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Driven to Ride — Automotive
Driven to Ride

Driven to Ride shares the stories of motorcyclists from all walks of life: prominent journalists, racers, celebrities who you didn’t know rode motorcycles, first-time adventurers, and ordinary folks who have taken extraordinary adventures. Driven to Ride also documents the adventures of its host, Mark Long, further exploring his life-changing experiences on two wheels. You’ll meet riders just like you who share moving stories about why they love to ride and how the sport has changed their lives. Our hope is that Driven to Ride will help you enjoy every ride that much more.

Copyright: © 2023 Flint Rock LLC

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Larry "Fletch" Fletcher Feb 19, 2025

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!

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Thalassa Van Beek Feb 05, 2025

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.

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Brady McLean Jan 22, 2025

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?’”

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Vanessa Ruck Jan 08, 2025

Vanessa Ruck is a self-proclaimed “go-getter, a chase-your-dreams kind of girl.” Her path to motorcycling came in a roundabout way: on the heels of a devastating bicycle accident that required seven surgeries and put the adventure-lover out of action for most of a decade. During her recovery, Ruck decided that life-changing event would not dictate her future.

In the eight years since Ruck began riding motorcycles, she has completed some of the most challenging off-road races in the world. “A lot of people see the sort of riding and racing that I’ve been doing and think I’ve been riding since I was a teeny tot,” she says. That late start aside, motorcycling has unlocked an all-new and often-unexpected world for “the girl on a bike.”

When she isn’t riding one of her several motorcycles, Ruck is a passionate and engaging motivational speaker, focusing on mental health and helping others make empowered decisions. “Life is really short,” she says, “and it’s absolutely incredible what we can achieve if we put our minds to it.” Want to know how to turn doom and gloom into drive and inspiration? Just ask Vanessa Ruck.

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Daniel Ritz Dec 25, 2024

Daniel Ritz stumbled upon motorcycling a dozen years ago while working as a newspaper editor in Southern California. “There was a small shop up the street from where I was living,” he tells “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long. “I started looking at Triumphs, and I saw the Scrambler as a good mix: heavy enough for big trips but light enough to still move around a bit.”

For three years, a Matte Khaki Green Scrambler (“To this day, it’s still the most beautiful bike I’ve ever seen”) was Ritz’s sole transportation. “I just really committed to being as light-footed as I could, to being mobile,” he says, noting that he interacted with more people commuting and running errands on his motorcycle than when driving his pickup truck.

Now living in Idaho, the conservation editor for “Swing The Fly” and founder of “Jack’s Experience Trading Co.” has traded Pacific Coast Highway for Forest Service roads. “Wild people enjoy wild places and wildlife,” says Ritz. “I feel very lucky to have access to a pretty remarkable landscape that is well-built, and sort of curated, for motorcycling.”

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Alana Baratto Dec 11, 2024

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.

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Ultimate Motorcycling - TeeJay Adams & Arthur Coldwells Nov 27, 2024

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 Website

Motos & Friends Podcast

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Wes Fleming Nov 13, 2024

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.

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Bob Starr Oct 30, 2024

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.

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Cassey Stone & Jacob Michna Oct 16, 2024

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.

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Ryan F9 (aka Ryan Kluftinger) Oct 02, 2024

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.

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Sean Bice Sep 18, 2024

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.”

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Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2024 Sep 04, 2024

What comes to mind when someone says, “Sturgis”? As in, the annual motorcycle rally set in the South Dakota city of the same name. If you’re Mark Long, host of “Driven to Ride,” you know only what you’ve read or been told. See, before this year, Mark had never been to Sturgis, never mind the rally. So this past August, he packed his bags and pointed the headlight of his Yamaha XSR900 toward Mount Rushmore.
Among the half-a-million rally attendees, some, like Mark, are wide-eyed newbies. Take it from Richard Worsham, co-founder of Janus Motorcycles: “Driving through Sturgis at night, it’s wild—bikes back to back.” Others, like Zach Parham, president and CEO of Comoto Holdings, have been coming to the Black Hills for decades. “I rode my first time on my own bike when I was 16,” he says. “This is my 29th year.”
Long relates his own adventure, with insights from Worsham, Parham, photographer Michael Lichter, YouTube star “Doodle on a Motorcycle,” and others, including Cody Ertman, media and PR manager at the Legendary Sturgis Buffalo Chip, known as “The Best Party Anywhere.” He says, “If I wasn’t working at ‘The Chip,’ I would definitely be one of those people who came every year. It’s such a cool experience.”

The Buffalo Chip

Janus Motorcycles

Official Sturgis Website

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Keith Keller Aug 21, 2024

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.”

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Guillermo Cornejo Aug 07, 2024

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.

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Andrew Pieper Jul 24, 2024

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.

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MotoGP At Mugello Jul 10, 2024

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.

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Crystal Fong Jun 26, 2024

“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.

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Richard Worsham Jun 12, 2024

“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.”

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Mike Van Der Sleesen, Round 2 May 29, 2024

Have you ever met someone who describes their life on this planet in such an entertaining way you lose track of time? Well, that is the dilemma “Driven to Ride” podcast host Mark Long faced 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, its front wheel driven by a small engine. 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, and he has never lost interest. Today, Mike owns five Nortons in various trims, one of which he bought in 1972—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.

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Jeff Allen May 15, 2024

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.

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MotoGP at Circuit of the Americas May 01, 2024

We're taking you to the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas for the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas. We're not just going to the race - we're talking with Clerk of the Course Beth Miller; Sean Bice, the prolific MotoAmerica content creator who co-hosts the series’ weekly “Off Track” podcast; Brian Case, Executive Director of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum; and 1993 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Kevin Schwantz, who played a crucial role in the design of the 20-turn, 3.41-mile racetrack. You've never heard a MotoGP race like this.

Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas MotoGP Race Highlights

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George Beavers Apr 17, 2024

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.”

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Doodle on a Motorcycle Apr 03, 2024

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.

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Sarah Schilke Mar 20, 2024

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.

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Dennis Noyes Mar 06, 2024

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.”

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Bridget McCutchen Feb 21, 2024

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.”

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Austin Rothbard Feb 07, 2024

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.

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Mike Van Der Sleesen Jan 24, 2024

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.

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Michael Lichter Jan 10, 2024

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.

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Robert Pandya Dec 27, 2023

“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.”

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Dave Despain Dec 13, 2023

Once in a great while, an individual connects with an audience. News anchor Walter Cronkite was often called “the most trusted man in America.” Vin Scully was the “voice of baseball.” For legions of motorsports fanatics, our next guest’s encyclopedic knowledge and booming baritone cemented their connection with all manner of two- and four-wheel competition.

In his youth, Dave Despain aspired to race motorcycles but admits he lacked the necessary courage and talent, never mind he stood head and shoulders above his two-wheel heroes. Despain called flat-track and road-racing events before accepting broader-reaching auto-racing assignments and later hosting his own TV shows, among them “WindTunnel with Dave Despain.”

Despain is a motorcyclist to his core. Studio work in the can, he would often ride one of his bikes countless miles to a distant destination to fulfill his public-address duties. Even off the clock, Despain found himself on the seat of a motorcycle, frequently his trusted Kawasaki KLR650, which he ultimately rode to Alaska, a trip that he discusses in detail on this episode of “Driven To Ride.”

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Ricky Carmichael Nov 29, 2023

For those who watched our next guest’s ascent to motocross and supercross greatness, the acronym by which this hall of famer is often and deservingly referred is apropos. Credited with 15 national titles—10 in motocross, including two perfect seasons, and five in supercross—Ricky Carmichael is indeed the GOAT, or the Greatest Of All Time.

Following a four–year NASCAR career, the 43-year-old Floridian now splits his energy and time between his family and television broadcasting duties, as well as working with amateur riders in various self-branded camps and events. In addition, Carmichael has partnered with Triumph Motorcycles to help develop an all-new line of off-road competition machines.

As part of his relationship with the British marque, Carmichael has discovered a new two-wheel outlet: adventure riding. Unofficially christened the “RC Summer Adventure Ride,” the annual outing has become defined by a small group of close friends traveling off the beaten path and exploring some of the best roads imaginable—paved or otherwise—in the conterminous U.S.

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Peter Egan Nov 15, 2023

For a generation of motorcycle enthusiasts, Peter Egan represented something of a revelation. Here was someone who spoke their language, who found ways to escape the chill of winter to bring them with him across the country, eloquently describing through the pages of Cycle World the flat expanses, curving mountain roads, and scenic coastlines he traveled, often with his wife, Barbara.

Egan’s writing first appeared in Cycle World in 1977, and he was a regular fixture in the publication for decades. For the foreword of “Leanings 2,” the second compilation of Egan’s feature stories and slice-of-life columns, longtime Editor-in-Chief David Edwards described his friend and riding buddy as “the perfect writer” for CW, adding, “Peter’s love of motorcycling is deep and non-denominational.”

Peter has documented many of his road trips, including detailed accounts of the failings of the vehicles, interactions with the people with whom he traveled, and the characters and weather he encountered along the way. Peter and Barb still live in Wisconsin, near Madison, and we are grateful that he has agreed to join us on this episode of “Driven To Ride” to share some of his lifetime of experiences.

Peter Egan’s Cycle World Articles

Peter Egan’s Books

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The National Motorcycle Museum Nov 01, 2023

The National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa hosted over 500 motorcycles from every decade and almost every manufacturer, all handpicked by John Parham and his family of J&P Cycles fame. Unfortunately, the museum had to shut down back in September. Let's take a look inside before they close the doors for good, and find out the story of how one guy got all these amazing bikes got into one place.

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Alonzo Bodden Nov 01, 2023

Six-foot-four-inch Alonzo Bodden strikes an imposing figure, both on the stage as an internationally recognized comedian and off it. A native of Queens, New York, Bodden moved in the 1990s to Long Beach, California, where he worked in the aviation industry as a mechanic. Since his comedy career took off, Bodden has appeared in numerous films and TV shows. He is a regular on NPR’s “Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!”

The easy-going linebacker lookalike is deeply rooted in Los Angeles’ motorcycle culture. It should come as no surprise that his taste in two wheels leans toward larger, more powerful machines. For example, Bodden currently owns a 2019 BMW K 1600 Grand America and a 2023 Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak, as well as 2008 BMW R 1200 HP2 Megamoto.

In 2010, Bodden crashed his Ducati 1098 during a track day at Buttonwillow Raceway Park near Bakersfield, California. The crash shattered the scaphoid bone in his wrist, requiring multiple surgeries and a bone graft to fix. These days, Bodden sticks mostly to the street. So, we ask: What is it like to ride a motorcycle in a city with one of the densest traffic populations in the country?

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What is Driven to Ride? Oct 31, 2023

Curious about what you'll find on the Driven to Ride podcast? Start here!

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