Don Birren takes a moment to tell us one of his favorite riding stories. Over the course, this leads to a good many questions being answered about helmets. Bottom line, they’re always getting better.

Our interview with Isaiah Walker continues. Isaiah is a vintage motorcycle enthusiast who also knows what’s what in the electric motorcycle industry. His work will push new e-bike tech in the right direction.

Travis is wondering why Honda is using buzzwords like “cafe” to describe their latest modern standard. Robin looks to simplify basic motorcycle definitions. Tim bought a new chair and has his eyes on helmets that offer a heads-up display.

Our guest host this round is Mr. Don Birren, an MSF instructor and friend to TRO of several years. He’s lending us his insights via the same garden variety motorcycle chatter you’ve grown accustomed to. Visit the site often as he’ll soon be a newly active guest author.

A recent interview features Isaiah Walker, vintage motorcycle enthusiast and knower of what’s what in the electric motorcycle industry. His work was pushing new e-bike tech in the right direction. He has interesting future plans within that field.

Robin is (or was) riding backroads all over Texas. Travis is (still) painting his wife’s ER6-N gas tank. Tim is waiting on his new teardrop camper so he and his girlfriend can rest wherever they so desire.

Joining us for this episode is Mr. Joe Godin of Ranch Road Fabrication. Joe is a welding and fab specialist local to Austin, Texas and its surrounding areas. Visit RanchRoadFab.com and contact him directly for custom parts of any kind!

Travis is bouncing between holiday parties. With a bit of unexpected warm weather (40+ degrees), he manages to get a bit of riding in this winter. Beyond that, music, basement organization and discussions of a KLR nature are keeping him busy.

Tim is eyeing some new kit he hopes to get his hands on, namely that produced by RRR tool solutions. He’s also amped up about the Held LED vest, which lights up using what we predict are inertia triggers.

Robin is exploring Austin area riding roads both solo and with visiting friends. His article read this round features Kentucky riding roads, written by Brian Wringer. No trombones were hurt in the making of this podcast.

Tim’s adventure continues! In this episode, he describes *almost* the entire remainder of his tour from Wisconsin to California to Canada and back. At this point in the epic journey, his chain needs regular adjustment as it’s stretched to the very limits of it’s designated use.

Did we mention he befriends a grizzly? Yeah. Tim met a Grizzly.

With whiskey in his cough and a tale in his head, Travis and Robin try to keep up with the sheer beauty in all of his photographs. Travis is under the weather, though. So much so that he can’t remember how to introduce the podcast he helped start (get well, man).

Robin has a disco ball. He has yet to decide where on his ride he wishes to put it. Until a decision is reached, he can stash it pretty much anywhere in he and his wife’s Carbon 337 toy hauler as they’re traveling the United States.

Tim has seen a good bit of camping as well. He and his gal rented a small travel trailer to rest in while he attended a distant dirt gathering. The event was a lot of fun as group members from all over got together, shared tips and told stories.

Travis’s grandmother passed away. He chose to celebrate her life with a late season journey on his NC700X, crossing Lake Michigan before looping back over the top. He insists that our next trip as a trio should be primarily dirt, with camping gear, on mini-bikes.

Tim Clarke took on a big trip this season, covering just over eight thousand miles from the Midwest to Pacific coast. Starting in Madison, Wisconsin, he meandered to California where the Pacific Coast Highway welcomed him. A robustly packed Honda Africa Twin covered the journey flawlessly.

Well, by flawlessly, we have to ignore the early flat tire. Also, Tim’s love of deep sand and un-scouted dirt routes. The pictures and videos speak volumes.

But to sit with Tim and his girlfriend Sylvia (who met him north of Cali and joined the effort two-up) and actually discuss the various events that transpired … that’s what this episode is all about. There are no sidebar topics, interviews or collective year/make/model details. Today, it’s just Tim and Sylvia, feeding our imaginations with all they conquered.

Travis enjoyed our 9-day iteration of a 7-day tour in overly-technical form. Somewhere along the way he picked up a bizarre hunk of metal in his tire. Said metal is since removed, replaced by a plug-patch and Race Tech gold valves (because gold valves).

Tim installed crash bars on his Honda Africa Twin. He then enjoyed a shakedown run at the Soldiers Grove BMW rally complete with camping gear and other long distance riding products. Stay tuned for details regarding his 7500+ mile west coast tour!

Robin bought a 33′ toy hauler and a 2015 Ford F350 to tow it. He also attended a MotoVid track day and is writing a review of the experience. He then immediately packed up shop and headed to Soldiers Grove to meet up with Tim and friends.

Travis is revisiting his packing strategy for an upcoming motorcycle trip. Practice makes perfect. Also, his windscreen and top case mods aim to minimize buffeting and better secure whatever cargo he brings with.

Tim got out for a two-up ride with his girlfriend (a first), covering 135 miles of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area. They fast learned that the Africa Twin’s automatic transmission equates to less helmet knocking. During this ride, they saw between 150-200 deer!

Robin attempted his first iron butt challenge between Chicagoland and Daytona Beach. His return home allowed for some meandering along the Cherohala Skyway, Tail of the Dragon, Foothills Parkway, part of our 777 tour and a bit of improvised curvy roads (Garmin). He was then immediately kicked in the brain while coaching his first MSF course of the season.

Travis tackles a gasket change to address an oil leak at the transmission. His Honda NC700 is finally ready for riding now that the weather is warming up. New Handlebars, braided brake line and auxiliary fog lights are it’s newest add-ons.

Tim got out on his Honda Africa Twin for the “Madison Mule”, a group ride that’s similar to the “Frozen Snot” run. It was the first time he’s ridden dirt since his injury late last season. His latest kit covers non-industry DIY solutions, namely the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Day Pack.

Robin is enjoying his new Beemer during this warm front, however brief. His learning of the owner’s manual continues in concert. He’s installed a few protective mods: crash bars, frame & swing arm sliders, bolt covers, tank pads, mud guards for the front & rear and a not-yet-arrived carbon fiber Fenda Extenda.

It’s that time of year again! With great anticipation, T.R.O. authors Robin Dean, Travis Burleson and Tim Clarke plow through February’s slush to attend the annual International Motorcycle Show, sponsored by Progressive Insurance. This event is definitely one for the books.

Robin was enamored by and immediately fell in love with Energica Motorcycles for their electric catalog. Travis took note of Honda’s CB1000 and Kawasaki’s KLX250, among others. Tim brought out the big guns with his camera lenses, visually documenting in hi-res.

So listen in as we discuss the 2018 IMS in all of its dizzying, open-spaced glory. The good, bad and ugly are all brought to light in this 1.5 hour podcast. Should you have any motorcycle-pertinent questions you’d like answered, ask them via our contact form or by calling (224) 358-3010.