Motos and Friends from Ultimate Motorcycle magazine

This episode is brought to you by Daytona Bike Week. 

The much anticipated KTM 990 is a step up and Matt Ayhan recently attended the launch of both the 990 RC R, and the upright naked version, the Duke R. There is a lot more to both bikes than one would at first imagine, and Matt fills us in on the differences and his impressions of both bikes.

*  *  *  *  *

Next week is the start of the 85th Annual Daytona Beach Bike Week! Despite the name, it’s actually a 10-day extravaganza that’s suitable for everyone. If you’re in the middle of Winter where you live, it’s time to shrug off the cold and visit sunny Florida! From February 27th to March 8th, the riding season is in full swing in Daytona Beach, Florida. Legendary rides include the historic Main Street to Midtown; the scenic A1A Highway; and the Ormond Beach Scenic Loop. If you want racing then Daytona International Speedway has it all: Supercross; American Flat Track and Short Track; and of course the historic Daytona 200 on Saturday 7th. And don’t forget to visit Teddy Morse's Daytona Harley-Davidson, the U.S. 1 corridors, and the rest of Volusia County. For more information about Daytona Beach Bike Week including lodging, events, vendors, parking and more, go to OfficialBikeWeek.com …and we’ll see you there!

*  *  *  *  *

Talking of Supercross, have you heard the latest from the folk at Insta360 about the new Ace Pro 2 Supercross bundle? The partnership between Insta360 and the SMX World Championship, includes world champion Jett Lawrence, and the bundle features the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 action camera. The Ace Pro 2 has 8K, AI-powered video, a large sensor and Leica lens that gives you 4K, 60fps video. There’s a PureVideo Mode for low light conditions; it’s waterproof, has a 180-minute fast charging battery, and it supports 1TB microSD cards. The Supercross Edition bundle includes a Helmet Chin Mount, two Flexible Adhesive Mounts, a Lens Guard, and a 128GB microSD card so you can get going immediately. Head over to Insta360.com and use promo code ULTIMATE.

*  *  *  *  *

In this episode’s snippet, Teejay Adams chats with Marc Vandement of Cycle Cynch. If you ever have to transport your bike on a truck or trailer, you’ll appreciate the Cycle Cynch tie down system that helps secure your bike in place without any damage.

*  *  *  *  *

In the second segment this episode, Teejay chats with Mikayla “Kay Kay” Nielsen (Instagram: MotoKayKay), one of the up and coming riders in the national Women’s Motocross series sponsored by Synchrony Bank. The WMX Championship is a six-round series that takes place in conjunction with Pro Motocross National Championship events throughout the country, and Mikayla is one of the front-runners already with one win and six podiums to her name.

*  *  *  *  *

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 Daytona Bike Week and hosted by Arthur Coldwells.

*  *  *  *  *

Teejay Adams recently rode the latest Honda NC750X DCT with Dual Clutch Transmission. This ADV-styled streetbike with its parallel-twin engine is perhaps easily overlooked, yet as with all Hondas it turned out to be remarkably capable. By the way…at $9,499 it’s also surprisingly inexpensive, especially considering the incredible Honda technology that is packed into this fast and fun motorcycle.

*  *  *  *  *

We’re almost upon the 85th Annual Daytona Beach Bike Week, definitely the event that you absolutely must not miss, especially if you’ve weathered the recent Arctic freeze. Yes! It’s time to throw off the cold and visit sunny Florida! From February 27th to March 8th, the riding season starts in Daytona Beach, Florida. Legendary Bike Week rides include historic Main Street to Midtown; the scenic A1A Highway; and the Ormond Beach Scenic Loop. If you love racing then Daytona International Speedway has a jam-packed schedule: The 56th annual  Daytona Supercross; the Progressive American Flat Track; Daytona Short Track; and of course the historic Daytona 200. And while you’re there, 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, events, vendors, parking and more, go to OfficialBikeWeek.com

*  *  *  *  *

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

*  *  *  *  *

In this episode’s snippet, I chat with Mike Wells of ‘Old Vintage Cranks’, a Royal Enfield dealer in Ontario, Canada. Old Vintage Cranks recently won the Royal Enfield BTR Build-Off competition in the flat track category. The Royal Enfield Build-Off is a spin-off of the Build.Train.Race program, where dealers across North America created a dream version of either a road race or flat track motorcycle using the Royal Enfield INT650 as the base bike. Winning the flat track Build-Off is quite an accomplishment for Old Vintage Cranks, and Mike gives us some insight into what went into the build. Mike also gives a big shout out to Amanda of Black Widow Custom Paint for doing such an exemplary job, that no doubt helped them in their big win.  

*  *  *  *  *

In the second segment this episode, Teejay chats with James Tonna of the newly launched Joe Rascal brand. James and his partner Barry Fitzpatrick launched Joe Rascal in August of last year, but they are already making serious headway with the acquisition of three Harley, and one Ducati, dealership in Melbourne, Australia. As if that wasn’t remarkable enough, James has also created Joe Rascal Racing with three riders in the upcoming Baggers race series, during six of the MotoGP rounds this year.  Joe Rascal also now has a Ducati Australian Supercross team, with others soon to follow. It seems their tagline “Go Joe Rascal fast” isn’t just a catchy saying, ‘cos they’re sure not wasting any time.

*  *  *  *  *

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]

Motos&Friends is brought to you by Daytona Bike Week

Teejay Adams recently rode three entry- intermediate-level Hondas: the Rebel 300 with e-clutch; the CB650R also with e-clutch, and the NC750X with DCT. In the first segment this episode, Teejay tells us what an e-clutch and DCT are, and also what she thought of these three bikes and how they handle this exciting new technology. Even if you’re a seasoned rider, you will still want to hear all about e-clutches and DCT, it might be exactly what you want even though you don’t know it yet!

*  *  *  *  *

In this episode’s Snippet Janet Kersey and Brain Bentley from the Daytona Beach Visitors Bureau, tell us about this upcoming 85th Annual Daytona Beach Bike Week, one of the world's premier motorcycle events. Here’s a bit of trivia I’ll bet you don’t know—Janet Kersey was the lady who started the Daytona Beach Biketoberfest over 30 years ago! So she knows both Bike Week events incredibly well. Janet and Brian tell us all about what you can expect this upcoming Bike Week. Not just the events and local scenic rides, but also the jam-packed schedule of races including the 56th annual  DAYTONA Supercross and the historic DAYTONA 200. So for more information including lodging availability, events, vendors, parking and more, go to OfficialBikeWeek.com or call the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce at 386-255-0981. We’ll see you there!

*  *  *  *  *

In the second segment this episode, I chat with Andy Jefferson, from both KTM and Husqvarna. Andy got his first motorcycle in 1970, and after years racing locally on the high desert tracks of Southern California, Andy started riding AMA Nationals and Supercross events on a Husqvarna for Pro Circuit’s Mitch Payton. His teammates included Jeff Jennings and Troy Lee. Sadly, knee injuries eventually ended Andy’s Pro racing career, but as determined as he is, he finally got his chance to work at Husqvarna overseeing the service, aftermarket parts, and customer relations department. In 2013, Andy became Media Relations Manager for all the motorcycle brands including KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas. His long history as a racer includes an Over 40 World Vet Championship, and in 2024 he was inducted into the Legends and Heroes Moto Museum.

*  *  *  *  *

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 Daytona Bike Week

*  *  *  *  *

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.

*  *  *  *  *

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!

*  *  *  *  *

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.

*  *  *  *  *

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.

*  *  *  *  *

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.

*  *  *  *  *

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.

*  *  *  *  *

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.

*  *  *  *  *

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!

*  *  *  *  *

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]