Adventure Rider Radio – Motorcycle Podcast

On a mountain road on Colorado’s Guanella Pass, motorcyclist Adam Lamb spots a moose stepping out of the brush. Two seconds later, he’s airborne, both arms broken and stranded off the road without cell service. Just behind him is Roger Matthews—a board-certified physician and search-and-rescue volunteer—who arrives and immediately begins managing the scene. In this episode, Adam recounts the moments leading up to the crash while Roger explains how he approached scene safety, organized bystanders, and assessed Adam’s injuries as they waited for help to arrive. We explore wildlife hazards, speed and stopping distance, emergency braking, and why first aid training and preparation can make a critical difference when riding remote roads.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

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Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

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🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

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🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

Nasiru Ibrahim — an architect from Nigeria and a new adventure rider — sets out on his first true motorcycle journey with a simple idea: ride his Yamaha Ténéré to the Ténéré Desert. It’s an ambitious first trip, fueled by equal parts curiosity and confidence. Heading north through regions where the language and culture feel familiar, he anticipates the usual challenges — long distances, fatigue, border crossings, and the uncertainties of travelling solo. Instead, a routine stop in a small desert town leads to his arrest and detention in a politically tense region. What follows is a two-week ordeal far from home, as he navigates uncertainty, bureaucracy, and the stark realization of how quickly an adventure can take an unexpected turn.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
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🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

Motorcycles have evolved, and with that evolution comes more electronics — including CAN bus systems that many riders still misunderstand. If you’ve ever seen a mysterious warning light or struggled with adding accessories like auxiliary lights, you’ve probably heard CAN bus blamed. In this episode, we break down what CAN bus actually is, why it’s not the enemy of customization, and how modern systems can actually create more opportunity for riders who understand them.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
Be the first to hear about new episodes, bonus content, and more! Sign up for our newsletter at Adventure Rider Radio.

🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

What happens when two seasoned overland riders trade full-size adventure bikes for 50cc, 50-year-old two-strokes? German engineers Bea Höbenreich and Helmut Koch set out to prove that real motorcycle adventure isn’t about horsepower or gear—it’s about mindset. From Australia’s punishing outback to Cape York’s legendary Old Telegraph Track, they battled bike drownings, deep sand, brutal creek crossings, and relentless headwinds on the smallest machines in the landscape.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
Be the first to hear about new episodes, bonus content, and more! Sign up for our newsletter at Adventure Rider Radio.

🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

There’s something about being on a motorcycle that just feels right — in ways that are hard to explain, but easy to recognize. Not long ago on the show, cognitive scientist Mark Changizi, author of Motorcycle Mind, talked about how riding a motorcycle is unlike anything else we do, because the physics involved mean the bike responds directly to your body — your balance, your inputs, your movement — reacting instantly, almost like a hybrid of human and machine moving as one. That connection sharpens focus and pulls you fully into the moment, and according to Changizi, it can change how our brains process space, motion, and risk. Those changes don’t necessarily stop when the bike is shut off, and for some people, riding becomes a place to return to — a way forward when other things aren’t working, a focus when life is closing in — and that idea sits at the center of today’s episode, as Rusty David shares his story.

This episode contains a brief reference to suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
Be the first to hear about new episodes, bonus content, and more! Sign up for our newsletter at Adventure Rider Radio.

🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

Adventure riding has a strange relationship with risk. We prepare, carry tools, research routes, ride with friends, and do everything we can to stack the odds in our favour on adventure motorcycle rides. But every now and then, something appears that wasn’t on the map or in the plan, and it shows up faster than we can process it. In those moments, the problem isn’t just the obstacle itself, but what happens next. This story takes place on a remote stretch of Nevada’s historic Pony Express Trail, a well-known backcountry route for adventure riders—experienced riders, familiar terrain, and a route travelled for generations. It’s the kind of ride where preparation feels like it should be enough, until it isn’t, and decisions suddenly matter in ways you don’t expect when riding far from help.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
Be the first to hear about new episodes, bonus content, and more! Sign up for our newsletter at Adventure Rider Radio.

🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

Gravel riding makes many motorcycle riders uneasy — not because the bike is out of control, but because it doesn’t behave the way pavement has trained us to expect. The front wanders, the bars move, braking distances grow, and the instinct is to hold on tight and slow down — usually making things worse. On this episode of Rider Skills, we break gravel riding down into four clear lessons: how to let the bike move without panicking; how throttle, braking, and electronics change traction on loose surfaces; how to read gravel roads and choose lines intentionally; and why braking and cornering with limited traction is not only possible, but fun.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
Be the first to hear about new episodes, bonus content, and more! Sign up for our newsletter at Adventure Rider Radio.

🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

In 2003, Bryan Jones and his wife, Max, joined a guided motorcycle tour through Cambodia, expecting a challenging but well-run adventure motorcycle trip through jungles, villages, and remote roads. What they got instead was something very different — aging bikes, a guide who kept disappearing, and a journey that quickly became unpredictable.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
Be the first to hear about new episodes, bonus content, and more! Sign up for our newsletter at Adventure Rider Radio.

🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

In December 2019, Lisa and Simon Thomas left their motorcycles and gear in the United States, planning to return after a short trip home to the UK. More than six years later, those bikes are still there — and their lives have gone in a very different direction. This episode lives in the space between what was planned and what actually happened. We talk about building a life around long-term travel, what happens when health intervenes, and the emotional cost of stopping after years on the move. Lisa and Simon share what it’s like to lose — and rebuild — identity, confidence, and purpose when the thing that defines you suddenly disappears. And through it all, we explore why motorcycles still matter.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
Be the first to hear about new episodes, bonus content, and more! Sign up for our newsletter at Adventure Rider Radio.

🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!

Cody Weber and a small group of experienced motorcycle riders set out on a planned day ride near Green River, Utah, traveling through canyon country, dry riverbeds, and remote desert terrain. The ride appeared well prepared: riders who knew each other, a route that seemed manageable, and time taken beforehand to organize motorcycles, gear, supplies, and navigation.

What unfolded next isn’t unusual in the world of adventure motorcycling. Terrain gets misread, bikes go down, and riders get injured—especially in remote environments like Utah’s canyonlands. What makes this story worth paying attention to is not the crash itself, but what happened afterward.

In the minutes and hours following the accident, a series of decisions were made under pressure, shaped by limited information, physical injury, environmental conditions, and the realities of being far from help. Those decisions made sense at the time—but they also raise important questions about risk assessment, group dynamics, emergency response, and decision-making in remote motorcycle travel.

This story offers practical lessons for riders who travel off-road and in isolated areas: what to consider after a crash, how judgment can shift under stress, and what might be done differently when plans unravel. It’s a reminder that preparation doesn’t end when the ride begins—and that the most critical moments often come after everything goes wrong.

🔗 Show Notes & Links:
Find photos, links, and resources related to this episode on our website at Adventure Rider Radio.

🎧 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode:
We release new episodes of ARR every week on Thursday and of RAW on the 21st of every month—full of inspiring stories, expert advice, and insight from the world of adventure motorcycling. Hit subscribe so you never miss out!

💡 Got an Idea?
Have a guest suggestion or topic you’d love us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email through our website.

⭐️ Leave a Review:
Enjoying the show? A 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app goes a long way in helping others discover the show.

📱 Follow Us:
Join our growing community on Facebook and Instagram. Let’s stay connected!

🙌 Support the Show:
Love what we do? Help keep the adventure alive by supporting us. Your contribution allows us to keep bringing you great content week after week.

📤 Share the Show:
Know someone who would enjoy this episode? Share it with them! Word of mouth helps us grow and reach more riders around the world.

📬 Join Our Newsletter:
Be the first to hear about new episodes, bonus content, and more! Sign up for our newsletter at Adventure Rider Radio.

🙏 Thanks for Listening!
We truly appreciate you being part of our adventure community. Until next time—ride safe and keep exploring!