Rider Magazine Insider

Ep. 54: Kevin Duke, American Rider magazine

Our guest on Episode 54 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Kevin Duke, Editor-in-Chief at American Rider, a V-Twin magazine published by the same company that owns Rider magazine. Duke and host Greg Drevenstedt are long-time friends, and they’ve attended many motorcycle press launches and events together. They talk about their shared history – including bungee jumping off the 700-foot Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa – as well as the unique stories, features, and event coverage in American Rider. If you love American-made motorcycles and the community that surrounds them, then you should check it out at AmericanRider.com.

Ep. 53: Killboy, Motorcycle Photographer

Our guest on Episode 53 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Darryl Cannon, a photographer better known as Killboy. If you’ve ridden the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee, then you’ve seen Killboy banners along the road where he and his team of photographers capture motorcycles in action. Killboy went from being a factory worker who enjoyed riding his motorcycle on the weekends to teaching himself photography and building a thriving business. Our host, Rider’s Editor-in-Chief Greg Drevenstedt, tells the embarrassing story about his first encounter with Killboy during his first press launch back in 2008.
LINKS: Killboy.com

Ep. 52: Perry Steed, Operation: Purpose

Ep. 52: Perry Steed, Operation: Purpose
Our guest on Episode 52 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is former Army paratrooper Perry Steed. He was interviewed by Rider’s associate editor, Paul Dail, who wrote a feature about Steed titled “Ride for Light” for the October 2022 issue of Rider. On April 24, 2012, Steed’s good friend, Sgt. Kristopher Cool, took his own life. In May of last year, Steed departed North Carolina on his BMW R 1200 GS on a 48-state trip covering more than 15,000 miles to pick up Cool’s ashes and take them to Fort Bragg to spread on Sicily Drop Zone as a “rally cry for support” for the epidemic of veteran suicide. In this episode, Steed talks about how he got into motorcycles, his “Ride for Light” mission, and the nonprofit he created to support fellow veterans, Operation: Purpose. We owe a debt of gratitude to all veterans for their service, and we owe it to them to support veteran causes.
If you or someone you know is in danger because of suicidal thoughts or actions, seek help immediately, either through 911 or nationwide suicide hotlines, 1-800-SUICIDE and 1-800-273-TALK, which have counselors available 24/7.
LINKS: OperationPurpose.net, “Riding for Light” feature about Perry Steed

Ep. 51: Forrest Hobbs, TransAmerica Trail Finisher

Our guest on Episode 51 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Forrest Hobbs, who took a “purist” approach to completing the TransAmerica Trail. Hobbs lives in Denver, Colorado, and he bought a 1,200cc Yamaha Super Ténéré adventure bike, rode it 2,000 miles to Nags Head, North Carolina, rode the entire 6,200 miles of Sam Correro’s TransAmerica Trail, added a couple thousand miles along the way to visit friends and family, and then rode from Port Ord, Oregon back home. Over 73 days, he logged over 12,000 miles. Hobbs used only roll charts for navigation and didn’t even have a GPS as a backup, and he camped on the trail nearly every night. Hobbs is a passionate off-road rider. He didn’t start riding motorcycles until he was 30, and he has competed in the Baja 1000, the Red Bull Romaniacs hard enduro, and the Idaho City 100 ISDE qualifier – and he’s done each race twice. Hobbs’ plan was to make the TransAmerica Trail as challenging as possible to test himself, to break himself down mentally and physically, and he prevailed.
LINKS: Forrest Hobbs on Instagram, TransAmerica Trail

Ep. 50: Dave Scott, TransAmerica Trail Part 3

Our guest on Episode 50 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Dave Scott, who made a solo journey on the TransAmerica Trail. This is Part 3 of a three-part interview. We spoke to Scott in Episodes 46 and 48, where he told us about the challenges of riding the TAT during the Covid-19 pandemic, dealing with hurricanes and Mississippi mud, and then crashing on Imogene Pass in Colorado, where he broke his leg. Scott spent the winter and spring healing up, and in the summer of 2021, he returned to the TransAmerica Trail. After conquering Imogene Pass, he rode through Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon, where he finally made it to the end of the trail and dipped his tires in the Pacific Ocean. This is another unfiltered, uncensored conversation about the trials and tribulations of riding solo across America on a dirtbike. Look for Part 1 of Scott’s story in the adventure-themed November 2022 issue of Rider, with Part 2 coming soon in 2023.
LINKS: TransAmTrail.com