movement in which restaurants source fresh, locally grown ingredients from nearby farms for the meals they serve, as opposed to purchasing those items from wholesale distributors that cater to nationwide chains. Janus Motorcycles is the farm-to-fork of motorcycle makers, a regionally focused alternative to the global parts vendors used by many long-established manufacturers.In this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast, host Mark Long interviews classically trained architect Richard Worsham, who founded Janus Motorcycles in Goshen, Indiana. The northeastern part of the Hoosier state is well-known for its large Amish community, which provides the highly skilled and practiced labor to fabricate everything from steel frames—modeled after the classic Norton featherbed—to leather seats and saddlebags.Janus Motorcycles has purposely kept its offerings smaller in displacement and largely free from current technology trends. “We're more about the activity our customers are doing on the bike than we are about the technology it takes to get there,” says Worsham. “In our experience, we found the less technology you use, the more direct that feeling actually is—that sensation, that experience you have on the bike.” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Have you ever met someone who describes his or her time on this planet in such an entertaining way that you lose track of time? Well, that is the dilemma “Driven to Ride” podcast host Mark Long encountered with Mike van der Sleesen. Mike, the CEO of Vanson Leathers, was one of Mark's first guests, and that interview barely scratched the surface of a life of adventure spent on and around two wheels.See, Mike was born in the U.S. but he grew up in The Netherlands and France, where he was first exposed to the joys of motorcycling at 9 years old on a Solex with a small engine driving the front wheel. Van der Sleesen progressed to two- and four-speed Puchs, followed by another two-stroke, a Garelli. Slot in behind a passing truck at just the right moment, Mike recalled with a chuckle, and you might catch its draft.In the 1960s, Van der Sleesen found himself in the thick of the vibrant British motorcycle scene, which has never rubbed off. Today, he owns five Nortons in various trims, one of which he bought in 1972 and shipped stateside—two years before he co-founded Vanson Leathers, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Van der Sleesen reminds us that motorcycling, much like life, is all about the journey. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Jeff Allen has been taking beautiful photographs of motorcycles for Cycle World magazine and its digital sister, cycleworld.com, for more than 30 years. Jeff got his start in the early 1990s as a studio assistant. His current position as staff photographer has taken Jeff all over the world in a unique role that enables him to capture the essence of the sport while also experiencing two wheels firsthand.Jeff has often documented his experiences for publication in both print and on the web. “Royal Nepal Adventure: Entering the Forbidden Kingdom of Lo Manthang” left him gasping for oxygen at 15,000 feet on a Tibetan plateau. With son Evan, he set out on adventure bikes to experience the “winter wonders of the Baja California Peninsula” and to answer one of life's great questions: “Corn or flour tortillas?”Jeff Allen is not only an expert lensman; he is an expert rider. More often than not, on any job he is assigned, Jeff will be the rider with a large pack crammed with camera bodies, lenses, and related gear strapped to his back. But don't for one moment think the size or the weight of that pack slows him down, forcing others to wait for him to catch up. Jeff is always close behind, looking for the perfect photo opportunity. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

On this week's Pit Pass Moto, co-hosts Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito chat with Brian Healea about his experience in the motorcycle industry, both on and off the track. Hear about his track racing years and his current role with MV Agusta. Follow MV Agusta on Instagram. MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If there was a dictionary entry for “Moto California,” the definition might be “a nightclub on two wheels.” Or at least that is the concept West Coast transplant George Beavers had in his mind when he cooked up the idea of creating an exclusive and unique intercontinental vacation experience centered around riding fun motorcycles on spectacular roads in fairy-tale locations.Beaver's two-wheel-oriented business aspirations stem from a lifelong enthusiasm for all things motorcycle, which he relates to host Mark Long in this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast. “I looked at what everybody was doing,” said Beavers, “and I wanted to be different.” Hey, what else would you expect from someone who earned his motorcycle endorsement on a turbocharged Honda CBX?If Beavers, a schoolboy motocrosser and one-time champion club road racer, is enamored with the serpentine roads that populate California's Central Coast, the Tuscan countryside blows his mind. “Italians must spend all their money on pavement,” he says, “because the roads there are like glass.” Better yet, he adds, when it comes to the one-stop luxury accommodations, “You only unpack once.” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Rounding up the biggest stories from the world of motorcycling, this week on the pod Rob https://www.youtube.com/@motobob and Tim https://www.youtube.com/@RarefiedRoad discuss: 0:00 - Intro 0:36 - 2024 Indian Scout's genius new feature 17:42 - The Problem With MV Agusta's Enduro Veloce 29:04 - Electric Motorcycle Sales Plummet 32:15 - Why Is Suzuki's New GSX-8R Smashing It? 37:28 - Comment of the Week: Is the Svartpilen 801 actually ugly? 43:38 - Bike of the Week: K-Speed's Custom Triumph Scrambler 400X Other stories mentioned: https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2024/march/petrol-motorbike-sales-figures/ Motobob on the New 2024 Indian Scouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqW04Nj3fyk Want to sponsor this pod? Email enquiries@motobob.cc

Are you afraid to ride a motorcycle at night? Does your heart skip a beat when drops of rain appear on your faceshield? You're not alone. Carolyn Figueria—better known as “Doodle on a Motorcycle” to the legion of fans who subscribe to her YouTube channel—uses her ever-expanding platform to address these and other challenges that could have prevented her from enjoying motorcycling to its fullest.Known for her personal approach to creating unique content, Figueria has taken on many two-wheel topics relevant to both newer and more experienced riders, including picking up a fallen motorcycle. Showcasing her never-give-up approach to life, Carolyn went to the extreme, laying her 500-plus-pound, three-cylinder Triumph Tiger 900 on its side and then picking it up 100 times every day for a month.Figueria has spent the past eight years on a mission to become a better motorcycle rider. Along the way, she has showcased those adventures—both the highs and the lows—to educate, engage, and empower others. For all those reasons and more, Carolyn is an inspiration to motorcyclists everywhere, and we are pleased she is the guest on this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Welcome ladies, gentlemens and ornithologists, to Front End Chatter – episode 189 of Britain's favouritest motorcycling podcast presented by him, Simon Hargreaves, and him, Martin Fitz-Gibbons. This pod is, as ever, nurtured and natured by Bennetts, the gorram best bike insurers in 'verse, with their wealth of offers, discounts and competitions – and BikeSocial.co.uk, the website & YouTube channel with all the latest news, views, road tests and consumer info. And on this episode of FEC we have:  • Martin's experience riding the Triumph Daytona 660 at its recent launch • Simon's experience riding the Moto Gutzi V85TT at its recent launch • Norton victims get some of their money back • KTM assume control of MV Agusta  • and lots more – I mean, if I list it all here it's a bit of a plot spoiler so download the pod and have a listen, is the idea Please email your thoughts, queries and general comments – in fact anything at all, even poetry – to: anything@frontendchatter.com Please have a think about coming on tour with us: FECspana will be a glorious ten-day ride across France and Spain with a select group of FECers riding the finest roads, tasting the finest wines and eating the finest food. We'd love to have you along.  Go to www.bit.ly/fecspain for more info.  Reach us at:  @SimonHBikes @Mufga

Some people seem destined for a certain line of work—a family business, for example—while others set out on a unique and unexpected career path with a specific goal in mind. Sarah Schilke identifies with the latter, the Oregon native having established early on that a life spent on two wheels in the motorcycle industry was the one and only direction for her.Schilke has been employed at nearly every level of the industry. She began her journey as a motorcycle-safety instructor, worked the parts counter at a dealership, conducted market research, managed advertising and marketing programs, negotiated strategic business alliances, and ultimately has become one of the most recognized and valued members of the powersports community.Through her varied professional path, Sarah has never stopped riding motorcycles. She is an accomplished on- and off-road rider who never lets foul weather stand in her way of logging more miles. True to her family heritage, Sarah is fluent in German, which comes in handy with her current role as vice president for SW-Motech USA, the Beaverton-based distributor of SW-Motech products. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

WATCH all episodes on YouTube: Full Tank Motorcycle Podcast On today's episode, Rob https://www.youtube.com/@motobob and Tim https://www.youtube.com/@RarefiedRoad bring you the biggest stories from the world of motorcycling including the sad news that Yamaha's much beloved R1 engine is not being made Euro 5+ compliant and what that might mean for the future of some of their favourite petrol engines. Honda's latest patent for crosswind assist technology and the *ahem* suck and blow effect of crosswinds when you're out on your bike. The announcement that Brian Gillen is leaving MV Agusta for a new role at Norton. And as always your Comments of the Week - your suggestions for THE most beautiful bike of all time and Bike Of the Week, a crazy awesome Desert Bobber build from Thornton Hundred Motorcycles. Stories mentioned: https://www.visordown.com/news/general/yamaha-r1-and-r1-m-set-be-axed https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/honda-crosswind-assist-and-lane-warning-systems/ https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2024/february/mv-agusta-r-and-d-boss-joins-norton/ Thornton Hundred Bobber build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq4dq7pE0jk 0:00 - Intro 0:14 - Goodbye to the R1 - and other fun engines? 12:48 - Crosswind Assist tech for motorbikes 19:12 - New CTO at Norton 24:37 - Comments of the Week: Most Beautiful Bike Competitors 33:45 - Bike of the Week: Thornton Hundred Motorcycles Desert Bobber

Hello everyone and welcome once again to Motos and Friends, brought to you by the Editors at Ultimate Motorcycling magazine.  I'm Arthur Coldwells. This week, Editors Don Williams and Nic de Sena discuss the 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide. The new Street Glide has had a total revamp, from the new fairing and lights, to the engine and chassis, the Street Glide is now an even more serious bagger than before. Nic and Don take us through their experiences with the new machine and why they're so pumped on the changes. In the second segment this week, recently appointed Head of MV Agusta North America, Luca Dovesi, chats with me about his vision for MV Agusta North America. Luca talks about the challenges he's facing and how he plans to leverage KTM's sales and distribution expertise to rebuild faith in the MV Agusta brand. We all know that the Italian manufacturer has always designed and produced the most exquisite and innovative motorcycles. But now, with the Pierer Mobility Group's considerable commitment and horsepower behind them, the future just might be looking pretty bright for MV Agusta, and us, the consumers in America. So, from all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode! We love your feedback! Please comment or suggest:   @ultimatemotorcycling  @UltimateMotoMag  @UltimateMotorcycling  producer@ultimatemotorcycling.com

This week, Editors Don Williams and Nic de Sena discuss the new Triumph Scrambler. This model uses the 1200 twin engine from the Bonneville range, and it in two distinct flavors, the X and the XE. Previous versions of the Scrambler were not very off-road focused, however Triumph has changed all that, and Nic had the opportunity to do a lot of pretty hard-core desert riding in his quest to find out how capable the Scrambler truly is once it goes off-pavement.    In the second segment this week, I chat with the recently appointed Head of MV Agusta North America, Luca Dovesi. Luca started his career with Ducati in Thailand, and he then moved on to KTM Singapore where he was head of After Sales and Network Development. Three and a half years later, in January 2023, he was brought in by KTM from Singapore, to head up the re-organization and re-emergence of MV in the US. As Head of the premier brand of Italian performance motorcycles, Luca's energy and enthusiasm came across very clearly as we talked about the progress made so far, and what KTM's plans are for the storied Italian marque.    So, from all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode! We love your feedback! Please comment or suggest:   @ultimatemotorcycling  @UltimateMotoMag  @UltimateMotorcycling  producer@ultimatemotorcycling.com

When Hank Snow took “I've Been Everywhere” to number one on the country-music charts, Dennis Noyes was writing for a daily newspaper in Venezuela. South America is a long way from central Illinois, where Noyes was born and raised. His father wrote for the “Stars And Stripes” and his mother was a linguistics professor at Purdue University, so words have always been and remain integral to Dennis' existence.Noyes ultimately landed in Spain, where he became a motorcycle road tester for Solo Moto and Motociclismo magazines, as well as a national championship-winning racer. For years, Dennis traveled the world reporting on the biggest names in Grand Prix road racing. Noyes' youngest son, Kenny, followed in his father's wheel tracks, making his world championship debut in 2010 and winning the Spanish national title in 2014.Today, Noyes is retired and living with his wife, Heidi, in California's Anza-Borrego Desert. He still kicks up dust on two wheels, namely a John Bloor-era Triumph Thruxton with a pair of Mikuni round-slide carburetors replacing the modern electronic fuel injection styled to look like traditional mixers. Noyes recently published his first novel, “Yonders, Illinois.” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Rob https://www.youtube.com/@motobob and Tim https://www.youtube.com/@RarefiedRoad bring you the motorcycle news, including arguably the most beautiful bike ever made now ready for production, the state of the Electric Motorcycle market and the very VERY familiar plans for Honda's Himalayan and Scram 411-esque offerings. Stories mentioned: https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/mv-agusta-superveloce-1000-production-ready/ https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/02/cake-electric-motorcycle-bankruptcy/ https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/honda-developing-gb350-based-royal-enfield-himalayan-rival/ https://silodrome.com/whitelock-tinker-toy-48-cylinder-motorcycle/ 0:00 - Intro 0:28 - Most beautiful motorcycle ever made? 10:21 - Are electric motorcycles viable? 14:48 - Are Honda copying Royal Enfield? 20:17 - Comments of the Week: Loud exhausts continued 27:11 - Bike of the Week: 48 Cylinder Kawasaki

When Bridget McCutchen set off from her rural midwestern home on a world tour, she had no idea what the next 16 months would bring. Some 451 days later, after covering nearly 50,000 miles and visiting 45 countries, the 22-year-old Wisconsin native had successfully checked off all the requirements to become the youngest person, man or woman, to travel around the world by motorcycle.McCutchen was new to motorcycling, with relatively few miles under her belt, when she began to map out her journey. No surprise, her trip wasn't as simple as connecting the dots. In Chile, McCutchen and a friend were robbed. Later, she was hit by a car, resulting in a concussion and other injuries. And then there was the war in Ukraine, which scratched plans to travel through Russia.“Part of the reason I'm traveling around the world is to show that the motorcycle demographic is changing,” McCutchen wrote partway through the trip on her website, two-wheels-round.com. “I represent the new generation of riders. Young women who enjoy motorcycling are a growing force; they are people who want to be more present, enveloped in the world, not encapsulated in the bubble of a car.” Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Would you let a complete stranger ride your prized motorcycle? Austin Rothbard is betting that you will—for a fee, of course. In fact, Rothbard started a business in 2017 based on that very concept. Rothbard is a motorcyclist himself and the founder and CEO of “Twisted Road,” a peer-to-peer, community-based rental service that he fondly refers to as the “Airbnb of motorcycles.”Twisted Road builds relationships with motorcycle owners who care about their machines. They keep their bikes clean and shiny. Proper maintenance is a priority. They can spout tire pressures—cold or hot?—quicker than their spouses' birthdates. And they expect the same from customers. One of the rental stipulations, for example, is that every motorcycle is returned with a full tank of gas.Find a motorcycle, book your days, and enjoy the ride of your life. According to Rothbard, the Twisted Road experience is that easy. Aiming to “unlock the motorcycles of the world so more people can experience life on two wheels,” the New Jersey native who now calls Chicago home truly embodies the entrepreneurial spirit. We are pleased to have Austin as a guest on this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

How's this for a company motto? “Hand built. Made to last.” Those aren't just words, either: Top Fuel Motorcycle drag racer and former world record holder Kory Hogan survived a 246-mph crash in a leather suit designed and manufactured under the unyielding direction of the guest on this episode, the founder and CEO of Vanson Leathers, Mike van der Sleesen.Founded in 1974 and operating since 1988 from a century-old textiles mill in Fall River, Massachusetts, Vanson has produced competition leather suits for many racing greats, including Giacomo Agostini, Freddie Spencer, and Jay Springsteen. Vanson products also have appeared in countless films and television productions and been worn by some of Hollywood's biggest stars.Despite these successes, Van Der Sleesen is as grounded as they come. He has a deep understanding of international business and a wealth of manufacturing experience, yet he is one of the great characters in the motorcycle industry. On this episode, show host Mark Long discusses the Norton Commando 850 ownership experience with van der Sleesen. Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

Michael Lichter rode a motorcycle to the Black Hills Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, for the first time in 1979—44 years ago. He documented that trip with a camera from the seat of his Harley-Davidson Shovelhead. Little did Lichter know that inaugural visit to  the wildly popular biker party would lead to attending dozens more rallies and hundreds of other similar events and gatherings around the world.Lichter fell in love with photography when he was a kid. By age 13, he had a working darkroom set up in the basement of his parents' home. Even on school nights, he would work until the early hours of the morning, when his parents came knocking. Later, he began to focus his lens on the biker culture and the quickly expanding custom side of motorcycling.In 2000, Lichter produced his first “Motorcycles As Art” exhibition, which morphed into a themed annual event staged initially at the Journey Museum in Rapid City. When the show outgrew that venue, Lichter moved it to Sturgis. From 2009 through 2022, the world-renowned artist curated the exhibit in a 7,000-square-foot gallery built specifically to house the show at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip.All our links: https://linktr.ee/driventoridepodcastBusiness Inquiries: hello@driventoridepodcast.com Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

In this week's episode:The difficulty selling classic and niche vehicles, is there really a problem with the Honda NC750X, and how good is the Yamaha Super Tenere 1200?______________Please do leave a comment and share your thoughts. If you've got a story, insight or pictures to share, you can also email hi@tuesdayatdobbs.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/@tuesday_at_dobbs My other YouTube channel: @FreddieDobbs______________Time Stamps:0:00: Intro1:00: Bajaj Motorcycles3:00: The Difficulty Selling Edgy Vehicles6:37: KTM Owner Moves Production to China (and MV Agusta in the future?)10:33: A Honda loving Australian12:05: Autism and a Ural… in the US ( Ural Classic Motorcycle )16:14: American Dreaming. The Harley Davidson Road King.18:22: Honda VFR1200X Crosstourer21:13: A 1982 BMW R100RS That Never Stops23:54: The BMW F650GS: Your Thoughts27:45: The Super Tenere 1200 and the Yamaha Tenere 660 Z30:10: The Honda NC750X: Is There Really a Big Problem With It?32:22: Bike of the Week: The Moto Guzzi V9

“Authenticity is earned through epic work” is one of Robert Pandya's favorite sayings, and indeed, Robert has done some epic work during his long and wild and varied career in the powersports industry. In fact, Pandya is a bit of a jack of all trades with experience in many aspects of marketing, from media relations to hosting and producing world-class events to creating content for digital and print publication.For the past two years, Robert has helped shape the future of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, known as “the best party anywhere.” But Robert's fascinating work experience is only one reason we asked him to be a guest on “Driven to Ride.” Robert is a motorcyclist to his core, and one of his passions is demonstrating ways for new riders to experience the joys of two wheels, whether it be on or off the road. In 2017, Pandya founded the “Give A Shift” initiative, a volunteer group effort intended to bring together creative and experienced people to pen a report and transcript of their conversations with the focus on improving the powersports business and encouraging a positive long-term future for motorcycling. Spend any time with Robert and you will definitely agree that he “gives a shift.”All our links: https://linktr.ee/driventoridepodcastBusiness Inquiries: hello@driventoridepodcast.com Connect with Us:Website: www.driventoridepodcast.comInstagram: www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/driventorideEmail:hello@driventoridepodcast.com

A motorcycle that is a piece of art? A manufacturer that is not interested in a model year? Who is MV Agusta and what makes them so special? Tony and Sam interview a man on a mission and a brand like no other.