Where
I live, it snowed almost all day. The foul white substance began falling before 8 in the morning and didn’t stop until after dark. The storm that thoroughly pounded most of North Carolina and southern Virginia gifted us with about six inches of gloom, practically a mere dusting compared to what some folks I know a bit farther south got.Oh, sure, I know some of you weirdos out there love snow. I don’t know what’s wrong with you. I’m sure you’re nice people. Probably. My wish for you is that you get plenty of snow wherever it is you live that’s at least 500 miles away from me.
I’m not here to talk to you about snow, though, I’m here to bring you a little info and a bunch of links that tie into Episode 39. That’s right! Here we go!
Jenny Morgan was the first person to respond to me last summer when I was lining up guests for the show that I knew would be at the MOA’s big rally in Des Moines, Iowa. I heard about this British woman who rode all around the USA – on and off road – on a tiny little BMW G 310 GS. Like many folks I talked to, nobody could really believe the baby GS had the legs needed to carry somebody comfortably across the USA on an extended tour – let alone be rugged enough for off-road duty along the way.
I probably don’t need to tell you that Jenny, while she may be unique among riders, easily proved those assumptions wrong. In addition to riding her 310 all over the country, including on the Trans-America Trail and some Backcountry Discovery Routes, she had a chance to test, refine and report back on parts and accessories to her coworkers at Rally Raid Products. It was a great conversation, and I can’t thank Jenny enough for being willing to be on the show.
Speaking of being on the show, the response to Alonzo Bodden’s appearance in Episode 38 has been fantastic. I know the interview itself was a bit rough sounding – Alonzo and I had a sketchy Skype connection – but I appreciate everybody powering through. Next up is Episode 40, and that will be out on December 24th. Many of us recognize that day as Christmas Eve, and I’ve got a nice present in store for you – my interview (again, during the MOA rally) with Captain Irascible himself, author and raconteur Jack Riepe. Bring your ear muffs and your funny bones and tune in in two weeks.
In The News for Episode 39, World SBK released a video interview with Ana Carrasco, the first woman to ever win a motorcycle racing world championship. No word yet on whether Carrasco will move up a circuit or head back to the 300cc series to defend her title in 2019. The minor news item about Indian Motorcycle issuing a software and usability update for their Ride Command infotainment system turned into a bit of a rant on my part #sorrynotsorry. Also unapologetic for his actions is Chuck from The Wheelnerds, who single-handedly convinced Suzuki to end production of the Hayabusa by buying one of the iconic machines.
Over in the electric world, Honda is gearing up their marketing machine to push the electric version of their PCX scooter (hint – it has swappable batteries!) and Zero is showing off the e-Qooder, a scooter only its mother could love that came from a partnership with Quadro Vehicles. I had to have a mountain biking friend clue me in that US firm Tenneco paid $160 million for Sweden’s Ohlins Suspension, and finally, Ducati released the first photos of their “ultimate road-legal Ducati race bike” is the Panigale V4R. For your bonus link, you have to check out the NYC Norton. I’m not really a Norton fan, but this is as beautiful a motorcycle as I have ever seen.
Last Monday saw the debut of my new podcast. It’s called 200 Miles Before Breakfast and it is to the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America what Chasing the Horizon is to the larger world of motorcyclists. There will be news about the MOA and a discussion with an MOA member in each episode. It’s not meant to exclude you if you’re not an MOA member, but rather it’s meant to bring more digital content to MOA members in a format they’ll appreciate. I hope you check out the first episode, available only on the MOA website for now. (You don’t have to be a member to access the new show.)
As always, thank you for listening and continuing to support Chasing the Horizon. Since the MOA content is being offloaded into a separate show, we now have a sponsor slot available. If you’re interested, reach out via email to [email protected] and let’s chat. In the meantime, I’ll see you out there somewhere on the road – or off it!