2021 Episodes
Adventure Rider Radio - Motorcycle Podcast
Travel, stories, adventure, tech - The original adventure motorcycle podcast.
Est. 2014
Riding a motorcycle over rocks present all kinds of challenges for the rider and as they get bigger, so does the challenge. On this episode we have instructor Shawn Thomas and he’ll be breaking down rocks - riding rocks into manageable pieces for the average rider and hopefully changing them from what you see as obstacles to overcome in to some seriously fun riding.
After three years of dreaming and planning, Kevin and Amy Edwards rode the incredible Trans America Trail coast to coast, Kevin on his Zero DSR motorcycle and with his wife Amy on her WR250R. While electric motorcycle travel has become a lot easier, being able to go from charger to charger on most routes, remote riding presents more challenges, and charging on route was one of the trials that they faced.
Steve Molinelli had what the outside world saw as a successful life, one that was heavily centred around motorcycling. But, when his local track was shut down his world fell into a downward spiral when the focus he had on motorcycles with replaced with something destructive - addiction. On the path to healing he once again found motorcycles and his passion for bikes helped him to get his life back together. He’s learned just how powerful it is for him to focus on the motorcycle as a way of riding on the right track.
We’ve had some incredible travellers on this podcast and have been regaled with tales of adventure to far off and exotic places, trips around the world and years spent exploring on motorcycles. And while we are inspired by those stories and dream of going to these places when we close our eyes at night, it simply isn’t the reality for many riders who have families, jobs or bills to pay. So, that means that for the average motorcyclist, adventure usually happens closer to home. On this episode, tips on shorter trips from an experienced rider.
When maneuvering at low speeds, slipping the clutch on your motorcycle is an essential skill with a manual clutch. Most riders learn that if you slip the clutch too much you can wear it out quickly, so why do riding instructors tell you that you need to slip the clutch? On this episode of Rider Skills we talk with Clinton Smout about clutches, how they work, warning signs that you’re abusing your clutch and more.
The motorcycle industry offers many choices of underlayers for motorcycle gear. Different models, materials, and thickness. And it would make sense that the more layers you have, the more protection, especially if those layers were abrasion resistant. And when the manufacturer designed the gear to protect you - what did they imagine you were gong to wear underneath? What is the bare minimum you should wear under your jacket and pants?
It all started when Keith Futcher saw a glossy photo in a glossy magazine that ignited a desire to ride a motorcycle to the Sahara to see a sunrise. Except Keith didn’t own a motorcycle, neither did his brother or his friend, both of whom were planning to go with him. Furthermore, they had no riding experience, and certainly none off-road, in fact none of them even possessed a licence to ride a motorcycle. In addition to all that, Keith would be 70 and still they made a plan to ride into the African desert - it was the real deal. (Image: Jason P. Howe)
A few years ago, Tim and Marisa set out to explore the world, they travelled through North and South America, then headed to Africa. When the pandemic hit and many travellers headed home, Tim and Marisa decided to stick it out, so they found a good place to stay and became locals in Kenya. But, as things dragged on and remained locked down, their visas expired and their route was cut off, so they returned to the United States. And that’s where we caught up with Tim and Marisa, preparing for the next leg of their adventure.
Michnus and Elsebie Olivier from PikiPiki Overland are in the thick of things in Oaxaca, Mexico awaiting the celebrations of Day of the Dead. They share their experiences and knowledge of this fantastic celebration for those who have passed away. We also look back on stories of adventure riders who found themselves in dangerous situations but lived to tell the tale.
Even if you don’t ride 2-up chances are if you ride with others, or are inclined to help someone in need, you may end up having to put someone on the back off your bike at some point. Maybe while riding off-road with friends, someone’s bike breaks down and they need a ride out to get help. If you have the skills, you suddenly become a rescuer, if you don’t have those skills, well - it’s a different scenario all together.
After an eight month trip around South America, Jess and Greg Stone fell in love with Guatemala. They moved there in 2016 and adopted a German Shepherd that has since been a regular passenger on the back of Jess’s bike on a custom made carrier. They’re now planning a new adventure, a ride around the world with their dog, Moxie. We talked to Jess and Greg about travelling in Central America, their upcoming trip and what it’s like to travel and ride with a dog on the back of the bike.
Hard or soft luggage has always been a hotly debated topic for motorcyclists, and of course, everyone has an opinion. And while each has its pros and cons, it’s ultimately up to the rider what suits them best. And to help you make that decision we talked to some industry pros and some experienced travellers, not to sway you in one direction or another, but to find out what you should consider and also what alternatives are available.
When Kathleen Terner first got on a motorcycle with her future husband, she instantly fell in love with riding and she spent four years on the back of his bike until the relationship ended. But, her love for motorcycling didn’t wane and she was determined to still ride and take cross-country trips, so she got her motorcycle license and bought a bike. After the divorce and recovering from throat cancer, Kathleen decided to go on a solo trip, one that would change her life as she overcame her fear of being alone and the limitations that caused her to doubt herself. She turned her motorcycle in to the wind and discovered that life was good.
Some riders say that peg weighting doesn’t matter, that the physics of weighting the motorcycle with your feet doesn’t change from one peg to the other. On this episode, we have celebrated off-road racer and renowned rider trainer, Chris Birch, and physicist and rocket scientist, Mark Nesbit, a former space craft designer from the European Space Agency, to work through the physics of what really happens when we weight the peg in a corner - and it’s not what you think.
When you see a group of motorcyclists getting ready to ride away after a break, you can be pretty sure that in that group, in any group really, you’ll probably see a few that haven’t got the hang of ‘The Turn Around’, especially in dirt. It becomes more obvious especially if they have to change directions, but even the slightest direction change at low speed can cause problems for many riders. On this episode of our exclusive RIDER SKILLS©, mastering ‘The Turn Around’ with instructor, Clinton Smout.
Kelvin and Suzie Prevett met through a biker meet up app, and they were clear from the onset that neither was interested in a relationship. But, within a couple of months they realized they had fallen for each other. One thing led to another and soon they were planning their trip to South America. When a friend asked when they were going to take the plunge and go on the journey they were talking about, they took a leap of faith and booked their flights and the two year adventure began.
Chris Carter started riding motorcycles back in the 1960’s when he was a teenager, in 1968 he started riding trials and then moved on to motocross and off-road racing. After working in the powersports industry for many years, he founded Motion Pro in 1984, selling motorcycle cables for a Taiwanese manufacturer, and a few years later a tool line was added. Chris talks about some of the ways that motorcycles has made his life a grand experience. and he has more than a few good stories to tell.
In 2013 Kevin Stratton and his son left Minnesota and headed up the Dalton Highway, with Kevin hoping that the motorcycle trip would create a bond between father and son that couldn’t be broken by anything. They had no off road experience and many mistakes were made along the way, but fortunately, Kevin is an experienced camper, so they weren’t completely unprepared. And although Kevin thought that things were going very well, in the end it didn’t turn out the way Kevin had hoped.
Sam Manicom has been drawn to adventure from a very young age, he’s travelled extensively, has compiled a wealth of knowledge, and advocates motorcycle travel in particular, encouraging people to just follow their dreams. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, stories or valuable information, Sam is the person you can depend upon to do the research, present the facts and to be the most supportive person in the room.
This summer, in two trips, brothers Jared Andersson and Heath Anderson rode on the Great River Road which follows the course of the Mississippi River from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Heath says their different approaches made the trip better, and while Jared is good at details, Heath tends to ‘jump in, screw up and jump in again until I get it right”. But, together they set out with a purpose of experiencing the Mississippian cultures and places that are testament to the pre-Columbian world, long erased and forgotten. Visiting sites of the early native people, ancient mound sites, eating walleye and looking for wild rice made for stories to be shared of self-discovery, and an appreciation for the lands and people, both past and present.
On this episode of Rider Skills you’ll learn how to corner in gravel confidently, you’ll pick up key tips like when to sit and when to stand, and how your bike design will affect that decision. Instructor, Chris Birch, also talks about why peg weighting matters and how leverage comes into play, and how the dirt and asphalt corner differ and why the two shall probably never meet.
Hank Arriazola is a long time BMW rider with a passion for travel and photography. He’s travelled extensively in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Africa, putting 540,000 miles on his 1995 BMW R1100GS. Hank also runs a BMW repair shop called MotoHank and specializes in long distance travel preparation, getting the motorcycles ready, and helping out with the required documents and items needed for that specific trip. A conversation about travel, trip preparation and motorcycle life.
Motorcycle theft can and does happen all around the world and chances are either you, or someone you know, or someone you’ve heard about has had their motorcycle stolen. Thieves are quick and they’re brash. But, there are things you can do to help prevent motorcycle theft.
Richard Georgiou likes to pack his bike sparsely and ride off into the sunset with only some basic information about where he’s going and what to expect when he gets there. He let’s adventure unfold around him, often shooting from the hip. It’s not always comfortable but that’s the way he likes to ride. And sometimes that does get him in to trouble, like the time when he was lost on a motorcycle trip and approached a road block stocked with armed men. Unable to figure out what was going on Richard decided to hunker down and crack the throttle and… well, let’s just say that adventure has a way of finding Richard Georgiou.
On this episode of ARR RIDER SKILLS, off-road instructor Bill Dragoo walks us through the ascent and descent of a dirt hill climb specifically for adventure motorcycles and then off-camber riding. How-to instruction with tips and concepts of why we do what we do when riding hills.
Donovan Lucibello hadn’t ridden a motorcycle in years, but when he discovered dual sport riding he decided that he wanted to ride from Montana to Alaska. Having a short window he rode one way and decided to leave his motorcycle in Anchorage with a plan to return the next year. But as it is with life, other things got in the way and then he started a new job. When he was laid off in June of last year he was crushed, but the very next day he made the decision to return to Alaska and finish his trip. And although the country was in the midst of a historic pandemic, he found that he was made to feel welcome by the hospitality, perseverance and generosity of the people he met. For Donovan, the trip to Alaska was ‘motorcycle therapy’ that helped to set him right again.
When a freak skiing accident left Justin Kleiter laid up on his couch he needed something to do, and by chance he discovered a whole new world of motorcycle adventure that would lead him to South America, Mongolia and many more places.
Graeme Duncan is a self described workaholic. It’s a family thing, Graeme, his brothers, his dad and it runs deep. His wife, Sue Duncan, relishes the idea of a vacation, but trying to convince a workaholic to skip work and pour out some hard earned cash for a vacation requires the tactics of a top earning vacuum salesperson. But, Sue did find a way and as you can imagine, it had something to do with a motorcycle.
Five young artists decided to take their studios on the road for an expedition - on four Ural Sidecars - from Germany, through Russia and to New York. Their trip included “armies of mosquitos and mountains of bureaucracy”, riding on the Road of Bones and building amphibious motorcycles. They had an incredible 972 breakdowns, which culminated in meeting some strange characters who helped them continue their adventure, but only until the next breakdown.
Ruts can be one of the most difficult challenges for motorcyclists and although ruts are usually found when riding in dirt off-road, you may come across them in construction areas and even at the side of the road where the asphalt often has a lip and a dirt shoulder. Riding off to the side of the road over that lip is usually uneventful, but if not done correctly re-entering the roadway and crossing that rut can put a rider down. Riding ruts, tips, tricks and even a few stories from Clinton Smout of SMART Adventures.
If you enjoy listening to music, your playlist may have a big impact on how you feel as you ride. Fast paced music feels great for carving corners or riding rough trails at a moderate pace. Or your playlist may fit well with working on your bike or hanging out with like minded riders. And since music and motorcycles go together so well, we talked to motorcyclist and bassist Ryan Gullen from The Sheepdogs about music, building vintage bikes, and riding motorcycles. So, what’s on your playlist?
After spending years saving and preparing, Travis and Chantil Gill left on a year long motorcycle trip. They planned to explore Morocco and as much of Europe as they could. Then the pandemic struck and they made the tough decision to take a chance and go ahead with their plans. Just a couple of weeks in to their trip, they found themselves stuck in Spain but when things eased up they were able to start travelling again in South Eastern Europe. Because of the pandemic restrictions they’ve discovered slow travel which could ultimately change the way they travel in the future, but they’ve also been faced with some moral dilemmas at the same time.
Airbag vests could be for the upper body what helmets are for the head. And they could mean the difference between life and death. We’ll spend a small fortune on a helmet or a riding jacket and pants, yet we have trouble justifying the price of an airbag vest. On this episode, why should we consider an airbag vest, what will it do for us, what choices do we have and what are we paying for?
On this episode of RIDER SKILLS, Bill Dragoo from Dragoo Adventure Rider Training walks us through some simple steps that will help improve your cornering skills while riding your adventure motorcycle on the street, either loaded or unloaded.
Feeling confident when you ride off the beaten track has everything to do with two things, what skills you possess and what gear are you carrying. But deciding just which skills you should learn and what pieces of gear you should carry comes down to experience. On this episode of Gearing Up we’re going to speak to Shawn Thomas and learn about some essential gear that he rides with and a bunch more.
Some of us are born with it, some of us develop it and some of us are just sideswiped by it - it’s something called wanderlust. Geoff Keys had ambitions to travel the world for a long time. Further inspired by adventure travel books and moto documentaries, he decided to follow his dream to tour the world and naturally the mode of transport was motorcycle. As Geoff shared with us, his “reason for travelling is simply to scratch the itch, cure the wanderlust, see what there is to be seen and meet the people with whom I share the planet”. With a pure attitude, leaving all inhibitions behind, Geoff has faced some challenges and met many people along the way, and even made headlines when he was lost in the Australian outback for two days.
The motorcycle community is a pretty close knit group of people. We wave when we pass each other, we’re always willing to help out a fellow rider when they have a problem and many of us have an open door for traveling motorcyclists. We connect through social media and forums, with many of us forming lifelong friendships. And sometimes we’re fortunate to come across people who are so generous and so kind that it’s almost surreal. And imagine coming across not just one person, but several people who through their actions confirm your faith in humanity. And that’s just what happened to Sean Burch from the United States, who found friendship all over the world and kindness in strangers.
A few years ago Benji Brundin went through some major life changes, including losing his dream career and his wife, and decided that the best course of action was to break from conventional life. So, leaving his past behind, challenging his fears and limitations he bought a camper van and outfitted it for adventure, then headed out to circumnavigate Australia with a dirt bike strapped to the back. Although he had never ridden a motorcycle before, adventure riding has now become Benji’s focus, and has led to him discovering a passion of riding in sand and ultimately crossing all ten deserts in Australia.
Harley-Davidson has announced the Pan America, an “adventure touring” motorcycle which is projected to be released in May, 2021. There’s been mixed reactions amongst the adventure motorcycle community, as Harley-Davidson has traditionally been known for big and loud bikes. We went to Harley-Davidson and to industry expert Tim Calhoun to get some of our biggest questions answered including what’s behind the thought process of the Harley-Davidson breaking in to the adventure motorcycle market with the new Pan America? What can we expect from this new adventure touring bike? Will the adventure motorcycling community embrace the Pan America and are we even willing to give it a chance?
One of the most feared surfaces for riders is sand and although some riders probably hold that fear level a little too high, it stems from the level of difficulty that sand presents for most of us. But, riding in sand is second nature to former racer and now instructor, Jimmy Lewis and on this episode he shares important techniques and tips that will help make you a better rider in the sand.
If you were planning a motorcycle trip to Africa, where you were going to traverse steep mountain passes, explore lesser travelled roads and visit remote places, travelling solo with a rough plan open to any opportunity, what bike would you choose to take? Would you consider the perfect motorcycle to be a 1951 Harley Panhead, a hard tail? That’s just what Gareth Jones from South Wales rode on his African adventure, a trip he had been wanting to do for a long time. If you’re wondering how he could justify taking a bike with no rear suspension you’ll have to factor in one of the most powerful emotional states a person can experience - passion. And when you’re passionate - the impossible can become the possible.
When planning a motorcycle trip there are a couple of major governing factors to take in to consideration - a destination and a time frame. But, if we focus too much on those two planning points the essence of the trip could get lost. We might forget that the real adventure is in the journey, not the destination. That’s what happened to Ronnie Altice when he set off on an adventure with his son, and it led him down a path he never intended to visit.
Ted Simon has been a motorcycle travel mentor for riders and adventurers around the world for decades. Countless times we’ve heard from people who have said that his book inspired them or that they consulted with him before they travelled or that he helped them write their own book. He’s travelled the world twice, and as he turns 90 he is still riding and still writing. On this episode, a conversation with the adventurer who helped paved the way for long distance motorcycle travel, Ted Simon.
Do you ever wonder what’s involved in and how someone gets sponsored for a trip? What do they get and just what do they have to do for the company that is sponsoring them? Each company will have their own specifics for sponsorship and it will likely depend on many things, but to try to get an idea of what it’s all about we asked Michnus and Elsebie Olivier from PikiPiki Overland to sit down and have a chat about sponsorship.
Harold Serrano was not a motorcyclist, he didn’t have a licence to ride a bike, in fact other than a few little rides messing around Harold had no experience with motorcycles. But he did decide that the easiest and cheapest way to get around South America was on a motorcycle, so he got one. What Harold didn’t realize was that he was grossly unprepared for a motorcycle travel adventure - he did however have passion, determination and a goal - and those three things combined are powerful forces that can overcome just about any trouble - at least the trouble Harold found.
The top three riding skills that you will never master on your motorcycle, yet you should always be trying to, are the focus of this episode of Rider Skills. Why should you care about trying to master a skill - if the premise is that you can never do it? To answer that we have Shawn Thomas, a BMW certified off-road and street riding instructor and a BMW ambassador in the US.
The choice of motorcycle related products on the market is endless, and with that are the decisions to be made. When you’re looking for a specific item, be it an accessory or a part or anything else, you’ll probably find yourself overwhelmed when you start doing the research. With all the choices how do you know when something is good quality? What should you be looking for? We have a lot of questions and to get some answers and ideas we turned to Warren Milner, who has spent a good portion of his life working at Honda Canada in product planning, and in Research and Development for new motorcycle models.
The first motorcyclist to circumnavigate the world was Carl Stearns Clancy, and he undoubtedly paved the way for other moto travellers who saw him as a role model. And we have since looked towards modern day long-distance riders or world travellers for inspiration. Simon and Lisa Thomas have been a source of motivation for many motorcyclists and their years of knowledge and experience speak volumes, whether it’s about making connections, different cultures, border crossings or cooking a great meal. On this episode, a deeper conversation about finances, risk, insurance, changed perspectives and more.
Chris Donaldson was brought up during The Troubles in Northern Island and for years he looked towards escaping his conflicted homeland on his motorcycle with the goal of riding to Australia. But, not long after he set out he hit a ‘road block’ and as often happens in travel, plans changed. He ended up riding his Moto Guzzi Le Mans to places he thought he never would and 40 years later getting to Australia is still on Chris’ mind. An epic journey and an entertaining tale that reminds us that travel is not about the destination.
Getting on and off your motorcycle seems simple enough, almost so simple that it could be discounted as a riding skill, yet getting on and off a motorcycle can be difficult in certain situations. For instance, if your bike is loaded, or you have a pillion, top box or roll bag. Maybe you ride a tall bike, or you find yourself on a hill facing up or sideways, or on uneven ground. How many times have you seen someone fall while dismounting or mounting their bike? Getting a better handle on this can make you a more confident rider, and for some tips and methods we talk with riding instructor Clinton Smout from SMART Adventures.
Seasoned travellers share their best travel tips and advice. Lessons learned on the road that you need to know before you go. This is part TWO of a TWO part series, each featuring different travellers with a vast array of advice. In this episode we hear from world travellers, Spencer Conway and Cathy Nel, Steph Jeavons and Tiffany Coates.
In this past year, we’ve interviewed many riders who have all contributed greatly to the show by sharing their experiences and the things they’ve learned while travelling, including Ted Simon, Lisa and Simon Thomas and many others. To wrap up 2021 we’ve decided to share some snippets of their knowledge to reflect and inspire, and also in the hopes that maybe we can learn a little something from someone else’s experience.