Motos and Friends from Ultimate Motorcycle magazine

Hello and welcome again to the Motos and Friends Podcast. This episode is brought to you by Daytona Bike Week

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In the first segment this episode Don Williams gives us a scrambler history lesson while telling us all about one of Honda’s best kept secrets: the SCL500.  This mid-size scrambler-style Honda is a lifestyle statement that’s also very functional. The mildly off-road aesthetic resonates with those who grew up on the original scramblers, as well as a new generation of riders who are drawn to the relaxed vibe of a bygone era; an incredibly easy to ride motorcycle that works incredibly well.  It’s all about torquey fun at a very affordable price.

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Now here’s a really cool event coming up in just a few weeks that you absolutely must not miss! It’s the 85th Annual Daytona Beach Bike Week, one of the world's premier motorcycle events. For 10 days from February 27 to March 8, we will kick off the new riding season in Daytona Beach, Florida where you can enjoy Bike Week events and scenic rides along historic Main Street to Midtown, the Scenic A1A Highway, and through the best of old Florida: the Ormond Beach Scenic Loop. If you love racing you have to be at Daytona International Speedway which has a jam-packed schedule of races: the 56th annual  DAYTONA Supercross, the Progressive American Flat Track, DAYTONA Short Track, and of course the historic DAYTONA 200. And don’t forget to visit Teddy Morse's Daytona Harley-Davidson, the U.S. 1 corridors, and the rest of Volusia County. For information about Daytona Beach Bike Week including lodging availability, events, vendors, parking and more, go to the website OfficialBikeWeek.com or call the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce at 386-255-0981. We’ll see you there!

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Have you heard the latest news from Insta360 about the new Ace Pro 2 SuperMotocross Edition bundle? It’s a cool partnership between Insta360 and the SMX World Championship, and created with world champion Jett Lawrence. The bundle features the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 action camera, which includes 8K AI-powered video, a large sensor, and Leica lens creating 4K 60fps video, with a PureVideo Mode for low light. It’s waterproof, has a long-life 180-minute battery that fast-charges, and it supports 1TB microSD cards. The SuperMotocross Edition bundle includes the camera, a Helmet Chin Mount 2.0, two Flexible Adhesive Mounts, a Lens Guard, and a 128GB microSD card. So head over to Insta360.com and use promo code ULTIMATE.

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In the second segment this episode, Teejay Adams chats with MotoAmerica LIVE+ presenter, Michael Hill. Mike is an established commentator and co-ordinator and host of the WorldSBK Paddock Show. If you subscribe to MotoAmerica’s live streaming on-demand service, then you know who Michael Hill is. He can talk all day long about what’s happening on-track and when there’s nothing on-track, he ventures out to find fans to chat with on his live and very entertaining ‘Mike on The Mic’ segments during Moto America race weekends. Mike and Teejay cover topics including the Isle of Man TT, and superstar Peter Hickman, World Superbike and Nicky Hayden, his charity work for Two Wheels for Life, and his thoughts on the new Baggers racing class in MotoGP. Michael also recently published his book ‘Superbikes, The Stage, and Me’, that is available in all the usual places including Amazon, and Kindle.

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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]

The Motos and Friends Podcast is brought to you by Insta360 and the all new Ace Pro 2 SMX Edition bundle.

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In the first segment this episode Don Williams tells us all about the 2026 Triumph Scrambler 900. The Scrambler is an incredibly cool, retro-looking machine with distinctive character and all-round versatility. This latest evolution refines every aspect of the riding experience by focusing on intuitive handling, enhanced ergonomics, and premium build quality.

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In this episode’s Snippet, I chat with professional motocross racer and YouTuber Jeff Walker about the Insta360 X5 and Ace Pro 2 cameras. Jeff has competed in AMA Pro Motocross since 2014 as a privateer, and started his YouTube channel in 2018—initially so that his dad could watch his practice sessions. Jeff loves the Insta360 X5 and the Ace Pro 2 cameras for capturing immersive onboard, helmet, and chest cam footage during intense pro races, and he uses them extensively in videos for their durability and quality in rugged moto conditions. Don’t forget, the incredible new Ace Pro 2 Supercross Edition bundle includes the camera, a Helmet Chin Mount 2.0, two Flexible Adhesive Mounts, a Lens Guard, and a 128GB microSD card. It is available now for a holiday sale price of US$419.99 that’s a whopping $90 off the standard retail price! So head over to Insta360.com and use promo code ULTIMATE.

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Ever since the inaugural King of the Baggers exhibition race at Laguna Seca in 2020, the series in MotoAmerica has really caught the public’s imagination. Now for 2026 the thundering sound of massive v-twins is going to happen at six select MotoGP rounds in Europe. In the second segment this episode, Teejay Adams chats with Archie McDonald Facebook Instagram a 19-year-old rising Australian motorcycle star from Albury, NSW. Archie has rapidly climbed the ranks through flat track, Australian Supersport, and European JuniorGP competitions. He has now made a major international leap by signing with the Joe Rascal team to compete in the 2026 Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup (the global evolution of the King of the Baggers series), racing high-spec Harley-Davidson machines at selected MotoGP events.

Check out Archie Merch!

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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]

This episode is brought to you by Insta360 and the all new Ace Pro 2 SMX Edition bundle.

In the first segment this episode Don Williams brings us the latest in BMW’s R 12 retro lineup. This one, the R 12 S, is a luxury sport bike that delivers the looks, and a powerful, smooth ride that makes it easy to go fast. It’s a modern roadster capable of impressive performance while comfortably looking the part.

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Have you heard the latest news from Insta360 about the new Ace Pro 2 SuperMotocross Edition bundle? It’s a cool partnership between Insta360 and the SMX World Championship, and created with world champion Jett Lawrence. The bundle features the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 action camera, which includes 8K AI-powered video, a large sensor, and Leica lens creating 4K 60fps video, with a PureVideo Mode for low light. It’s waterproof, has a long-life 180-minute battery that fast-charges, and it supports 1TB microSD cards. The SuperMotocross Edition bundle includes the camera, a Helmet Chin Mount 2.0, two Flexible Adhesive Mounts, a Lens Guard, and a 128GB microSD card. It is available now for a holiday sale price of US$419.99 that’s a whopping $90 off the standard retail price! So head over to Insta360.com and use promo code ULTIMATE.

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In the second segment this episode, Teejay Adams chats with Johnny Lewis, a prominent American flat track racer and owner of Moto Anatomy, who won three championships in flat track racing. These are all from his highly successful AMA career in premier dirt track classes. Johnny also owns and runs the Royal Enfield based Slide School from his large property in Florida, and is now planning ice-racing this year on a tuned and adapted Royal Enfield Himalayan. He makes a pretty compelling case for rider improvement, so if you’ve got three hundred bucks and fancy a trip to sunny Florida, maybe now’s the time to learn how to safely slide a motorcycle and make that two-wheeler grin of yours even wider.    

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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]

Hello and welcome again to the Motos and Friends Podcast. This episode is brought to you by Insta360 and the superb new X5 camera. 

In the first segment this episode Don Williams brings us the 2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700 which gets a wide range of updates. Rather than completely rethinking a truly winning design, Yamaha nudged a variety of aspects of the Ténéré 700 around, and the collective results are impressive while keeping the price below $11k. But, by any standard, the Yamaha Ténéré 700 is an adventure bike that has captured the hearts and minds of a broad range of ADV enthusiasts, ranging from street-bound adventure tourists who love its lightweight agility, to riders as talented as hard enduro ace and rally pioneer Pol Tarrés.

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In this episode’s Snippet, Adam Stringer from Insta360 brings us info on the new X5 360-degree camera that includes 8K30 resolution where you can capture every angle of the ride. No need to choose between the road ahead or the scenery behind you. And the X5 has rugged and replaceable lenses, where a drop doesn't mean buying a new camera. Also tech like FlowState Stabilization where even on rough roads, your footage stays buttery smooth; and an AI-powered App that automatically finds the best moments and creates ready-to-share clips. But for right now, we’ve reached Black Friday 2025, and some truly great Insta360 deals!

X5 is at a historic low 15% off

X4 & X3 prices are slashed 50%

You can also save up to 16% on Ace Pro 2 bundles

On top of that for our listeners Insta360 has a special offer: the first 30 orders get a free Mic Air worth $50. It's perfect for adding voiceovers to your ride footage.

Needless to say, if you’ve been waiting to take the plunge on one of these amazing 360 action cameras, or add some of Insta360’s great accessories, the time to act is now. Head over to Insta360.com and use promo code ULTIMATE.

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In the second segment this episode, Teejay Adams chats with Miranda Cain, who finished second in this year’s highly competitive Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. program. Her first taste of the track came in 2021, thanks to a friend, a kart track, and her spontaneous “why not?” attitude. She showed up not knowing what to expect… and left completely hooked. Miranda got her start on a Suzuki SV650, but today she’s lapping on an Aprilia Tuono 660—equal parts power and personality.⁠ Unapologetically feminine, Miranda’s Bison Track leathers are all pink. “When I pass the boys,” she says, “they know it’s me.” ⁠Miranda’s great uncle, motojournalist Peter Jones (author of The Bad Editor) raced motorcycles in the ‘90s, and now the two are planning to team up for an endurance race in 2026. ⁠

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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]

This episode is brought to you by Insta360 and the superb new X5 camera. 

In the first segment this episode Don Williams brings us the 2026 Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S.  This is a motorcycle with a couple of 1960s historical touchstones. On one hand, it recalls the days of the boondocker motorcycles, which were inexpensive, high-reliability, low-performance, easy-to-ride and lightweight, off-road motorcycles. Sportsmen used them to access the outdoors when traveling by foot was impractical. The new Kawasaki KLX230 Sherpa S is a modern take on the boondocker motorcycle. It is beginner-friendly with a low seat height, yet fully capable off-road, inexpensive, and good-looking.

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In this episode’s Snippet, Arthur Coldwells chats with Daniel Riff from Insta360 about the new X5 camera. Daniel is one of the product experts at Insta360, and as well as a professional videographer, he’s also a passionate motorcycle rider who's been testing 360 cameras on two wheels for years. Daniel and I have both extensively tested the X5, and so he breaks down for us why the X5 is such a game-changer for capturing your rides.

For our listeners who want to level up their ride content, Insta360 has a special offer: the first 30 orders get a free Mic Air worth $50. That's perfect for adding voiceovers to your ride footage. Head to Insta360 to grab yours before they're gone!

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In the second segment this episode, Arthur Coldwells chats with his friend Armen Manougian. Although Armen owns a car service workshop, his first love is clearly motorcycles. His excellent mechanical background and incredible eye for detail helped him restore the most beautiful Yamaha RD400 I’ve ever seen. He has some incredible other motorcycles too, some classics including an incredible Kawasaki KZ900 tribute to Pops Yoshimura and Wes Cooley, and others that he rides regularly on track. These include a couple of real Yoshimura Suzuki Gixxer racebikes, and a Ducati Superleggera. Don’t be fooled by Armen’s very modest style of chatting; he’s as skilled a rider as he is a mechanic, and his uncompromising, take-no-prisoners attitude has served him well when riding a motorcycle, just as much as when he’s working on one.    

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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]