Cycle World Podcast
Cycle World
Updated 3 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)
OVAL PISTON Hondas: All about The MYTHICAL NR500 RACER and $60,000 NR750 Streetbike (Failures?)
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:
AIR! ALL about AIR and how we get it TO FLOW into ENGINES
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!
How Honda Gold Wing INVENTED and DOMINATED Luxury Touring for 50 years.
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!
SPEED DEMON Yamaha TZ750 had TOO MUCH of EVERYTHING!
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.
CRAZY SUSPENSION and UNREAL PERFORMANCE. The AMAZING BRITTEN V1000 motorcycle CONQUERED the world!
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.
Are RULES KILLING Racing?
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.
HOW has Harley-Davidson sold MILLIONS of MOTORCYCLES?
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...
The MYSTERIES of CARBURETOR tuning EXPLAINED!
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.
How the AMAZING GSX-R750 Became the SOUL of SUZUKI and Changed Motorcycling
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.
What's BEST? All About Motorcycle FINAL DRIVES: Chain, Belt, + Shaft.
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.
How to BREAK IN your Motorcycle ENGINE: What's BEST?
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...
How and why MOTORCYCLE parts BREAK
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.
The SECRETS of great MOTORCYCLE TIRES
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.
What OIL do I use in my MOTORCYCLE?
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.
What SECRETS make a GREAT motorcycle engine?
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!
The EPIC Yamaha YZF-R1 CHANGED EVERYTHING when it was introduced in 1998.
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.
Why Ducati's RIPPER single-cylinder Hypermotard is BETTER than we expected.
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.
The TRUTH about Automatic Motorcycles and DCT
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.
The CRAZY TALENT that tuners and crew chiefs have in top-level racing
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.
The incredible MIND of A Professional Racer
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...
The TRUTH About Moto America and King Of The Baggers
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!
The most INFLUENTIAL motorcycle books
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.
The ORIGINS of the Parallel Twin
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.
How the Suzuki Hayabusa Changed Motorcycling
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!
Origins of SUPERBIKE racing and Kevin Cameron’s Superbike book
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/