CanyonChasers Podcast // The Braking Zone

Enter to win the 2027 Moto Guzzi V85 TT at https://fanathem.com/canyonchasers - Longtime friend Stephen Clark, motorsports photographer, commercial producer and host of the Wildcard Garage YouTube channel, joins Dave and Brian in the garage.Stephen has gone deep on the golden era of sport bikes: GSX-R750 SRADs, a Slingshot, a ZX-7R and a 1098R, mostly found through some Facebook Marketplace tricks. He explains why the factory superbikes of the 90s were so far from the bikes sold in showrooms, and talks about race parts that were supposed to be crushed but ended up with friends of the team instead. Then he tells the story of magnesium wheels that got delivered to the wrong pit box.From there, we talk about vintage racing with AHRMA and the Barber gala, where we hung out with Freddie Spencer, Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Roberts. Stephen also explains how commercial shoots for brands like Polaris and CFMOTO come together: sunrise shoots at 10,000 feet, NDAs, why a leak can cost a manufacturer seven figures, and how embargoes really work on press launches.We also cover the BMW GS vs the Moto Guzzi Stelvio, how Piaggio saved Moto Guzzi, the appeal of pushrods and mechanical character, Freddie Spencer’s no countersteering challenge, trusting the front tire, drifting adventure bikes on gravel, and why you need to know exactly why you crashed. To close, Stephen talks about growing up riding in Scotland, Knockhill and British Superbike tracks, the Isle of Man TT, and why Long Way Round deserves more respect than it gets.Check out Steven’s channel: Wildcard Garage @WildcardGarage Got questions for Steven? Leave them in the comments. And if you know someone with a collection of old superbikes they’d like to show off, let us know.0:00 Meet Stephen from Wildcard Garage0:51 Hunting and buying 90s superbikes3:50 Factory cheating and race parts that should have been crushed8:14 Why the experience matters more than the bike11:58 KTM 990 RC R and vintage racing with AHRMA16:16 Hidden collections and missing the forums19:09 Barber, the gala and Mid-Ohio25:09 Producing commercial shoots for Polaris and CFMOTO30:38 Leaks, NDAs, spy photos and embargoes36:51 GS vs Stelvio and the Moto Guzzi story42:21 Mechanical charisma and EVs45:38 Countersteering, front tire trust and drifting ADV bikes51:58 If you crash, figure out why53:25 Riding in Scotland, Knockhill and the Isle of Man TT1:04:09 Goodwood, Schwantz and Long Way Round1:10:03 Podcasts, YouTube length and wrap upPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CanyonChasers

Enter to win the 2027 MotoGuzzi V85 TT at https://fanathem.com/canyonchasers We start by admitting they’re both Africa Twin nerds, and then the conversation wanders everywhere. A Ducati dealer tells us the Streetfighter V2 outsells the Panigale V2 about 3 to 1, and insurance quotes are a big reason why. We follow up on the Showa big piston fork that feels bottomless under hard braking, and dig into the air gap theory a viewer sent in. We also cover:- Why triples confuse Dave, and how firing order changes an engine’s character- Chinese ownership of Italian heritage brands, and the “pick two” problem with price, heritage and where a bike is built- The MotoGP 850cc test and why those lap times need a big grain of salt- Kalex ground effects in Moto2- An energy-limited MotoGP thought experiment- What’s wrong with bagger racing in MotoAmerica, and how a claiming rule could fix itWe close with Brian’s $8,000 a year insurance bill on a CBR600F4i at 17.Tell us in the comments: what was your first bike, and what did it cost to insure?0:00 We're both Africa Twin nerds7:55 Honda's V3 and why triples confuse Dave13:40 Chinese owners and Italian heritage brands20:30 Big piston fork follow-up: the air gap theory28:57 Nissin, Brembo and budget brakes32:55 Why onboard footage is boring41:40 MotoGP 2027: the 850cc test and Pirelli48:23 Ground effects, aero rules and the V5 loophole55:17 Thought experiment: energy-limited MotoGP58:36 MotoE, Harley and fixing bagger racing1:10:32 Streetfighter outsells Panigale 3 to 11:12:17 $8K a year to insure a CBR600F4i at 17Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CanyonChasers

Enter to win the 2027 Moto Guzzi V85TT at https://fanathem.com/canyonchasers - MotoGP’s last weekend at Phillip Island ended without the race everyone wanted, so Dave and Brian go over what we did get: the Marquez vs Martin sprint fight, a wet qualifying lap from Marquez that looked like a different sport, Jack Miller’s sendoff, and Martin’s crash heading into Sepang.After that, the conversation moves into bikes. Dave explains why tall-rounder adventure bikes like the Moto Guzzi V85 and the Africa Twin keep up with sport bikes in a technical canyon. That includes how modern rake, trail, offset and swingarm length get around the old tradeoffs, and how much work modern tires and IMU electronics are quietly doing. Then the insurance check game: if the Multistrada Pikes Peak got written off, what replaces it?Next comes the naked superbike debate. If you had a blank check, which one goes in the garage: the KTM Super Duke, Aprilia Tuono, BMW S1000R, Speed Triple or the Streetfighter? That leads into engine configurations, Honda’s V3 rumors, and whether electric drivetrains turn gas engines into the new recreational horse.We close with a talk about how riding schools teach. Why does the same lesson click when one instructor explains it and fall flat when another does? How do you spot snake oil riding advice? And why does the sport depend on everyone riding better?Tell us in the comments: what naked bike would you buy, and what’s your favorite engine configuration?Chapters0:00 The last race at Phillip Island1:54 Why MotoGP is leaving and the Adelaide street circuit4:14 Sprint highlight: Marquez vs Martin7:42 Next year: Acosta, Pirelli tires and the 850s10:27 Marquez’s wet qualifying masterclass11:56 Helmets, liveries and Jack Miller’s farewell16:06 Martin’s injury and Sepang18:21 The V85 giveaway bike and the case for tall-rounders21:29 Modern geometry: rake, trail, offset and long swingarms25:34 Electronics and tires doing the hidden work28:06 If the Pikes Peak got written off, what replaces it?33:13 Naked superbike shopping: Super Duke, Tuono, S1000R45:43 The Speed Triple and the triple debate49:25 Honda’s V3 and engine configurations52:36 Electric vs gas: does the engine become the horse?59:14 Riding schools and coaching language1:04:58 Listen to the question: the motor officer example1:10:37 Spotting snake oil riding advice1:13:03 V85 giveaway details and wrap upPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CanyonChasers

Enter to win the Moto Guzzi V85TT: https://fanathem.com/canyonchasers - Ducati’s factory team just ran away with the most dominant World Superbike season ever, and we think it exposes a bigger problem. When the Panigale V4 R is basically a GP bike you can buy for $50k, why would Yamaha, Kawasaki, or Honda spend millions to show up and lose? We dig into the tech that makes the Ducati so good (twin pulse firing order, counter-rotating crank, electronics that add rear brake mid-corner), why fuel flow limits haven’t slowed it down, and what we’d do with the series if it were up to us. Spoiler: more power, fewer rider aids, worse tires.We also follow up on last week’s counter steering debate and the idea of putting a potentiometer on the steering head to see what the bars are actually doing. Then we get into single function forks, and I share a frustrating track day at Utah Motorsports Campus West where no setting I tried gave me any front end feel from the big piston fork.And yes, there’s a brand new Moto Guzzi V85 in the studio. More on that below.What should happen to World Superbike? Let us know in the comments.0:00 Intro0:17 First impressions of the new Moto Guzzi V859:22 Counter steering follow-up: your comments17:04 Ducati's perfect WSBK season22:30 Inside the Panigale V4 R30:44 Is this the death of World Superbike?42:40 What we'd do: more power, fewer aids, worse tires49:56 BSB's 200hp cap and the 500cc two-stroke era56:20 Single function forks explained58:52 Track day: no feel from the big piston fork1:07:00 Our techniques aren't tattooed on us

Enter to win the Moto Guzzi V85 TT at https://fanathem.com/canyonchasers - Dave spent the week at Barber Vintage Motorcycle Days riding Honda's new CB1000F alongside Freddie Spencer, the only rider to win the 250 and 500 world championships in the same season. We get into how Honda deliberately tuned character into this engine (mismatched velocity stacks for a two-tone intake note, offset cam timing, carburetor-style fueling), why Dave came away liking it more than expected after his long-term time on the Hornet SP, and what it actually takes to keep pace at a press launch on a bike and road you've never seen.Then Freddie drops a bomb: he told Dave to try cornering without countersteering at all. We break down what countersteering really does, what "counter-countersteering" means on corner exit, and why universities are still trying to figure out how two-wheelers stay upright.We also talk about the collapse of the big motorcycle magazines, what that means for how brands launch bikes now, and why YouTube's comment section is the best feedback loop a creator can ask for.Plus a full Mandalika MotoGP recap: the smartest version of Marc Marquez we've ever seen, Aprilia's costly tire pressure mistake in the sprint, the turn one incident where a knee knocked a shifter into first gear, the "nobody wants to lead" standoff, and Marquez stalking Martin through Q2.00:00 Intro01:28 Riding Honda's CB1000F with Freddie Spencer05:04 The retro styling: a Honda restomod08:11 How Honda engineered character into the engine15:02 Deep dive: intake and exhaust tuning21:13 Ergonomics and the small press launch24:27 Magazines are dying, creators step in33:10 Riding with Freddie at Barber39:11 Freddie's advice: stop countersteering44:41 Countersteering and counter-countersteering explained50:35 The science of bike stability54:45 MotoGP Mandalika recap1:06:16 The tire pressure rule problem1:12:31 Marquez stalks Martin in Q21:14:55 Giveaway bike and outro#freddiespencer #CB1000F #countersteering

There's a new bike in the garage: a 2021 Ducati Panigale V2, bought to replace an Aprilia RSV4 Factory as a club race bike. We talk about the first track days on a completely bone stock V2 (slicks only), what the Showa Big Piston Fork does well on the brakes and where it falls apart mid-corner, and why racers ditch BPF internals for cartridges.Then the good part: riding the old 955 V2 and the new 890 V2 back to back on the same track, same day. The new bike has less power, a double-sided swingarm, and a very different personality. On paper it looks like a step backward. On track and on the street, it might be the better bike for most riders.We also get into why club racing is worth it, whether 155 hp belongs in a middleweight class, Honda's electric-supercharged V3, the unforgivable sin of Honda never building a production V5, a Discovery Channel show that led to an Air Force career in metalworking, and an update on Frunk the cat.0:00 The new bike: 2021 Ducati Panigale V21:09 Why leave the Aprilia RSV4 Factory?3:31 First track days, bone stock6:25 Big Piston Forks: great braking, vague mid-corner17:28 Engine, frame, and the single-sided swingarm28:00 Old V2 vs new V2 back to back38:48 The new V2 should have been called a SuperSport40:53 Will he race it? A love letter to club racing51:26 Honda's V3 and shifting a twin59:27 Paint plans and a Discovery Channel origin story1:04:21 Honda's missing V5, EICMA, and a Triple R wish1:09:51 Frunk the cat#PanigaleV2 #Ducati #CanyonChasers

Motegi wasn't an exciting weekend, but it was a fascinating one. A brand new track surface, a Michelin rear tire that came apart in the sprint, and a hard-carcass "safety tire" that not one rider mounted until Sunday warm up, which turned out to be the tire they should have been on all weekend.Dave and Brian dig into why that happened, how Marc Marquez played cat and mouse with Jorge Martin in the Grand Prix, and what the on-screen rider data shows about how the fastest riders in the world really enter a corner.That leads into a full riding breakdown: what "brake to the apex" really means, how trail braking trades brake pressure for lean angle, why you want the fork to stay loaded at tip-in, when to pick the throttle back up, and where your eyes should be the whole time. It all applies on the street as much as the track.We wrap up with MotoGP's plan to add a Friday sprint qualifying session next year, why we think it's about selling Friday tickets and will cost riders, and Brian's idea for a better way to set the grid.CHAPTERS0:00 Welcome back2:07 Motegi preview and the championship fight4:28 New surface and Michelin's tire gamble6:05 Sprint: first-lap crash and Martin's shredded tire12:51 The hard tire nobody tried18:28 Grand Prix: Marquez's cat and mouse with Martin24:17 Why MotoGP gets better the more you know29:39 Riding tip: do you really brake to the apex?38:03 Anatomy of a corner: braking, tip-in, throttle43:37 Vision, and using track skills on the street50:10 MotoGP's new Friday sprint qualifying59:32 Brian's fix for the sprint grid1:00:54 Dave's Moto Guzzi videoPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CanyonChasers

Royal Enfield might be the heritage motorcycle Harley buyers think they're getting, and after 800 miles of Route 66 on a Classic 650, Dave has thoughts. The CanyonChasers Podcast is back.In this episode: riding Route 66 from Tulsa to Albuquerque on the Royal Enfield Classic 650 125th anniversary special edition, why Route 66 towns are fading, and why Royal Enfield is built in India. Then a trip to Mandello del Lario for Moto Guzzi's 105th anniversary: the parade, the new factory, running into Max Biaggi, and riding a Stelvio and V85 TT around Lake Como.Along the way: why motorcycle dealerships have to become community hubs to survive, why forums built better motorcycle culture than social media, a flat track racer driving the chase van, the one-bike quiver debate, and a Jimmy Wood story about secret weighted flat track wheels.00:00 We're back01:07 Track day and the one-bike quiver03:35 Route 66 on a Royal Enfield07:18 Royal Enfield vs Harley: real heritage08:35 Why Royal Enfield is built in India13:35 The future of motorcycle dealerships18:09 Why Royal Enfield has a cult following20:28 Flat trackers and the Jimmy Wood story25:57 Moto Guzzi's 105th and meeting Max Biaggi31:57 Lake Como: Stelvio or V85 TT?35:30 Brand tribes and the motorcycle wavePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CanyonChasers

Enter to win the Ducati Monster Plus at https://fanathem.com/canyonchasers Are parallel twins taking over on the track, or is there still no replacement for open-class power? In this episode, we compare the street and track-only versions of the rare KTM 990 RC R. We test how its unique 1,481 mm wheelbase and aggressive rake alter cornering stability, contrast the street bike's wide TFT dash with the streamlined track layout, and break down why the race-prepped version feels so radically different out of the crate. Plus, as Brian looks to transition away from our Aprilia RSV4 track bike, we evaluate our top contenders—including the BMW S1000RR, Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, and Ducati Panigale V2. To wrap up, we share real-world feedback on the Bridgestone S23 tires after pushing them through the canyons. What you'll learn in this episode:KTM 990 RC R Street vs. Track: How suspension travel, mapping, direct brake lines, and clip-on ergonomics completely transform the track model. Chassis Dynamics: Why a long wheelbase paired with steep rake geometry creates high-speed stability without losing sharp turn-in. Choosing the Next Track Bike: The pros, cons, and costs of open-class power versus lightweight middleweight agility. Real-World Tire Performance: Breakdown of the Bridgestone S23 vs. Pirelli Rosso IV on high-torque street bikes. Chapters00:00 - Intro & Childhood Motorcycle Memories 03:40 - Re-Introductions & YouTube Backstory 05:25 - Ducati Monster Giveaway Update 07:44 - Replacing the Aprilia RSV4 Race Bike 11:20 - Litre Bike Contenders: BMW S1000RR & Honda Fireblade 15:00 - The Case for Middleweights & Ducati Panigale V2 20:55 - Introduction to the KTM 990 RC R 24:35 - KTM 990 RC R Street Ride Impressions 36:39 - KTM 990 RC R Track Model Test Ride 44:00 - Exhaust Tuning, Suspension & Ergonomics 48:44 - Chassis Physics: Long Wheelbase Handling Explained 56:15 - Clip-Ons vs. High Bars on Track Days 01:00:00 - Canyon Rides & Bridgestone S23 Tire Review Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CanyonChasers

Enter to win this incredible Ducati Monster: https://fanathem.com/canyonchasersIn this episode, we break down everything you need to know about motorcycle tires, comparing Pirelli, Dunlop, Bridgestone, and Michelin. We dive into why Pirelli uses soft carcass construction while Dunlop and Bridgestone rely on stiffer carcasses, how altitude changes affect your tire gauge pressure, and how to properly manage heat cycles on track day slicks. We also explore why designing a single motorcycle headlight costs $1 million to pass NHTSA approval, discuss the significance of the last Desmodromic Ducati Monster, and analyze the MotoGP round at Silverstone. Video Chapters00:00 - Moto YouTuber Schedules & EICMA Prep02:33 - The Last Desmo Ducati Monster05:10 - Why Motorcycle Headlights Cost $1 Million to Approve09:52 - MotoGP Silverstone Recap & Tire Pressure Drama15:09 - Maverick Vinales & Moto2 Race Breakdown20:36 - Major Tire Brands Comparison Overview23:23 - Michelin: Wet Performance & V-Profile Characteristics27:23 - Bridgestone: Stiff Carcass & Front-End Grip34:42 - Pirelli: Soft Carcasses & Forgiving Pressure Windows48:42 - Dunlop: Pointy Front Profiles & High-Pressure Setup01:01:58 - Can You Mismatch Front and Rear Tire Brands?01:05:42 - Heat Cycling, Tire Warmers, & Slicks Longevity01:09:11 - Tire Pressure Masterclass: Elevation Effects & The 10% RulePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/CanyonChasers