The Ride Inside with Mark Barnes

If you're having a midlife crisis but you're not buying a motorcycle, are you really having a midlife crisis? Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

Doing hard things won't kill you—but not doing them just might. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

FORGET EVERYTHING YOU KNOW: Mark quotes that old movie "Willow" by reminding us that to move forward, sometimes we must un-learn certain things. By approaching things as a beginner would, we can gain the benefit of learning from a new perspective. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the...

NOTHING TO DO:   When does the freedom to do nothing at all take over? Mark looks at how, for a motorcyclist, having no agenda can actually be a huge boon to your schedule, happiness and life. Send your questions to us via email:  podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

POINTERS:   Rider education is a necessity throughout the lifespan of any motorcyclist. That's not hyperbole, and it's also the first thing you'll hear Mark say in this episode. He believes it deeply, and by the time you're done here, you will too. Send your questions to us via email:  podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on th...

A REAL PAIN:   There's pain, and then there's *pain*! Whether it's from injury or experience, Mark talks about how we experience pain and how we can grow from it, whether or not it happens from motorcycling. Send your questions to us via email:  podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

LONE WOLVES:   Cosplay or not, the stereotype of the "lone wolf" biker persists in modern culture. Mark digs into why an introvert just might make the perfect motorcyclist in this day and age. Send your questions to us via email:  podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

RETAIL THERAPY:   Anal, oral, discretionary, emotion, spending, guilt … all loaded words that bring up scads of stuff for each of us, all in different and yet surprisingly similar ways. Send your questions to us via email:  podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

NOT THE MAN I USED TO BE: As we get older, we find ourselves occasionally struggling to do things we did quite easily in our younger days. Mark explains the challenges inherent in those things, as well as why it might not be such a bad thing to have to work harder at things that used to come easily. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is br...

WHAT'S IN A NAME? A lot, as it turns out, and it's tied into identity and how we choose to see ourselves as well as how we present ourselves to others. Mark gets into how and why it matters to motorcyclists in some interesting ways. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA....

Mark and Dallas Shannon discusses the evolution of the Traction eRAG , the importance of structured training, and the cultural differences in riding education. Dallas emphasizes the need for a gentle entry into off-road riding to help new riders overcome fear and develop essential skills. He also highlights the role of mentorship and the impact of age on riding, advocating for a more supportive an...

Mark and Dallas Shannon discusses the evolution of the Traction eRAG , the importance of structured training, and the cultural differences in riding education. Dallas emphasizes the need for a gentle entry into off-road riding to help new riders overcome fear and develop essential skills. He also highlights the role of mentorship and the impact of age on riding, advocating for a more supportive an...

THINKERS AND DOERS make the world go 'round, but in different ways. Mark explores how they might be closer to each other than we might think and gets into why we need to have – and be – them both. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

GUILTY PLEASURES are things we might try to hide from our friends. "Not that there's anything wrong with that," they might say, but we don't want to hear it. But when it comes to actual guilt over sharing the things (like motorcycling) which bring us joy, Mark says it's smart to leave yourself some wiggle room. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark B...

GETTING WHAT WE ASK FOR maybe isn't always the best solution for our motorcycling lives - but then again, maybe sometimes it is. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

TIMING: Both work and play deplete our energy reserves, so determining which is more important at any given time (and how to approach balancing one with the other) are critical to how we wend our way through our daily lives, both on and off the motorcycle. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and i...

Many of us put on our helmets every day to go ride, but we never really think about how effective they're going to be at preventing traumatic brain injuries. That appears to be all John Lloyd thinks about; after testing hundreds of helmets, he's arrived at some fairly startling conclusions. He relates his study in this discussion with Mark and Wes Fleming, host of the podcast Chasing the Horizon ....

DYLAN CODE: Born into one of the most well-known rider families in the USA, Dylan has sought and found ways to balance his father Keith's legacy with his own quest for knowledge and perfection atop a motorcycle. From his beginnings as a boy to keeping CSS running smoothly, Dylan brings a lot of insight to the concept of motorcycle schools and how they can benefit all riders. Wes Fleming, host of C...

WON'T VS. CAN'T: It's an age-old conundrum, and discussions of it often overlook the nuances and complexities of a given situation or set of circumstances. Whether you're parenting or riding a motorcycle, the distinction between won't and can't can (and often does) have important repercussions. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought...

SAME OLD SAME OLD? An enthusiast has an entirely different perspective on whatever it is they're particularly excited about. It can often be difficult to share or express your enthusiasms with other people, but a little understanding can go a long way. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on...

A MOMENTARY LAPSE: Everything can change in a split second when your attention wanders. In a car, it might not be a big deal, but on a motorcycle, a momentary lapse of attention or skill could have devastating effects. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to you by the BMW MOA Foundation and is on the web at  BMWMOA.org .

X-RAY VISION: What do X-ray glasses, rocky hill climbs and invisible dangers have in common? Perception! Mark explores how experience shapes what we see—and what we miss—on the bike and beyond. Discover why learning doesn't just change how we think, but what we notice in the first place.   Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org .   The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought to...

MY LAST HAIRCUT: When do you stop chasing the next upgrade? In this episode, Mark reflects on reaching the "last haircut" moment—settling into the perfect set of bikes, dialing back the tech obsession and choosing depth over breadth. It's about aging, priorities and staying put in the saddle.   Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark Barnes  is brought...

LOSING CONTROL: Is more control always better? Mark examines the paradox of control and how letting go can sometimes yield the best results in motorcycling and in life. From race track lessons to psychological insights, Mark explores why relaxing your grip may be the key to confidence, performance and even joy. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark B...

AN OFF DAY: Even the most perfect riding day can fall flat when you're not at your best. Mark unpacks the anatomy of an "off day" on two wheels—where confidence wavers, rhythm vanishes and expectations clash with reality. Join the exploration of how to reset, recover and ride smarter when things just won't click. Send your questions to us via email: podcast@bmwmoa.org . The   Ride Inside with Mark...