The Lowdown Show - By ADVrider
Join host and Gemini award-winner Neil Graham as he explores the people and passion behind the rapidly growing adventuring riding community. The former editor-in-chief of Cycle Canada magazine, Neil applies his expertise in documentary filmmaking to delve into the intrigue that shapes the world of motorcycling, as told by designers, pundits, presidents, outliers and outlaws.
Episodes
The Isle of Men: Inside the Madness of the TT
On episode 128 of the Lowdown Radio Show, Neil is joined by Trevor Daley. As a former race-winning superbike rider, Trevor never met a hay bale he couldn’t explode, and now he’s moved on to a career as a master motorcycle race fabricator and crew member for leading MotoAmerica superbike teams. Recently Trevor had the opportunity to work on a team at the Classic TT at the Isle of Man, where he rubb
The Good, The Bad And The (Really) Ugly
ADVrider.com managing editor Zac Kurylyk joins Neil this week for a summer summation. Zac talks about getting back on a motorcycle after a serious accident last season, Neil confesses that after years of middling feelings towards the BMW boxer flat twin grudging respect has turned into genuine fondness, and the lads address motorcycle rallies. Zac's been to a few in his time while Neil swears
Can Sturgis Change Into An Adventure Bike Rally?
Numbers are down at the traditional motorcycle rallies. Way down, depending on who you talk to. And who hasn't had more than enough of fat old men on Harleys blatting about at 25 mph making enough noise to wake the dead? Perhaps it's time to stage a revolution. (Peacefully, of course!) The backbone of the cruiser movement--the baby boomers--are doing their part by dying off, but what are the rest
Yamaha Fixes The Problem Before There Is One
On Episode 125 of the Lowdown Radio Show, Motorcycle Global's Michael Uhlarik tells us about the quiet revolution taking place within Yamaha. Unlike certain American motorcycle manufacturers, Yamaha wasn’t bleeding cash or mired in a crisis of confidence. Yamaha makes money. And yet the CEO for the world’s second-largest motorcycle manufacturer envisioned a day when the wellbeing of the company co
The Doctor And The Designer Go For Broke
A motorcycle designer and a plastic surgeon walked into a bar in New Orleans. What happened next? A plan to set a world speed record on the salt flats at Bonneville. Ex-Confederate designer JT Nesbitt and LSU-based surgeon Praz Patcha fell into a fast friendship and decided to take a shot at speed record immortality. But nothing comes easy on the salt, as Nesbitt knows. For Patcha, who’d be doing
Don't Shed a Tear for Indian
On the Lowdown 123, Harrison Withers gives us the skinny on the aftermath of Indian Motorcycle’s Harley attack ads from a few months ago that split the punters into two camps. One side praised Indian’s guns-loaded, America-first agenda while everyone else gagged on the whole affair. According to Withers, both camps missed the story. Did Indian motorcycle lose its mind or is a plan e
The Real Reason That Damon's Electric Motorcycle Business Failed
On episode 122 of the Lowdown Radio Show the topic is the star-crossed Damon HyperSport, the motorcycle that promised 200 horsepower, 200 miles-per-hour, and a 200 mile range from its electric propulsion system. 200/200/200. Catchy and easy to remember. And, seemingly, irresistible for investors, who poured tens of millions of dollars into the Vancouver startup. A startup that has now gone bust wi
Don't Make The Mistake Of Getting The Wrong Gear
On episode 121 of The Lowdown Radio Show Oregonian Brian Price joins Neil to talk all-things riding gear. Price, easily the biggest riding gear nerd we've ever met, has elevated choosing gear for motorcycling to far more than just grabbing a jacket from the closest on the way out the door. At least it should be more than that, according to Price, who has spent much of his professional life—he
California Dreaming: Here's What's Coming Next For The Motorcycle World
Wonder where all the young riders have gone? Well, the ones in California that aren’t riding electric Surrons and the like are riding ratty old choppers and Triumph Desert Sleds. Episode 120 of The Lowdown Radio Show features Nathanial Ramirez, a young Mexican-American enthusiast whose tasteful films document the west coast scene. Ramirez tells us about his influences—Spaghetti Westerns among them
The Future Of Print Magazines: What Happens When The Game Changes?
Word leaked out this month that the parent company for Cycle World—formerly the magazine and latterly the website—has pulled the plug on the publication. Not so many years ago this would have been unimaginable. At its height, Cycle World had 300,000 subscribers and was the main conduit for OEMs to reach enthusiasts in the most lucrative motorcycle market in the world. And now, seemingly, it’s all
When A Motorcycle Manufacturer Gets Stuck In The Past
Some brands of motorcycle--we know who you are--can't stop going on (and on) about their past. Kind of like the neighbor who can't believe a gallon of gas isn't 35 cents anymore. But is clinging to the mythology of past successes healthy for the future of a brand, as marketers would lead you to believe? Or is a backward view unhealthy for both the manufacturer and its true believers. Think of it t
Do Test Stories Still Matter To Riders?
On The Lowdown Radio Show episode 117 managing editor Zac Kurylyk joins Neil Graham to talk about the ins and outs of motorcycle reviewing. We want to know what matters to you. Do reviews influence your decisions? If so, how and why? What’s important to you? Range? Seat height? Tread depth? And what is it that reviewers always miss? Vibration? Buffeting? Engine sound quality? Or do you just think
How To Build A Better Bike Show In The 2020s
Two things you’re likely to find at a motorcycle event are bad food and bad music--is it really necessary in this short life to hear another cover of Highway to Hell? There’s a man up here in the northeast who’s attempting to change all that. The Moto Craft fest has morphed from a big city event to a country shindig. Think Born Free with fewer choppers and Panheads Forever tattoos. Alex de Cartier
The Perfect Motorcycle For Surviving The Apocalypse
Do you have 600 cans of chickpeas next to 400 tins of peaches in your bunker? Do you think fuel-injection is a government ploy to plot your every move across the landscape? If you answered yes to either of those questions (or if they gave you reason to pause) then this week's show is unmissable. The two-wheel-drive Rokon is the oddest motorcycle you've never seen in the flesh. And, at 60-plus year
Indian Motorcycles Takes A Hard Shot At Harley-Davidson
Indian motorcycle have a new owner and a new CEO and they're gunning for Harley-Davidson.
As the cruiser market shrinks, the competition between America's two brands, in the wake of unconfirmed reports of Indian's controversial and inflammatory new initiative, becomes personal. New Harley CEO Artie Starrs is mocked for his pizza and golf past, while Indian boss Mike Kennedy (ex of Harley-Davidson
How An Industrial Design Firm Shaped KTM's Motorcycles
From irrelevance in the mid-'90s to Europe's best-selling brand to near collapse--KTM surfed high on the waves yet nearly succumbed to the troughs. But there's far more to the story than COVID-era overproduction and camshafts with substandard metallurgy. Industry watcher Michael Uhlarik takes us through KTM's backstory with a special emphasis on its unusually intimate relationship with Kiska, the
Here's The Story Behind Motorcycle Dealership Fees
Many things in life are perplexing, but none more than this: buy a pack of Sweet Caporal cigarettes from old Mrs. Harrison down at the general store, and she doesn’t charge a separate fee for handing them to you or for having them shipped to her store. And yet, when you buy a motorcycle, the price on the manufacturer’s website isn’t what we pay at a dealership, because it's subject to shipping fee
Forget Round The World—Ride To Work Instead
Have you noticed the price of fuel lately? Unless you’re living like the Unabomber, of course you have. And since most of you have a motorcycle or two in the shed, that most likely gets far better mileage than your car or truck, the time has come to save a little money and have a little fun. Just yesterday I took a 100-mile round trip to a car dealership for a new coolant reservoir. I stuffed it i
From A Dating App To Riding The Death Road
Would you travel round-the-world with someone who showed up at your house in the early days of dating with their own pillow? I like my pillow as much as the next man, but bringing one to an overnighter with your new lover is as sexy as bringing you own slippers. But wait, Heather Lea’s story gets even odder. Twenty-seven days after meeting the pillow-man, she decides to ride around the world with
A Straight-Talking Harley-Davidson Dealer
Everybody—everybody—has an opinion on Harley-Davidson. The company, who’s stock, not so many years ago, was a safer bet than gold, has fallen upon challenging times. This from a company—according to analyst Michael Uhlarik—that in its heyday turned a profit of nearly 30 percent on each motorcycle sold, when the industry average is nearer the mid-single digits. In the fat years, Harley-Davidson was
Unpacking The Secret History Of The Suzuki V-Strom
On Episode 108 of the Lowdown Radio Show, Michael Uhlarik pedals his fixed gear bicycle into town to talk about the most unhip motorcycle this side of the Bajaj Pulsar. It’s motorcycling’s equivalent to sensible shoes, and you and I know it as Suzuki's V-Strom. It’s not pretty, it won’t brighten the corner of your garage in wintertime and it’s clearly built to a price. And yet—as its adherents nev
Investigating The Death Of The Harley-Davidson Street Lineup
On Episode 107 of The Lowdown Radio Show we speak to Michael Hopkins, president of an industrial design firm with longstanding ties to Harley-Davidson in the brand’s formative years. Hopkins also worked at the Motor Company for nearly 16 years, and our conversation stretches from the design of the Coke bottle to Willie G. Davidson’s Hail Mary play that dragged Harley-Davidson out of the doldrums 5
The Lowdown On Cold Trips and Hot Grips on the Springtime Special
This week on the Lowdown Radio Show managing editor Zac Kurylyk chews the fat with Neil Graham about the ritual of the first spring ride. For Zac, it's often a miserable ride in gruesome weather, while Neil focused on his travails with gusty winds and frigid girlfriends. Rarely did the trips—or relationships—go well, though both confess that early season jaunts were not without merit, proving the
A Photographer's Tales from the Tail of the Dragon
This week something a little different. US 129 just may be the most famous motorcycle road in the world. We know it as the Tail of the Dragon. Three-hundred-something curves in 11 miles. Today we talk to Darryl Cannon, the photographer behind Killboy.com, the company who takes all those roadside photos that you can buy once you get back home, to prove that you rode the road. Darryl’s the first to
What You See When Riding A Motorcycle Through A War Zone
Most of us ride to get away from it all. Rare is it that a motorcycle is used to get straight into the middle of a mess. But that’s exactly what journalist, photographer and philanthropist Neale Bayly did. With a GS on loan from BMW in Munich, Neale rode straight to a Ukraine on the verge of war. And he’s been back multiple times in the years since. What does one find in a war zone? How do you nav
Gone Electric: Here's What's Happening In The World Of Battery Bikes, And Why
This week Michael Uhlarik talks about Motorcycle Global’s hot-off-the-press 50-page white paper on the state of motorcycle electrification. It’s important to note that this isn’t an up-with-people whitewashing. It’s a data-driven report on the industry—to the industry—on the ups—and there are many—and the downs—and there are many—of the electric motorcycle business. It’s a market that’s everything
Taking An Inside Look At The State Of Motojournalism
On Episode 102 of the Lowdown Radio Show, presented by eBay Motors, Mel Gantly is our guest. Mel, as die-hard an enthusiast as was ever born, worked for decades (yes, decades) to land a full-time gig at a motorcycle publication after years of freelancing. He even moved from BC, on Canada’s west coast, to the UK to make it happen. And, wouldn’t you know, he pulled it off. He got the job of a lifeti
How Vintage Motorcycles Can Be An Antidote To Our Fast-Paced Digital World
This week on the Lowdown Radio Show presented by eBay Motors we speak to Greg Bender from ThisOldTractor.com. Bender, a modern man thriving in a digital world, needs an antidote to modernity, which he finds in his vintage Moto Guzzis and on his Suzuki DR350. Bender also shares his love of mechanical things to the world through his website, which has a plethora of information about all things Guzzi
From A Mining Town To Milan: A Motorcycle Designer's Origin Story
For Episode 100 of the Lowdown Radio Show, frequent guest Michael Uhlarik joins us to share his backstory on how a kid born in a remote northern mining town ends up working as a designer for, among others, Yamaha and Aprilia. Michael is a favorite of Lowdown listeners and here’s your chance to learn more about the man who’s as tuned-into the pulse of the motorcycle biz as anyone. And, to kick off
Here's Why The Motorcycle Industry's Shows Are Dying Out
Motorcycle shows have been a staple of the cold-weather months for generations. Most of the old-school, new-product, OEM-supported shows have gone the way of non-ABS equipped new motorcycles—they're nowhere to be found. In the US, the slick show circuit disappeared in favor of custom and lifestyle events, like Born Free or The One Show. Or become industry-only shindigs, like AIM expo. But in the U
The Coming Revolution In The Motorcycle Industry Will Affect ADVs
Our guest this week is Motorcycle Global’s Michael Uhlarik. For his industry clients, Michael has exhaustively researched the marketplace, and he shares some of his findings with us. Most startlingly, perhaps, are his findings about the invisible 10 percent of sales that don’t show up on any official Motorcycle Industry Council ledger. Michael also shares some thoughts about the ADV market—hint—we
How ADVrider Helped This Tuning Company Take Off
Chris Parker of Rottweiler performance joins The Lowdown Radio Show this week. From his involvement in building pikes-peak winning cars, to his gig fabricating exhaust systems for Singer—the company that builds bespoke Porsche 911s for those with far too much money to burn—to his intake systems for KTMs that put his company on the map, Parker is a man with no shortage of drive. Or is that ride? An
How To Handle The Grind Of Adventure Travel And Avoid Burnout
Every traveler does it their own way. For Maria Schumacher, that means taking her time. Maria shares her story of how bumping into Sam Manicom (a former guest on this show) changed the course of her life, how recent travels in the US stack up against traveling in her favorite country, Venezuela, and how picking the best adventure bike is a very personal decision. She also shares ten common mistake
ADVrider Readers Write
From cheap shots to well-judged commentary, ADVRider’s commentary section is interesting. To say the least. In the first of what will become a month feature, podcast host Neil Graham reviews a selection of stories from the past month along with the best comments. From travel stories to bike stories to things so odd that all you can do is scratch your head. Only on ADVRider.
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You Gotta Be Tough To Ride Like A Girl
This week our guest on The Lowdown Radio Show is Emily Roberts, who is just as wonderfully mad as her flaming red hair would lead you to believe. Emily’s story is compelling for a few reasons. Firstly, her family business is the last standing motorcycle print magazine in Canada, and Emily is a full-time motorcycle journalist for it. Secondly, she’s a hardcore off-road rider. How hardcore? Her reco
What's Selling, And What's Not
This week on the Lowdown Radio Show Motorcycle Global’s Michael Uhlarik joins us to talk about the global motorcycle trade. Much of which is far more unexpected than you might think. For instance, Michael hunted down the most searched motorcycles online in India, Italy, and the US. Two of those countries most often searched for aspirational bikes while one country chose a sensible, economical, mid
Saying No To Knock-Offs
Do you know where your parts come from? It’s a serious question. One posed recently in a most unusual public confession by Nikola Maletic from Perun Moto, a manufacturer of high-end bits for your ADV motorcycle. Tired of having his parts copied by another manufacturer—even to the degree that they reused his catalogue photos and descriptions—he didn’t get mad, go online, and lose his mind. How old-
The Rise And Fall Of Daytona Bike Week
This week our guest is John Bentham, who just this year published Bike Week, a collection of photographs taken over more than a decade at Daytona’s notorious spring gathering. Bentham first went to Daytona in the mid-‘90s and would return another dozen times when his career as a New York City editorial and advertising photographer allowed. It just so happened that John’s attendance at Daytona bega
The Year Behind And The Year Ahead
This week, Lowdown Show host Neil Graham and ADVrider editor Zac Kurylyk wrap up 2025 with a conversation that ranges across all segments of motorcycling. From Zac's recovery following his bad crash last fall, to Neil's successful return to the racetrack, to the future of Harley-Davidson and KTM, the difference between Dakar and the Africa Eco Race in the upcoming rally raid season—they take a loo
An ADV Cannonball Run For Anyone
Aaron Pufal is far more than just a man with a grey beard. He’s the grey-bearded mastermind behind the ADV Cannonball coast-to-coast GPS rally. It’s not like the old cannonball runs, those ones in which you’d rip through Ohio at 130 miles per hour at 3 am after having ingested a fistful of little white pills. No, this a rally you can do on your oversized adventure bike while following the law of t
Motorcycles vs. The Masculinity Crisis
Ex-Confederate motorcycle designer JT Nesbitt—whose current project is re-imagining the American motorcycle with his audacious Magnolia 4—stepped into the fray recently and wrote an open letter to New York Times bestselling author Scott Galloway. Galloway’s book, titled “On being a man,” discusses the so-called “masculinity crisis” affecting young males—the very same young males that not so many g
Why Design Details Matter
Michael Uhlarik from Motorcycle Global joins Neil Graham to talk about—wait for it—motorcycle seats and mirrors from a designer’s perspective. And then Neil makes the case for an ADV motorcycle inspired by Kawasaki’s 400 cc four-cylinder ZX-4R screamer—a high-spec, small displacement bike with all the tech of a big bike but without the bulk of something like a 1290 Adventure. Like a 600 cc V-twin
A Wide-Angle Lens On The Moto World
The late great Steve Thornton edited ADVRider.com's Photo Of The Week feature for years. I’m happy to report we’ve found a worthy successor to carry on Steve’s work. And I don’t say that casually. Katie Hunter is just about as singular a personality as was Steve. She rides an BMW airhead, she’d rather shiver at a campsite than have a warm shower, and she’s worked at a funeral home as an embalmer.
Challenging Dakar (And The Aftermarket Industry)
Mirrors on motorcycles are almost universally wretched. They either present you with a movie of your elbows or they whimper and fold at merely the thought of a twig brushing against them. Most of us just complain about them. A wonderful motorcycle with bad mirrors is dead to us. (Unless it’s Italian.) But one man with a similarly vexed history with the mirror put his foot down, drew a line in the
How You Can Get The ADV Skills You Need
Dallas Shannon from Traction ERag Adventures joins Neil to outline their upcoming schools and to debunk some of the myths that surround off-road riding. We’re in a peculiar moment in that the ADV-style motorcycle is the de-facto standard of our age, and yet taking a significantly-sized motorcycle into the dirt is beyond the skillset of many a purchaser. Dallas & company hope to change that. Have a
The World's Biggest Motorcycle Show
It’s the most important motorcycle show in the world and regular contributor and Motorcycle Global main-man Michael Uhlarik is here to give The Lowdown the lowdown. We’ll address the rise of the Chinese, the resurgence of Honda, the absence of KTM and ponder a scooter with two cupholders. And lots more, including ADV bikes-a-plenty. Because of the liberal use of video and photographs, you may wish
The Best Motorcycle Ride in America
Scott Calhoun has the most bizarre motorcycling history of any man I’ve met. Up until age 55 he hadn’t ridden a motorcycle. And then, for the next decade, he rode every paved road in America that held any promise for enthusiasts. Every single road. Then the co-founder of Butler Motorcycle Maps—that’s why he rode those roads—sold his BMW and moved on to disc golf. What you and I would call tossing
Bike Rental Done Right
Have you ever been away, for vacation or for work, and had to rent a car? But what if you could rent a motorcycle instead of a car? Of course you can rent motorcycles now. But it’s often a cumbersome process involving a dealership—which can complicate pickup and drop-off if they’re far from you and that often limits you to whatever units they dedicate as rentals. But what if you could rent a wide
Is This Man The Most Versatile Rider on the Planet?
If you’ve ever watched police riders whip a Harley or a big BMW in and around pylons that appear impossibly close together, then you’ll appreciate this week’s guest, Quinn Redeker. Redeker is a maverick in the world of pilon-slaloming in that he adopts techniques from most all motorcycling disciplines, including, but not limited to, motocross, trials and roadracing. Even if you’re not interested i
A Moto-Guru In ADV History
Gregory Frazier skips to his own beat. Dr. G, as he prefers to be called, is an author and globe-trotting bon-vivant and a man often mistaken for Ozzy Osbourne—when Ozzy was still living, presumably. Dr. G riffs to Neil Graham about pioneer motorcycle traveller Carl Stearns Clancy, references a book he considers the best ever written about an RTW trip, and disses on meeting Robert Pirsig—yes, the
From Superbike Racer To Exhaust Guru
When Lang Hindle’s career as a superbike racer ended he turned to the art of pipe bending, using experience gained in racing to build an empire of exhaust. Lang and Neil discuss the art of tuning, the mindset of a racer, the progression of an industry, and—naturally—noise.
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A Lifetime Of Weird Motorcycles
Daryl Tearne—fresh out of design school—landed the oddest dream gig of all: redesigning the Crocker motorcycle for the modern age. Crocker, with less than 50 ever made, make brands like Vincent seem mainstream. But Tearne did the near impossible and made a prototype that was at once futuristic and traditional. When that project hit a wall, he moved on to Buell, for yet another project that hit an
Honda Goes Electric
For more than a decade, small, independent manufacturers have tantalized us with promises of mass electric motorcycle production. We are constantly told of new technologies that will revolutionize the battery bike scene, and yet this corner of the motorcycle world has been filled with bankruptcies, not success stories. Now Honda is about to launch their first full-sized electric motorcycle, early
Why Philosophy Matters To Motorcyclists
Is Stoicism the secret to speed?
From timid to 200 miles per hour—how Louisa Swaden used stoicism’s principles to unleash the woman within. And how her new book—The Stoic Rider—can help you to do the same. This week on the Lowdown podcast Louisa talks to Neil Graham about how motorcycles changed her life, long before she had any idea on how to change a tire.
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A Place Where Motorcycling Is For Everyone
Most every type of motorcycle originated in Europe. Paris—of all places—begat the supermoto and our beloved ADV. But that’s not all. Michael Uhlarik reports in from Italy on a motorcycling culture more inclusive and less dismissive than our ways in the west. We also talk Roman roads, Roman chariots, and expertly ridden motorcycles owned by people who don’t really consider themselves enthusiasts. D
Forest Fires, New Bikes, Dealership Tales
Summer's almost over, so what did we get out of it? Rumors and confirmations of new motorcycles, a lot of wildfires and some surprising stories about the situation that average riders face at their local dealerships. The Lowdown Show wraps up August with a talk with ADVrider's managing editor Zac Kurylyk. Zac and host Neil Graham discuss the topics that have made headlines this summer, like issues
Take Off With Peter Egan's New Travel Tales
Longtime Cycle World and Road & Track writer Peter Egan is back with a new book. Landings in America chronicles a mid-‘80s trip around the US with his wife Barb in a vintage Piper Cub airplane. Landings is a classic Egan travelogue with a dash of reflective pathos that lends the book the gravitas of memoir. Neil Graham talks to Peter about the trip, about motorcycles, and about why it took him 35
The Problems Harley-Davidson Faces
Harley-Davidson at the crossroads. How bad are things at H-D? They’ve sold off a chunk of the ultra-profitable financial services division in an attempt to keep the wolves from the door. Will the new CEO—plucked from the world of pizza and golf—be able to craft a plan to lead the brand back onto its feet? Michael is doubtful. And hopeful. But time, just as it is for all men, is running out.
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Our Man in Washington
The proposed selling of public lands and looming tariffs threaten to derail an already struggling US motorcycle market. Motorcycle Industry Council lobbyist Scott Schloegel, who for years worked inside government, has, for the past eight years, worked to bring the interests of US motorcycle manufacturers and distributors to legislators and lawmakers. In addition to a 2025 status report, Schloegel
Motorcycle Dealerships Are In a Crisis. Here's Why.
The motorcycle manufacturers' head offices tell us not to worry about the state of dealerships in North America—"Everything's fine, fine fine!" we're told. But if you look around, you see dealerships closing everywhere, and others seeming to be in financial straits. What's going on? Dealers are close-lipped trying to avoid trouble with the OEMs' bigwigs. But Mark Sheffield, who's been working on w
Here's What's REALLY Going On At Your Motorcycle Dealer
While OEMs claim all is well in dealership land, the dealerships themselves tell a different story—if only they’d talk on the record, which they won’t. Mark Sheffield has been involved with dealerships for decades and pulls back the curtain on a relationship that is as often contentions as it is convivial. Part one of our conversation with Mark is this week, next week in part two we’ll wrap it up.
Why Small Bikes Are Winning
America has long been seen as the big bike capital of the motorcycling world. Gold Wings, Harleys, Indians, superbikes and, for this readership, KTM Adventures and BMW GSs. But, as industry watcher Michael Uhlarik points out, it’s just not true. Or at least not true anymore. Small bikes are making a big comeback, and that’s not just an opinion, it’s the truth—sales numbers make it blatantly clear.
How Hard Is The BMW GS Trophy?
How tough is BMW’s GS Trophy, the one-make, one-model competition that pits skilled amateur riders from across the globe against each other? We talk to team USA’s Scott Acheson, who competed in Namibia in the most recent competition. Here’s a spoiler: Namibian sand, Scott tells Neil Graham, is not like Floridian sand. Would Scott do it again? Absolutely. Would he prepare for it differently? Absolu
A Design Guru Shares The Truth
Hugo Eccles does it all. Designer, teacher, customizer, lover of petrol and enthusiastic about electrification. In this episode, Hugo and Neil dig into the perils of designing electric motorcycles, the challenges of customization and malaise that makes most new motorcycles look so damn busy.
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This Film Festival Was Made For Motorcyclists
Caius Tenche doesn’t do half measures. After discovering motorcycling in his 40s, he promptly decided what the world needed was a film festival catering to riders. And riders only. If you can’t make his festival, listen-on, as Tenche picks a few favorites from the past and tells us how to watch them for free.
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How To Build A Moto Brand Without Investors
Motorcycle-mad Peter Dering founded Peak Design off the back of one product. Now, the San Franciscan has built an empire of rolling carts and backpacks and what he claims is the single best motorcycle phone mount in captivity. Peak Design is also a case study in how to build a business in the modern age, as it successfully crowdsources development funding in lieu of seeking outside investors.
Le
How The KTM Buy-Out Will Benefit Bajaj
Pundit Michael Uhlarik claims we in the west have been getting the KTM story all wrong. Or mostly wrong. The readily-accepted narrative—that new majority-shareholder Bajaj will benefit from KTM’s technology and expertise—is pure poppycock. And Michael draws a parallel between KTM’s woes and the near collapse and diminished future of another major European OEM to prove his point.
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KTM's Future Is Revealed
Brian Price, who joined us in Lowdown 42 to talk all things KTM, is back with an update on the fate of the once-proud Austrian brand. Now that KTM's future is assured—or so KTM would like us to believe—Brian fill us in on what’s next now that the brand is Indian-owned.
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Crashing Won't Slow Him Down
Fearless Fazer Manny is the luckiest man alive. Just ask him. His confidence far outpaces his skill. He says it himself. But despite a lifetime of crashing—his latest a 100 mph shunt into the woods just this month
—he carries on with boundless enthusiasm. He’s overweight, out of shape, and at 72 carries on like he’s 25. If that doesn’t make him legendary, we don’t know what does.
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Can Can-Am's Three-Wheeler Work For ADV riding?
This week's guest is ADVrider editor Zac Kurylyk, who's just returned from riding the Can-Am Canyon. Is this bold new three-wheeler really suitable for adventure riders? What's it like to ride, and who is it made for? Zac and Neil also discuss a recent ride to Cape Breton Island, with some tips for travelers who want to explore this paradise of paved and unpaved roads, with distinct cultures and g
How This Rider Went From Rookie To RTW
Tall tales from Africa part two. The ultimate innocent abroad, Sam Manicom headed out from the UK to Africa having never ridden a motorcycle before. Ever. As in never. Forget working on your skillset to help combat African sand—Sam was just doing his best to differentiate the brake lever from the clutch lever. But he survived with beautiful, well-observed stories from the continent.
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From Never Riding a Motorcycle to Exploring Africa on Two Wheels
Traveller and author Sam Manicom joins us to talk about riding Africa and to read excerpts from his book Info Africa. With little experience on a motorcycle (as in none) Manicom took the advice from his two mates down at the pub and bought an R80GS and set out from England for points south, fulfilling his mother’s mantra that her son could be foolishly naive. But he survived. And what a story he b
How The BDR Organization Makes Discovery Possible
In this episode, host Neil Graham speaks to Inna Thorn and Bryce Stevens from the BDR organization, aka Backcountry Discovery Routes, a centralized, registered non-profit that provides off-road routes through some of the most visceral, breathtaking country in the US. The BDR organization may be the best thing that’s happened to adventure riding since the advent of motorcycles that don’t fall over.
An Insider's State-Of-The-Moto-Industry
JT Nesbitt took a break from fabricating the great American motorcycle—his built-from-scratch Magnolia 4—to chew the fat with Lowdown host Neil Graham. JT shared his feelings on kids these days, the flatlining Harley-Davidson motorcycle company, when to ignore and when to pay heed to criticism and more. All from the land of New Orleans.
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They Rode Around The World And They'll Show You How
Andy and Alissa, better known as the couple that helm MadorNomad.com, gave up the sensible life in 2018 and hit the road. So far the UK nationals have trekked just about everywhere a wheel can roll. Of particular interest is their website, which is a treasure trove of useful information for tips and advice that burgeoning travellers can’t live without. Even if you’re just curious about how to live
From The Coal Mines To The Dakar Rally
“I hope it can get me out of the coal mine.” Cool words spoken by the ultimate underdog. And “coal mine” isn’t a metaphor. Jordan Strachan works in the coal mines of British Columbia and, after stepping away from riding after breaking his back a few years back, he came back with a bang. Having applied to race Dakar on a whim, the man who rides for the joy of a crisp beer at the end of the day made
He Took a Chance And it Changed His Life
Michnus Olivier had a good life working in the insurance business in Johannesburg. That is until his partner Elsebie goaded him into take a chance on taking a chance. There was no looking back. They hit the road to points unknown and, in the process, developed South African designed-and-made touring gear via their Turkana brand.
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How Motorcycle Travel Can Change You For The Better (Or Worse)
Have you had a ride that’s changed your life? Designer and industry watcher Michael Uhlarik joins Neil Graham and they talk about the trips that changed them. Not always for the better...
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How You Can Travel For $20 A Night
Is the cost of lodging stopping you from travelling? How does $20 bed and breakfast sound? Curious? Christi Reynolds' Motorcycle Travel Network could be just your thing.
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The Motorcyclist Who Does Everything
Michael Waterford is the kind of super-enthusiast you can’t help but love. The Hoosier seemingly has a hand in just about everything going on in Indiana. He’s a keen ADV-er on his Yamaha T7 and is part of mostly-moped club that has saving turtles as one of its mandates. All that and he’s paddled down the Mississippi. Twice. Mark Twain would be proud.
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