Bore & Stoke

Why do some slow, clunky, or objectively flawed motorcycles become absolute legends, while technically superior bikes are forgotten?

On this episode of the Bore and Stoke podcast, Ryan, Dennis, and Troy break down the mysterious recipe behind "Cult Classic" motorcycles.

Dennis kicks things off with a look at some news topics to kick things off, including a new Suzuki with an old Suzuki engine, plus some corporate news from Indian and Harley. Then, Ryan and Troy talk about cult bikes: what is it about these machines on the road (or trail) that converts mechanical flaws into "personality"?

The guys debate the fine line between true character and overhyped nostalgia, call out a few famous cult bikes that they think are wildly overrated, and draft their picks for future cult classics you should buy right now before prices skyrocket.

Drop a comment below: What motorcycle do you think is a true cult classic, and which one is overhyped garbage?

00:00 Intro

00:36 Advertisement

01:12 Go watch our past shows!

03:03 THE NEWS

03:30 Suzuki’s bringing the SV7GX and SV7GX-V to the States

06:16 Indian’s trimming the Scouts

08:52 Harley’s Q2 Numbers

13:30 Cult motorcycles — Let’s get into it

14:00 What’s the definition of a cult bike?

21:36 How does a bike reach cult status?

29:55 Ryan’s cult bike history

35:20 Troy’s cult bike history

39:08 Offroad cult bikes

41:45 Advertisement

42:24 Why do people like the KLR650 so much?

45:55 Where do Moto Guzzis fit?

49:49 We’ll look past a lot of stuff for Ducati Monsters

51:05 Overrated vs Underrated bikes

01:00:30 What are some future cult classics?

1:08:00 Tell us about your cult bike (and leave us a rating!)

1:10:28 Advertisement

Motorcycle racing legend, iconic journalist, and Yamaha Champions Riding School founder Nick Ienatsch joins us for Episode 30 of the Bore & Stoke podcast!

In this episode, we sit down with one of the most influential figures in American motorcycle coaching. From the frantic grids of AMA 250 GP racing to the peak "golden era" of print magazine testing at Motorcyclist and Sport Rider, Nick Ienatsch has seen, ridden, and written it all.

We dive deep into the origin story behind his legendary riding philosophy essay, "The Pace," how raw two-stroke race bikes shaped his view of motorcycle riding and testing, and why the old street-riding myth of "doing all your braking in a straight line" is so incredibly dangerous. Whether you are a street rider looking to survive traffic, a track-day enthusiast looking to improve, or just want to hear some good stories about riding and racing, our conversation with Nick will have you laughing and taking notes at the same time.

00:00 Intro

01:30 Shoutout to past episodes

02:20 Introducing our guest!

08:00 What Nick rides the most

16:00 Where did the motorcycling bug come from?

18:44 Nick’s first roadrace — with no idea what he was doing

21:00 How Nick really got the racing bug

25:56 Are you racing other people or yourself?

28:00 Who’s got the dirty truck?

34:55 How do you know a crash is coming?

39:38 Minibike racing is the best

43:00 Mistakes happen — can you adjust?

52:11 Why racing benefits the moto-journalist

55:40 When Nick knew pro racing wasn’t for him

01:03:41 The secret behind riding Lawson’s 500 that nobody knew

01:12:10 The start of Sport Rider magazine

01:22:20 The Pace and The Pace 2.0

01:29:53 Comparing two-strokes vs four-strokes

01:39:00 Nick’s idea to bring bikes back to Pike’s Peak

01:42:55 Where do you stand on electronic rider aids?

01:50:30 This is what today’s bikes REALLY need

01:53:00 Biggest misconception riders at all levels have

01:57:15 Best practices

01:59:05 MSF new rider school has it all wrong

02:09:00 Where to find Nick and Champ School

02:10:03 Wrap up/Rate us

How much of what you read and watch about new motorcycles is actually true, and how much is just corporate marketing hype?

On this episode of the Bore and Stoke podcast, we tear down the curtain separating motorcycle media from the giant OEM marketing machines.

We dive into the corporate side of the landscape, breaking down some of the tactics of how brands try to engineer "hype" before a wheel even turns. Meanwhile, Troy and Ryan share their first-hand, boots-on-the-ground experiences from global press launches. What happens when a manufacturer flies you halfway across the world, puts you up in a luxury hotel, and hands you the keys to a bike on a perfectly curated racetrack? How do you strip away the glamour to figure out if a motorcycle is actually good for the average rider?

From the evolution of motorcycle journalism to the rise of influencer culture, the guys debate whether modern bike reviews can still be trusted—and share a few hilarious behind-the-scenes stories along the way.

Drop a comment below: Has a manufacturer's marketing ever had any influence on the bike you bought?

00:00 intro

00:27 Honda mention

00:34 pre-roll

01:13 Check out past pods!

02:26 The News!

03:03 Harley moving production back to US

07:53 Honda e-compressor is going into everything

11:47 Yamaha’s taking over Moto3

20:39 Norton Atlas and Atlas GT

28:52 mid-roll

29:35 The landscape of motorcycle marketing

1:07:45 Are you aware of the marketing?

1:09:20 Leave us a rating!

1:10:10 Check out the Bore and Stoke Breakout

1:10:42 Honda mention

1:11:35 End-roll

On this episode 28 of the Bore and Stoke podcast, Troy and Ryan chat with longtime friend and fellow motojournalist Rennie Scaysbrook about his travels and adventures, including racing in the Isle of Man TT and winning the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Happy 100th Birthday to Ducati! To celebrate the crew at Borgo Panigale hitting the century mark, Episode 27 of the Motorcycle.com Bore & Stoke podcast is dedicated to "The Century Club" — the motorcycle manufacturers building bikes today, in 2026, with beginnings going back at least 100 years (even if there are some gaps in between).

From corporate bankruptcies and world wars to massive modern revivals, we trace the wild survival stories of heavyweights like Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Royal Enfield, and Indian, alongside the engineering masterminds at BMW Motorrad, Moto Guzzi, and Husqvarna. Plus, we dive into the modern corporate resurgences of Norton (under TVS) and Benelli (under Geely/QJ)!

But before we unlock the history vault, we kick things off with a bit of news. We’re breaking down Ducati’s "100 Collection," giving you our hot takes on the mind-bending spectacle that is the Isle of Man TT, and giving our first impressions of Honda's highly anticipated retro-naked: the all-new CB1000F.

Grab a drink, hit that subscribe button, and let’s twist the throttle!

00:00 Intro

00:40 Advertisement

01:54 Shout out to past episodes

02:47 Ducati Collezione 100

12:02 It’s Isle of Man TT Time!

20:00 Honda CB1000F Officially Coming to the U.S.

25:15 Advertisement

25:55 The Century Club

27:00 Norton

30:14 Royal Enfield

33:20 Triumph

36:45 Indian and Harley-Davidson

44:15 Husqvarna

48:36 BMW

53:15 Benelli and Moto Guzzi

01:02:06 Ducati

01:13:00 Tell us what we missed

01:13:56 Rate us! Leave a comment!

01:14:58 Advertisement