Motorcycles & Misfits

Can a Chinese brand bike survive the Iron Butt Rally? 11,000 in 11 days. This is a question that will remain unanswered for now. Our friend and sometimes stunt Misfit Wendy Crockett attempted to prove that it is possible, but things did not go her way. And when we say it didn't go her way, the dead bike on the side of the road quickly because the smaller of her problems. So did the bike die becaus...

There's so much going on this week so we packed it all into one episode. First up, Neal and Stumpy John took an adventure ride up to the Lost Coast in N. Cali. Everything up there is either ocean, redwoods, pot farms or vineyards, so you know the ride was epic. Next up, we spent the weekend down at Laguna Seca for the MotoAmerica races. For some of us, we've been going for years, so we focus on te...

Peter Egan is a legend in the world motorcycle journalism. He is best known for his work as an automotive and motorcycle writer. He gained prominence through his long-running columns and features in Road & Track and Cycle World magazines, where his storytelling combined mechanical insight with a nostalgic, often humorous style. Egan began writing for Cycle World in the late 1970s and later joined...

On this week's motorcycle podcast we discuss a bunch of topics including ADV bikes, old Harleys in Jake 2.0's truck, teaching military personnel how to ride and the goings on in the garage. Featuring Naked Jim, Miss Emma, Stumpy John, Neal, Jake 2.0 and Tim. womenridersworldrelay.com/ wima-usa.com/2025-international-rally/ www.motorcyclesandmisfits.com motorcyclesandmisfits@gmail.com www.patreon.c...

Harley Davidson Sportster; the red headed step child of the motorcycle world. Harley people think they are "beginner" or "girl's bikes", and non Harley riders just think it's a Hardley. So where do they belong? In the sports category as HD has them? As an 883cc beginner bike? Here's the thing, they have an interesting history and a race lineage to boot. For a cruiser they are pretty nimble and fun...

Ride reports. Boy have we got them. Emma took a trip up to the Avenue of the Giants on her trusty RF800, aka 'Rufus' where she encountered a frightful situation. Scottie rode up to Washington for the Dreamroll rally, where apparently everyone rides topless. Liza took a ride up to SF and on her way back, became trapped for hours in the middle of the night due to a horrific accident up ahead. Fortun...

Cyril Williams was an Isle of Man TT racer, riding his AJS to victory in 1920. The TT is known as one of the most dangerous races in the world, yet this paled in comparison to what he experienced just a couple of years before. During the World War 1, TT racers were brought in with their race bikes to serve as dispatch riders, risking their lives by outrunning bullets to insure critical messages we...

Welcome to another rousing episode of our show. We got the band back together, and have a lot of catching up to do. Liza is back from England, and went to some really cool places, including the Sidecarcross World Championship and the Bike Shed Show. Meanwhile, Emma and Neil were at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering and have their own stories to tell. Liza introduces a new game called "Read My Mind" w...

From our listener submissions for our Insta 360 camera contest, it seems as if the critters are out to get us! On this motorcycle podcast we discuss garage happenings and Naked Jim and Stumpy John's recent high desert adventures. Miss Emma gives us a short lesson on anti-lock brakes. We also read the submissions we received from our contest. So many great stories! While all submissions were great,...

Liza is off riding the mountains of Pakistan again, so it's her turn to pick a favorite from the archives, and it doesn't get much better than Debbie Evans Leavitt. She's a 7 time Taurus World Stunt Award winner, she's in the AMA Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Stunt Hall of Fame. She's got almost 400 movie and TV credits to her name, and was also one of the best trials riders in the world. But for...

Liza is joined by special co-host Wendy Crockett, who has just returned from a Vintage Rides tour of Nepal. The trip was supposed to be an easy tour with 90% paved roads, but due to weather and earthquakes, plans changed. Heather joins us to share her experience as a rider with little off road experience, and how she met the challenges and came back a more confident rider. If only she could've got...

The One Moto Show in Portland is one of the best motorcycle shows ever, and we can't wait every year for it to come around. With the perfect blend of bikes, music, art and food, you can spend days here and still find some new interesting thing you somehow missed before. And the bikes are a true testament to the love of all things 2 wheeled (and three, four and maybe six). We got some great intervi...

It's that time of year once again for one of our favorite events, the Quail Motorcycle Gathering. Re-badged as the Quail MotoFest, this will be year 15 for this concours d'elegance style motorcycle show. With everything from vintage bikes to race bikes, customs, scooters, minibikes, dirtbikes and show winning restorations, you'll find it all at the Quail. Gordon McCall joins us to let us know more...

Evolutionary neuroscientist and acclaimed author Mark Changizi joins us to talk about his new book, Motorcycle Mind, that reveals the science behind why motorcycling feels so exhilarating. From the dynamics of human perception and emotion to the physical symbiosis between rider and machine, Motorcycle Mind uncovers how the ride transforms us into something primal—instinctive, expressive, and alive...

We are back from the Misfits Rally, and have more stories to tell. There were animal encounters, friendships forged, mud tackled and tacos consumed. This brings us to talk about moto camping, what must have's to bring, and which bike is the perfect vehicle for moto camping. Liza has a tale from a recent trip to the DMV, and we read listener emails. With Liza, Stumpy John, Steph, Neil, Scottie, Nak...

Misfits Rally Vol 3 was a success! We had the most amazing group of people come together for adventure, fun, food, games and campfire stories. We talked to some individuals about their experiences at the rally, interviewed Bill Edgar from ADV Moto Pros and gave away some awards. Give a listen and join us next year! www.motorcyclesandmisfits.com motorcyclesandmisfits@gmail.com www.patreon.com/motor...

Join us for another rousing episode where we talk about all things motorcycles. Jim shares a story about an amazing military rescue, and then we play a game called Will It Dirt? Next up we share some things we love, talk about how insurance companies are hurting the motorcycle community, and then we read listener emails. With Liza, Stumpy John, Neil, Naked Jim and Bagel. Join our Discord at discor...

The International Six Days Enduro race is considered the Olympics of dirt biking, and Jeff has completed 33 of them with 11 gold medals, 20 silvers and two bronze. It was his 34th and last year that he was not able to complete it, and being too old was not the reason. So how does this AMA Hall of Famer compete at this top level for decades, setting a record that will most likely never be matched?...

What do bowling pins and Italian 2 strokes have to do with Harley Davidson? That would be the HD ownership of Aermacchi and the AMF ownership of Harley Davidson during the 60s and 70s. At this time, HD sold scooters, dirtbikes, minibikes and even a moped alongside the big cruisers they are still known for today. Why did they all go away, and will we ever see the diversification of HD again? But fi...

Misti Hurst is a masterclass columnist for Motorcycle Mojo Magazine (Canada) and Adventure Bike Rider Magazine (UK), where she has built a long-standing reputation for insightful, in-depth writing on motorcycle technique, travel, and adventure. Over two decades, she has written more than 250 articles, curating a vast body of work that now forms the foundation of her upcoming five-book series, Life...

Liza took the beginner riding class and had to unlearn how to ride, and then relearn the basic building blocks of controlling a bike. It's a lot harder as an adult, which is why teaching kids proper riding technique is the best was to go. In fact, Mike has been teaching his daughter Freya to ride, and found it best to get professional instruction, which is how he found Hawk Mazzotta's school. http...

Spring has sprung, at least it felt like it today with the beautiful weather. Breaking Away Matt joins us to talk about the upcoming Misfits Rally April 3-6. https://breakingawayadventures.com/misfits-rally-vol-3. Jim ventured out on some dirt roads on the back side of Big Sur, and shares his ride report. And of course riding on dirt roads can leave your bike dirty, so we are joined by Steve Gay f...

Want to go on a motorcycle tour? Then Emma and Cat have got a trip for you. The Dolomites, Tuscany, Pyrenees or the Julian Alps are all going to be good bets for great roads and great food. And to sweeten the pot, a coach from Yamaha Champions Riding School will be on the trip to give you tips and feedback on your riding skills. Keith from YCRS joins us to talk about becoming a better rider, and t...

It's that time of year where we head to Vegas for the AimExpo. This is an industry expo where you can see new bikes, parts, products, manufacturers, organizations and anything else you can think of that is involved in the motorcycle industry. Its a place to network, see old friends, and talk to industry experts all under one roof. We love it especially because of the access to people who can answe...

So many things to discuss, and so little time. Here's a menu of our topics this week: Naked ride report, free gear for natural disaster survivors, KTM is alive, Ebikes are doomed, Mecum auction is a sign of the recession, 2 strokes are back, choosing the right Evel Knievel outfit, Misfits Rally 2025, Scotty is crazy not crazy and more. Join us for this free form discussion about all things motorcy...