Motorcycles & Misfits

This week on our motorcycle podcast we talk about: -What to do with your used spark plugs -Do scooters really count? -How well do we know each other's motorcycle history? -Two bikes, one bad battery and two burnt wires -The future of the Re-Cycle Garage -Listener emails including a What Dat!? that stumps Emma With Liza, Stumpy John, Miss Emma, Cooper, Naked Jim and Bagel Thanks to the sponsor of t...

This week on our podcast we talk about an interesting bike that came to the garage, now known as the Chuckus. A Chinese clone of a custom Ruckus. Sounds weird? It is. Death machine? Maybe. Fun? Definitely. Next up we go over the crash stats from Sturgis Bike Week, and discuss why these numbers are accepted every year. Then we settle in for Emma's History Hole on a bike that deserves due respect: t...

This week on our motorcycle podcast Cat and Emma share stories from their recent trip to the Dolomites. Cat has created a training trip that shows anyone how to travel internationally with confidence. Throw in schnitzel and beer, amazing twisties and good company, and you've got a life changing trip. In fact, Patrick, Lori and Scott joined us to share how it changed their lives, and what they lear...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we are back in California and have had time to reflect on our trip to VMD. The crowds were bigger, and the event did not disappoint. This is our favorite event of the year, and it's hard to put into words why it's so special, but we give it our best shot. Start with naked flaming burnouts, a mosh pit, the bourbon fairy, double rainbows and every type of motorcyc...

The Misfits have landed in Ohio for our favorite yearly event, the Vintage Motorcycle Days. There's so many fascinating people here, and we set out to find these people and share some of their stories with you. First up, Liza and Stumpy John talk to Paul from Replica Motorcycle Parts, who is 3D printing hard to find parts for vintage motorcycles. Naked Jim and Liza talk to Wendy Crockett from Vint...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we head back to Laguna Seca for the the AHRMA motorcycle races. We love this event for a few reasons, but one of them is the vintage motocross races. These are so fun to watch and we root for riders fast and slow. Next up we talk about motorcycle lawsuits. 150 million dollars for a broken ankle? Can I get a piece of that? Seems over the top, but sometimes they a...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we head off to the races at the famous Laguna Seca track. The King of the Baggers and Hooligan series have brought a whole new element to the races, and we loved it. Jim and Liza test rode the CFMoto Ibex 800 and talk about this Chinese company that is fighting the stereotype and making some decent bikes. We also talk a little more about ebikes and the law accor...

This week on our motorcycle podcast Scottie gives us a ride report on their recent solo trip on the Nevada Backcountry Discovery Route. This is no easy task, and Scottie is always up for a true adventure. Next up, the crew talks about the new Triumph 400cc bikes made in India. Will they come to the US and should they? Tell us what you think. Emma talks about the goings on in the garage, and her up...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we share with you many of the conversations that stem from the garage. More specifically, these are the kinds of conversations that are happening between everyone while we are hanging out and wrenching on bikes every Sunday. Here's some of the questions we ask and answer: What is the best motorcycle engine ever built? What motorcycle accessories are inflatable,...

This week on our motorcycle podcast Liza makes a big announcement. She bought a new bike, and it's a Scrambler 900. What a cool bike it is too. Emma shares a history on the Scrambler, it's racing roots, and how the scramblers we know today became a style different from the originals. Emma also introduces us to her orphans, Will and James, who she literally picked up on the side of the highway. The...

This week on our motorcycle podcast Liza has a problem that needs solving. She sold her 2 KLR's, so what could she possibly put in the stable to fill the spots? Send us your suggestions. MotoGPete is with us, so of course we have to play a round of Best/Worst Bike. Check out the Noco Moto podcast at https://nocomotopodcast.com/ And lastly, things are getting worse with bike theft. What can or shou...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we are celebrating both Pride and Stumpy John Appreciation Day. That's right, John is back, and he's taking us to Stumptown. Unfortunately John's dad recently passed away, so John shares stories of his dad who was a great mechanic and racer in his time. And although he may have had what it takes to be a pro racer, he instead decided to have a family and keep rac...

We all love a good mystery story, and we've got some great ones to share with you. Liza talks about a Harley Davidson that washed up on a Canadian shore in a storage container that went on a year long voyage. Bagel tells us about a mystery ailment with his scooter that has a crazy origin, and Emma shares a story which involves the rarest bike in the world. But first, we talk about new bikes and pe...

On our last episode we talked about death and motorcycling, which was a heavy subject to cover, but we didn't have time to cover the other side of death and motorcycles: the death of a bike. We talk about the anatomy of a bike death, and what things may have prevented it. We also get a mechanic's perspective on how to tell someone that their beloved machine may not survive, and to do this we bring...

Would you ride a bike knowing that someone died on it? This is the question that started this whole conversation. When asked, different people had different answers for different reasons which was quite surprising. Death is not something that bikers like to talk about, but realizing how many different opinions there are, it seemed like it should be talked about. Do your friends and family know wha...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we head down to Carmel CA for the annual Quail Motorcycle Gathering. This is a concours d'elegance event with everything from restorations to race bikes, choppers, scooters and everything else in between. With such an array of bikes on display, it's hard to choose who to interview, but we managed to get some good ones. Emma talks to Stacy and Sparky from the Haa...

It's time once again for the Misfits to hit the road and head up to the One Motorcycle Show in Portland, Or. This has become one of our favorite events to attend because of the perfect blend of eclectic and creative things. Beside motorcycles, they have cars, food, art and music. Throw in the stunt shows, vendor village and the industrial building and you've got a perfect weekend. There's so many...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we bring stories from our very first Misfits Rally out of the Hollister Hills SVRA park. The weather was perfect, the hills were in a super bloom, and everyone had an amazing time. We had dirt riding, ADV rides, mini bike trails, street rides, games and seminars. But what truly made it spectacular were the attendees who all came with high spirits and ready for a...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we talk about the new formula for the right amount of bikes: N+S. That's right, every biker should consider adding a scooter to their arsenal. They are affordable, practical, better for the environment and fun. There's a wide array of scooters available too. From classic styling like the Vespa, comfortable touring like the Suzuki Burgman, manly and practical lik...

This week on our motorcycle podcast Liza shares her experience from the brain of an aging biker. Can this be overcome, and is this what all bikers go through as they get older? Then we play of game of Name That Tune biker edition, and the young people don't stand a chance against the human jukebox Emma. Next up, Emma explains why we have different types of gas, which bikes use them, and why. She a...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we are joined by local mechanic/youtuber Mason George. He seems to find a never ending supply of collectible bikes right here in the Santa Cruz mountains, that no one else seems to know about. He drops in to share stories about some of these finds, and to share advice for someone who finds an old bike themselves and have ideas about 'fixing' it up. With Liza, Mi...

Is this the golden age of motorcycles? Is there a difference between a rider and a biker? Is the Honda Elite 250 the best scooter ever made? Is the Suzuki RF900R the best looking sport bike of all time? Does a Harley sound like potato potato, or is it tomato tomato? We answer all of these questions and get into debates on some, and we want to hear what you think as well. With Liza, Stumpy John, Mi...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we are talking about cooking food. With our bikes. No, really. Our moto is Live to Ride, Ride to Eat, so what better way to do this than to cook the food while you ride. We've come up with a list of bikes and dishes that we think are good matches. are you willing to try any? Next up we are joined by champion racer Bubba Shobert. He's a three-time A.M.A. Grand Na...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we are joined by Tom Medema, co-founder of the Rally for Rangers, which is the definition of philanthropic adventure. So what is it exactly? Rally for Rangers connects motorcycle enthusiasts passionate about discovering and protecting the world's special places with park rangers dedicated to natural and cultural heritage. After completing an adventure ride in an...

This week on our motorcycle podcast we are joined by Jenya, who's chained bike was stolen from her secure gated garage. With lots of perseverance and help from the community she finally got it back. She shares her story and lessons learned from this crime. We are also joined by Phil Marmet from Abus, who makes some of the best locks for motorcycles on the market. But even these can't stop all thie...