Cycle World Podcast

Honda decided to go dirt track racing in the 1980s and it wasn't long before it was winning—a lot! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron was the AMA observer at the resulting dyno tests as restrictor plates were tested to restore "parity" with the XR-750 and he followed the development of the Honda flat track racer from the early "sideways CX500" to the proper built-from-scratch RS750. Of course there is a lot about the Indian FTR750 and Harley-Davidson XR-750 as well, plus we discuss perhaps the most talented dirt tracker who every raced, so swing a leg over and ride with Kevin and Mark on the Cycle World Podcast.

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What do Rake, Trail, Wheelbase and Offset mean for your motorcycle and how it turns, stops, accelerates? Are there magic numbers that result in "good" handling? What is good handling anyway? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about motorcycle handling and the fundamental improvements that have made new bikes so good.

Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief visited Barber Vintage Festival and watched Kenny Roberts ride his world championship winning 0W48 Yamaha on some epic (and great smelling!) demonstration laps. The guys talk about Yamaha two-stroke tech, Hoyer vintage raced a 1972 BMW (and won!), the amazing Barber Museum and so much more about this epic motorcycle cultural event. There were 500 vendors at the swapmeet and the "bike show" put on by attendees just riding around the ring road was mind boggling.

Weird, wonderful, precise, strange, or brutal, these tools shared by Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer make working on motorcycles easier, more repeatable and more fun. How many do you own? How many have you heard of? Thanks for watching! Shopping for a motorcycle? Get a no-impact credit check and find out about your pre-approved buying power now: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

How many Yamaha RD350 crankshafts has Kevin Cameron rebuilt? How many cylinders ported? KC and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about Yamaha’s sporty and quick two-stroke twin, from its origins in the 1960s all the way to the RZ350 of 1985. Hoyer’s first streetbike was a 1979 RD400 Daytona Special—lots to cover. Breathe deep!

The Honda NS500 and NSR500 two-stroke four-cylinder grand prix bikes were hotbeds of innovation and showed exceptional dominance in the hands of genius riders such as Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson and, particularly, Mick Doohan, winner of FIVE consecutive world championships in the 1990s. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron has deeply studied the NSR500 and it shows in this podcast—he knows a lot of stuff about a lot of stuff, but two-stroke GP bikes are a strong suit! Listen to him and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the NSR500, screamer vs. big bang, water injection and lots of other trickery that helped the bike dominate the final seasons of two-stroke GP racing.

75 percent Win Rate! From the first FTR750 engine to the final legal season for the bike and 8 championships, Cycle World was there. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the origin and development of the motorcycle that dominated American Flat Track since its introductory 2017 season. There is, of course, a deep tech dive, plus all the extras you’ve come to expect!

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Gasoline has a lotta BANG per pound, making it pretty ideal fuel for the motorcycles we love. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the future of petroleum fuels, synthetic fuels, ethanol and more, plus electric battery storage and the prospects there for motorcycling. Much to cover! Kevin says, "Pounds per horsepower hour," "light molecules" and "heavy sluggish molecules...AND we discuss the 300,000-400,000 pounds of jet fuel an airliner has on takeoff—but not on landing! Shopping for a motorcycle? Get pre-approved for the motorcycle you've always wanted: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Can you imagine a motorcycle universe without the Adventure Bike? But before the 1980 BMW R 80 G/S (Gelände/Strasse) there really wasn't such a thing. Now ADVs have spawned an entire culture of two-wheel adventuring. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the origins of the BMW GS and its evolution to the new R 1300 GS. Join us on our hour-long adventure! Shopping for a motorcycle? Get pre-approved for that R 1300 GS you always wanted: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171 Photo by Jeff Allen/Cycle World

So much of great-working motorcycle comes down to precise heat management of the engine, tires, gears, brakes, and more. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron takes a deep dive with Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer on the many effects of heat and the cascading influence it has on overall motorcycle performance. Shopping for a motorcycle? Get pre-approved for you dream bike: https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171

Get pre approved on a motorcycle here - https://octane.co/flex/1?a=171 Almost as old as dirt, the Harley-Davidson XR-750 flat-track race bike was introduced in 1970 and the design has endured to this day. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer dive into the origins of the XR-750, its evolution, and how it is still capable of winning national races five decades later. They'll also cover the universality of dirt.

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The joke goes, "The only way to get suspension to work in the 1970s was to not let it!" We've come a long way, and that was the beginning of the suspension revolution that brings us to today's generally great components and all the world-class stuff going on in racing. Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer and Technical Editor Kevin Cameron start with the basic forces at work including what's called V-squared damping (say "ouch!") move to friction dampers and damper rods, and finally get up to the beautiful and easy-to-work on high-performance cartridge dampers on the best bikes of today. And the side stories are almost half the fun. Ride with us!

Metals are absolutely key to our good times on two wheels. Steel, Aluminum, Chromium, Nickel, Copper, Brass, Magnesium ("electrified dirt") and all the alloys make up our most loved form of transportation and good times. As ever, CW Technical Editor Kevin Cameron knows a lot of key details which he shares with Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer and the rest of us. Thank you for all the support of the podcast and please let us know in comments what you like and what you don't—but leave Hoyer's headphones out of it... :)

What are opening and closing ramps on a camshaft profile and why are they so important? Why do we use nested or beehive valve springs? When is it best to use pushrod valve actuation or DOHC shim-under-bucket tappets or finger followers? Should we drive cams with gears, chains, or belts? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer (but mostly Kevin...) talk about the intricate details of opening and closing valves and different types of drive systems.

A long-time US KTM employee described in the early days when the head of the company mortgaged his house to buy some box vans. Contrast this to KTM's American HQ opened in 2023 that cost $53 million and racing on the world stage from hard enduro to MotoGP. Yes, a lot has changed for KTM, once the builder of quirky dirt bikes but now making every kind of motorcycle with an obsession for high-performance and light weight, and growing across brands that include Husqvarna, GasGas, MV Agusta, and ebikes under the Pierer Mobility umbrella. Where did KTM come from and where is it going? Listen to take the ride with Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer.

Moving the problems! Alternative front suspension has some advantages over the telescopic fork that's on nearly every motorcycle made today—front swingarms, Hossack, RADD, Troll Engineering, girder—but these other designs never take over. Some problems are solved, but new ones emerge! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron has seen them all and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer has ridden many. Why does the telescopic fork keep winning? Listen to the Cycle World Podcast to find out.

The amazing journey by Butler & Smith BMW to build championship-winning superbikes out of BMW flat-twin touring bikes in the 1970s. First 750cc, then 900cc, we look at how BMW won the 1976 AMA Superbike Championship. Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer joins Technical Editor Kevin Cameron, who recalls his time with builders Udo Gietl and Todd Schuster to explain the amazing transformation of these motorcycles into the remarkable high-performance machines they became. Unbelievable detail here, folks.

Ducati is more than just a motorcycle brand to many, bordering on religion—or as its detractors might say: a cult. The CULT OF DESMO! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer start with the early days of Ducati's singles and move through the inception of the Desmodromic valve train, the first 90-degree V-Twins, and the racing success that followed. Ducati today is built on a constant state of revolution and evolution. The duo discuss the brand that is nearly synonymous with the color red, Italian style, and racing performance. Join us!

Motorcycle minds were blown when the 1973 Kawasaki Z1 debuted with its 903cc engine, double overhead cams and burly styling—and Team Green's four-cylinder superbike was born—in rootbeer brown! Did 40-hp Triumphs ever have a chance? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the Z1's origins, how it compared to the Honda CB750, and the marketplace the bike entered, including facing off against Kawasaki's own two-stroke triples. The guys wander off a bit on this one and coincidentally heard the same crazy superbike race announcer at Monza more than a decade apart! (Really, it's a cool story.) There's a moment on Harley-Davidson steering philosophy that's at least peripherally related, and a little about the death of the two-stroke, plus so much more. Join us!

Honda's NR500 GP racer and NR750 endurance racer and 1994 $60,000 streetbike launched a million dreams but were failures in the grand scheme. The bikes were beautiful innovations and technical striving during a magic time at Honda when the company explored anything that seemed possible. Learn more about the 8-valve-per-cylinder four-stroke V-four that acted like a V-8 and aimed for 22,000 rpm in racing form. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron heard the NR500 at Monza, and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer, like many, bought a 1995 Honda VFR750 because it had echos of the NR750. Listen now to learn about these amazing motorcycles and their oval-piston engines! Read the Kevin Cameron tech feature on the Honda NR500 and NR750 on cycleworld.com:

We're taking a flyer on this one but we couldn't resist talking about AIR! True to form, Technical Editor Kevin Cameron starts talking about us breathing and how gravity holds air on the earth ("Which is really good for us.") and we take it from there. Poppet valves, pressure waves, exhaust and intake tuning, and so much more. Ever heard of an Aspin valve? Rotary valve? Sleeve valve? You can say yes to all those if you just have a listen to this week's Cycle World podcast. Join us in the air!

Dynasty? Franchise? Legend? Yes! The Honda Gold Wing was born "naked" in 1975 as Honda's first liquid-cooled model. The entire Cycle World road test issue said "Gold Wing" only one time but now it's the name that everyone associates with technical luxury touring and the Gold Wing has won an amazing 25 CW Ten Best awards since its introduction. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about how the Gold Wing entered the market and how the consumer drove its evolution into the full-rig luxury mile-eater it is today. They'll even tell you about the box truck with seat factory that was used to make new seats overnight during development!

The legendary Yamaha TZ750 two-stroke racer was a bike three-time world champ Kenny Roberts said had "too much of everything." Technical Editor Kevin Cameron knows a lot of things about a lot of things, but he might know the most about Yamaha's world-conquering road racer. Kevin and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the impact and evolution of this affordable production machine that leveled the playing field with factory racing machines.

Genius? Madman? John Britten created one of the most amazing motorcycles on the planet and beat the world's biggest manufacturers—All from a tiny country in the southern hemisphere. We called The Britten V1000 "The World's Most Advanced Motorcycle" and it seemed to have come from nowhere. Technical Editor Kevin spent time with John Britten, and Cycle World track tested and raced this motorcycle. Kevin and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer dive into the legends and mythology around the great Britten motorcycle and the man who led its creation.

Should we just rip all the electronics and aerodynamic aids off of MotoGP bikes, or are the just-released 2027 rules for MotoGP a good move for the series and for racing in general? King of the Baggers doesn't have rider aids, so why does MotoGP and Superbike? Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer talk about rules in road racing and where the sport might be headed.

What is the secret to Harley-Davidson's mass-market success and why has Indian been the only brand to make a dent and lodge itself in the mind of the American rider? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about Harley-Davidson and Indian and what makes these bikes so successful here and around the world. Bring the thunder...

Why even mess with carburetors? Because it's fun and carbs are actually pretty simple, elegant devices of great flexibility. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron has seen his share of carburetors and spent a whole lot of time thinking about how they work. Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer recently got a 1995 Ducati 900SS running again with a pair of factory Mikunis. It can be done! Listen now to find out how.

No other sportbike so profoundly changed the marketplace the way the 1985 Suzuki GSX-R750 did. Club racing exploded, light weight became the most necessary feature and the GSX-R line became the very soul of Suzuki. Kevin and Mark talk about the introduction of the GSX-R and the evolution of the lineup across 750, 600, and 1000cc machines—and Hoyer says he still wants a GSX-R800. A what? Join us to take a ride on one of the most impactful sportbikes ever made.

Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the three types of final drive found on motorcycles. What's the final word on final drive? As usual, it's complicated, but there are distinct qualities to each type of drive that can give it an edge in performance, handling (yep), noise level, and maintenance.

We all want our engines to last forever and run perfectly. What's the best way to break in a motorcycle engine to achieve something near perfection? Cycle World Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about engine break-in on this episode of the Cycle World Podcast to share their research and experience about engine break-in and the "13,000 times" Hoyer has removed his Velocette MSS piston. OK, maybe he's not an expert? Find out now...

CW Technical Editor Kevin Cameron digs into his shop to show us broken motorcycle parts and explain how and why these failures happened. From bearings to crankshafts to connecting rods and more, Kevin has cataloged and saved broken parts for decades to help him recognize and understand how parts break and what he can do to improved his builds--and how he explains them to us! Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer has broken a ton of parts, and even took his Yamaha RD350 engine to Kevin’s shop for diagnosis and a rebuild.

What makes great sport and racing motorcycle tires? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer dive into the mysterious world of grip, durability, feel, carbon black, silica, and more. Get your carcass in here and have a listen to the latest Cycle World Podcast.

Legendary Technical Editor Kevin Cameron explains motorcycle oils, from crude to synthetic and all the way down to the molecule. Co-host and Editor Mark Hoyer is mostly along for the ride on this one. Listen now as we get into the slippery subject of motorcycle oil.

Some motorcycle engines have extra magic. What is that magic and what design elements make the difference between being a good engine and a great one? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the key features of motorcycle engines that influence power, response, and efficiency, and most importantly: Make us happy!

On this week's podcast, Kevin and Mark dive deep into the Yamaha YZF-R1 and how this 1000cc sportbike changed the class—and sport motorcycling—forever! From its 1998 introduction and through its evolution to today, the R1's technical secrets and cultural impact are revealed.

We look into the secrets that make Ducati's 77.5-HORSEPOWER Slice-of-Superbike Single Cylinder Hypermotard so great. Mark & Kevin talk about the 659cc desmo single that powers the 2024 Ducati Hypermotard 698 and 698 RVE and have a special guest to tell us more about this spectacular machine from one of the most legendary makers of high-performance motorcycles.

Are automatic transmissions in motorcycles the worst thing ever? Or will they save and expand the sport of riding? In this week's episode, Mark and Kevin answer audience questions on automatic transmissions, DCT, and Honda's push to offer them more and more. They talk tech and philosophy. Tune in to learn what Mark and Kevin think about the rise of Automatic Transmissions and its impact on motorcycling.

Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer talk about the incredibly important role of the tuner/crew chief in top-level racing and how the job has changed over the years. Organizer, mechanic, prototyper, psychologist and so much more—and how the great crew chiefs achieve an almost wizard-like ability to get the most out of the rider, the motorcycle, and the team amidst the infinite variables and incredible pressure faced in top-level motorcycle racing.

On this week's episode Mark and Kevin talk about motorcycle racing and the supernatural powers of racers and their ability to concentrate, focus, and even attain an altered state of consciousness. Check out the show and see if you can attain a "flow state" with us! Well, check out the show...

In this episode Mark and Kevin talk about King of the Baggers, and the insanity that is Harley Davidson race bikes. Listen as we go in depth on the science behind these bikes, and the hype around this event!

Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer pick a few of their favorite motorcycle books and talk about what makes these titles so great. Are these books part of how Kevin Cameron knows so much? Engines, riding technique, high performance mods…check out the show to hear the list.

In this week's episode, Mark and Kevin talk about the origins of the parallel twin motor. What makes this motor so popular? And are they actually taking over the world? We answer all of these questions in this episode.

The Suzuki Hayabusa broke cover in 1998 and shattered our perception of motorcycle performance at its 1999 introduction. Cycle World Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor Mark Hoyer discuss the Hayabusa’s impact after 25 years, and how other bikes relate, like the Kawasaki ZX-11, ZX-12, and ZX-14, plus Honda CBR1100XX. Hoyer talks about what the bike was like to ride at the press introduction held in Spain at MotoGP race track Circuit de Catalunya, and “On-Road Touring” at 190 mph on Spanish freeways. Plus, record-breaking performance in the quarter-mile and its 194-mph top speed recorded by the CW radar gun, and how that brought about the “gentleman’s agreement” to limit peak speeds of motorcycles. Kevin talks turbos and the surprising things Suzuki did during development of the Gen III ’Busa. Strap your helmet on and tuck in!

Where did Superbikes come from and why did we start racing heavy, flexible 1000cc streetbikes of the 1970s? Kevin Cameron talks with Mark Hoyer about the origin of Superbikes, how racing these streetbikes blew up in popularity, and how they led to the spectacularly good motorcycles we have today. There is no better basis for this conversation than Kevin Cameron & photographer John Owens’ new book, Superbike: An Illustrated Early History. Learn about Superbikes and how this amazing book came to be on this week’s Cycle World podcast. For more: https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/superbike-an-illustrated-early-history-book-review/