Motos and Friends from Ultimate Motorcycle magazine

• New Harley Softails + Africa Traveler Sam Manicom with Neale Bayly

  Arthur Coldwells had the chance to ride the all new Harley Softail Cruisers recently, and he has to say, he quite liked them! The six models can be separated into three distinct genres, Classic, Statement, and Sport, and although he definitely erred towards his favorite category, he can still see the appeal of the others. Harley made some big changes including adding the new 117 ci motor, and he chats with Editor Don Williams about what he discovered and how they all rode.   The Motos and Friends Podcast is brought to you by Arai helmets. The founder of Arai Helmets was the man who created the first motorcycle helmet in Japan to protect his own head, and as a result, launched the Japanese motorcycle helmet industry. Arai focuses on glancing off performance, accumulating small differences decade after decade, to further rider protection. The Arai Difference: If your experience has been that “Arai helmets are hard to get on,” then the Contour-X, designed with a wider bottom opening than previous models for easier on/off, is the helmet you’ve been waiting for. Once inside, you will be amazed at the extreme comfort, a key benefit of the Contour-X for long-distance touring, and if you’re into ADV or dual-sport riding, then you’ll want to check out the new Arai XD-5. So try on an Arai at your local dealer. You will be instantly amazed at the fit and all-day comfort of any Arai helmet. You should also check out AraiAmericas.com to learn more. In our second segment this week, Neale Bayly chats with author Sam Manicom. Sam’s amazing story-telling recounts his adventures that really began with his travels in Africa. The adventures he recounts in this episode make for some fun listening, and his final message at the end will certainly inspire all of us ...and perhaps, a few may even take his advice! Here’s a quick reminder to leave us your comments on our social media—we’re on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear those ideas too!   @ultimatemotorcycling  @UltimateMotoMag  @UltimateMotorcycling  [email protected]

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• KTM 250 Duke + Brian Case 'Motorcycles by Moonlight'

  Our first segment this episode features the all new KTM 250 Duke. I think we can all agree that little bikes are fun. Especially if you’re coming off a liter-bike or even a fast middleweight, a smaller bike by comparison feels lightweight, flickable and so easy to ride. We loved the KTM Duke 200 a few years back when we had it on extended loan, however it did feel just a teensy bit underpowered when we ventured out beyond the city, and especially if we had to take to a freeway or two. KTM has addressed that, and with new Duke 250 adding another 50cc, it makes a huge difference. Don Williams and Kelly Callan spent some time with the new KTM 250 Duke, and they absolutely loved it.     Our guest this week is Brian Case, Executive Director of the Barber Motorsports Museum in Alabama; home to one of the greatest motorcycle collections anywhere. A few months back, Teejay Adams attended the glittering Motorcycles by Moonlight event dinner, held each year during the Barber Vintage Festival. It’s a pretty magical event, and so Teejay finds out from Brian why it’s a must-do event if you’re at all interested in motorcycles. Oh and FYI… if you’re on iOS, you can listen to this podcast on the new Faidr App. That’s F-A-I-D-R, and it’s a new concept in podcasting.   Here’s a quick reminder to leave us your comments on our social media—we’re on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear those ideas too!   @ultimatemotorcycling  @UltimateMotoMag  @UltimateMotorcycling  [email protected]

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• Honda Dax 125 + Gary Turner of BST Wheels with Neale Bayly

  The Honda MiniMoto concept has been an unqualified success. It started 11 years ago with the Honda Grom, and five models now feature the same 125cc motor in different chassis and transmission configurations. Now, the 2025 Honda Dax 125 is the latest member of the family, recalling the classic Trail 70 that debuted in 1969. Don Williams spent some time with the very entertaining new Dax 125, and tells us all about it. Our guest this week is Gary Turner, Managing Director of Blackstone TEK (BST). a company renowned for its design and production of carbon fiber wheels and other composite components for motorcycles. Gary chats with Neale Bayly and takes us through his amazing motorcycle journey. Turner started racing when he was 16. Some of the bikes Gary has ridden and raced include the rare and incredible Britten, as well as the Ducati Supermono. BST supplied the carbon fiber on such super-exotics as the Ecosse and the various Confederate models, and is currently a partner with Arch Motorcycle, the Gard Hollinger/Keanu Reeves project. It’s been a fascinating ride so far for Gary, and it’s an equally fascinating high-octane listen for us.   Oh and FYI… if you’re on iOS, you can listen to this podcast on the new Faidr App. That’s F-A-I-D-R, and it’s a new concept in podcasting.   Here’s a quick reminder to leave us your comments on our social media—we’re on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear those ideas too!   @ultimatemotorcycling  @UltimateMotoMag  @UltimateMotorcycling  [email protected]

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• 2024 Honda NX500 + Suzuki GSX-S1000GX+

  Hello everyone, welcome once again to Motos and Friends, the podcast brought to you by the Editors at Ultimate Motorcycling magazine.  My name is Arthur Coldwells. This week, Editor Don Williams tells us about Honda’s revamped version of its mid-size ADV-bike, the Honda NX500. The NX is a lot more than just a rebadged CB500X though, although it is the same reliable, versatile, broadly accommodating motorcycle it has been for over a decade. While the NX500 isn’t likely to be the coolest bike in your garage, it might be the most versatile and practical, and despite a litany of upgrades and new features, it’s only $100 more than last year’s CB500X‚ so it’s definitely a steal. Honda clearly hasn’t lost sight of what makes their midsize adventure bike so appealing, and Don thoroughly enjoyed putting it through its paces.  As many listeners may know, I had the new Suzuki GSX-S1000 GX+ on long-term test until recently, and frankly I loved the bike from the outset. The GX+ is now considered to be Suzuki’s flagship. With its plethora of features and complex electronics systems, I decided to ask Chase Rastegar and Avery Innis from Suzuki to appear on this episode as I wanted them to de-mystify the GX+ and find out what really makes it so very good.   Here’s a quick reminder to leave us your comments on our social media—we’re on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear those ideas too! Anyway, from all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode. Oh and FYI… if you’re on iOS, you can listen to this podcast on the new Faidr App. That’s F-A-I-D-R, and it’s a new concept in podcasting. We love your feedback! Please comment or suggest:   @ultimatemotorcycling  @UltimateMotoMag  @UltimateMotorcycling  [email protected]  

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• 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 900 + Pat Mooney with Neale Bayly

  Motos and Friends is brought to you by Arai helmets. If you’re into Dual-Sport, then you’ll want to check out the new Arai XD-5. It’s a completely redesigned helmet, and as with everything from Arai, every improvement is made with a priority for protection. So get to your local dealer and try out the full range of Arai helmets. You will be instantly amazed at the fit and all-day comfort of any Arai helmet. You should also check out AraiAmericas.com to learn more. This episode features Don Williams and Nic de Sena discussing the 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 900. We first met Triumph’s gateway Bonneville-based motorcycle back when it was known as the Street Twin in 2016, known as the most affordable parallel-twin-powered machine in Triumph’s Modern Classic lineup. A name change and a few updates later, this fun-loving standard seizes the middleweight mantle, slotting itself between the Speed 400 (a single-cylinder machine, BTW) and the larger-displacement Speed Twin 1200. In our second segment this week, Neale Bayly chats with racer Pat Mooney. Pat recently retired from road racing, but his exploits and story from his long career are an entertaining listen.   Oh and FYI… if you’re on iOS, you can listen to this podcast on the new Faidr App. That’s F-A-I-D-R, and it’s a new concept in podcasting. We love your feedback! Please comment or suggest:   @ultimatemotorcycling  @UltimateMotoMag  @UltimateMotorcycling  [email protected]  

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