2019 Motorcycle Podcast Episodes
World’s Most Popular Motorcycle Podcast
ADVENTURE RIDER RADIO is the world’s most listened-to podcast of it’s kind and ranks in the top 5% of ALL podcasts in ALL genres for downloads each month. These are our 2019 episodes of ARR. Click the “Read More” link to go to our show notes and listen to the episode. Enjoy! And Thank you for listening.
Jeremy and Elle have been travelling for about four months now and have been spending some time in Peru while on their journey to Ushuaia. They’ve experienced everything from muddy roads, crazy rides, dropped bikes, flat tires, being turned away at hotels, burning garbage and a deviant dog and still, they are having the time of their lives!
Are long legs an enviable physical trait for motorcycle riding? Are short riders destined to find it tough when it comes to riding the rough stuff? To get the answers to these questions, we asked former racers and now top riding instructors, Jimmy Lewis from Jimmy Lewis Off-Road and Pat Jacques from ADV Woman.
There are four riding positions that every adventure motorcyclist, really all motorcyclists, should know that are the foundation of all the riding you do. We talk with riding instructor, Clinton Smout, about what those positions are, and how and when to do them, on this episode of Rider Skills.
Tom Medema recently returned from a trip with 15 volunteers who rode Yamaha XTZ 125’s to Nepal. They delivered the much needed motorcycles to park rangers in Chitwan National Park, where the rangers protect Rhinos and Tigers from poachers. The ride was rough and challenging, they ran into problems with the lack of oxygen, snowy conditions, traffic and even an accident which left a rider with a broken hand. We talk about this trip and another one that Tom led to Mongolia earlier this year, and how they’ve made a difference to rangers who work tirelessly to protect park lands in those countries.
Jeremy Kroeker and Elle West have been on the road for about three months, making their way to Ushuaia. They’ve spent the last months riding in Colombia and one of the major challenges they’ve faced was what’s called the Trampoline of Death or Devil’s Trampoline, a road known to be the most dangerous road in Colombia. Jeremy and Elle could have just avoided it altogether, but with a name like that, how could they pass it up?
Turning 74 years young next week, Linda Bootherstone-Bick is full of energy and excitement for the next adventure with no end in sight. After being a rider for over 50 years with an incredibly easy going attitude, she recognizes that things change as she ages, and she has no issues with downsizing her motorcycle to keep on riding - other than it doesn’t go as fast as she would like! And her views on riding and travel just might help you to become a better traveler.
Jimmy Lewis talks about what it’s like to ride in the deserts in Nevada, USA. He also has some great tips on tires and what you can expect when desert riding. Clinton Smout from SMART Adventures gives some tips on riding in the sand and high temperatures. We talk to Chantal Simons, who recently completed a crossing with an all women’s riding group. She talks about how she got involved, the preparation, the support vehicles, the bikes and how the group of women connected.
On this episode we talk to Chris Hardin about how to choose a motorcycle peg that suits you, your bike and the type of riding you do. And Warren Milner talks about how the internet is like the wild west - where it’s difficult to know what information you get for motorcycle repair, mods or gear is valid, and what is nonsense.
Jeremy Kroeker and Elle West are riding their motorcycles from Canada to Ushuaia and even though they’ve been a couple for over two years, they’ve never spent this much time together before. They’ve been on the road for about two months, and have finally realized a dream they both had, to make it past Panama. On this episode, things get heated up as they make their way to the Stahlratte and arrive in Colombia at last.
Jimmy Lewis starts his classes off with balance training because he feels that all skills are built on that. It’s a foundation skill. You need to master balance before you start building other motorcycle riding skills. And once you have, all other skills become much easier and better balanced.
When civil unrest in Africa threw a monkey wrench in to Maurice McDonald’s plans to ride around the world in 2005, he had no choice but to end his trip and return to the UK. He still dreamt of completing the trip he started, so in 2018 he had a second go at it, despite having a life threatening disease that required him to keep his meds cold while travelling. Riding his 1994 Yamaha XTZ 750 Super Tenere he spent five months on the road, and at last reached the horizon he had aimed for in the first place.
Adventurer Lyndon Poskitt, Races to Places, has now completed travelling the world, culminating in Africa. He shares some of his experiences with mixed feelings about the continent and the countries within, a place he said was the hardest, most difficult, most dangerous continent that he travelled.
MotoTravel Series Southward Chronicles - We’re following Jeremy Kroeker and Elle West as they ride from Canada to Ushuaia. Jeremy and Elle have been together for a couple of years, they’re both experienced riders and travellers, but have never spent any significant amount of time with each other. They’re travelling together but each carrying their own gear, including camping equipment. Follow the adventure of these two riders on what Jeremy calls a separate, but parallel journey. On this episode, their planned border crossing in to Guatemala doesn't go exactly according to plan.
Daniel Byers quit his corporate job of 12 years to do a trip he had dreamed of doing for years, riding from Ohio to Ushuaia. He’s had some challenges and setbacks, but he’s determined to continue the trip and get to Ushuaia, no matter what.
Basic skills for riding motorcycles on gravel roads. Increase your confidence and safety with these few techniques. Rider Skills with Clinton Smout - S.M.A.R.T Adventure Programs.
Tim and Marisa Notier were once high school sweethearts that went their separate ways when Marisa went to college and Tim stayed back in Chicago to work. After ten years apart, leading completely different lives, they got together again and decided to explore the world together 2-up on a KTM 1190 motorcycle. They’ve travelled through North and South America and are now heading to South Africa and then to Europe. And with each sometimes seeing travel and the world from a different perspective, they’ve learned from each other how to get the most from it.
Premier episode of ARR’s new and exclusive MotoTravel Series - This season we follow Jeremy Kroeker and Elle West as they ride from Canada to Ushuaia. Jeremy and Elle have been together for a couple of years, they’re both experienced riders and travellers, but have never spent any significant amount of time with each other. They’re travelling together but each carrying their own gear, including camping equipment. Follow the adventure of these two riders on what Jeremy calls a separate, but parallel journey.
ATGATT. It’s so simple, yet so many people seem to think it doesn’t apply to them. And part of that important gear that protects us while riding is footwear… namely boots. On this week’s episode we talk with Jim Hyde from RawHyde Adventures and Lyndon Poskitt, three time Dakar racer and world traveller, about adventure motorcycle riding boots, what boots do for us, why we should wear them and what should we consider when choosing our own boots.
There are many advantages to standing on your pegs for slow speed maneuvering and most, if not all, instructors would tell you that standing on your pegs will dramatically improve your control over the motorcycle. On this week’s exclusive ARR Rider Skills, Clinton Smout from SMART Adventures talks about how to properly get up on your pegs, how to teach yourself to stand rather than sit when the going gets tough and why you should be getting up on your pegs.
Although Louisa Swaden had a good job in the publishing industry, she didn’t feel fulfilled. So she began the task of discovering what it was that made her happy. She researched, exercised and meditated. She took a sabbatical from work and went on a trip. And she discovered that happiness comes from within, and that for her, motorcycling played a big part in it.
From road racing to competing in the GS Trophy in Mongolia, Jocelin Snow has overcome some challenges and obstacles that might have stopped some riders, including recovering from a racing accident and riding a motorcycle some said was too big for her.
Ted Simon’s book, Jupiter’s Travels, has had a tremendous influence on motorcyclists and travellers around the world. He is often said to be the godfather of motorcycle travel or adventure. Now 88 years old, Ted Simon has an opinion about travel and what’s happening with the world, and experience speaks volumes as he shares his thoughts with us.
What are the real trade-offs in ‘riding on the dark side’ and what, if any, are the dangers for trading off your speciality designed motorcycle tires for the ubiquitous and often inexpensive car rubber? Tire expert, T. J. Tennent talks about this controversial topic from a scientific, analytical and legal standpoint. And Jamie Cheek, the VP of sales in North America talks with us about a couple of their communications systems, the Packtalk Bold and the Freecom 4+.
There are so many different manufacturers and models of motorcycle helmets on the market that choosing the right one for you can be a daunting task. Clinton Smout from SMART Adventures deals with this every day, and he has some important tips for buying a helmet. We also spoke with Ed Becker from the Snell Memorial Foundation, to find out how helmets are tested and we learned some other interesting facts about helmets as well.
What do kiwis, sheep and Burt Munro have in common? New Zealand. That’s where you just might want to consider going for your next adventure. We talked with Zoe Cano, who travelled there last year, and with Kim Johnston from South Pacific Motorcycle Tours.
When Heather Ellis was required to do a routine medical test to get a Visa to travel to Russia, she wasn’t expecting the news she got from the doctor. Despite the challenges Heather was facing, she remained strong and persevered, and would go on to do what she thought was her last big motorcycle adventure. Her courage and strength led her down roads she could never have imagined, even to this day.
On this episode of ARR’s exclusive Rider Skills, instructor Walt Fulton from Streetmasters Motorcycle Workshops, walks us through maximum braking on a motorcycle. It’s easy to learn and just takes some practice. Mastering this will make you a better, safer rider and add another tool to your Rider Skills Tool Box™.
What are the odds of breaking down twice in a week on a road trip with two different vehicles towing the same motorcycle hauler? We’ve got tips to help with or to avoid road travel problems. And we talk about the value of getting help from riders on local forums.
On this episode we talk about converting tube type rims to tubeless, the Outex Tubeless Kit and we talk to two companies who help arrange renting a motorcycle from a fellow rider.
Chris MacAskill is a lifelong motorcyclist and the founder of the forum, ADV Rider. After a motorcycle trip to Mexico, Chris launched the forum as an online community for adventure riders and it has been growing steadily for almost two decades. He’s got quite the story to tell about growing up and how he got to where he is today, about starting the forum and where it’s at right now.
Andy Benfield had spent much of his life living and travelling in different parts of the world, before moving to India, and developing his love for motorcycling on Royal Enfields. Years later, in an attempt to impress his girlfriend, Andy decided to make the trip from India to Burma by motorcycle, with his girlfriend. From stories about yetis and head-hunters to armed men and border crossings, it’s an adventure that’s both funny and scary as they make their way to their destination.
Tiffany Coates has spent the last 20 years travelling to far off places around the world and most recently she went to Borneo, the third largest island in the world known for it’s wildlife, beaches and rainforest. In an unexpected twist, Tiffany left the motorcycle she was riding behind in Malaysia and ending up renting a scooter in Borneo, and for Tiffany, this was all part of the adventure.
If you spend much time riding unmaintained roads and trails in a forested area, then you are bound to find a tree laying across your track sometime. Riding a big adventure bike has some limitations for the average rider but by using a fairly simple method, you can ride over many of the trees you’ll encounter. On this episode of Adventure Rider Radio’s exclusive Rider Skills - Clinton Smout walks us through two methods, one for under six inch trees and one for over six inch trees, both fully doable with a little practice.
Adventure travel doesn’t mean having to go abroad or to another country when adventure can be found much closer to home. Choose a theme - like a gold rush trail, quirky cafes or rivers - ride for discovery, and just enjoy exploring by motorcycle at a leisurely pace. And there’s also some great advantages to keeping your motorcycle trip short, including cost, less gear to pack, less planning, less paperwork and more. And for those that just don’t have the time to go on that big Round the World trip, a few days to a couple of weeks just might be the answer.
In a follow up to last week’s episode, we discuss tire pressure monitoring systems and offer up a couple of easy options. Darryl VanNieuwenhuise tells the story behind Cyclops Adventures, as well as explains the Cyclops TPMS. And Chris Keeble rides a highly customized Indian motorcycle around Australia, turning each weekend in to a theme ride, looking for churches, graveyards, water or a particular color. At 60 years old, she’s a firm reminder that age is just a number as she plans her trip around the world.
What could possibly go wrong when flying your motorcycle in to Panama? Spencer James Conway and Cathy Nel picked up their bike, had their paperwork in order, and were on their way again when they ended up the targets of a criminal sting. After a harrowing experience, they barely got out of Panama. And we also talk about tires, not about the actual tires themselves, but tire facts. What causes tires to cup? How much pressure can you run? How do you tell how old your tire is? We talked to a tire expert and got all these these answers and more.
On some of our past Rider Skills episodes you’ve heard the voice of Coach Ramey Stroud, who headed up the Cascade Endurance Centre rider training complex on his ranch in Oregon. After a horrific racing accident when he was 56 years old, he was told that he would never walk again. But, years of determination and perseverance proved doctors wrong. He finished the race that had broken his back, rode around the world on his motorcycle with a sidecar, and started his training centre. Last week, Coach Ramey Stroud passed away, a tremendous loss to the riding community. But, his voice and teachings live on for many, including in the minds of those he has influenced through training, and for us and our listeners on Adventure Rider Radio.
Bill Cagnacci is an Australian motorcyclist who recently took a trip with RawHyde Adventures. There were 19 motorcycle riders plus a support crew headed to Mexico. But, because of a particularly nasty winter, they were blocked by snow and unable to continue on to their original destination. So, they made a small detour that should have been fairly easy to do, under normal circumstances. But as you can probably imagine, things didn’t quite work out that way.
Most rider courses will tell you that when you corner you scrub off all your speed before you enter the corner and then get off the brakes, because braking into the corner is something you don’t want to do. On this episode we talk to riding instructor, Clinton Smout about braking into the corner - trail braking - and we aren’t talking about going faster - we are talking about riding safer. And after that, if you ride anywhere that cell coverage is not reliable or maybe non-existent? - and who doesn’t, then you’ll be interested in this little device that allows you to send and receive messages, and even get rescued should the need arise.
After saving for almost three years, in 2010 Heidi and David Winters left on a fifteen month long motorcycle trip, visiting 37 countries. On their KTM 640 Adventure, they rode 2-up, camping and couch surfing along the way. While on the trip, David broke his wrist. And that was part of what inspired Heidi and David to design a product that changed their lives. They also share some tips on packing light and more.
Karolis Mieliauskas, an adventure motorcycle rider from Lithuania, covered a distance of 1000 km riding from Yakutsk to Oymyakon, which is considered the coldest inhabited place on earth. He completed the trip in just four days on his Yamaha XT660Z Tenere in a land where temperatures reach below -50C in winter. Riding on a section of the Road of Bones, a road through the Russian Far East that serves as a memorial to the people who built it, it was an epic adventure of the coldest kind.
Flying your bike is easier than you think. We talked to someone at Air Canada about how to fly your motorcycle. Find out how to book the flight, how to prepare your motorcycle and when you need to get your bike to the airport. Everything you need to know about shipping your bike by plane.
Sometimes even the best laid plans for adventure can change or fall apart, and while that might be a worrisome thought for some people, it can actually add to the adventure or change things in ways that might surprise you. In 2017, five friends riding five KTMs left for a five month trip with a plan to ride from London, England to Seoul, South Korea, but it wasn’t long before things were not going as planned. And even though the trip plans went awry, and they faced some unexpected events and challenges, Francis Walsh came away with the amazing attitude that adventure really starts when things fall apart.
Jeremy Kroeker has put together a sequel to his book, Motorcycle Messengers, featuring motorcycle travel stories by many authors who’s names you’ve already heard on ARR and some that may be new to you. A variety of short stories, hours of inspiring reads, sure to put the bug under your seat and get you moving to plan your next adventure. And on this ARR Rider Skills segment Clinton Smout, instructor at and owner of SMART Adventures, teaches us some basic repetitive skills that you can do to enhance your off-road riding experience.
Planning a motorcycle adventure trip takes a lot and can be exhausting. And sometimes it’s the simple things you don’t think about when planning, that can make all the difference in your trip. We went to some experts who’ve done a lot of travelling and asked them what tips they would give to someone planning a motorcycle trip, tips that you might not have thought of. We talked to Rene Cormier from Renedian Adventures, and to authors and travellers, Graham Field and Sam Manicom. And we’ve also discovered the best cold weather riding sock ever, and to tell you all about it we spoke with Duke Lambert from Pearly’s Possum Socks.
Auto Clutches, Africa Twin, Dual Clutch Transmissions and Slipper Clutches: Joe Boisvert from Rekluse, Warren Milner, Retired Honda R&D, and Karl Engellenner, motorcycle machinist and race bike builder, explain how these systems work, in easy to understand terms. Not for just the mechanically inclined, listen in and next time the clutch conversation comes up, you'll be in the know. You might even find yourself considering the benefits of an automatic clutch, maybe even a DCT.
Paul and Neake Hannaby left for a six month motorcycle adventure, with no concrete plan in mind other than exploring the East Coast of the United States and then seeing how they felt. But, there’s a danger to this kind of travel. They’ve now been on the road for going on three years, and at this point, they don’t have any plans to return home, they’re just going to keep on going. They might be, what you call, addicted to travel. Also in this episode, another couple of riders give some valuable moto travel trips learned from experience.
Jess and Greg Stone first met in South Sudan, East Africa in 2010 while on assignment with the American Refugee Committee. After a bit of a choppy start, Jess and Greg got together as a couple and when Greg said he was planning to go on a motorcycle trip, Jess offered to go with him. Greg said she could only if she learned to ride her own motorcycle. So, Jess learned how to ride, they travelled through South America and now are living and riding in Guatemala, with their dog, Moxie, on the back of Jess’ bike. In this episode, Jess and Greg talk about their adventures along the way, challenges faced and with their positive outlook on life, they have some great tips and views that might make your travel, and life, easier.
Clinton Smout, motorcycle instructor, has tips for turning adventure bikes around in soft or low traction environments, that can be used both off-road and on-road, and for any motorcycle. He also shares some stories when lessons that have gone wrong turn out to be… well, hilarious. And two seasoned riders, Lisa and Simon Thomas tell us what they carry in their panniers.
Sometimes a motorcycle trip can be more than just discovering new places and making connections. Liz Jansen is the author of three books, and her most recent, Crash Landing, is the story of her quest to answer some questions about herself and the choices she’s made, by visiting the places that her German Mennonite ancestors lived when they arrived from Russia a century ago. An enlightening journey of self discovery.
We’ve had some great authors on the show, not just this year but in all the years we’ve been producing the show. Some long reads, some shorter. And this week, on this final episode of 2019, we have author, Ron Davis, a long time motorcyclist, writer and associate editor at BMW Owner’s News, who’s put together a collection of over 40 of his own previously published short reads, a compilation of some of his motorcycle articles and essays in his book, Shiny Side Up.