Episodes

5d ago

Kevin and Mark pick their favorite bikes from the MASSIVE Mecum Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction. Of course, Kevin picked technically interesting and historically significant bikes, and Mark picked "stuff he liked"! There are great bikes here and plenty of stories to go with them. Harleys, Hondas, a Buell and stuff you may not have heard of. Join us on the ride!

Dec 10

Harley-Davidson debuted the Knucklehead in 1936 and millions of subsequent Big Twins built in its image continue to "potato-potato" down the road! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the origins of Harley-Davidson's EL and journey through the Panhead, Shovelhead, and up to the modern era. Think of it as the engine that grew with the American highway system! Join us on the ride!

Dec 3

As Technical Editor Kevin Cameron likes to say about aircraft, they have to be light enough to fly and heavy enough to make it to the destination reliably. This drove innovation in design and metallurgy in aircraft that made it all the way to motorcycles, of course! Roller tappets for camshafts? Check! And so much more. Kevin and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the flow of technology and design from aircraft to motorcycles.

Nov 26

The new Norton debuted a full line of new bikes recently as parent company TVS finally pulled back the curtain after 5 years of work. Cycle World's Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer start about 125 years earlier, at the beginning of the company and its reputation for remarkable singles and following racing success. Isle of Man TT! Norton Manx! Up through Commando and the demise of the company in the 1970s. Join us for the ride and then visit cycleworld.com to see the new Nortons on cycleworld.com/eicma landing page.

Nov 19

Kevin and Mark take a look at new motorcycles from EICMA, the huge annual show in Milan, Italy. The guys talk about Chinese motorcycles, the Indian-made Nortons, and, of course, Honda's electric-supercharged V3R and, as always, "more." Visit cycleworld.com/eicma so see all the bikes and read about these interesting new models.

Nov 12

Long before the Ducati Panigale V4 the American Ducati importer convinced Ducati and legendary engine designer Dr. Taglioni to build a 1200cc V-4 that made 100 hp in 1962. It was designed to chase after sales in the lucrative police bike market in America. It was a 90-degree V-4 with four carburetors and very American styling. Join Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer as they explore the origins of this engine and motorcycle. The Ducati V-4 you never heard of!

Nov 5

American racing hero Dan Gurney's exploits in auto racing and car construction are legendary, but Dan was also mad for motorcycles. So much so he built his own feet-forward machine (the Alligator) with a few different production engines modified to his specs. But he also got his company All American Racers to design a compact 1800cc Twin that was projected to make 280 hp with perfect smoothness. Oh, the glory! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief made many trips to All American Racers to interview Dan and see what was going on over the years, all shared here in this special Cycle World podcast.

Oct 29

Soichiro Honda visited into Isle of Man TT in 1954 and was shocked to see how high Italian and German racing machines revved. The company got to work! By 1958 when the Honda Cub and its 50cc four-stroke debuted, its engine made peak power at 9000 rpm with great reliability. Honda went on in racing to develop Grand Prix engines revving beyond 20,000 rpm. This expertise led to street bike 350 twins such as the CB350 that made all the power and more than the prevailing British 650cc parallel-twins of the 1960s. Kevin and Mark discuss Honda's origin and the path the company took to deliver exceptional performance at competitive cost.

Oct 22

How does your motorcycle exhaust system help your engine make more power, be more efficient, and sound amazing? Like many parts of the motorcycle, there are near-infinite variations. For exhaust systems Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss: length and diameter of the tubing, collector size and shape, how long each element of the system is, overall length, silencer type, cam design, port length and shape, cylinder grouping, and so much more. We get into four-into-one vs. four-two-one, the "power bulge," what is reversion, stepped headers and, well, like we said, so much more. Join us!

Oct 16

Sounds crazy but early engines ran on "city gas," generated by roasting coal. Liquid fuels like gasoline improved our lot in Combustion Life, but there have been many experiments to get the most out of it. How close are we to perfect combustion? How do we get liquid fuel--which will not burn--to turn to vapor that will burn? So many questions that Kevin and Mark set out to answer. Let's get into the molecules, shall we?

Oct 8

How "Ninja" came to define Kawasaki and what it means to the company. The bikes that built this brand within the brand started in the early 1970s and Ninja just put a name on it. What's "it"? Listen as Kevin and Mark of Cycle World talk about where the Ninja ethic began and where it's taken Kawasaki, from screaming two-stroke triples to supercharged 1000cc sportbikes.

Oct 1

This week Kevin and Mark are getting MORE MOLECULAR than usual! We know, it's awesome, right? The motorcycle mostly started with iron, then steel and some bronze, and then we got aluminum, titanium, beryllium and more, plus all kinds of composites. Despite getting molecular, it's a big topic, so join us on our epic journey.

Sep 25

Yamaha is a passionate racing company but recent success has eluded the tuning fork folks. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer dig into Yamaha's new V4 MotoGP racer that debuted at Misano and is under continued testing. Will the V4 solve all the company's problems? Will rides love the new engine and bike? What are the advantages and disadvantages of V4s and inline-4s. Listen to find out!

Sep 17

Kevin and Mark dive into what's holding back the ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE of your motorcycle. What could be changed in the engine or with aerodynamics that could help us hit 250 mph? What are the tragic shortcomings and amazing strengths of motorcycles today? Jump in the slipstream and take the ride with us on the Cycle World Podcast.

Sep 10

Engine vibration...does it eat horsepower? How do we control it? Where does it come from? What's secondary vibration vs. primary? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the many types of vibration in engines and the various schemes used to control it or let those vibes we love come through.

Sep 3

The little step-through that changed transportation around the globe and helped Honda achieve Grand Prix Racing success, technical dominance, and massive wins in automobiles, the 1958 Super Cub hit a target for buyers no one had yet considered. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss how Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa helped conceive of this little motorcycle to function easily in broad conditions and the unique features that helped it fly off the showroom floor from the very beginning.

Aug 27

All we've ever wanted is complete control of combustion in our motorcycle engines and we are closer than ever. Find out how cleaning up emissions has enhanced power, running quality, engine life and more as Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the combustion process and all the tricks used to move ever closer to stoichiometric. What's that? Listen and find out. Also, there's a chance someone might say "Velocette" or "TZ750," so don't miss it!

Aug 20

Barn finds, garage finds, yard finds and alley finds, that abandoned old motorcycle isn't going to start itself! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer run through the steps and tricks to get an old carbureted or fuel-injected motorcycle running. Two-stroke oil in a four-stroke? Yes! De-rust a gas tank--we have a way! Listen as discuss the smell of old gas and getting a motorcycle out of the barn and back on the road.

Aug 13

Concept bikes can be crazy weird looks at a possible future or be hints about new models to come. Some are even intended as near-production but never make it. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer run down a list of 10 concept bikes that might have been and one that actually made it to the streets of America. Hybrids, superchargers, inline-sixes, alternative front suspensions, and one called "Biplane"?! And if it has four wheels but leans, is it still a "motorcycle"?

Aug 7

If every combustion event in your motorcycle engine was the best it could be, power and efficiency could rise by as much as 20 percent! Find out how engineers and designers work toward this optimal goal and how chaos just keeps getting in the way. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer talk about all the things that influence how the charge lights off in the cylinder of your motorcycle engine.

Jul 30

Leave it to Technical Editor Kevin Cameron to start in 1862 with the first guy who conceived the four-stroke combustion cycle. KC proceeds with Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer on the journey to the combustion chamber we have today and why it's shaped how it is, flatheads to hemis, two valve, four valves and more valves! There's so much to cover in such a small space. Join us!

Jul 23

Motorcycle manufacturers made some strange experiments as they looked for new customers or that novel idea that would create a new type of machine. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer go down a list of odd and wonderful machines that made it to the market--sometimes not for very long. Did you know about the two-wheel-drive dirtbike? The cruiser with the fabulously expensive front suspension? What's a Monotracer? Watch now and join us on this oddball journey.

Jul 16

What causes a world championship-winning rider/team owner to quit the factory racing world and build his own engines and chassis? FREEDOM! Kenny Roberts took the considerable talent of his Yamaha factory team and forged ahead alone, first with the Modenas KR3 and then the Proton KR5. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the development of these bikes, and manage to get a few other Alternative Engines in such as the Aprilia Cube three cylinder. Listen now!

Jul 9

Suzuki found early Grand Prix success with two-strokes in the early 1960s and it bloomed into 500cc championships in the '70s, '80s, and '90s and 2000s with riders like Scheene, Uncini, Lucchinelli, Schwantz and Roberts. Suzuki even scored one in MotoGP's four-stroke era. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor Mark Hoyer talk about Suzuki's early days in GP racing and the Hamamatsu company's rise to the top.

Jul 2

Honda's VF750F arrived in 1982 with is square-tube steel frame that elevated the motorcycling handling game to new heights and launched a production V-4 dynasty at Honda. AMA Superbike championships followed as did many remarkable motorcycles including VF1000R, RC30, RC45, VFR750, 800, and 1200, plus the amazingly exotic oval-piston NR750. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the origins of the V-4 and its successes and failures.

Jun 25

Triumph died along with the British motorcycle industry in the 1970s, with last-gasps into the 1980s. Then John Bloor came along and breathed new life into the storied British brand. And it wasn't some half-hearted retro effort, the company jumped right into modern motorcycles. Now, the company is a Moto2 engine supplier, has a full high-performance retro line, a collection of sporting streetbikes and the world's largest-displacement cruiser. It's even making 450 and 250cc motocrossers! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the resurgence and evolution of Triumph from the 1990s to the present.

Jun 18

There is so much old technology people think is new that it didn't fit in one episode! So join us for our second round of interesting motorcycle and engine technology that seems new but absolutely is not. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer hit the podcast running with roller tappets...Listen to hear about those and the rest of the items on the list!

Jun 11

BMW got serious about making motorcycle engines in 1923, when aircraft engine designer Max Friz delivered the first flat-twin to BMW. More than 100 years later, the Boxer engine remains the soul of BMW despite the company's success with many other engine layouts including the inline fours and sixes, plus singles and parallel twins. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the evolution from that first flat twin to the remarkable R 1300 that powers the new R 1300 GS, R 1300 RT, and more.

Jun 4

Long before King of the Baggers, Harley-Davidson committed to Superbike racing and hit the track in the early 1990s with the VR1000. This 1000cc V-twin had all the right ingredients for success, but what happened? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer take a dive into the building of the bike, its evolving specs, it ultimate retirement and so much more!

May 28

Glenn Curtiss was one of the great innovators of motorcycling and aircraft in the early days of the combustion engine. His V-8 and V-12 aircraft engines were legendary and record-setting on earth and in the sky. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron rates Curtiss as a hero, and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer agrees. We also have excellent technical information about land speed racing from a engineer/racer Wes Orloff who also rates Curtiss as a hero, and we examine Curtiss' speed record set on a beach in 1907.

May 21

Motorcycle frames were just glorified bicycle frames for a long time--spindly, flexible, poorly balanced. That all changed with a pair of clever Irish brothers who designed a motorcycle frame that revolutionized motorcycle handling--and it helped Norton remain a force in GP racing against higher horsepower motorcycles for years. It also changed motorcycling forever and helped us get to the exceptional handling motorcycles we have today.

May 14

Would you believe the great success of the Harley-Davidson Softail started in one man's private garage? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the FX of 1971 and how the Softail was born, plus how Dyna fits into the picture.

May 7

https://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/motorcycles/#bagger This episode of the Cycle World Podcast is brought to you by Indian Motorcycle and its new Liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 engine. If you’re looking for the ultimate in American V-twin style and performance, Indian Motorcycle has your next bike. Powered by the new liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 engine, the PowerPlus family—Chieftain PowerPlus, Indian Challenger, Roadmaster PowerPlus, and Indian Pursuit—are the most advanced and capable baggers and touring bikes Indian Motorcycle has ever offered. They’re built with The Power To Roam—designed for experienced riders who never lost the thrill and adrenaline of going fast on two wheels. The PowerPlus lineup wears aggressive and chiseled lines that are a visual representation of their high-performance heart and showcases their function, presence, and performance potential. In addition, the new PowerPlus family is available with the most advanced and innovative set of Rider Assist Technologies ever offered by Indian Motorcycle, that put comfort, performance, and safety at your fingertips—all seamlessly integrated into the gorgeous 7-inch touchscreen powered by RIDE COMMAND. If you’re a rider who demands the most exhilarating riding experience with zero compromises, values Distinctive American Style, and craves unmatched power, capability, and tech, the new PowerPlus family of bikes are for you. And starting at $26,499, now’s the time to experience them for yourself. "Modern" technology used on motorcycles very often is nearly as old as the motorcycle itself! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about stuff we think is new but actually was first used 50 or 100 years ago. They didn't even get through half the list so, hey, stay tuned for part 2 in the near future!

Apr 30

Indian's 2014 rebirth picked up the brand's story from where it left off, with the Thunderstroke 111 evoking the flat-head engine of yore and complemented by great big swoopy fenders, an image that clicked right into America's V-twin cultural brain. So much has happened since then, up to and including total dominance of American Flat Track racing with the FTR750, and multiple MotoAmerica King of the Baggers championships with the Challenger and its liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 engine. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss Indian history and their firsthand looks inside Indian engines and development since the brand returned to the motorcycle market in earnest.

Apr 23

Just how much help is enough help from riders aids on a motorcycle? Will rocket blasts help you save the front one day (as in the thumbnail Photo by Bosch)? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the first rider aids, the electronic revolution, and where we may be headed.

Apr 16

Ducati's rise to dominance in MotoGP has been profound. Many factors are at play, but Ducati has found corner speed and combined that with its dominant power, plus an ability to exploit rear grip to the maximum. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron dives in with Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer on how the relatively small Bologna-based manufacturer has found its winning formula.

Apr 9

Overhead cam, inline-four with four carburetors and four tailpipes, the Honda CB750 made previously exotic features into an affordable, reliable production motorcycle with great all-around performance and smoothness the world had never seen. The CB750 was an instant success for Honda and started the modern era of performance motorcycling. Join Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer as they discuss the origin of the CB750.

Apr 2

The 500cc V-8 racing engine by Moto Guzzi is one of the most exotic and beautiful Grand Prix powerplants ever made. Never mind that it never won a GP! Eight pipes, eight carburetors and spinning to 14,000 rpm, it revved DOUBLE the rpm of the famous Norton Manx 500cc single racing at the same time. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the Moto Guzzi V-8's origins, its development, and it untimely demise!

Mar 26

Everybody loves the image of the artisan lovingly hand filing parts to fit and making sure every detail is correct but---we ain't got time for that! Mass production, advances in materials, automation, intelligent design, and rationalization have led us to a wonderful world of (mostly) affordable motorcycles that offer tremendous value, reliability, and fun! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the making of the modern motorcycle and much more.

Mar 20

The Sportster was born 1957 and became a motorcycle for all people. Cruiser, dragbike, flat tracker, street tracker, road racer, chopper and so much more--the Sportster has been customized into infinite variations on its essential V-twin American theme. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the Sportster, its origins in the early days of Harley-Davidson and where the bike is today in its liquid-cooled form. They even manage to slide Dan Gurney in the discussion!

Mar 12

Indian motorcycle brand Royal Enfield went from selling 45,000 units in 2007 to nearly 1 million in 2024! How did this formerly British motorcycle company get to India in the first place, and how did it go from quirky vintage motorcycles to a global middleweight motorcycle phenomenon? Join Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer as they discuss the strategic growth of the brand and the person behind it all.

Mar 5

The biggest technological moments in motorcycling are discussed here by CW Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer. What innovations drove the biggest changes? What models are most important? Listen to the CW podcast to take the ride and find out! There will be some you've probably never heard of and other that you'll know well. Join us!

Feb 26

Cycle magazine editors Cook Neilson and Phil Schilling bought a Ducati 750 Supersport in the 1970s and made it into a superbike racer, which launched the Italian marque's reputation in the US. Dubbed the California Hot Rod, the bike was unrelentingly modified and developed to become a Daytona winner. It is perhaps the most important Ducati V-twin behind Paul Smart's 1972 Imola 200-winning machine and helped establish the worldwide performance reputation still enjoyed by the company. The build and racing effort was molecularly detailed in the pages of Cycle magazine, and Kevin Cameron recalls the story with Mark Hoyer to share its fascinating development and the string legends that helped it go fast---faster than anybody on the track with great frequency.

Feb 19

In 1923, two Italian engineers, Piero Remor and Carlo Gianini, designed an inline four-cylinder motorcycle engine that was mounted transversely. It was an important moment, for from that beginning have descended all of today’s inline-four motorcycle engines. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the origins of the modern in-line four sportbike from Rondine to Gilera to today. Illustration by Jim Hatch/Hatch Illustration.

Feb 12

If any bikes of the 1970s defined "scary fast" they were Kawasaki's H1 500cc and H2 750cc two-stroke Triples. They were notoriously fast but also not particularly, uh, confidence inspiring in terms of handling or brakes. But they were incredibly quick and easy to modify for even higher performance. Were they really that bad? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron has a deep familiarity with Kawasaki two-strokes of this era so there is plenty to learn as he and Mark Hoyer discuss these legendary motorcycles of the 1970s.

Feb 5

The legend of Brough Superior is built on it being "The Rolls Royce of motorcycles," a statement George Brough was always careful to attribute to anyone but him. Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer dive into the origin of the company and make some surprising discoveries about its innovation during research for the podcast.

Jan 29

It was all glory and light(ness) when two-stroke streetbikes roamed the earth! But man did they make smoke. What would a modern two-stroke streetbike be like? Do we have the technology to make a high-powered two-stroke emissions legal? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about what a modern two-stroke would need to make it to a road near you. Kevin's conclusions might surprise you!

Jan 22

Mecum's 34th Annual Las Vegas Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction will feature 2,000 motorcycles! https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vegas-motorcycles-2025/ Bid live at the South Point Hotel & Casino or register to bid online or by phone, January 29-February 1, 2025. Have a bike to sell? Consigning with Mecum is easy. Don't want to go out of pocket on your auction purchase? Mecum offers special financing. Get pre-approved now and bid with confidence! Italian boutique motorcycle maker Bimota got its start in the 1970s, when horsepower was exploding on the road and track, but chassis and brakes still had to catch up--especially on mass-produced machines. It is said that Massimo Tamburini, legendary designer of the Ducati 916, decided to build his own chassis after crashing his own four-cylinder Honda race bike in the early 1970s. Tamburini was the "Ta" in Bimota. Find out about the other two founders and the evolution of this interesting and technically progressive brand that's still building bikes today under part ownership of Kawasaki.

Jan 15

Mecum's 34th Annual Las Vegas Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction will feature 2,000 motorcycles! https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vegas-motorcycles-2025/ Bid live at the South Point Hotel & Casino or register to bid online or by phone, January 29-February 1, 2025. Have a bike to sell? Consigning with Mecum is easy. Don't want to go out of pocket on your auction purchase? Mecum offers special financing. Get pre-approved now and bid with confidence! Celebrating Year 1 of the Cycle World Podcast, legendary CW Editor-at-Large Peter Egan joins Mark Hoyer and Kevin Cameron to talk about motorcycling riding, racing, first bikes, "recidivism," guitars, music, how he got into the magazine business, and a whole lot more in this nearly 2 hour conversation. Hoyer traveled to Wisconsin to visit with Peter in his office where he wrote so many thousands of words for Cycle World to record this special podcast.

Jan 8

Mecum's 34th Annual Las Vegas Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction will feature 2,000 motorcycles! Bid live at the South Point Hotel & Casino or register to bid online or by phone, January 29-February 1, 2025. Check out the auction here: https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vegas-motorcycles-2025/ Have a bike to sell? Consigning with Mecum is easy. Don't want to go out of pocket on your auction purchase? Mecum offers special financing. Get pre-approved now and bid with confidence! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer pick their favorite motorcycles from the Mecum Las Vegas motorcycle auction. Actually, Kevin did a great job choosing historically significant designs, as he would! Mark, meanwhile, followed his heart with some choice four-cylinder two-strokes and an overhead-cam Norton, while completely missing the 1929 Harley-Davidson Model D just like his granddad used to own.

Dec 25, 2024

Harley-Davidson's famous racing boss Dick O'Brien was looking in the 1960s to strike back at Triumph and its 500cc twins that were winning Daytona. With the help of star tuners Jerry Branch and Neil Keen, plus some clever work at the Caltech wind-tunnel, Harley came back with a race-winning flat-head 750 AND tested a strange prototype called the Midget that was even faster but is lost to history. Find out about the $60,000 Goodyear tires as Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer talk about this amazing story. Lead-spread image from Cycle World's feature on the "Mysterious Midget" by historian and author Don Emde, Issue 1, 2020.

Dec 18, 2024

It went from You Meet the Nicest People to You Meet World Champions on a Honda in a very short span of time. In 1959, Honda was selling scooters in the U.S. Ten years later it was the CB750--and Honda's GP racing effort in those intervening years drove this change. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron talks with Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer about Honda's meteoric rise in Grand Prix racing during the 1960s and the technical innovations and revolutions that drove this success. Also, why Honda quit GP racing in the late 1960s. Listen to find out!

Dec 11, 2024

MV Agusta four-stroke Grand Prix racers howling through their megaphone exhausts are legendary! Cycle World's Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer talk about MV from its first little modest little machine built in post-World War II Italy to world-dominating racing motorcycles that continued to compete into the 1970s. Sometimes slow to change and other times rapidly updating designs to stay competitive with upstart Honda's amazing multis of the 1960s, MV was a dominant force in GP racing until two-strokes took over in the world championship. Looking to buy? Get prequalified https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Dec 4, 2024

Rim brakes, under-engine exhausts, extreme frame geometry, Harley-Davidson engines—so much has happened with Erik Buell and the motorcycles he's made, from Buells and its closure by Harley-Davidson in 2009 to reborn EBR and its partnership with Hero Motorcycles only to close again. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about Erik Buell the AMA Expert road racer in the 1970s and his move to build his own two-stroke Formula 750 race bike to take on the mighty Yamaha TZ750 in the 1980s and all the way up to the present day. Buell is responsible for real innovations and ultimately built an American sportbike competitive with the world's best. Looking to buy? Get prequalified https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Nov 27, 2024

The remarkable evolution of slowing down: No brakes to rim brakes to drum brakes to discs, we convert the energy of movement into heat to slow down. But there is so much detail to discuss! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about braking in detail. Looking to buy? Get prequalified https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Nov 20, 2024

Kevin Cameron starts from the beginning of two-stroke exhaust expansion chamber development in the 1950s to the present. What were its origins and how did it explode power output in these simple, lightweight engines? How did we go from 8-hp single-cylinder commuters to 200-hp 500cc Grand Prix four-cylinders? Kevin knows, and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer rides along with him. Looking to buy? Get prequalified https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Nov 13, 2024

Honda blew minds with the V3 Concept that uses an electric supercharger to boost intake pressure. Why an electric supercharger? Why a V-3 layout? How much power could it make? How much electric power would the supercharger use? How could perfectly constant boost or instantly variable boost be used to improve the riding experience? So many questions about this incredibly interesting concept—AND Honda says it is headed for production. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the many possibilities and try to answer all the questions. Kevin even dons a virtual wizard hat... Looking to buy? Get prequalified https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Nov 6, 2024

Honda decided to go dirt track racing in the 1980s and it wasn't long before it was winning—a lot! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron was the AMA observer at the resulting dyno tests as restrictor plates were tested to restore "parity" with the XR-750 and he followed the development of the Honda flat track racer from the early "sideways CX500" to the proper built-from-scratch RS750. Of course there is a lot about the Indian FTR750 and Harley-Davidson XR-750 as well, plus we discuss perhaps the most talented dirt tracker who every raced, so swing a leg over and ride with Kevin and Mark on the Cycle World Podcast. Looking to buy? Get prequalified https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Oct 30, 2024

What do Rake, Trail, Wheelbase and Offset mean for your motorcycle and how it turns, stops, accelerates? Are there magic numbers that result in "good" handling? What is good handling anyway? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about motorcycle handling and the fundamental improvements that have made new bikes so good.

Oct 23, 2024

Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief visited Barber Vintage Festival and watched Kenny Roberts ride his world championship winning 0W48 Yamaha on some epic (and great smelling!) demonstration laps. The guys talk about Yamaha two-stroke tech, Hoyer vintage raced a 1972 BMW (and won!), the amazing Barber Museum and so much more about this epic motorcycle cultural event. There were 500 vendors at the swapmeet and the "bike show" put on by attendees just riding around the ring road was mind boggling.

Oct 17, 2024

Weird, wonderful, precise, strange, or brutal, these tools shared by Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer make working on motorcycles easier, more repeatable and more fun. How many do you own? How many have you heard of? Thanks for watching! Shopping for a motorcycle? Get a no-impact credit check and find out about your pre-approved buying power now: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Oct 9, 2024

How many Yamaha RD350 crankshafts has Kevin Cameron rebuilt? How many cylinders ported? KC and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about Yamaha’s sporty and quick two-stroke twin, from its origins in the 1960s all the way to the RZ350 of 1985. Hoyer’s first streetbike was a 1979 RD400 Daytona Special—lots to cover. Breathe deep!

Oct 2, 2024

The Honda NS500 and NSR500 two-stroke four-cylinder grand prix bikes were hotbeds of innovation and showed exceptional dominance in the hands of genius riders such as Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson and, particularly, Mick Doohan, winner of FIVE consecutive world championships in the 1990s. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron has deeply studied the NSR500 and it shows in this podcast—he knows a lot of stuff about a lot of stuff, but two-stroke GP bikes are a strong suit! Listen to him and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the NSR500, screamer vs. big bang, water injection and lots of other trickery that helped the bike dominate the final seasons of two-stroke GP racing.

Sep 25, 2024

75 percent Win Rate! From the first FTR750 engine to the final legal season for the bike and 8 championships, Cycle World was there. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the origin and development of the motorcycle that dominated American Flat Track since its introductory 2017 season. There is, of course, a deep tech dive, plus all the extras you’ve come to expect! Shopping for a motorcycle? Get pre-approved for that R 1300 GS you always wanted: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Sep 18, 2024

Gasoline has a lotta BANG per pound, making it pretty ideal fuel for the motorcycles we love. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the future of petroleum fuels, synthetic fuels, ethanol and more, plus electric battery storage and the prospects there for motorcycling. Much to cover! Kevin says, "Pounds per horsepower hour," "light molecules" and "heavy sluggish molecules...AND we discuss the 300,000-400,000 pounds of jet fuel an airliner has on takeoff—but not on landing! Shopping for a motorcycle? Get pre-approved for the motorcycle you've always wanted: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Sep 11, 2024

Can you imagine a motorcycle universe without the Adventure Bike? But before the 1980 BMW R 80 G/S (Gelände/Strasse) there really wasn't such a thing. Now ADVs have spawned an entire culture of two-wheel adventuring. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the origins of the BMW GS and its evolution to the new R 1300 GS. Join us on our hour-long adventure! Shopping for a motorcycle? Get pre-approved for that R 1300 GS you always wanted: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171 Photo by Jeff Allen/Cycle World

Sep 4, 2024

So much of great-working motorcycle comes down to precise heat management of the engine, tires, gears, brakes, and more. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron takes a deep dive with Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer on the many effects of heat and the cascading influence it has on overall motorcycle performance. Shopping for a motorcycle? Get pre-approved for you dream bike: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Aug 29, 2024

Get pre approved on a motorcycle here - https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171 Almost as old as dirt, the Harley-Davidson XR-750 flat-track race bike was introduced in 1970 and the design has endured to this day. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer dive into the origins of the XR-750, its evolution, and how it is still capable of winning national races five decades later. They'll also cover the universality of dirt.

Aug 21, 2024

Get Pre Approved on a Motorcycle Here: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171 The joke goes, "The only way to get suspension to work in the 1970s was to not let it!" We've come a long way, and that was the beginning of the suspension revolution that brings us to today's generally great components and all the world-class stuff going on in racing. Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer and Technical Editor Kevin Cameron start with the basic forces at work including what's called V-squared damping (say "ouch!") move to friction dampers and damper rods, and finally get up to the beautiful and easy-to-work on high-performance cartridge dampers on the best bikes of today. And the side stories are almost half the fun. Ride with us!

Aug 14, 2024

Metals are absolutely key to our good times on two wheels. Steel, Aluminum, Chromium, Nickel, Copper, Brass, Magnesium ("electrified dirt") and all the alloys make up our most loved form of transportation and good times. As ever, CW Technical Editor Kevin Cameron knows a lot of key details which he shares with Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer and the rest of us. Thank you for all the support of the podcast and please let us know in comments what you like and what you don't—but leave Hoyer's headphones out of it... :)

Aug 9, 2024

What are opening and closing ramps on a camshaft profile and why are they so important? Why do we use nested or beehive valve springs? When is it best to use pushrod valve actuation or DOHC shim-under-bucket tappets or finger followers? Should we drive cams with gears, chains, or belts? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer (but mostly Kevin...) talk about the intricate details of opening and closing valves and different types of drive systems.

Jul 31, 2024

A long-time US KTM employee described in the early days when the head of the company mortgaged his house to buy some box vans. Contrast this to KTM's American HQ opened in 2023 that cost $53 million and racing on the world stage from hard enduro to MotoGP. Yes, a lot has changed for KTM, once the builder of quirky dirt bikes but now making every kind of motorcycle with an obsession for high-performance and light weight, and growing across brands that include Husqvarna, GasGas, MV Agusta, and ebikes under the Pierer Mobility umbrella. Where did KTM come from and where is it going? Listen to take the ride with Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer.

Jul 25, 2024

Moving the problems! Alternative front suspension has some advantages over the telescopic fork that's on nearly every motorcycle made today—front swingarms, Hossack, RADD, Troll Engineering, girder—but these other designs never take over. Some problems are solved, but new ones emerge! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron has seen them all and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer has ridden many. Why does the telescopic fork keep winning? Listen to the Cycle World Podcast to find out.

Jul 17, 2024

The amazing journey by Butler & Smith BMW to build championship-winning superbikes out of BMW flat-twin touring bikes in the 1970s. First 750cc, then 900cc, we look at how BMW won the 1976 AMA Superbike Championship. Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer joins Technical Editor Kevin Cameron, who recalls his time with builders Udo Gietl and Todd Schuster to explain the amazing transformation of these motorcycles into the remarkable high-performance machines they became. Unbelievable detail here, folks.

Jul 11, 2024

Ducati is more than just a motorcycle brand to many, bordering on religion—or as its detractors might say: a cult. The CULT OF DESMO! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer start with the early days of Ducati's singles and move through the inception of the Desmodromic valve train, the first 90-degree V-Twins, and the racing success that followed. Ducati today is built on a constant state of revolution and evolution. The duo discuss the brand that is nearly synonymous with the color red, Italian style, and racing performance. Join us!

Jul 3, 2024

Motorcycle minds were blown when the 1973 Kawasaki Z1 debuted with its 903cc engine, double overhead cams and burly styling—and Team Green's four-cylinder superbike was born—in rootbeer brown! Did 40-hp Triumphs ever have a chance? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the Z1's origins, how it compared to the Honda CB750, and the marketplace the bike entered, including facing off against Kawasaki's own two-stroke triples. The guys wander off a bit on this one and coincidentally heard the same crazy superbike race announcer at Monza more than a decade apart! (Really, it's a cool story.) There's a moment on Harley-Davidson steering philosophy that's at least peripherally related, and a little about the death of the two-stroke, plus so much more. Join us!

Jun 26, 2024

Honda's NR500 GP racer and NR750 endurance racer and 1994 $60,000 streetbike launched a million dreams but were failures in the grand scheme. The bikes were beautiful innovations and technical striving during a magic time at Honda when the company explored anything that seemed possible. Learn more about the 8-valve-per-cylinder four-stroke V-four that acted like a V-8 and aimed for 22,000 rpm in racing form. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron heard the NR500 at Monza, and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer, like many, bought a 1995 Honda VFR750 because it had echos of the NR750. Listen now to learn about these amazing motorcycles and their oval-piston engines! Read the Kevin Cameron tech feature on the Honda NR500 and NR750 on cycleworld.com:

Jun 19, 2024

We're taking a flyer on this one but we couldn't resist talking about AIR! True to form, Technical Editor Kevin Cameron starts talking about us breathing and how gravity holds air on the earth ("Which is really good for us.") and we take it from there. Poppet valves, pressure waves, exhaust and intake tuning, and so much more. Ever heard of an Aspin valve? Rotary valve? Sleeve valve? You can say yes to all those if you just have a listen to this week's Cycle World podcast. Join us in the air!

Jun 12, 2024

Dynasty? Franchise? Legend? Yes! The Honda Gold Wing was born "naked" in 1975 as Honda's first liquid-cooled model. The entire Cycle World road test issue said "Gold Wing" only one time but now it's the name that everyone associates with technical luxury touring and the Gold Wing has won an amazing 25 CW Ten Best awards since its introduction. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about how the Gold Wing entered the market and how the consumer drove its evolution into the full-rig luxury mile-eater it is today. They'll even tell you about the box truck with seat factory that was used to make new seats overnight during development!

Jun 5, 2024

The legendary Yamaha TZ750 two-stroke racer was a bike three-time world champ Kenny Roberts said had "too much of everything." Technical Editor Kevin Cameron knows a lot of things about a lot of things, but he might know the most about Yamaha's world-conquering road racer. Kevin and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the impact and evolution of this affordable production machine that leveled the playing field with factory racing machines.

May 29, 2024

Genius? Madman? John Britten created one of the most amazing motorcycles on the planet and beat the world's biggest manufacturers—All from a tiny country in the southern hemisphere. We called The Britten V1000 "The World's Most Advanced Motorcycle" and it seemed to have come from nowhere. Technical Editor Kevin spent time with John Britten, and Cycle World track tested and raced this motorcycle. Kevin and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer dive into the legends and mythology around the great Britten motorcycle and the man who led its creation.

May 22, 2024

Should we just rip all the electronics and aerodynamic aids off of MotoGP bikes, or are the just-released 2027 rules for MotoGP a good move for the series and for racing in general? King of the Baggers doesn't have rider aids, so why does MotoGP and Superbike? Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer talk about rules in road racing and where the sport might be headed.

May 15, 2024

What is the secret to Harley-Davidson's mass-market success and why has Indian been the only brand to make a dent and lodge itself in the mind of the American rider? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about Harley-Davidson and Indian and what makes these bikes so successful here and around the world. Bring the thunder...

May 8, 2024

Why even mess with carburetors? Because it's fun and carbs are actually pretty simple, elegant devices of great flexibility. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron has seen his share of carburetors and spent a whole lot of time thinking about how they work. Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer recently got a 1995 Ducati 900SS running again with a pair of factory Mikunis. It can be done! Listen now to find out how.

May 1, 2024

No other sportbike so profoundly changed the marketplace the way the 1985 Suzuki GSX-R750 did. Club racing exploded, light weight became the most necessary feature and the GSX-R line became the very soul of Suzuki. Kevin and Mark talk about the introduction of the GSX-R and the evolution of the lineup across 750, 600, and 1000cc machines—and Hoyer says he still wants a GSX-R800. A what? Join us to take a ride on one of the most impactful sportbikes ever made.

Apr 24, 2024

Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the three types of final drive found on motorcycles. What's the final word on final drive? As usual, it's complicated, but there are distinct qualities to each type of drive that can give it an edge in performance, handling (yep), noise level, and maintenance.

Apr 17, 2024

We all want our engines to last forever and run perfectly. What's the best way to break in a motorcycle engine to achieve something near perfection? Cycle World Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about engine break-in on this episode of the Cycle World Podcast to share their research and experience about engine break-in and the "13,000 times" Hoyer has removed his Velocette MSS piston. OK, maybe he's not an expert? Find out now...

Apr 10, 2024

CW Technical Editor Kevin Cameron digs into his shop to show us broken motorcycle parts and explain how and why these failures happened. From bearings to crankshafts to connecting rods and more, Kevin has cataloged and saved broken parts for decades to help him recognize and understand how parts break and what he can do to improved his builds--and how he explains them to us! Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer has broken a ton of parts, and even took his Yamaha RD350 engine to Kevin’s shop for diagnosis and a rebuild.

Apr 3, 2024

What makes great sport and racing motorcycle tires? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer dive into the mysterious world of grip, durability, feel, carbon black, silica, and more. Get your carcass in here and have a listen to the latest Cycle World Podcast.

Mar 27, 2024

Legendary Technical Editor Kevin Cameron explains motorcycle oils, from crude to synthetic and all the way down to the molecule. Co-host and Editor Mark Hoyer is mostly along for the ride on this one. Listen now as we get into the slippery subject of motorcycle oil.

Mar 20, 2024

Some motorcycle engines have extra magic. What is that magic and what design elements make the difference between being a good engine and a great one? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the key features of motorcycle engines that influence power, response, and efficiency, and most importantly: Make us happy!

Mar 13, 2024

On this week's podcast, Kevin and Mark dive deep into the Yamaha YZF-R1 and how this 1000cc sportbike changed the class—and sport motorcycling—forever! From its 1998 introduction and through its evolution to today, the R1's technical secrets and cultural impact are revealed.

Mar 6, 2024

We look into the secrets that make Ducati's 77.5-HORSEPOWER Slice-of-Superbike Single Cylinder Hypermotard so great. Mark & Kevin talk about the 659cc desmo single that powers the 2024 Ducati Hypermotard 698 and 698 RVE and have a special guest to tell us more about this spectacular machine from one of the most legendary makers of high-performance motorcycles.

Feb 29, 2024

Are automatic transmissions in motorcycles the worst thing ever? Or will they save and expand the sport of riding? In this week's episode, Mark and Kevin answer audience questions on automatic transmissions, DCT, and Honda's push to offer them more and more. They talk tech and philosophy. Tune in to learn what Mark and Kevin think about the rise of Automatic Transmissions and its impact on motorcycling.

Feb 22, 2024

Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer talk about the incredibly important role of the tuner/crew chief in top-level racing and how the job has changed over the years. Organizer, mechanic, prototyper, psychologist and so much more—and how the great crew chiefs achieve an almost wizard-like ability to get the most out of the rider, the motorcycle, and the team amidst the infinite variables and incredible pressure faced in top-level motorcycle racing.

Feb 21, 2024

On this week's episode Mark and Kevin talk about motorcycle racing and the supernatural powers of racers and their ability to concentrate, focus, and even attain an altered state of consciousness. Check out the show and see if you can attain a "flow state" with us! Well, check out the show...

Feb 21, 2024

In this episode Mark and Kevin talk about King of the Baggers, and the insanity that is Harley Davidson race bikes. Listen as we go in depth on the science behind these bikes, and the hype around this event!

Feb 20, 2024

Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer pick a few of their favorite motorcycle books and talk about what makes these titles so great. Are these books part of how Kevin Cameron knows so much? Engines, riding technique, high performance mods…check out the show to hear the list.

Feb 15, 2024

In this week's episode, Mark and Kevin talk about the origins of the parallel twin motor. What makes this motor so popular? And are they actually taking over the world? We answer all of these questions in this episode.

Feb 15, 2024

The Suzuki Hayabusa broke cover in 1998 and shattered our perception of motorcycle performance at its 1999 introduction. Cycle World Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor Mark Hoyer discuss the Hayabusa’s impact after 25 years, and how other bikes relate, like the Kawasaki ZX-11, ZX-12, and ZX-14, plus Honda CBR1100XX. Hoyer talks about what the bike was like to ride at the press introduction held in Spain at MotoGP race track Circuit de Catalunya, and “On-Road Touring” at 190 mph on Spanish freeways. Plus, record-breaking performance in the quarter-mile and its 194-mph top speed recorded by the CW radar gun, and how that brought about the “gentleman’s agreement” to limit peak speeds of motorcycles. Kevin talks turbos and the surprising things Suzuki did during development of the Gen III ’Busa. Strap your helmet on and tuck in!

Feb 15, 2024

Where did Superbikes come from and why did we start racing heavy, flexible 1000cc streetbikes of the 1970s? Kevin Cameron talks with Mark Hoyer about the origin of Superbikes, how racing these streetbikes blew up in popularity, and how they led to the spectacularly good motorcycles we have today. There is no better basis for this conversation than Kevin Cameron & photographer John Owens’ new book, Superbike: An Illustrated Early History. Learn about Superbikes and how this amazing book came to be on this week’s Cycle World podcast. For more: https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/superbike-an-illustrated-early-history-book-review/