Rider Magazine Insider

Ep. 60: On Lane Splitting with Eric Trow

Episode 60 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast focuses on the controversial topic of lane splitting, also known as lane sharing. Motorcyclists tend to be strongly in favor of it or adamantly against it. Last year Arizona became the fourth state to legalize lane sharing, joining California, Utah, and Montana. Contributing editor Eric Trow’s feature about lane sharing in the June 2023 issue of Rider provides a fair and balanced approach to the topic. Our host Greg Drevenstedt is much more biased in favor of lane sharing, and they have a lively discussion about the pros and cons.

Ep. 59: Nick Ienatsch, Yamaha Champions Riding School

Our guest on Episode 59 is Nick Ienatsch, CEO and Lead Instructor at the Yamaha Champions Riding School. Ienatsch was a founding editor of Sport Rider magazine, and he’s written extensively for Motorcyclist and Cycle World magazines. Ienatsch competed in various AMA, WERA, and other roadracing series in the late ‘80s and ‘90s, and he’s the author of the 2003 book Sport Riding Techniques. After serving as lead instructor at the Freddie Spencer Riding School for more than a decade, Ienatsch started the Yamaha Champions Riding School, which provides on-track and street-based training around the U.S. Rider’s associate editor Paul Dail recently completed a two-day YCRS ChampSchool course as Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His review of the school can be found on RiderMagazine.com and in the June 2023 issue of Rider. In this episode, Paul and Nick take a deep dive into ChampSchool. To learn more about Yamaha Champions Riding School, including the Champ U online program, visit RideLikeAChampion.com.
LINKS: RideLikeAChampion.com

Ep. 58: Backcountry Discovery Routes with Inna Thorn and Tim James

Our guests on Episode 58 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast are Inna Thorn, executive director of Backcountry Discovery Routes, and Tim James, BDR’s board president. Backcountry Discovery Routes is a nonprofit organization that creates off-highway routes for dual-sport and adventure motorcycle travel. BDR has introduced a new route with free GPS tracks nearly every year since 2010. When we last spoke to Inna and Tim last year on Episode 33, the Wyoming BDR had just been released. In 2023, the Oregon BDR was released, making it the 12th full route, and each one can be completed in about a week. Backcountry Discovery Routes has also released shorter BDR-X routes that are loops that can be done in 2-3 days. Through the tireless work of its staff and many volunteers, Backcountry Discovery Routes maintains existing routes and continues developing new ones. Future BDRs will include Southern California, Montana, and the Southeast. Visit the BDR website to learn more and support their efforts.
LINKS: RideBDR.com, BDR on Instagram, BDR on Facebook

Ep. 57: Tim Card, Visionary of the Year, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Our guest on Episode 57 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Tim Card, the Visionary of the Year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In 2017, at the age of 40 and in the prime of his life, Card was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Card is a family man with five children, and he was the owner of a CrossFit gym in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. When his cancer proved to be unresponsive to chemotherapy, Card underwent an experimental treatment, and a year after his diagnosis, he was in remission and remains cancer-free. Card worked hard to rebuild his strength and return to normal life, and about a year ago he learned to ride a motorcycle. On March 23, Card embarked on his first-ever cross-country motorcycle ride on a custom BMW R 18 to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Click the links below for updates on Card’s ride and to make a donation.
LINKS: Tim Card’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fundraiser, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

Ep. 56: Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America

Our guest on Episode 56 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Kyle Petty, a NASCAR racing icon and founder of the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. Petty is part of a multi-generational stockcar racing dynasty that included his grandfather Lee, his father Richard, and his son Adam. Petty is known for four wheels, but he’s been riding motorcycles since he was a boy and loves putting on the miles. Since 1995 he has organized the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, an annual motorcycle ride that raises money to support Victory Junction and other causes for children with chronic illnesses and conditions. The 27th Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America kicks off on April 29 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and runs through May 5. We encourage listeners to visit KylePettyCharityRide.com and make a donation. You can follow the ride on social media, and if you’re in the area, you can meet up with the group at one of their stops.
LINKS: KylePettyCharityRide.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter