False Neutral: Recent Episodes
Peter Tanshanomi
False Neutral is The Hooniverse Podcast Network's motorcycle-centric podcast. Eric, Garrett and Pete discuss buying, riding, and wrenching motorcycles. New episodes appear monthly.
Our final episode. We update you on our projects one last time. We choose a single current bike as your three hosts' mutual favorite, along with the one bike we'd each like to have in our living room as art. We wrap up with a few letters from listeners and our final thoughts.
It's been a fantastic 7 years. Thanks to everyone who listened.
This month's episode is a retrospective clip show featuring all the special guests we've had on the podcast over the past seven years. A listing of the individual guests' episodes is below.
Wayne Moyer: Ep.4 - Ep.16
Cager On Two Wheels: Ep.5
Richard Varner: Ep.6
Bradley Brownell: Ep.15 - Ep.97
Cam Vanderhorst: Ep.20 - Ep.21 - Ep.41
Rusty Spokes: Ep.28 - Ep.128
Jeepjeff: Ep.29 - Ep.81
Thai Long Ly: Ep.37
Mark Atkinson: Ep.43
Abhi Eswarappa: Ep.52 - Ep.127
David Emmitt: Ep.53
Steve Ledsham: Ep.58
Ethan Saeta: Ep.64
Joe Bergeron: Ep.66
Chris Jonnom: Ep.68
Colin Fraser: Ep.69
Jason Chinnock: Ep.73
Rick Radcliffe: Ep.88
Steve Faux: Ep.92
Bree Poland: Ep.98
Ross Ballot: Ep.102
Johnny Lewis: Ep.103
Victor Pagan: Ep.106
Mike Festiva: Ep.111
Trevor Daley: Ep.114
Your trio of hosts marvel at Garrett's amazing Vespa sale on BaT and update you on our project bikes. We then discuss the new Chinese-built Moto Morinis that will be coming to America, along with KTM's 790s and 890s and several electric motorcycles. To wrap up, we announce that the False Neutral will be coming to a end in a couple of months and explain why.
Our old friend Jim joins us for a discussion of large adventure bikes, specifically the Suzuki V-Strom and the Honda Africa Twin. Jim does a lot of trail riding in his home state of Colorado. He has a lot of first-hand experience with Honda's DCT transmission and he shares the pros and cons of the automatic. As usual, the rest of us share updates on our project bikes.
This month we catch up on Eric's scootering adventures in Vietnam, then discuss Iconic Motorbike Auctions with returning guest Abhi Eswarappa.
Eric had a last-minute conflict and couldn't join us for this month's episode, so we make do with a smaller cast and somewhat abbreviated run time. Garrett and Pete discuss our project bikes (as usual), including updates on both of Garrett's RZ350s. We also consider what large adventure bike Garrett might look for to add to his stable of motorcycles, then wrap up by talking about Can-Am's newly announced foray into electric bikes.
This episode, we have two months worth of events to cover. Our hosts have been in a four-wheel mode, building, repairing, and shopping for cars. We update you on some recent and upcoming travel, and of course discuss what's up with our project bikes, including another look into the wild world of Predator performance mods.
This month's episode is almost entirely Workshop Update. Garrett freshened up his vintage Vespa Super Sport and unexpectedly focused his attention on the rat-rod RZ, while Pete has been developing a project concept around his Benelli frame. In the process of discussing these, we talk about how the Internet has changed parts chasing. It's springtime, so we're all pining for new bikes.
What ADV bikes make great commuters? After a recap of Garrett's family dirt bike excursion, and a quick Workshop Update, a listener's question launches a discussion about the current crop of adventure bikes. Thanks to James for his great question. We love to hear from listeners and we're eager to answer your questions.
This month, we look at a lot of bikes with odd combinations of influences: race bikes that are really baggers but aren't, Buell's new adventure-tourer that is neither an adventure bike, nor a tourer, nor new (along with one that is all of those things), a scooter-minimoto hybrid, and a few other things that really shouldn't go together.
Are Internet motorcycle forums still viable? still useful? If they are headed the way of the dodo, what is (or should) replace them?
Pete talks about recreating a project bike blog (Tanshanomi.com), then we look at YouTube video channels that are both technical and entertaining.
Eric has had a close look at the Desert X. Phil Reed of Ducati gave him all the details, and Eric passes them along to us. Pete's been window shopping, and trying to determine if a new bike or Can-Am Spyder is in his future.
Here are YouTube channels we refer to in this episode:
- Paul Brodie
- BSA Power Set (Angus D. Campbell)
- Revzilla
- 44 Teeth
- Cager On Two Wheels
- Taylor McKenzie
- Missenden Flyer
- Lyndon Poskitt - Races 2 Places
- The Classic Motorcycle Channel
- Michael Waller - Britannia Motorcycle
- Mike Festiva
- Brian Rupnow
In the lull after the holidays, we don't have anything cooking in their workshops for a couple of different reasons. It's just Garrett and Pete this month, talking a lot about kids bikes and choosing what projects we might tackle next. As always, you can go to Hooniverse.com to see pictures of all the bikes we talk about on this episode.
Eric, Garrett, & Pete talk about the bikes they still want to own, the projects they still want to build, the roads they want to ride, and the motorcycle-oriented destinations and events they would like to experience. And of course, there's a workshop update.
After tying up a couple of loose ends from our new bike discussion last month, we mention a couple others we missed from CFMoto, Yamaha, and Husqvarna. Garrett updates us on the CT70K0's successful shakedown and Pete shares his (slower) progress on his current project, a surprisingly cooperative pile of spare parts.
After a quick update on our current projects, we talk about the new bikes for the upcoming model year from Suzuki, Kawasaki, Moto Guzzi, and others. Along the way, we explore a couple of rumored models. We wrap up with our takes on a couple of mid-year 2021 releases. As always, you can check out pictures of the bikes we talk about on Hooniverse.com.
This month's episode discussion starts off with a question from a listener, then bounces between our projects and various other motorcycles, both new and old. Along the way, Garrett fills us in on his new laser engraver, and we discuss some of the YouTube bike videos we've been enjoying lately.
We had a lot of fun recording this month's episode, and we think you will really enjoy listening. As always, we start with our Workshop Update. Garrett has finished upgrading not one workshop space, but two. Pete had surprising success with the flux-core (gasless mig) welder we discussed with Mike Festiva in Episode 111. Afterwards, we play a few rounds of What's The Ask? In this game-show-format discussion, Garrett and Eric must guess what the asking price for six bikes offered for sale online, based only on a photograph and classified ad copy. You can play along, too! Go to Hooniverse.com to view photos of the bikes along with your hosts: Hooniverse | False Neutral Podcast #115 – The Return of 'What's The Ask?'
Our guest this month is Trevor Daley, Canadian Superbike racer and the driving force behind One Speed Racing. Trevor has the unusual distinction of being a past professional auto racer, a current pro motorcycle roadracer, and an accomplished fabricator on the custom scene. We talk with him about how all those elements came together in his career, and how aesthetics and performance intersect for him and his customers. Along the way, he describes some of his custom builds from Harleys to café racers, which you can see photos of on Hooniverse.com.
The focus of this month's episode is less on building motorcycles and more on buying them. We discuss BMW's balloon-payment financing model, how special financing deals can make a brand-new vehicle more attractive than buying used, depreciation, and the wisdom of paying cash. We wrap up by discussing new bikes that might get us into a dealer's showroom, and used minibikes and karts that have surprising pricetags.
This month's conversation encompasses a lot of topics beyond just motorcycles. We discuss boats, trailers, pickups & medium-duty trucks, station wagons, and SUVs—those we own, and those we've considered owning. But fortunately, when we do get around to bikes, there's a lot to like. We continue to be impressed by the Harley Pan-America, and the Aprilia 660 Tuono, among others. Plus, a very cool aftermarket cafe kit for the Yamaha R3 has Garrett scheming.
As always, you can follow along with photos of all the motorcycles we discuss at Hooniverse.com.
This month we're joined by Mike Festiva, who has a great YouTube channel documenting his creative budget vehicle builds, including a number powered by the Predator engine. In fact, it was his video that inspired Garrett's friend to build the Predator KX, and in turn Pete's current torque-converter bike project. Our discussion covers a wide range of vehicles, from two wheels to six, including mini bikes, trail bikes, street bikes, and Mike's amazing "Mini Pinzgauer" project.
Eric was in the broadcast booth this past weekend, announcing the Daytona 200 for the trackside crowd and the NBC Sports streaming broadcast. We recorded this episode before he left Michigan for Florida and we talk about his (at the time) upcoming broadcast. Garrett is back in good health, has finished settling into his new home, and is ready to get back to bikes. He was nearly ready to pull the trigger on a new Royal Enfield 650 Continental GT when another model currently available at fire-sale prices piqued his interest. Pete is continuing to slap leftover parts together, and having surprising success with it. He also put a brand-new, long-distance touring vehicle in the driveway, but it's not what you'd think. We discuss a couple of new bike models we've been watching lately, including a less-ugly variant of the Harley Pan-American, the Triumph Trident 660, the revised 2021 Triumph Bonneville Bobber, and the reborn (yet again) Buell.
On this episode, Garrett, Eric, and Pete discuss few more new models for 2021: Honda's 1100 Rebel, the return of the Suzuki Hayabusa, what Indian is getting right, and Harley continues to get wrong. We then discuss recent garage purchases we've made, are currently considering and, in Pete's case, bought sort of by accident. We wrap up with a quick review of the Chinese-made cobbler's sewing machine Pete bought mid-episode last month.
This month, our usual workshop update ends up taking the whole episode, because we constantly drift into topics such as tuning for methane fuel, gray market JDM imports, and sewing heavy upolstery.
Here are a few web links we reference in this episode:
- http://www.moto2imports.com/
- https://rmdmotors.com/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zawvl5ZZIdI
- http://saltwhistlesailing.blogspot.com/2015/04/first-project-with-my-sailrite-sewing.html
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/SINGER-Heavy-Duty-4432-Sewing-Machine-18-lbs-Gray/293946716722
- https://www.amazon.com/Machine-Cobbler-Mending-Leather-Stitching/dp/B08R55S2CX
This month we discuss which new bikes for 2021 we're most excited about, along with a few we're a bit more ambivalent about. We also look forward to some new stuff we plan on doing in our workshops in the coming year.
This month, Eric, Garrett, and Pete interview our special guest, Victor Pagan, who is building a Super Single class roadracer out of a 1997 CR250 motorcrosser. After an overview of the conversion process and the challenges he's still working through, we revisit our own projects, including the Predator-engined KX project Garrett's involved with. Along the way, we briefly discuss Bultakenstein, the new Aprilia RS660, and our continuing fascination with the Yamaha Blaster ATV motor. Also, is there a new bike in Pete's or Eric's futures?
Your three hosts are all back in the (vitual) studio, after a 1-month hiatus. This month we discuss small, unusual motorcyles: custom minibikes, bikes powered by Harbor Freight's 212cc Predator industrial motor, and Thai 150cc drag bikes. Eric gives a final wrap-up of his stint with the Royal Enfield 650 twin, and Garrett's been watching The Long Way Up. That leads to a discussion of the prospects for Harley's electric (or not) future.
This month we catch up on what your three hosts have been up to. Eric's been testing a new Royal Enfield 650 Continental GT. Pete and Garrett have been busy in their workshops. It seems that everyone else has been, too — we discuss the current shortage of used parts and used bikes, thanks to most Americans having nothing better to do with their time. Also, Garrett sold his FZ1 and bought something, um, surprising.
We're very excited to have flat-track racer, teacher, fabricator and all-around evangelist Johnny Lewis joining us this month. Johnny runs the Moto Anatomy training facility and has hooked up with Royal Enfield's flat-track program to create the Royal Enfield Slide School and participate in the Build-Train-Race project. Along the way, he has been teaching flat track techniques around the globe, as far away as India. We discuss the new RE 650 and 411 flat trackers and the challenges of teaching riders how to "crash without crashing." It's a fascinating conversation for anybody, regardless of your familiarity with American flat track.
This month Eric and Pete are joined by fellow Hooniverse podcaster Ross Ballot, one of the hosts of Off The Road Again, Hooniverse's newest podcast that focuses on 4x4s and all things off-road. Ross is an avid ATV'er. On this episode, we compare and contrast side-by-sides and ATVs, discuss how they've inherited many of the roles previously held by dune buggies and Jeeps, and try to explain just what makes sitting behind a set of handlebars so magic.
This month there's a lot going on in our workshops. Pete's doing his usual hacking, and Garrett is doing his usual professional-level restoration work. Along the way, our discussion leads to all three of us fawning over how great two-strokes sound, which even incorporates an audio clip [please comment on how you do or don't like this feature].
Despite the Coronavirus lockdown, all three hosts managed to do some cool stuff with and to their bikes this past month. After updating each other on our workshop activities, we discuss how dealerships are surviving the shutdown, what bike bargains are out there that we are not taking advantage of, the fate of this year's Smackdab Run, and what we've been watching on YouTube while we're sequestered at home.
It's just your three hosts this month, and we update you on our projects (and workshop spaces) before we talk about electric bikes, then a couple of new bikes including the BMW R18, Harley Pan-American, and the Indian FTR Rally.
This month, Pete and Eric talk with Bree Poland. Bree has a fascinating personal motorcycle odyssey, from riding dirt bikes as a kid, to umbrella girl, to owning her own supersport road racing team, and finally to her current position as Senior Marketing Manager for Royal Enfield North America. We talk not only about Royal Enfield's remarkable recent renaissance, but how and why people get excited about motorcycles, and how we as a community can tap into those reasons. some of the social programs she has helped instigate: the Build Moto Mentor Program in Milwaukee, the Build Train Race female flat track program, and even commissioning graffiti murals in Colombia. Her enthusiasm not only for Royal Enfields but for connecting people with and through motorcycles is infectious, and definitely makes this month's episode worth listen to.
Our old friend Bradley Brownell is seemingly everywhere on the Internet nowadays, including Jalopnik, Radwood, and a bunch of other media outlets. This month your three hosts talk to him about the Indian FTR1200, the Scout Bobber, Radwood, and his mini-travel-trailer project. It's a great episode; give it a listen!
This month, Garrett has finally started up his sleeper RZ350, but there's yet another unexpected setback! Pete's air compressor also crapped out, but its replacement arrived, as well as some new parts for both his projects. Somewhere along the way, we gush about how much we like the new Triumph Rocket 3 R.
After an update from Garrett on the (nearly done!) RZ, then surprising new project developments from him and Pete, we delve into the new 2020 MY bikes, including some concept bikes from the EICMA show.
arrett's RZ350 is sooo close to complete, Eric broke down and pulled the top end from the sad-trombone XS400, and another project that will never be completed has dropped in my lap.
After our Workshop Update, we talk about new bikes that are here or coming soon, and then discuss recent competition, both off-road and on asphalt.
Making up for our lack of project updates last month, this one's an almost-all-workshop episode.
- Garrett has created a very sophisticated airbox mod for the Kenny Roberts RZ using CAD software and his 3D printer.
- Pete has, at long last, finished his Honda CL125S...aaaaand it's gone. He talks about the nostalgia he felt when he rode it, and why it's already sold.
- Eric delved into the top end on his XS400.
We wrap up with a quick discussion of a couple of bikes we recently checked out at dealers.
This month's episode is a bit different, and somewhat experimental. Garrett is busy with exams this month, so Pete and Eric are joined by guest Steve Faux, a moto vlogger from Lincoln, Nebraska. Steve joins us via mobile phone while out riding his Harley. We discuss the remarkable Honda Fury psuedo-chopper, cruise control, helmet laws, ape hangers, and the proper mindset when making Internet videos and podcasts. [We've done our bests to enhance sound quality over Steve's phone connection, but his voice is slightly garbled in a couple spots.]
After updating listeners on Garrett's continuing Kenny Roberts Replica RZ build, including his plan to 3D print a new airbox, Eric shares new tribulations with his never-running-right XS. We go on to discuss Harley's joint partnership with Chinese manufacturer Qianjiang, and how side-by-sides are currently keeping the powersports industry afloat in North America.
After our usual project bike updates, this month we discuss three listener questions:
- What's your "wild card" bikes, which you'd like to own for a short time just to satisfy your curiosity?
- Can you buy a good beginner bike for $1000, and would a Kawasaki KLR650 be one of them?
- What should you do with used helmets?
This month the crew is all dealing with various pipe-related issues. Garrett had to cut out and replace a frame tube due to a previous welding hack, among lots of other work on his RZ350 project, while Eric and Pete were both busy with other non-motorcycle plumbing issues that couldn't have been more different. We also discuss motorcycle crates, some new bikes, torque curves, and the nature of being an adult.
This month we're joined by Rick Radcliffe, a name well known to Hooniverse regulars. Rick shares his story, which has a uniquely Southern California ambience (spoilers: it involves a Ducati 916 and lane-splitting). We go on to discuss a wide range of bikes, from dream sport bikes to comfortable, practical commuters. Along the way we get an update on our project bikes and the final departure of the Don Vesco Yamaha. Be sure to hop over to hooniverse.com to follow along with photos of the bikes we discuss.
We've been busy in our workshops this month. Garrett finished his powdercoating oven and rebuilt Eric's carbs, Pete bought a TIG welder. Along the way, in between talking about welding and plasma cutters, we tie up a few loose ends from past episodes, and discuss bikes including the Ducati Paso, Triumph Speedmaster, and Honda GB500.
This month's episode starts as usual with updates on our various project bikes, along with some dreamed-up future project ideas we'll surely never get around to actually attempting. After that, we each try to name one bike we could live with as our only motorcycle. Spoiler: your three hosts come up with very divergent and rather unexpected choices. We wrap up with a discussion of last month's giant Mecum Las Vegas classic bike auction.
Be sure to check out Hooniverse.com for links and photos that accompany each False Neutral episode.
This month all three of your hosts have managed to make real progress in our garages. Eric's XS400E and the Don Vesco RD both fired up for the first time in many years! Garrett has also been busy with the T500 Titan. We go on to discuss Honda's automatic bikes from the '70s and '80s, the Fat Hippo that won Hooniverse Car Of The Year honors, and how Harley-Davidson's Livewire electric bike stacks up to the competition.
In reponse to some feedback from listeners, we start this month's episode with a discussion of our motiviation for continuing this podcast, and what we expect ourselves and our listenters to get from it. Then we talk about what's been going on in our workshops, including some cool updates on the ex-Don Vesco RD350 Garrett is readying for auction.
The topic of this month's episode was supposed to be the new bikes from EICMA, but Garrett followed through on his predicted purchase of not one but three Yamaha two-stroke twins. One will be a fairly mild, original looking Kenny Roberts Special. The other two, an RZ and an RD, will be wildly modified with monster motors. Between the three projects, we spend a lot of time talking about modifying two-strokes and no time talking about 2019 bikes.
In the October episode, Garrett updates us on his pending estate purchase(s?) before moving on to discuss the new Indian FTR1200 [Spoiler: we're impressed], the new Suzuki Katana, the ergonomics of the Husqvarna Vitpilen 701. We go on to examine which bikes are (and are not) on our bucket lists and bargains in small non-current bikes including the utimate 250cc Great-Plains tourer.
Our friend Jeff, who shared his adventures on a TW200 back in Episode 29, is back again to talk about his recent experiences riding the West Coast on another Yamaha, this one blessed with a great deal more power. We go on to discuss the death of Motus, the birth of the Ryker, Harley's chronic illness.
This month we talk about things from the past: Eric's resurection of his old Rumblestrip Radio podcast episodes, and motorcycles in the estate left behind by Garrett's recently departed riding buddy. We also talk about the future, namely Harley-Davidison's future, in light of their recent announcement of upcoming models.
Garrett didn't quite go to a track day.
Garrett also didn't quite go on his summer motorcycle trip.
Eric didn't quite get his electronic ignition installed.
Pete didn't quite do Smackdab.
We discuss all of these things on this month's episode, along with our views on Travis Pastrana's successful recreation of the Caesar's Palace fountain jump that Evel Knevel didn't quite complete.
On the June episode, we discuss matters time and money: Garrett finished his modular helmet shopping and ended up getting what he thinks is the best bang for the buck. Eric got another offer to trade his Mustang for a bike plus cash (this time a Harley FXR), but wasn't close the deal in time. Pete recollects about the time walked into the Motorcyclist magazine editorial offices unannounced, because the front door just happened to be unlocked. We discuss what activities we have planned for the summer and, finally, we talk about the record breaking lap times at the Isle of Man TT this year.
This month we discuss a mess of different stuff, most of them involving some level of irrationality. Why does Garrett subscribe to Hot Bike magazine, even though he's never said anything good about Harleys? Why did he spend countless hours fixing something on his TX750 that wasn't broken, when he's trying to turn around and sell it? Why do people resist buying customized vehicles, even if they're spec'd exactly the way they'd want to build it? Along the way, we discuss Sportsters, Ducatis, and entry-level race bikes, plus a number of other topics.
Be sure to check us out on the Hooniverse website at http://hooniverse.com/tag/falseneutral/
This week we all have workshop progress to report, and then we go on to discuss Yamaha's E-bikes, Husqvarna Vitpilen 701, and follow up on some old show topics and listener comments.
The False Neutral crew dives into our third year of podcasting with some tragedy (mechanical and human) some comedy, and a slapstick pratfall. We've managed to do a bit of work on our bikes, and there's a whole lot more work to do that we're still scheming about and planning. We discuss DIY carbon fiber, leaky fuel tanks, low pipes vs high pipes, and the conundrum of disposing of hazardous liquids.
Somebody buy Eric's Mustang so he can buy a Tuono.
Pete, Eric, and Garrett are all on hand this month. We update you on all the things that need fixing, including Garrett's dirt bikes, Pete's house, and Eric's shoulder. We discuss Harley's factory closure, X-Games snow hillclimb, and production electric bike announcement. That leads to an examination of Moto-E's upcoming electric spec class, and spec class racing in general, among a variety of other topics. If you're suffering from cabin fever, share some time with us.
BONUS EPISODE! Eric had the chance to interview Ducati North America CEO Jason Chinnock. Jason was in Detroit for a local launch of the new Panigale V4 and Panigale V4S. He was gracious enough to sit down and talk about the current Ducati lineup and where he sees the company going forward.
This bonus episode in addition to our monthly podcasts. Our next regular episode will appear in mid-February, on schedule.
Pete, Eric, and Garrett are together again as we reboot the False Neutral as a monthly Podcast. The line-up and topics will be the same as ever. For January, we discuss the scarcity of plating shops, the bogus nature of Facebook promotions, and the evils of modern fuels. We also update you about work on our project bikes. Spoiler: we've been working on snowblowers and generators more than bikes.
We catch up with Pete and talk to him about what he saw at the AIMExpo in Columbus, OH, plus we catch up on his project bikes including the Bultacinstein.
The week Garrett and Eric get together and talk about forest fires in the PNW, Garrett taking his wife on a motorcycle ride, her second ever. Eric talks about the Yamaha R3 as well as his quick observations on the FZ-09, 9 and 10 now that he's had a chance to sit on them. Don't forget to like us on Facebook, facebook.com/thefalseneutral as well as like share and subscribe to the show.
This week Eric travels north of the border to Canada and has a conversation with the organizer of the Canadian National Superbike Series Colin Fraser. The main item they discuss is a new Lightweight Sportbike class to be added to their National Series next year, but they also talk about the state of racing in Canada and the prospects of a young Canadian racer making it on to the world stage once again.
Chris Jonnom is a veteran of the motorcycle industry, he's been a journalist, the editor of Road Racer X, the Press Officer for Ducati MotoGP and now heads his own PR Agency working with the Powersports market. Eric catches up with Chris, it's been some time since they last spoke. They talk about the state of print motorcycle magazines, the MotoGP experience, Nicky Hayden and what it's like to branch out on your own.
Garrett and Eric are on the same episode!! We catch up with what's been going on, we talk a little about full dresser motorcycles like the Goldwing, Indian Roadmaster Classic, and the Harley Road Glide. We also talk at length about the Zero SR that Zack Courts just tested for Motorcyclist.com and the future of electric motorcycles.
This week Garrett and his friend Joe (he owns the Aprilia Tuono that Garrett has borrowed) talk about one of Burt Monro's relatives goes to Bonneville to set a record, also talk about the trip they took with their friends Dylan and Dan around the Washington Peninsula and the "adventures" it contained.
Eric is flying solo, so it's a short episode. This week it's hot topics in the news, Ducati, MV Agusta, Harley Davidson, and BSA, Eric has also talked to a local Ducati dealer and should have the owner of the store on for next week. Pete would like us to talk about full dresser bikes, what do you think?
This week Pete is back and fan of the show Ethan Saeta joins us as well to talk about their adventures for the 2017 Smackdab ride. We talk not only about the ride, but getting to the starting point, the where they headed out after the ride was over, and Ethan talks about the BMW R1200RT he rented from Eagle Riders.
Garrett is back this week! In this episode, we talk about Harley possibly buying Ducati and Ducati's next V4 Superbike to replace the current Panigale. Garrett then catches us up on his multi-day ride with his friends and talks about all the things they saw and just missed.
This week Garrett is off on his group ride for his birthday and the guest we had hoped to book fell through, so Eric flys solo. Since it's only Eric, it's a short show, about 20 minutes, and he talks about two topics, The Motor Company possibly buying Ducati and this past weekend's MotoGP race at the legendary Assen track.
This week Garrett and Eric talk about internet lore, or old wives tails when it comes to motorcycle maintenance. Garrett also discusses his friend with the old Kawasaki, and how he talked him out of taking it on their upcoming four-day ride.
Garrett and Eric are rolling without Pete to quarterback the show for the first time, so, we are just freestyling it and catching up since it's been a few weeks. Garrett talks about his new to him FZ1 and a former bike that found it's way back into the garage. Garrett is also planning for a four-day 1,000-mile ride with friends in the next few weeks.
Eric brings us up to date with his XS400 project bike and an interesting observation from a recent trip to North Georgia. We also take a few minutes to talk about Nicky Hayden and his passing.
This week the gang is back together, but that's a story unto its self! Garrett has a new bike, we have news from Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, and KTM, and we ask for your help in determining the future direction of the show.
This week's episode features England's Steve Ledsham, the man behind JAL Restorations. We wanted to have Steve on based on the stunning catalog bikes he has built and restored. Unfortunately, this episode was fraught with production issues. First, Garrett on the west coast had to wake up at 5 AM to address the transatlantic time difference. Secondly, the sound quality is marginal. Steve sounds like he's talking to us from under the Atlantic, even after hours of trying to massage the audio to make the voices more distinct. Add in Steve's British accent and you have a podcast you'll have to listen to closely. But do it, because Steve is a true master craftsman, with a wealth of knowledge and great stories to tell.
After revisiting a couple of old topics (The Tmax's odd engine, the Vitpilen 401's long gestation period, and our impressons of the new Harley Street Rod) we discuss Garrett's stable of bikes, which is suddenly smaller, and his cash reserves, which are commensurately larger. The three of us put our heads together to come up with the perfect bike for him and his $6000 +/- bike-buying budget. After more than a dozen suggestions, we appeal to our readers to help Garrett find the perfect bike.
Be sure to visit our pages on Hooniverse.com or on Facebook.
Garrett's back! Yay! We have a lot to catch up on with him this week, so our episode is longer than they've been lately. After we update each other on what's been going on, we debate the question of how many bikes a motorcyclist needs. What is the optimal number, and how many is too many? There's obviously no single answer for all riders, but we have fun discussing it even if we don't definitively answer the question. Along the way, we relate owning bikes to firearms, personal watercraft, houses and children. We also debate when a parts bike ceases to count as a motorcycle, and the merits and pitfalls a Turo-style bike rental app would present.
Garrett's still AWOL this week, so Eric and Pete keep this episode a bit briefer than usual. Our topic is a bit obscure: horizontal-cylinder engines. We start with Guzzi's Falcone and Nuovo Falcone. Then, we fawn all over the Ducati Supermono, explain how reciprocating counterweights work, and school Ducati on what the Scrambler Sixty2 should have been, and why. All this leads Pete to a sudden epiphany regarding Honda's worst bike ever. Moving from thumpers to multi-cylinder bikes, we wrap up with BMW K-bikes and the obscure, Aermacchi-based Linto racer.
It's just Eric and me this week, and we touch on a veritable smorgasbord of different topics in this episode. We debrief Eric's solo professional roadrace update in episode #53, then talk about what what's gone on in our workshops. (Thanks to Garrett, it's actually something!) After a quick update on several new 2017 models that are just hitting the streets, we actually answer a few listener questions. A big thanks to those who sent queries and comments in!
This week Eric rides solo and talks MotoGP with David Emmitt of motomatters.com. We talk about pre-season testing, a look ahead at the 2017 season, and a run down of the riders and the machines they will pilot in 2017. At the end, we touch on the Moto2 and Moto3 categories as well.
Let us know if you like this kind of race talk or if you prefer for us to stick to our standard subject matter. Enjoy!
This week we're joined by Abhi Eswarappa, the founder of Bike-urious.com, adventure biker, and all-around righteous dude. We talk with Abhi about his favorite bikes and favorite riding experiences, which include Mexico, Alaska, crossing the desert terrain of California and Nevada (in a Ural sidecar rig, no less), Ironbutt rides, and drafting behind an SUV aboard a Honda Grom. After a bit where Pete rudely hogs the mike to blather on some more about the Smackdab Run, we get back to Abhi and learn about how Bike-urious.com came to be.
Sometimes little details make or break a bike. This week we delve into the multitude of minor changes that Harley made to change the existing 750 Street into the new Street Rod (spoiler, we like them). That prompts us to pay way too much attention to rear fenders of various bikes, including Ducatis and Can-Am Spyders. Finally, we look at all the details of the Yamaha XSR900, and why they drive us batty.
This week Garrett gives us a ride report on the Aprilia Tuono V4 and Pete describes the EF1 tornado that skirted his yard this past week. After that, we discuss deals Eric found on Craigslist, including a BMW cop bike with 74,000 miles on it. We wrap up discussing a few bits from the motorcycling press, including a big-box mega-dealership in Michigan and a new taxi bike designed for African markets. Along the way, Pete puts Bulgaria on his bucket list.
In the second part of our discussion of online motorcycle resources, we detour from where to get parts and riding gear into talking about what riding gear we have and why we like it. We go on to examine our favorite Facebook pages and groups, along with a couple of pages we're involved with personally. Links to all the sites we discuss are included in our Hoooniverse post.
After a quick catch-up on Eric's Mustang and Garrett's new son, we mark the one-year anniversary of our first episode. Eric would like to add a new daily rider this season, and we discuss the possible candidates, then delve into our topic for this week, This week's topic is motorcycling on the Internet. How we get motorcycle-oriented content (professional and amateur) has changed greatly over the past couple of years; we share our current favorite and less-than-favorite motorcycle-oriented websites, vlogs, and forums.
We're returning to our original 30 minute format, so this conversation is a two-parter.
Be sure to visit our accompanying post on Hooniverse.com to access a list of all the websites and YouTube channels we mention in this week's show.
Mark Atkinson is back as our guest this week, at his suggestion. We delve into the dying star that is the two-stroke motorcycle world, discussing everything from porting specs to our favorite two-stroke manufacturers. This episode a 100% raw, unedited track, so you get what you get this week. Fortunately, Mark is a fantastic guest who keeps things interesting.
Several things happened in our workshops this week, so we update each other on our project bikes. Garrett delt with Nighthawk wiring issues and missing pieces inside the engine. Thanks to Garrett's help, Bultakenstein might get some new parts fast-tracked. Things remain too cold in Eric's Michigan garage, so he's working on vintage audio equipment instead. We preview the topic for next week's show, which brings us back around to two-strokes, tiny Wankel engines, fantasy engine layouts, and finally updating the formula for our faux-Italian tiddler to include the engine out of the Yamaha Blaster ATV.
Our question for you this week: Do you do your own work, pay to have your bikes maintained and repaired, or divide those tactics somewhere in between? Where you do draw the line?
This week's "exhausting" episode is all about the sounds motorcycles make. After Pete reveals the mystery bikes you hear in our intro and outro bumpers, we briefly talk about books and old magazines before Eric and Pete move on to what bikes we think sound the best. This week, it's especially imperative that you visit our accompanying Hooniverse post, since all the YouTube videos we discuss are included there.
http://hooniverse.com/2017/02/07/false-neutral-45-glorious-noise/
Since our last episode, Garrett has a new son in the nursery and a new Nighthawk 650 beater in the garage. The latter prompts us to enthuse for Honda's 1980s Nighthawk range. Turning to new bikes, we discuss the proposed U.S. tariff on European small displacement bikes. I recall my encounter with a tiny, very fake Italian "classic," which leads the three of us to all get excited about building 60cc roadrace bikes in the classic Italian tiddler style.
Be sure to visit the post for this episode at Hooniverse.com for links and photos.
Our guest this week is Mark Atkinson, the man behind the Alpha BMW that recently won the 2016 Hooniversal Car Of The Year (HCOTY) award. Mark is not only a highly skilled machinist, fabricator, and tinker, but also an accomplished two-stroke tuner and longtime veteran of the Bonneville Salt Flats. We discussed his past endeavors, what is ahead for him and Alpha, and his views on engineering, aesthetics, and perfectionism.
This week, Pete, Garrett, and Eric start off talking about cars before discussing the demise of Victory, Triumphs new Street Triples, the Hooniverse Car of the Year winner, along with your questions about long trips and bad engineering. We also give you a peek into what subjects we might be covering in future episodes.
We're back from our holiday hiatus and Cam Vanderhorst, host of our HPN sister podcast Cammed & Tubbed, joins us to kick off the new year. It takes us about fifteen minutes for us to get around to talking about motorcycles (Because Cam). Once we finish talking about our cars and gifts, we discuss Sportsters, helmets, and Eddie Lawson replicas. Afterwards, Cam, Eric and Garrett compete as contestants on Pete's game show, "What's The Ask?" You can play along, so it's especially worthwhile to visit our Hooniverse post for this episode this week to see the photos we used in the game.
First off, the three of us devote some attention to the 2017 Honda Rebel 300 & 500. We then briefly discuss a couple of other newly-introduced bikes that none of our listeners will ever buy, or likely even see. Finally, each of us names the motorcycle heroes — past or present — we'd most wish we could sit down and have a conversation with. Garrett's Internet connection continued to have bandwidth issues in a few spots, but just convince yourself that he's a cyborg.
NOTE: We'll be taking a break for few weeks over the Holidays. We'll resume our regular weekly schedule January 10th, 2017.
This week we look at how motorcycles are portrayed in Hollywood films. From the good to the bad and the ugly, we discuss what bike-related movie tropes get two thumbs up, and which ones make us groan. After a tangental side-trip into who does the biker wave to whom, and why, we get back on topic to close out with a list of our favorite motorcycle documentary films.
The new-bike show season continues, with another crop of new models just announced at the EICMA show in Milan. Eric, Garrett and Pete discuss the hottest (and in a few cases, not so remarkable) new models for 2017, plus a couple of concept bikes you may or may not ever find at your dealer. It's no surprise that we disagree on a few of 'em, but we do so politely, of course.
Eric and Garrett welcome part-time bike tester, full-time motorcyclist, professional musician, and all-around cool guy Thai Long Ly to the podcast. Thai is not only a recurring member of the Motorcycle.com's bike video crew but an accomplished bass player, songwriter, recording engineer and music producer. He eloquently speaks about the similarities between making music and riding a motorcycle. Garrett had some bandwidth issues that makes him sound like a cyborg in a few spots, but it doesn't last long.
The last couple of episodes have focused exclusively on motorcycles. But the machine is only half of the magic of riding, the other part is the perfect road. Is there someplace you dream of riding to, or through, or around? Regardless if it's the curves, the scenery or the destination, we all dream of that ride we're going to do "someday." Eric and Pete share theirs, and Garrett's, too, even though he was not able to be with us.
As promised, we took reader suggestions and talk about which bikes we believe will — and won't — appreciate in value over the next five to ten years. Our suggestions may surprise you; we surprised each other with a couple of them. We also discuss what respectable 50cc options there are for a middle aged man to commute on. Don't forget that photos of all the bikes we discuss can be found at Hooniverse.com.
Pete, Eric and Garrett get technical, discussing alternative motorcycle suspension and steering technology. From springer and girder front ends to leading link forks to anti-dive devices, we talk about what worked, what didn't work, and what the motorcycle industry has abandoned and come back to later.
We didn't have a defined theme or subject for this week's episode, so the topic is either nothing or everything. We re-examine what reliable bikes can be had for $2000 or so that are suitable for occasional two-up riding. Then Garrett confesses the lust he has in his heart for the Aprilia Tuono V4, which leads us to wonder about evolution of the term "naked bike." We go on to opine that the adventure bike segment is oversaturated. In between all this, we invite you to tell us what bikes you think are poised to skyrocket in value. Reach out to us via Facebook, Twitter, or by replying at our weekly post on Hooniverse.com, and we might discuss your investment bike suggestion in a couple of weeks.
As with every episode, photos of nearly all the bikes we talk about are at this week's podcast post on the Hooniverse website, too.
After taking a week off due to travel, the flashy new models shown at the recent Intermot motorcycle show caught our attention this week. Garrett and Eric and Pete review what's new for 2017, and of course how we personally feel about the many new and tweaked models. We also discuss Garrett's TX750 (it's good news this time!) and Ford Escape shock towers (not-so good news for Eric). We wrap up with a review of the book Save The Triumph Bonneville by John Rosamond and a bit of background on the Meriden Workers' Cooperative.
This week we're doing something different. Rather than just let you listen to Garrett talk about his YZ450F supermoto conversion, he's created a helmet-cam video. After he gives us a quick walk-around of the bike, he shares the experience of riding across town and gives us the lowdown on how he converted the bike and what it's like to own and ride. We're providing this audio-only version those of you who listen to the False Neutral in your car or while mowing your yard. If you're riding the bus or near your computer, go to Hooniverse.com to watch the video in 1080p HD and leave your comments.
This week's episode has no special guest, just your three regular hosts. We talk about our own bikes and bikes we've recently seen for sale, both online and in person, and bikes we'd LIKE to see for sale. The discussion wraps up with Pete's reactions to his visit to the Harper classic bike auction.
This week, Hooniverse regular Jeepjeff joins us to share his crazy (and fairly unwise) adventure, crossing Death Valley on his Yamaha TW200 during the recent LeMons Hell On Wheels Rally. We also find out how and why Garrett got a painful case of roadrash on his new Supermoto conversion.
This week Pete's old friend and long-time riding buddy Rusty Spokes joins the crew. We discuss his new Africa Twin, Honda's DCT with somebody who actually rides one this time, and talk about his past bikes and riding experiences. Meanwhile, Eric rode a BMW C650GT scooter in Canada.
So much of our recent conversation has been about bikes — colors, prices, configuration, wrenching — that we decided it was time to talk about, you know, actually riding the dang things. After the usual "old business" segment, Eric, Garrett, and Pete talk about the risks, rewards, and hassles of riding motorcycles, from commuting (and why none of us does it too regularly) to day trips to multi-day tours.
In part two of our discussion about color schemes, graphics, and racing team liveries, we look at Italian bikes and cruisers, before things go further afield (as usual). The merits of gold paint and Buells are pondered. Eric goes down a disturbing Japanese Internet hole, and Garrett follows him.
As always, visit hooniverse.com/tag/falseneutral to check out pictures of all the bikes we discuss. WARNING: some of this week's images cannot be unseen.
Pete, Eric and Garrett are all in attendance this week. After we discuss our current (and prospective) contents of our garages, we explore motorcycle graphics in response to a listener suggestion: production paint schemes, factory race liveries, and various motorcycle makers' iconic graphic signatures. Especially due of this week's highly visual subject, definitely go to Hooniverse.com and check out photos of all (or nearly all) of the bikes we discuss. This episode is on the shorter side for us, but with the overwhelming number of motorcycles we talk about, we thought it best to split it. This week we concentrate on Japanese sports bikes, before moving to European bikes and cruisers next week.
Surprise! All three hosts are on the podcast together this week, even if Pete shows up a tiny bit late. We discuss the recent Gear Patrol article on "The Best Vintage Superbikes Under $10,000," and share our own point/counterpoint about the bikes they picked. While our views differed, we all agreed that there are plenty of cool deals to be found from the late '80s through the late '90s.
Pete is on his own this week. In this abbreviated solo episode, he tells a sad account of finding a certain Japanese bike he'd always wanted on Craigslist, and then discovered that the unavailability of parts is hastening this model's doom. On a brighter note, he also went new bike shopping with his wife, and found some new tech and new styling that just might suit him.
This week, it's all about the machines. After catching up on some of our project bikes, we get technical, discussing v-four motors. From pre-war British bikes to Grand Prix Hondas, we explore what makes v-fours so attractive from an engineering point of view, why they don't always work so well aesthetically, and why we don't see more of them on the market.
In our conclusion to Cam Vanderhorst's visit, he claims to go "FULL LIBERTARIAN" over the Kymco K-pipe recall (although he doesn't, really—you never go full libertarian). We wade ankle-deep into the world of cyclecars for a bit, then veer into Suzuki cars, and why they didn't make it in the U.S., and finally offer our opinions on which of the Japanese manufacturers are the least reliable. Somehow, we end up talking about the sounds sea mammals make.
When we were joined by Cam Vanderhorst, one of the hosts of our Hooniverse sister podcast Cammed & Tubbed, our conversation spilled over into two weeks worth of material. In this first of two episodes, we discuss helmets and hearing protection, scooters, and tweaking Cam's Sportster. A little later on, Eric joins us for the tragic truth about barn finds, and whether there are still truly bad motorcycles on the market. Rest assured, like nearly every episode, we manage to mention the Yamaha TW200 and Suzuki GT750.
This week, it’s only Garrett and Pete, as “Eric T” (if that’s even his real name) is busy moving into a new home. We discuss last weekend's the Art of the Car Concours, which led to a couple of uncommonly coincidental connections. We go on to discuss some of Honda’s late ’80s flops-turned-cult-bikes, and wonder about what future cult favorites we’re ignoring now.
This week's episode is all about catching up. We update each other on lots of topics we've discussed in the past. Eric and Garrett catch up on project bike maintenance. Pete has to catch up on the conversation when he drops into the conversation about ten minutes late, after having worked late to catch up on office tasks that piled up while he was vacationing. Fortunately, he showed up just as Garrett was wanting to taunt him about the FZ-10. And his leathers. Yes, again.
At nearly an hour and twenty minutes, this is our longest episode yet. We eventually get around to talking about British bikes, both classic and modern. Before that, however, we go back to catch some oddball bikes we neglected to talk about in Episode #14, and spend some time discussing a couple of bikes we do (and don’t) want. I’m searching for a modern supplement to the CL125S, while Garrett wants a new FZ-10…and my old leathers.
It's an all-American episode in honor of Flag Day! Hooni-friend Wayne Moyer joins your three regular hosts for a spirited discussion of American bikes and the state of the American motorcycle industry. From Harley and Victory to Motus and Rokon, It's a great episode — except for that unfortunate part when we lose Eric in a tragic house fire.
In part two of our very special Hooniverse Podcast Network crossover event, Brad (aka Tub of the Cammed & Tubbed podcast) joins us this week for a discussion of the odd differences between the car world and the bike world. It takes a while for us to even get to our topic, as we discuss hipsters and coffee snobs first, and it quickly takes a left-turn into a discussion of Porsches before we get around to talking about bikes. But regardless of what we discuss, everybody has a great time. Bradley is a genuinely nice guy and was terrific fun to have on the show.
After catching up on the bikes in our garages, we discuss the oddities of the motorcycling world: rotary, six-cylinder and turbo engined bikes, super huge and tiny bikes, and otherwise normal bikes with odd features. Be sure to visit Hooniverse.com for photos of all the bikes we discuss.
This week we focus first on visionary motorcycle designer and racer Michael Czysz, who passed away earlier this month. We discuss his legacy, while trying not to sugarcoat the facts of his life. Many of Czysz's achievements came on the Snaefell Mountain Course on the Isle of Man. The 37.75 mile road course is home to the annual Isle of Man TT, the world's oldest motorcycycle race, dating back to 1907, and quite possibly the world's most dangerous. We delve into the storied history and unique stature of the Tourist Trophy, share a bit of island history, and discuss the effect of racing there over the years.
In this continuation of last week's sesson, we talk about what good (and not so good) values are to be found at the high end of the motorcycle market, both new and used. Our picks encompass standard street bikes, adventure (and faux adventure) bikes, sport tourers and even three-wheelers, somewhat unexpectedly nominated not by Spyder owner Pete but by Garrett.
We've previously talked about the bikes we like most, but not every good bike is attractively priced in comparison to its worth or the competition. Everybody wants to get a deal, so this week we explore which bikes are the best value. This week in Part One, we concentrate on the low-end of the market, around $8,000 or less, whether buying new or used.
Dirt bikes and off-road riding is our topic this week. After Garret gives us some MotoGP and Sportster Roadster news, we discuss our dirt bike riding experiences, two-strokes v. four-strokes off-road, having fun on mini-bikes, where to ride, and dirt experiences for everyone from novices to trials wizards.
Our conversation about the bikes we like best in various categories continues. This week in Part Two, each of us names the bike we most dearly love despite not wanting to own, and the best bikes to come on the market in the last couple of years.
In this two-episode discussion of the bikes we love, we challenge each other to name our favorite bikes in a number of categories. This week, we discuss: 1) The one bike each of us likes best out of those we've owned in the past, and 2) The one bike that we have not ridden that each of us is seriously interested in acquiring in the future, given prevailing prices and availability constraints. Our answers might surprise you. We surprised each other at times.
Eric, Pete and Garrett discuss their project bikes, and commiserate over the difficulty of getting anything accomplished in a home workshop environment. Whether it's fabricating one-off custom bikes in a race shop or just going out to the garage to put an old, neglected bike back on the road, the wrenching skills, money and time available never seem to be quite adequate. But we still love doing it. Well, at least one of us does.
Our guest this week is Richard Varner, CFO and co-founder of the KRAVE Group. KRAVE, aka MotoAmerica, was recently awarded the commercial rights to the AMA's pro roadracing series. Richard discusses the state of pro motorcycle roadracing in America and what we can expect this season and into the future.
Note: Due to the fault of absolutely no one, the sound quality this week leaves a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, this is the sometimes unavoidable result of four open mics and four internet connections of varying quality, all being mixed down "raw" into a single digital track in real time. We processed this episode in post-production to make the source material as listenable as possible. Give it a listen anyway, because if you have even a passing interest in motorcycle roadracing, what Mr. Varner had to share will be well worth hearing.
Popular YouTube vlogger Cager on Two Wheels joins us this week from Lisbon, Portugal. We discuss the differences between the riding environments in Europe and North America — culturally, legally and geographically. Our conversation progresses to how those differences shape which bikes become popular in various markets, and dream riding destinations.
Some links mentioned in the podcast:
Cager On Two Wheels YouTube Channel
Tanshanomi's Kansas Spyder Trip Time Lapse
The Smackdab Summer Soltice Ride website
Schaff's YouTube Channel
Eric and Pete welcome Hooniverse contributor Wayne Moyer. Topics include Erik Buell, entry-level Harley-Davidsons, and the state of the motorcycle industry as a whole.
Eric and Pete are joined by Vince Ma for a discussion of custom bikes, bikes as art, and the tension between form and function on two wheels. For photos of the bikes discussed, visit Hooniverse.com.
Eric and Pete examine what makes a suitable first bike for new riders or those returning to bikes. After discussing general features and characteristics, they go on to name names, listing the specific models they would recommend. They discover that they agree on more than they differ.
Pete and Eric are joined by Garrett for our debut episode. We get to know each other by discussing our riding background and preferences.
- 1) How did you get into motorcycling and who were your mentors?
- 2) What motorcycle features are must-haves and which are deal-breakers?
- 3) How much work on your bikes do you do yourself?