Cycle World Podcast
Cycle World
Updated 2 days agoJoin Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer for the weekly Cycle World podcast for lively conversations about motorcycles and the people who build and ride them. Cameron’s legendary knowledge and ability to describe highly technical subjects in ways that are easy to understand allies with Hoyer’s massive testing background and hands-on work in the CW garage.
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Episodes (125)
MORE "NEW" Tech that's actually really OLD!
There is so much old technology people think is new that it didn't fit in one episode! So join us for our second round of interesting motorcycle and engine technology that seems new but absolutely is not. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer hit the podcast running with roller tappets...Listen to hear about those and the rest of the items on the list!
The Remarkable Endurance of the BMW Boxer--More than 100 Years of Flat-Twin
BMW got serious about making motorcycle engines in 1923, when aircraft engine designer Max Friz delivered the first flat-twin to BMW. More than 100 years later, the Boxer engine remains the soul of BMW despite the company's success with many other engine layouts including the inline fours and sixes, plus singles and parallel twins. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the evolution from that first flat twin to the remarkable R 1300 that powers the new R 1300 GS, R 1300 RT, and more.
FABULOUS or FAILURE? The Harley-Davidson VR1000 Superbike.
Long before King of the Baggers, Harley-Davidson committed to Superbike racing and hit the track in the early 1990s with the VR1000. This 1000cc V-twin had all the right ingredients for success, but what happened? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer take a dive into the building of the bike, its evolving specs, it ultimate retirement and so much more!
V8 Airplane engine in a MOTORCYCLE! The Amazing Glenn Curtiss. Was his 136-mph speed record real?
Glenn Curtiss was one of the great innovators of motorcycling and aircraft in the early days of the combustion engine. His V-8 and V-12 aircraft engines were legendary and record-setting on earth and in the sky. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron rates Curtiss as a hero, and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer agrees. We also have excellent technical information about land speed racing from a engineer/racer Wes Orloff who also rates Curtiss as a hero, and we examine Curtiss' speed record set on a beach in 1907.
The Single GREATEST Motorcycle HANDLING REVOLUTION: What's a FEATHERBED?
Motorcycle frames were just glorified bicycle frames for a long time--spindly, flexible, poorly balanced. That all changed with a pair of clever Irish brothers who designed a motorcycle frame that revolutionized motorcycle handling--and it helped Norton remain a force in GP racing against higher horsepower motorcycles for years. It also changed motorcycling forever and helped us get to the exceptional handling motorcycles we have today.
The Surprising Origins of the Harley-Davidson Softail!
Would you believe the great success of the Harley-Davidson Softail started in one man's private garage? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the FX of 1971 and how the Softail was born, plus how Dyna fits into the picture.
"NEW" Technology You Didn't Know Was Really Old!
https://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/motorcycles/#bagger This episode of the Cycle World Podcast is brought to you by Indian Motorcycle and its new Liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 engine.If you’re looking for the ultimate in American V-twin style and performance, Indian Motorcycle has your next bike. Powered by the new liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 engine, the PowerPlus family—Chieftain PowerPlus, Indian Challenger, Roadmaster PowerPlus, and Indian Pursuit—are the most advanced and capable baggers and touring bikes Indian Motorcycle has ever offered. They’re built with The Power To Roam—designed for experienced riders who never lost the thrill and adrenaline of going fast on two wheels. The PowerPlus lineup wears aggressive and chiseled lines that are a visual representation of their high-performance heart and showcases their function, presence, and performance potential. In addition, the new PowerPlus family is available with the most advanced and innovative set of Rider Assist Technologies ever offered by Indian Motorcycle, that put comfort, performance, and safety at your fingertips—all seamlessly integrated into the gorgeous 7-inch touchscreen powered by RIDE COMMAND.If you’re a rider who demands the most exhilarating riding experience with zero compromises, values Distinctive American Style, and craves unmatched power, capability, and tech, the new PowerPlus family of bikes are for you. And starting at $26,499, now’s the time to experience them for yourself. "Modern" technology used on motorcycles very often is nearly as old as the motorcycle itself! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about stuff we think is new but actually was first used 50 or 100 years ago. They didn't even get through half the list so, hey, stay tuned for part 2 in the near future!
The rise of INDIAN Motorcycle in American V-Twins and the power of brand.
Indian's 2014 rebirth picked up the brand's story from where it left off, with the Thunderstroke 111 evoking the flat-head engine of yore and complemented by great big swoopy fenders, an image that clicked right into America's V-twin cultural brain. So much has happened since then, up to and including total dominance of American Flat Track racing with the FTR750, and multiple MotoAmerica King of the Baggers championships with the Challenger and its liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 engine. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss Indian history and their firsthand looks inside Indian engines and development since the brand returned to the motorcycle market in earnest.
Rider Aids: Electronic or otherwise! What ARE they, REALLY, and what were the first ones?
Just how much help is enough help from riders aids on a motorcycle? Will rocket blasts help you save the front one day (as in the thumbnail Photo by Bosch)? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the first rider aids, the electronic revolution, and where we may be headed.
How is DUCATI DOMINATING MotoGP and what secrets do the Italians have?
Ducati's rise to dominance in MotoGP has been profound. Many factors are at play, but Ducati has found corner speed and combined that with its dominant power, plus an ability to exploit rear grip to the maximum. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron dives in with Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer on how the relatively small Bologna-based manufacturer has found its winning formula.
Original SUPERBIKE: How the 1969 HONDA CB750 Changed Motorcycling Forever!
Overhead cam, inline-four with four carburetors and four tailpipes, the Honda CB750 made previously exotic features into an affordable, reliable production motorcycle with great all-around performance and smoothness the world had never seen. The CB750 was an instant success for Honda and started the modern era of performance motorcycling. Join Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer as they discuss the origin of the CB750.
Why was MAGNIFICENT Moto Guzzi 500cc V-8 Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle Killed in 1957?
The 500cc V-8 racing engine by Moto Guzzi is one of the most exotic and beautiful Grand Prix powerplants ever made. Never mind that it never won a GP! Eight pipes, eight carburetors and spinning to 14,000 rpm, it revved DOUBLE the rpm of the famous Norton Manx 500cc single racing at the same time. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the Moto Guzzi V-8's origins, its development, and it untimely demise!
How the MODERN MOTORCYCLE is MADE: Good + Affordable!
Everybody loves the image of the artisan lovingly hand filing parts to fit and making sure every detail is correct but---we ain't got time for that! Mass production, advances in materials, automation, intelligent design, and rationalization have led us to a wonderful world of (mostly) affordable motorcycles that offer tremendous value, reliability, and fun! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the making of the modern motorcycle and much more.
MILLIONS of Harley-Davidson SPORTSTERs have been sold. Why?
The Sportster was born 1957 and became a motorcycle for all people. Cruiser, dragbike, flat tracker, street tracker, road racer, chopper and so much more--the Sportster has been customized into infinite variations on its essential V-twin American theme. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss the Sportster, its origins in the early days of Harley-Davidson and where the bike is today in its liquid-cooled form. They even manage to slide Dan Gurney in the discussion!
The SECRETS of how ROYAL-ENFIELD is TAKING OVER the WORLD!
Indian motorcycle brand Royal Enfield went from selling 45,000 units in 2007 to nearly 1 million in 2024! How did this formerly British motorcycle company get to India in the first place, and how did it go from quirky vintage motorcycles to a global middleweight motorcycle phenomenon? Join Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer as they discuss the strategic growth of the brand and the person behind it all.
The TOP 6(ish) MOTORCYCLES and TECHNOLOGY that changed everything!
The biggest technological moments in motorcycling are discussed here by CW Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer. What innovations drove the biggest changes? What models are most important? Listen to the CW podcast to take the ride and find out! There will be some you've probably never heard of and other that you'll know well. Join us!
CALIFORNIA HOT ROD: The V-twin Ducati that made the brand in America in the 1970s
Cycle magazine editors Cook Neilson and Phil Schilling bought a Ducati 750 Supersport in the 1970s and made it into a superbike racer, which launched the Italian marque's reputation in the US. Dubbed the California Hot Rod, the bike was unrelentingly modified and developed to become a Daytona winner. It is perhaps the most important Ducati V-twin behind Paul Smart's 1972 Imola 200-winning machine and helped establish the worldwide performance reputation still enjoyed by the company.The build and racing effort was molecularly detailed in the pages of Cycle magazine, and Kevin Cameron recalls the story with Mark Hoyer to share its fascinating development and the string legends that helped it go fast---faster than anybody on the track with great frequency.
The Modern In-line 4 Sportbike was invented 100 years ago! The story of Gilera and Rondine.
In 1923, two Italian engineers, Piero Remor and Carlo Gianini, designed an inline four-cylinder motorcycle engine that was mounted transversely. It was an important moment, for from that beginning have descended all of today’s inline-four motorcycle engines. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the origins of the modern in-line four sportbike from Rondine to Gilera to today. Illustration by Jim Hatch/Hatch Illustration.
Widowmaker or Landmark Superbikes?! Kawasaki's Legendary 500cc & 750cc two-stroke Triples.
If any bikes of the 1970s defined "scary fast" they were Kawasaki's H1 500cc and H2 750cc two-stroke Triples. They were notoriously fast but also not particularly, uh, confidence inspiring in terms of handling or brakes. But they were incredibly quick and easy to modify for even higher performance. Were they really that bad? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron has a deep familiarity with Kawasaki two-strokes of this era so there is plenty to learn as he and Mark Hoyer discuss these legendary motorcycles of the 1970s.
Brough Superior: Parts-Bin Specials or the Finest Motorcycles Ever Made?
The legend of Brough Superior is built on it being "The Rolls Royce of motorcycles," a statement George Brough was always careful to attribute to anyone but him. Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer dive into the origin of the company and make some surprising discoveries about its innovation during research for the podcast.
What if TWO-STROKE STREETBIKES SURVIVED?
It was all glory and light(ness) when two-stroke streetbikes roamed the earth! But man did they make smoke. What would a modern two-stroke streetbike be like? Do we have the technology to make a high-powered two-stroke emissions legal? Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about what a modern two-stroke would need to make it to a road near you. Kevin's conclusions might surprise you!
Alien Chassis Technology! Amazing Bimota motorcycles from the 1970s to today!
Mecum's 34th Annual Las Vegas Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction will feature 2,000 motorcycles! https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vegas-motorcycles-2025/ Bid live at the South Point Hotel & Casino or register to bid online or by phone, January 29-February 1, 2025. Have a bike to sell? Consigning with Mecum is easy. Don't want to go out of pocket on your auction purchase? Mecum offers special financing. Get pre-approved now and bid with confidence! Italian boutique motorcycle maker Bimota got its start in the 1970s, when horsepower was exploding on the road and track, but chassis and brakes still had to catch up--especially on mass-produced machines. It is said that Massimo Tamburini, legendary designer of the Ducati 916, decided to build his own chassis after crashing his own four-cylinder Honda race bike in the early 1970s. Tamburini was the "Ta" in Bimota. Find out about the other two founders and the evolution of this interesting and technically progressive brand that's still building bikes today under part ownership of Kawasaki.
Peter Egan Special Guest!
Mecum's 34th Annual Las Vegas Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction will feature 2,000 motorcycles! https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vegas-motorcycles-2025/ Bid live at the South Point Hotel & Casino or register to bid online or by phone, January 29-February 1, 2025. Have a bike to sell? Consigning with Mecum is easy. Don't want to go out of pocket on your auction purchase? Mecum offers special financing. Get pre-approved now and bid with confidence! Celebrating Year 1 of the Cycle World Podcast, legendary CW Editor-at-Large Peter Egan joins Mark Hoyer and Kevin Cameron to talk about motorcycling riding, racing, first bikes, "recidivism," guitars, music, how he got into the magazine business, and a whole lot more in this nearly 2 hour conversation. Hoyer traveled to Wisconsin to visit with Peter in his office where he wrote so many thousands of words for Cycle World to record this special podcast.
DREAM BIKES: Kevin and Mark make their top pics from the Mecum Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction
Mecum's 34th Annual Las Vegas Vintage & Antique Motorcycle Auction will feature 2,000 motorcycles! Bid live at the South Point Hotel & Casino or register to bid online or by phone, January 29-February 1, 2025. Check out the auction here: https://www.mecum.com/auctions/las-vegas-motorcycles-2025/ Have a bike to sell? Consigning with Mecum is easy. Don't want to go out of pocket on your auction purchase? Mecum offers special financing. Get pre-approved now and bid with confidence! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer pick their favorite motorcycles from the Mecum Las Vegas motorcycle auction. Actually, Kevin did a great job choosing historically significant designs, as he would! Mark, meanwhile, followed his heart with some choice four-cylinder two-strokes and an overhead-cam Norton, while completely missing the 1929 Harley-Davidson Model D just like his granddad used to own.
HARLEY vs. TRIUMPH, the CALTECH WIND-TUNNEL, and the ACCIDENTAL birth of 750cc racing
Harley-Davidson's famous racing boss Dick O'Brien was looking in the 1960s to strike back at Triumph and its 500cc twins that were winning Daytona. With the help of star tuners Jerry Branch and Neil Keen, plus some clever work at the Caltech wind-tunnel, Harley came back with a race-winning flat-head 750 AND tested a strange prototype called the Midget that was even faster but is lost to history. Find out about the $60,000 Goodyear tires as Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer talk about this amazing story. Lead-spread image from Cycle World's feature on the "Mysterious Midget" by historian and author Don Emde, Issue 1, 2020.