KiwiMoto72 Podcast: Riders, Racers & the Experts Behind the Sport

Aaron Slight is one of the best riders World Superbike ever produced, and one of the unluckiest. Thirteen wins. Eighty-seven podiums. Three straight Suzuka 8-Hour victories. Four third-place championship finishes and two as runner-up, including 1998 when he lost the title to Carl Fogarty by just 5.5 points. Then in February 2000, a brain aneurysm and emergency surgery in Sydney nearly ended his li...

Three years ago I had Kayla Yaakov on the show as a fifteen-year-old Junior Cup racer. She is a very different rider now. This time Kayla came to the track to coach me, then sat down for a long talk about how she got here. We get into her riding, the number 19 Rahal Ducati Moto with Droplight Panigale V2, the mental side of running at the front, and what she fixed in my own riding in a single day....

This is our longest episode ever. Three hours of real talk on coaching, rider development, and getting faster on track. Misti Hurst is a former AMA Pro Supersport racer and senior coach at California Superbike School. She has over 20 years of experience racing and coaching riders around the world. Now she has written a book about it. In this episode, Misti talks about her path from street rider to...

Mike Webb is the most senior official in MotoGP . He is responsible for race control, safety decisions, penalties, red flags, and consistency across every Grand Prix weekend. When races stop, restart, or change direction, the final call sits with him. In this interview, we go inside MotoGP race direction.  We cover how decisions are made in real time, how technology and regulations shape modern ra...

In this episode, I sit down with Misti Hurst — former AMA Pro Supersport racer, senior California Superbike School coach, mountain bike mentor, mini-moto mom, and now… published author. With over 20 years of experience racing and coaching riders around the world, Misti is one of the most respected voices in motorcycle education today. Now, she’s turning the throttle in a new direction with her deb...

Paul Trevathan: From Kiwi Roots to MotoGP Crew Chief — Guiding Pedro Acosta & Unlocking the Secrets of the Paddock What does a MotoGP crew chief really do? In this episode, I sit down with Paul Trevathan , crew chief for rising KTM superstar Pedro Acosta . From his Kiwi beginnings in New Zealand motorsport to leading in the world’s fastest motorcycle championship, Paul shares his journey to th...

Nick Ienatsch is a former racer, longtime motorcycle journalist, and founder of the Yamaha Champions Riding School. He has spent his career studying what makes riders fast and what keeps them safe. In this episode, Nick breaks down the Champions Habits program, trail braking, brake coverage, and why the best upgrade you can make to your motorcycle is your own skill. We talk about why riders platea...

Kristian Daniel Jr. is 16 years old and racing in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, one of the most competitive junior series in the world. He earned his spot against riders from dozens of countries and is now lining up on the same Grand Prix circuits as MotoGP. In this episode, Kristian talks about the jump from U.S. racing to the European stage, what it takes to compete in the Rookies Cup, and ho...

Avalon Lewis is one of New Zealand's top motorcycle racers. She came up through grassroots bucket racing, worked her way through national competition, and made it to the inaugural FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship. In this conversation, Avalon talks about the state of racing in New Zealand, what it took to get from club level to a world championship grid, and how she balances...

Kensei Matsudaira is 14 years old. He has been racing since he was four. He holds multiple national championships in MotoAmerica, Supermoto, and Speedway, and he represented the United States at the FIM Speedway World Cup. Now he's competing in Premoto3 in the Spanish championship, the same junior class that feeds into the Moto3 World Championship. He's doing it as a privateer with no fa...

Cobie Fair is the Global Chief of Rider Coaching at California Superbike School. He started as a mechanic more than 40 years ago and worked his way to the top of the coaching side. Rick Rayner hosts this conversation on why every motorcycle rider should experience a track day at least once. Cobie explains what CSS teaches, how track skills transfer directly to street riding, and why the controlled...

Rocco Landers is one of the most exciting young racers in America. He dominated the MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Twins Cup before making the jump to King of the Baggers, racing Harleys at the front of the pack. In this episode, Rocco talks about how he got started racing, the mindset and training behind his results, and the technical differences between sportbike racing and running a bagger at speed...

Johnny Haynes is the Deputy Head of Worldwide Coaching at California Superbike School. He has been riding and coaching for decades across multiple countries. Rick Rayner hosts this deep conversation on the technical side of riding well. Johnny covers throttle control and smooth inputs, how to mark and use turn points, steering timing, line selection, adapting to new motorcycles, and the role tract...

Part 2 of our conversation with California Superbike School coach James Toohey. This episode goes further into the technical side of track riding. James talks through throttle control and timing, how to read a track and pick the right line, steering inputs, traction control, and the common errors he sees riders repeat. We also talk about what separates riders who keep improving from those who plat...

James Toohey is a senior coach at California Superbike School. He has spent years working with riders of every level on track, from first-timers to experienced racers. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, James breaks down the coaching methods that CSS uses to help riders improve. We cover how the school identifies bad habits, the drills that fix them, and why many riders hit a ceiling they ca...

Dylan Code runs California Superbike School, the largest motorcycle coaching operation in the world. He is the son of Keith Code, who founded CSS and wrote the books that defined modern motorcycle riding technique. In this episode, Dylan talks about the origins of the school, how it has grown into a global operation, and what the coaching philosophy looks like today. We cover how CSS develops its...

In this special kickoff episode, hosts Angus Norton and Rick Rayner introduce an exciting new podcast series featuring in-depth interviews with the legendary California Superbike School coaches . We share why we’re diving into these conversations, what riders can expect to learn, and how these world-class coaches help transform the way people ride. Whether you're a track-day addict or just lo...

Mallory Dobbs went from U.S. club racing and MotoAmerica to competing on the world stage in the inaugural FIM Women's Circuit Racing Championship. Her debut season had a steep learning curve, but she finished with six consecutive top-10 results and earned the number one female spot in the Supersport class at the FIM Intercontinental Games. In this episode, Mallory talks about what the jump to...

Mat Oxley has been writing about MotoGP for over 40 years. He has worked alongside Kenny Roberts, Barry Sheene, Valentino Rossi, and Marc Marquez. He is also a former Isle of Man TT winner. In this episode, Mat shares behind-the-scenes stories from four decades in the paddock, how MotoGP has changed as a sport and as a business, and what it was like to race and win the TT. We also talk about his b...

Ken Hill is one of the most respected motorcycle coaches in North America. He works with riders at every level, from street riders looking to build confidence to experienced track riders chasing faster lap times. In this episode, Ken talks about the value of professional coaching, the fundamentals that most riders overlook, and why small changes in technique produce big results on the bike. We cov...

Zack Courts is a motorcycle journalist, content creator, and co-host of RevZilla's CTXP and Daily Rider series on YouTube. He rides and reviews motorcycles for a living, from supercharged flagships to budget commuters. In this episode, Zack talks about his career path into motorcycle media, what a typical bike review looks like behind the scenes, and some of the wildest rides he's had al...

Cormac Buchanan is one of the most promising young riders to come out of New Zealand in years. He is building a path toward MotoGP through the junior racing ranks and has already shown serious speed on the international stage. In this episode, Cormac talks about growing up racing in New Zealand, the move to competing internationally, and what the road to MotoGP looks like for a young Kiwi rider wi...

Dave Moss has built his reputation setting up motorcycle suspension for riders across North America. He shows up at track days and events, puts bikes on stands, and makes them handle better. Thousands of riders have had their bikes transformed by a Dave Moss setup. In this episode, Dave explains how suspension actually works, why most stock settings don't suit real-world riders, and what you...

Simon Crafar won a MotoGP race in 1998 at Donington Park. He is one of a small number of New Zealanders to have competed at the top level of motorcycle road racing. Today he is a familiar face in the MotoGP paddock as a pit lane reporter and commentator. In this conversation, Simon talks about his racing career, what it was like to win at the highest level, and how the sport has changed since his...

Kayla Yaakov is one of the top young motorcycle racers coming out of the United States. She is fast, focused, and building a career in a sport that demands both. In this episode, Kayla talks about her racing journey so far, the challenges of competing as a young rider, and what she's working toward. We cover her results, her training, and the support system that keeps her moving forward. This...