Moto Adventurer Unscripted: Real Conversations for Motorcyclists, Adventurers and Outdoor Explorers

A road closes. A trail disappears. And sometimes, by the time you hear about it, it feels like there's nothing you can do.
On this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Drew and Mark talk with Scott Jones, Central States Representative for the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), about motorcycle road closures, public land access, Forest Service roads, and how adventure and dual-sport riders can protect their riding opportunities.
With decades of experience in motorized recreation and land-use advocacy, Scott explains how closures happen, why public comment matters, and how riders can influence decisions before access is lost.
Topics include:
Fighting road and trail closures: What to do when you learn a route may be shut down.

Forest Service vs. county roads: Who controls a road and how closure procedures differ.

Public hearings and comment: How to make your voice heard and influence decisions.

The Tower Ridge Road dispute: How historical legislation and public access factor into a proposed closure in Indiana's Hoosier National Forest.

The Explore Act and public land access: How federal legislation and land-management policies affect roads and trails.

Seasonal closures and responsible riding: Why closures happen and how illegal riding can threaten access for everyone.

Building alliances: Why working with clubs, hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and other user groups matters.

Keeping riding areas open: How volunteers, grants, and community involvement can help maintain access.

SUBSCRIBER-ONLY BONUS
The extended conversation explores the Kaywood Road dispute on the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway, federal land-use rules, and practical ways riders can organize and advocate for continued access to public lands.
Want the full conversation? Subscribe to Moto Adventurer Unscripted for the bonus discussion and more subscriber-exclusive content.
Whether you ride an adventure motorcycle, dual-sport, or dirt bike, this episode explains how road closures happen—and what you can do to help keep riding areas open.
The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles.
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe
Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at:
https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

Motorcycle maintenance doesn't have to mean a trip to the dealership and you don't need a fully equipped workshop to start turning wrenches on your own adventure or dual-sport motorcycle. In this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Drew and Mark work their way through the basics of ADV motorcycle maintenance, from the simple jobs most riders can handle in the garage to the repairs that start getting a little more involved.
We talk about why the owner's manual and maintenance schedule should be your starting point, setting up motorcycle ergonomics, building a useful toolkit, chain cleaning and chain adjustment, checking battery voltage, changing motorcycle oil and filters, inspecting and replacing brake pads, and knowing when a maintenance job is simple enough to tackle yourself and when it's probably time to let somebody else do it.
If you've ever thought, "I'd like to work on my own motorcycle, but I don't know where to start," this one's for you.
Topics include:
DIY ADV motorcycle maintenance

Reading your motorcycle owner's manual

Motorcycle maintenance schedules

Motorcycle tools and torque wrenches

Chain cleaning and chain adjustment

Motorcycle battery maintenance

AGM vs. lithium motorcycle batteries

Motorcycle oil changes

Oil filter replacement

Air filter maintenance

Brake pad inspection and replacement

Motorcycle ergonomics and setup

Knowing when a repair is beyond your skill level

Building confidence working on your own motorcycle

The rabbit hole gets deeper in the subscriber hour.
Drew and Mark get into chain maintenance, including the good advice they follow, the advice they sometimes ignore, and what happens when maintenance gets neglected. Then they go considerably deeper into the jobs they're willing to tackle themselves — including valve checks, valve adjustments, top-end work, and engine disassembly — and the motorcycle repairs that even experienced riders would rather pay someone else to do.
The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles.
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe
Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at:
https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

What makes an adventure motorcycle ride a great ride?
For some riders, it’s the destination. For others, it’s the road, scenery, food, challenge, people, or simply getting away for a while. In this episode of Moto Adventure Unscripted, Drew and Mark break down the different “flavors” of adventure motorcycle riding and explore why two riders can take the same route and come home with completely different ideas of what made it fun.
The conversation covers destination riders, road collectors, photographers, history buffs, wanderers, campers, endurance riders, challenge seekers, rally riders, social riders, and solo riders. We also discuss how those preferences can change as riders move through different seasons of life.
Drew and Mark compare their own riding personalities and ask what really makes an ideal ADV ride. Is it 50 miles or 500? Is the goal to conquer difficult terrain, discover an unknown road, find a great meal, explore somewhere new, or simply disappear into the countryside for a day?
The episode also tackles a challenge for anyone organizing group adventure rides: How do you build a ride when everyone has a different idea of what “fun” means? Communication, reading the group, adapting the route, and understanding what riders actually enjoy can make the difference between a great group ride and a miserable one.
What kind of ADV rider are you?
-Destination riders vs. road collectors
-Scenic riders, foodies, photographers and history buffs
-Wanderers, solo riders and challenge seekers
-Why your riding style can change over time
-How many miles makes a great riding day?
-What makes a perfect adventure motorcycle ride?
-How to build a group ADV ride for different types of riders

For Subscribers:
The conversation continues with how to read a group, accommodate different riding preferences, and build the perfect adventure ride. We also get into some motorcycle tech and gear updates.
The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles.
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe
Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at:
https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

Adventure motorcycle suspension can seem like black magic. What do all those clickers actually do? What is SAG? How do preload, compression damping, rebound damping, and spring rate affect the way your ADV motorcycle handles?
In this episode of Moto Adventure Unscripted, Drew and Mark break down adventure motorcycle suspension from the ground up and explain what riders actually need to know before spending money on suspension upgrades.
We start with the basics: what suspension is supposed to do, the difference between springs and damping, and how preload affects your motorcycle when you add a rider, passenger, or luggage. Drew and Mark explain SAG, static sag, rider sag, spring rate, compression damping, rebound damping, and suspension clickers in plain English.
From there, they tackle some of the most common ADV suspension problems and questions:
How to establish your motorcycle's factory suspension settings

How to tell when you actually need a different spring rate

Why adding more preload isn't always the answer

Why motorcycles dive under braking

Why suspension can feel harsh on gravel and rough terrain

How to adjust compression and rebound damping

Why you shouldn't simply copy someone else's suspension settings

When stock suspension is good enough—and when you've actually outgrown it

How often ADV motorcycle suspension needs to be serviced

The goal isn't to turn you into a suspension tuner. It's to help you understand what your motorcycle is doing, make sensible adjustments, and know when it's actually time to spend money.SUBSCRIBER SEGMENT
The subscriber hour goes deeper into suspension types, linkage and PDS systems, fork oil weight and oil height, high- and low-speed damping, valving and revalving, cartridge kits, shock upgrades, suspension servicing, and when it's worth sending your suspension to a professional tuner.
Two hours of suspension nerdiness, commercial-free for subscribers.
The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles.
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe
Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at:
https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

What happens after the motorcycle crash?
In this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Tyler joins Drew and Mark to talk openly about a recent motorcycle crash, the injuries that followed, the recovery process, and what it actually feels like to get back on a motorcycle after a hard hit.
Tyler walks us through a high-side crash on wet, freshly paved asphalt in Arkansas, the decision to ride another 600 miles toward home, and eventually discovering he had three fractured ribs and a collapsed lung. We talk about motorcycle gear, helmet replacement, motorcycle repair costs, riding partners, and the lessons Tyler took away from the experience. Most importantly, we discuss the mental side of recovery, rebuilding confidence, and why Tyler was determined to get back on the motorcycle rather than let the crash change his relationship with riding.
We also tackle a question every experienced motorcyclist eventually faces: How does our approach to risk change as we get older and more experienced? Tyler, Mark, and Drew compare how their riding philosophies have evolved and why experience changes the way we evaluate speed, road conditions, fatigue, and the consequences of a mistake.

SUBSCRIBER-ONLY BONUS:

Subscribers get an additional hour of conversation covering Tyler’s motorcycle backstory, his KLR beginnings, rider aids, and how age and experience have changed his approach to risk and adventure riding.

Moto Adventurer Unscripted is a weekly podcast about adventure motorcycles, dual-sport riding, motorcycle travel, camping, navigation, gear, and the realities of exploring on two wheels.

The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles.
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe
Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at:
https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr