Episódios
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=34435
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Robin, Brian and Travis dive into the often blurred lines between sport touring and ADV motorcycles. It's a focused look at what qualifies as a "classic" sport touring motorcycle, weighing defunct behemoths like Honda's ST series and Kawi's Concourse. Rider prefs have the lot debating whether slapping luggage on a sport bike is enough.
One listener question points to motorcycle security during rallies and tours, Brian stressing the importance of hard luggage for added protection. Both he and Robin reveal strategies to secure personal belongings, from locking helmets under seats to retractable cable locks for quick stops. This can also be a roadside issue, as Robin tells a tale of tire repair with Maggie on pillion.
Eclectic views on diverse riding styles offer plenty of comparisons between modern standard ergos and race replica arse haulery. A pairing of dream bikes for "every" ride becomes the dissection of Yamaha's newly announced R9 triple. Staying grounded while industry evolution rolls onto the showroom floor, we agree that versatility points to every path, be it paved or otherwise.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=34345
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Our podcast panel is out clubbing in Indy, Chi-Town and Neeew Yooork! Robin kickstarts with a familial mention of a Hives concert, then shifting gears into website updates (anti-spam rock 'n' roll). Celebrating the triumphant return of guest host Jasmine Islam, she explores all things urban commute NYC style.
Past motorcycle trips get their mention, followed by daily travel through complex intersections and chic urban outlets. Somewhere between helmet communicators and trendy earbuds, tips for enduring long rides emerge. Brian might have more to say if he weren't drowning in windshield wiper fluid.
Parking predicaments, luggage mods, offensive driving techniques ... it's all here in some roundabout way. Of course, Jasmine has new exploits etched into the calendar. Let's just say that Canada ain't ready!
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Estão a faltar episódios?
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=34306
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Hey, squid! Ever wonder which surgeons are crazier than you? This episode might over enunciate the answer.
Ducati, Ducati, Ducati. It's a theme we won't regret exploring from a non-technical perspective. Some bikes are simply beautiful and their riders match the demographic.
But what is it about duck buyers that gives them throttle mania? For love of the sport, this might be our most acceleration happy episode yet. Time to throw "everything in moderation" to the bin.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=34240
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)It finally happened, folks. Brian Wringer attended his first track day and as one might expect, he thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course, that doesn't stop him from downplaying it with his signature calm.
Further in, we're joined by TRO cult member Neil Sullivan (a man of mucheth track day glory). Neil makes it clear that as of this episode's publishing date, MotoVid.com (https://www.motovid.com/) has set the bar. He intends to sign up through them regularly in the future.
Two thirds in, Travatron kicks down the door with a "big" (hav) beer in hand courtesy of Giant Jones (https://giantjones.com/). Liquid bravery and a comfortable chair will always get him talking shop. This being his first track day as well, he has plenty of good things to say.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=34169
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Robin points out the AMA's "right-to-repair" involvement before outlining a less than perfect Alpinestars (https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/alpinestars-air-plus-v2-xcr-gore-tex-boots) warranty claim. This puts small vs. large business customer service under the microscope complete with TRO map purchase confusion. Oh ... Brian bought a parts bike!
The conversation shifts to motorcycle tires and track day prep. Eventually they find deep meaning in vehicle mileage, power sports dealers, motorcycle colors and ticketing laws. Winter project plans are already finding their way onto the calendar.
Brian makes light of Wisconsin's strict road laws and that thrill-seeker mentality. He just bought the right gear over at MotorCycleGear.com (https://www.motorcyclegear.com/). His new duds are perfect for any track day but first he'll need to get through the tech team.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=34096
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)The 2024 Trip Sevens group continues to recount their epic motorcycle tour. Picking up where they left off, the story begins with the Old Mill Inn ... but wait! First, the Dragon, where Greg admits his lackluster rider mindset led to a surprising decision.
They encounter burdensome biker traffic and navigation challenges but also a skilled Miata driver and fresh blacktop. Following this driver is more fun than any Harley parade. At day's end, they dine on Italian, explore bicycle museums and engage in heated debate over tire pressure.
Come morning, a tire fitting is in order. Mister Wringer, with his Enduro Star trail stand, takes the helm. New rubber in place, they conclude seven intensely action-packed days, the group acknowledging contributions from every participant. In the words of one rider: "It's a perfectly blended, precisely planned, and community-driven group tour that none of us will soon forget".
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=34071
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)In a previous episode, Brian tells Robin to "see if you can herd those cats" and so it is done! Call it a first, folks. Seven out of eight riders from TRO's 2024 "Trip Sevens" group motorcycle tour are gathered via Zoom to look back on an epic journey.
Prepare for beautiful morning scenery, spontaneous off-road detours and haunted hotel elegance. This crew has more stories to tell than degrees of speedometry. Day zero alone carries lifestyle alterations before the clientele can even gather.
Eventually, everyone gets tangled up in Roanoke but smiles remain fixed and why wouldn't they? Riding a motorcycle on remote roads through Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana has that effect. Off-bike activities and lodging serve as a perfect backdrop for each rider to bond.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33743
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)New coding has Robin and Brian ranking road rubber ala wax philosophical. It's yet another deep dive into specifics of motorbike maintenance. Add in the complexity of mounting tires and this should've been called "everyone talk at once".
The Dunlop Mutants and Continental ContiMotions take center stage. Eager first impressions segue into meticulous planning of future tire changes ahead of the upcoming Wisco Disco tour. Talk turns budgetary when pricing gets dissected down to cost-effectiveness, all in search of more wallet-friendly options.
Alongside are musings over aging bikes, built-in technology versus third-party add-ons, digital enhancements, user-friendly gadgetry and everyone's favorite: wrench icon woes thanks to proprietary firmware. "Experts" warn against DIY repairs. That is unless you're Robin, who's not so secret solutions are generally drawn from online forums.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33613
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Robin won't let go of the mic this round, folks. It's time to summarize the 2024 "Trip Sevens" group motorcycle tour. Not surprisingly, major maintenance one day before this crazy undertaking didn't go as smoothly as planned.
As for the tour itself, a whirlwind of forgotten truths (day 1 is *designed* to be a warm up) and never to be mentioned route deviations (screaming into the wilderness helps) are par for the course. Brian showed up to play guest ride leader and, well ... Indiana needs to finish road construction. No matter, though as TRO customers had an epic experience.
Post tour, Robin stuck around Indianapolis, visiting with his brother and Brian and eventually meandering to Bedford, Indiana for a vintage Suzuki rally. Things happened, most of them good. For all reasons listenership, we'll focus on the good.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33609
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Robin's ready to lead another 777 tour, meaning seven riders, through seven states, in seven days. That means breaking one of his own hard learned rules regarding "big" maintenance the night before the event. All of this while the customers are getting fidgety.
This blends nicely into group tour planning and more specifically, lodging. Previous tours have seen both support and sabotage where hotels are concerned. We're lookin' at you, Parkersburg, WV.
To lighten things up, though ... Brian has a lot of great ideas for our newly revamped "Wisco Disco" tour. While the bulk of it will indeed be anchored in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota have a few tricks up their sleeve as well. TLDR: always ride the double D's.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33568
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Robin and Maggie Dean are in Wisconsin. The trip from New Mexico was easy, although their truck now has a slow coolant leak. Big thanks to the beautiful Fireside Campground (https://firesidecampground.com/) for helping them get settled in!
Listener questions this round fall directly on the overcooked topic of tires. We all ride different. Why any sport touring bike should be treated with kid gloves to the point where the tread is intact for 10k+ miles is beyond us.
Reflecting our episode title, Brian introduces a new off-the-cuff segment that is spontaneous bike purchases. The rules are simple ... link your friends to a list and give everyone sixty seconds or less to make a choice.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33489
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)We've all been in the position where we get a portion of some major task done only to return and realize it's not finished. In the case of a sport touring getaway, we might want to know more about the route than the destination. For 777, that means fuel and lunch stops need to be itemized.
Onto listener questions! We'll bleed brakes on an R1200RT, calm riders who are reaching for bigger miles and visit concerns over the bounty of a barn fine. Game on.
Brian asks that riders everywhere take time to find out where their fuse boxes and spares are located. Most year/make/models have a few spare fuses holstered. Whether they're stashed behind some quirky afterthought of a solution or not, we all stand to benefit from at least knowing.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33460
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Robin returns from his memorial trek to California, with minimal twisties logged, an hour late for an iron butt placard. Mama nature made herself known every step of the way, be it through unplowed snow, landslides or cold rain. Fortunately, AirBnB kept him warm every night.
Meanwhile, Brian's reminiscing about New Mexico's bizarrely tenacious red clay, which somehow holds a tire's grip so long as you can see tarmac underneath. There's also the matter of polite cagers kindly pulling over before waving motorcyclists by. Riding the road that shall not be named, what planet is this?
Eventually, the duo philosophise about personal time management. You know ... guilt free and steadfast self actualization. Because in the grandiose theater of existential self-actualization, where the metaphysical intertwines with the corporeal, it is within the unencumbered expanses of our discretionary leisure time that we, as sentient beings, find ourselves straddling the chromed-out, two-wheeled mechanical steeds of liberation, their engines throbbing with the rhythm of freedom, as we traverse the labyrinthine highways of life, each twist and turn of the throttle serving as a tangible manifestation of our relentless pursuit towards the zenith of our individualistic potential.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33411
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Robin is still prepping for big miles between Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and Monterey Beach, California. With 100k approaching on the odometer, his valve clearance paranoia carries momentum. Fortunately, they're within spec, even if a little on the high side.
Brian asks: who should we invite to guest host? Conclusions may be astronomically out of reach but hey, it never hurts to try. Robin just needs an email address for Ghost Rider, Lisbeth Salander, and Akira.
There's a new segment in the mix, titled "septically" by Mr. Wringer and focusing on unacceptably cheap rides that are worth their weight in fake gold. This, of course, leads into why buying a modern first bike might be better for some. Our hosts then cite common vintage traps in the universe of unobtainable motorcycle parts.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33356
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Mutual respect can conjure strangely entertaining discussion points. With Anders Carlson, that might require being both brand agnostic and model eccentric. Knowing not how things might go, TRO welcomes the introduction of his new podcast, titled to embrace his admiration for Buell's CR 1125 and the frustrations that come with owning a vintage Honda CB360.
Anders joins the effort to fine tune Robin's route to California. The 1500 mile jaunt flirts with 10k elevations, garden variety must-sees and a dedicated purpose. How it'll play out depends on whether Mr. Dean remembers anything about the Southwest.
We can't introduce a peer's podcast without testing the waters, though. Anders employs Robin's OpenAI developer key to beep-boop-borp-burp an "opinion" of Carlson's beloved Buell. First there were hallucinations, then a grip on non-reality, then Mandarin Chinese.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33347
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)It's not often that a guest host answers our "did you ride today?" question with a polite, "Yes, I just toured Thailand." However, in the case of Dylan Code, it makes perfect sense. He describes riding through different seasons in one day due to changes in elevation and shares his observations about enjoying local wildlife without disturbing it.
Moving beyond small talk, the group delves into "simple" topics like dynamic traction control kHz sample rates and percentage triggers. Things then lighten up with a casual discussion on the cognitive science of human attention limits, focusing on in-ride problem-solving under specific conditions. Here's a hint: we answer questions about why track days can be beneficial to street riding.
Listener questions ask Robin if he'd buy another used R1200RS. His answer, clear as mud, revisits that to-be-expected "yes and no". If he did, he'd be more than happy to own it ... but he wouldn't because there are newer, more interesting options on the market.
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33343
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)As contractually obligated by our guest, Brian and Robin completed One Man Caravan (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0760352674/?tag=theridiobse-20) by Robert Edison Fulton, Jr. Their reward? The fact that it's an excellent read (more than enough).
But having motorcyclist and author Melissa Holbrook Pierson suggest it ... icing on the cake. As bottomless topics go, the trio dives into a meandering conversation before making mention of it. Once they do, more of Fulton's back story comes to light.
Literature, world travel and unmentionable close calls, this ride's got it all. The song remains the same, though in that the community will always be there for us. Pour a pinch of whiskey, kick back and warm up to all things "why".
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33196
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Riders Share now offers experiences (https://www.riders-share.com/experiences) on their website. Members can sign up, meet with ride leaders and explore various pre-planned routes. Radio TRO dives into our signature array of questions but all in all, it reads to be pretty cool.
Then there's the 2024 Suzuki flock. While Brian prefers naked bikes and Robin loves a fairing, both agree that the GSX8 series embodies music in motion. Whether it's a samba or shuffle depends on what 270° means to you but either way, she grooves through the curves.
On another note ... when it rains, it pours. How can a rider protect their electronics? We've yet to really solve the wet phone issue and would love to read your solutions via our contact form (https://email.tro.bike/).
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33140
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Brian's feelin' the effects of aluminum siding efforts but looks forward to visiting New Mexico for a TRO tour. This means he and Robin will be in the same place at the same time! It's probably best we get a lot of photos and update the podcast promo images.
Friend and listener Seth Leader hipped us to a tidy, though perhaps bulky piece of kit. There is in fact a lithium ion jump pack (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B73SX6S/?tag=theridiobse-20) out there with a fully integrated tire inflator and it's juuuuust small enough that it might be suitable for motorcycle travel. Maybe it's time we revisit our go-to roadside remedies.
Of course, no episode is complete without the obscure, so Brian has this idea. You order a shell that's similar to a motorcycle helmet, inject it with spray cheese (hardening foam) and mail it back to whatever company is willing to build your helmet from the cast. Genius, we say (perhaps to ourselves alone) but ... genius!
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Dedicated Episode Page: https://tro.bike/?p=33113
Music by Otis McDonald (https://otismacmusic.com/)Run watcha brung, says Jason Herheim on the matter of track days. He's in the mix with Brian and Robin to discuss what Brian can preload before attending his first. Brian, of course is all ears though Robin did detect, filter and omit certain under-his-breath grumbly mumbles.
Then it's onto the uniquely stressful but positive activity that is renting a motorcycle. Brian's meeting Robin in New Mexico for the NM3 tour. With a handful of options, one in specific might require he activate beast mode.
Lastly, it would seem Garmin's continued development of their GroupTrack feature has piqued everyone's interest. It's not perfect but we'll keep an eye on it. With a number of TRO tours on the docket, it might prove useful.
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