Moto Adventurer Unscripted: Real Conversations for Motorcyclists, Adventurers and Outdoor Explorers

Moto Adventurer
  • 5.0 (23)
  • Automotive
  • Updated Weekly

Moto Adventurer Unscripted is a long-form motorcycle podcast on adventure riding, dual sport culture, and real-world ADV travel. It goes beyond surface advice into how riders build skills, plan routes, choose bikes, manage costs, and navigate events like rallies and dual sport gatherings. With an Appalachian focus, it explores terrain, the machines, and the community. Expect unfiltered discussions about meeting riders, preparing for trips and events, and building the skills and gear setups that make every ride smoother, safer, and more fun.

  1. 5d ago

    EP179: The Luddite’s Guide to ADV Technology: What’s Actually Worth It?

    Adventure motorcycles are packed with more technology than ever, but which features are actually worth paying for? In this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Drew and Mark take an honest, often skeptical look at modern adventure motorcycle technology to separate genuinely useful features from expensive gadgets. We break down the pros, cons, and real-world value of motorcycle electronics and rider aids, drawing on our own riding experiences to explore what makes sense for everyday ADV riders, commuters, and long-distance travelers. Topics include ABS and off-road ABS, traction control, lean-angle-sensitive rider aids, wheelie control, hill-hold control, tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), ride-by-wire throttles, selectable ride modes, electronic cruise control, quickshifters, auto-blippers, electronic suspension, and TFT displays. Is electronic cruise control worth the upgrade? Do you really need a quickshifter? Are modern rider aids making adventure bikes safer, or just more complicated? And what happens when all that technology breaks in the middle of a ride? We weigh convenience, safety, cost, complexity, and reliability to figure out which features improve the riding experience and which ones we could happily live without. What motorcycle technology is worth the money to you? Leave a comment and let us know which features you love, which ones you hate, and where Drew and Mark have it completely wrong. Subscriber-Only Bonus Episode Drew discusses installing AUXBEAM LED auxiliary lights on his Yamaha Ténéré 700, along with podcast updates, subscriber merchandise, and the realities of dealing with failed motorcycle electronics. We also dig into KTM immobilizer issues, roadside troubleshooting, and what happens when modern adventure bike technology lets you down. Plus, we look at where adventure motorcycling might be headed next. The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at: https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

    EP179: The Luddite’s Guide to ADV Technology: What’s Actually Worth It?

  2. Oct 12

    EP178: Public Land Access & ADV Road Closures What Riders Can Do

    A road closes. A trail disappears. And sometimes, by the time you hear about it, it feels like there's nothing you can do. On this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Drew and Mark talk with Scott Jones, Central States Representative for the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), about motorcycle road closures, public land access, Forest Service roads, and how adventure and dual-sport riders can protect their riding opportunities. With decades of experience in motorized recreation and land-use advocacy, Scott explains how closures happen, why public comment matters, and how riders can influence decisions before access is lost. Topics include: Fighting road and trail closures: What to do when you learn a route may be shut down. Forest Service vs. county roads: Who controls a road and how closure procedures differ. Public hearings and comment: How to make your voice heard and influence decisions. The Tower Ridge Road dispute: How historical legislation and public access factor into a proposed closure in Indiana's Hoosier National Forest. The Explore Act and public land access: How federal legislation and land-management policies affect roads and trails. Seasonal closures and responsible riding: Why closures happen and how illegal riding can threaten access for everyone. Building alliances: Why working with clubs, hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and other user groups matters. Keeping riding areas open: How volunteers, grants, and community involvement can help maintain access. SUBSCRIBER-ONLY BONUS The extended conversation explores the Kaywood Road dispute on the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway, federal land-use rules, and practical ways riders can organize and advocate for continued access to public lands. Want the full conversation? Subscribe to Moto Adventurer Unscripted for the bonus discussion and more subscriber-exclusive content. Whether you ride an adventure motorcycle, dual-sport, or dirt bike, this episode explains how road closures happen—and what you can do to help keep riding areas open. The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at: https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

    EP178: Public Land Access & ADV Road Closures What Riders Can Do

  3. Oct 5

    EP177: Stop Paying the Shop: ADV Maintenance You Can Do Yourself

    Motorcycle maintenance doesn't have to mean a trip to the dealership and you don't need a fully equipped workshop to start turning wrenches on your own adventure or dual-sport motorcycle. In this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Drew and Mark work their way through the basics of ADV motorcycle maintenance, from the simple jobs most riders can handle in the garage to the repairs that start getting a little more involved. We talk about why the owner's manual and maintenance schedule should be your starting point, setting up motorcycle ergonomics, building a useful toolkit, chain cleaning and chain adjustment, checking battery voltage, changing motorcycle oil and filters, inspecting and replacing brake pads, and knowing when a maintenance job is simple enough to tackle yourself and when it's probably time to let somebody else do it. If you've ever thought, "I'd like to work on my own motorcycle, but I don't know where to start," this one's for you. Topics include: DIY ADV motorcycle maintenance Reading your motorcycle owner's manual Motorcycle maintenance schedules Motorcycle tools and torque wrenches Chain cleaning and chain adjustment Motorcycle battery maintenance AGM vs. lithium motorcycle batteries Motorcycle oil changes Oil filter replacement Air filter maintenance Brake pad inspection and replacement Motorcycle ergonomics and setup Knowing when a repair is beyond your skill level Building confidence working on your own motorcycle The rabbit hole gets deeper in the subscriber hour. Drew and Mark get into chain maintenance, including the good advice they follow, the advice they sometimes ignore, and what happens when maintenance gets neglected. Then they go considerably deeper into the jobs they're willing to tackle themselves — including valve checks, valve adjustments, top-end work, and engine disassembly — and the motorcycle repairs that even experienced riders would rather pay someone else to do. The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at: https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

    EP177: Stop Paying the Shop: ADV Maintenance You Can Do Yourself

  4. Sep 28

    EP176: What’s Your Flavor of Adventure Motorcycle Riding?

    What makes an adventure motorcycle ride a great ride? For some riders, it’s the destination. For others, it’s the road, scenery, food, challenge, people, or simply getting away for a while. In this episode of Moto Adventure Unscripted, Drew and Mark break down the different “flavors” of adventure motorcycle riding and explore why two riders can take the same route and come home with completely different ideas of what made it fun. The conversation covers destination riders, road collectors, photographers, history buffs, wanderers, campers, endurance riders, challenge seekers, rally riders, social riders, and solo riders. We also discuss how those preferences can change as riders move through different seasons of life. Drew and Mark compare their own riding personalities and ask what really makes an ideal ADV ride. Is it 50 miles or 500? Is the goal to conquer difficult terrain, discover an unknown road, find a great meal, explore somewhere new, or simply disappear into the countryside for a day? The episode also tackles a challenge for anyone organizing group adventure rides: How do you build a ride when everyone has a different idea of what “fun” means? Communication, reading the group, adapting the route, and understanding what riders actually enjoy can make the difference between a great group ride and a miserable one. What kind of ADV rider are you? -Destination riders vs. road collectors -Scenic riders, foodies, photographers and history buffs -Wanderers, solo riders and challenge seekers -Why your riding style can change over time -How many miles makes a great riding day? -What makes a perfect adventure motorcycle ride? -How to build a group ADV ride for different types of riders For Subscribers: The conversation continues with how to read a group, accommodate different riding preferences, and build the perfect adventure ride. We also get into some motorcycle tech and gear updates. The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at: https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

    EP176: What’s Your Flavor of Adventure Motorcycle Riding?

  5. Sep 21

    EP175: Adventure Motorcycle Suspension Setup: What Do All These Clickers Do?

    Adventure motorcycle suspension can seem like black magic. What do all those clickers actually do? What is SAG? How do preload, compression damping, rebound damping, and spring rate affect the way your ADV motorcycle handles? In this episode of Moto Adventure Unscripted, Drew and Mark break down adventure motorcycle suspension from the ground up and explain what riders actually need to know before spending money on suspension upgrades. We start with the basics: what suspension is supposed to do, the difference between springs and damping, and how preload affects your motorcycle when you add a rider, passenger, or luggage. Drew and Mark explain SAG, static sag, rider sag, spring rate, compression damping, rebound damping, and suspension clickers in plain English. From there, they tackle some of the most common ADV suspension problems and questions: How to establish your motorcycle's factory suspension settings How to tell when you actually need a different spring rate Why adding more preload isn't always the answer Why motorcycles dive under braking Why suspension can feel harsh on gravel and rough terrain How to adjust compression and rebound damping Why you shouldn't simply copy someone else's suspension settings When stock suspension is good enough—and when you've actually outgrown it How often ADV motorcycle suspension needs to be serviced The goal isn't to turn you into a suspension tuner. It's to help you understand what your motorcycle is doing, make sensible adjustments, and know when it's actually time to spend money.SUBSCRIBER SEGMENT The subscriber hour goes deeper into suspension types, linkage and PDS systems, fork oil weight and oil height, high- and low-speed damping, valving and revalving, cartridge kits, shock upgrades, suspension servicing, and when it's worth sending your suspension to a professional tuner. Two hours of suspension nerdiness, commercial-free for subscribers. The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at: https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

    EP175: Adventure Motorcycle Suspension Setup: What Do All These Clickers Do?

  6. Sep 14

    EP174: Motorcycle Crash & Recovery: Getting Back on the Bike

    What happens after the motorcycle crash? In this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Tyler joins Drew and Mark to talk openly about a recent motorcycle crash, the injuries that followed, the recovery process, and what it actually feels like to get back on a motorcycle after a hard hit. Tyler walks us through a high-side crash on wet, freshly paved asphalt in Arkansas, the decision to ride another 600 miles toward home, and eventually discovering he had three fractured ribs and a collapsed lung. We talk about motorcycle gear, helmet replacement, motorcycle repair costs, riding partners, and the lessons Tyler took away from the experience. Most importantly, we discuss the mental side of recovery, rebuilding confidence, and why Tyler was determined to get back on the motorcycle rather than let the crash change his relationship with riding. We also tackle a question every experienced motorcyclist eventually faces: How does our approach to risk change as we get older and more experienced? Tyler, Mark, and Drew compare how their riding philosophies have evolved and why experience changes the way we evaluate speed, road conditions, fatigue, and the consequences of a mistake. SUBSCRIBER-ONLY BONUS: Subscribers get an additional hour of conversation covering Tyler’s motorcycle backstory, his KLR beginnings, rider aids, and how age and experience have changed his approach to risk and adventure riding. Moto Adventurer Unscripted is a weekly podcast about adventure motorcycles, dual-sport riding, motorcycle travel, camping, navigation, gear, and the realities of exploring on two wheels. The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at: https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

    EP174: Motorcycle Crash & Recovery: Getting Back on the Bike

  7. Sep 7

    EP173: How to Train at Home: Backyard ADV Drills & Skills

    Want to become a better adventure rider without waiting for your next big trip or paying for a training course? Your driveway, backyard, field, or even an empty parking lot can become an ADV motorcycle training ground. In this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Drew and Mark break down practical adventure motorcycle skills and drills you can practice close to home. We talk emergency braking and rear-wheel lockups, learning how your ABS and rider modes actually behave, mastering clutch and throttle control, walking and maneuvering a heavy ADV motorcycle, getting comfortable riding while standing, and practicing full-lock turns and figure eights in surprisingly small spaces. We also get into hill starts and stops, body position, slow-speed motorcycle control, using the rear brake and clutch together, practicing on grass and gravel, and ways to build a simple backyard enduro course with logs, rocks, lumber, cones, and whatever else you have lying around. The bigger question is simple: If you want to become a better adventure motorcycle rider, is riding more enough—or do you actually need to practice? In the subscriber section, we go further with Elephant/J-turn techniques for turning a big adventure bike around in tight spaces, balance and vision drills, line selection, additional advanced ADV skills, and some behind-the-scenes Red River Scramble route reconnaissance. Whether you're new to adventure riding or an experienced ADV rider looking to sharpen your off-road motorcycle skills, these are exercises you can work on a few minutes at a time—without ever leaving home. The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at: https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

    EP173: How to Train at Home: Backyard ADV Drills & Skills

  8. Aug 31

    Red River Scramble 2026: The Ultimate Kentucky ADV & Dual Sport Rally Guide

    Red River Scramble is back for 2026, and we're breaking down everything you need to know before you point your motorcycle toward Red River Gorge, Kentucky. Drew and Mark take you inside this grassroots, choose-your-own-adventure motorcycle rally—from what the Scramble is all about to where to stay, what to expect at Lago Linda Hideaway, how to meet other riders, and what kind of riding you'll find throughout the region. We'll break down the different route difficulty levels, from scenic gravel and easy adventure riding to intermediate terrain, advanced ADV routes, and dedicated dual-sport trails. We also talk about the Dango Death March, changing trail conditions, wet clay, water crossings, and how to choose routes that match your skill level. Whether you're a Red River Scramble veteran, a first-time attendee, or just looking for an excuse to ride the backroads of Eastern Kentucky, this episode will help you prepare for the 2026 Scramble. Red River Scramble 2026: October 1–4 in Red River Gorge, Kentucky. In this episode: What the Red River Scramble is and why it's different Camping, RVs, cabins, and other accommodations What to expect at Lago Linda Hideaway How to meet people if you're attending solo Red River Gorge riding, attractions, and routes Route difficulty levels and terrain Mud, clay, water crossings, and changing trail conditions How to choose routes that match your skill level Subscriber Bonus: We go behind the scenes of the Scramble with the Pumpkin Hollow story, route reconnaissance, hidden sticker caches, the Dango Death March, rally logistics, and what it takes to organize an adventure motorcycle event.The Red River Scramble is less about organized activities and more about one thing: getting out into the woods and having an adventure. The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/motoadvr/subscribe Enjoying the show? Want a copy of the show notes, transcripts, or just say thanks? Drop us your email and the episode number at: https://buymeacoffee.com/motoadvr

    Red River Scramble 2026: The Ultimate Kentucky ADV & Dual Sport Rally Guide
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Moto Adventurer Unscripted is a long-form motorcycle podcast on adventure riding, dual sport culture, and real-world ADV travel. It goes beyond surface advice into how riders build skills, plan routes, choose bikes, manage costs, and navigate events like rallies and dual sport gatherings. With an Appalachian focus, it explores terrain, the machines, and the community. Expect unfiltered discussions about meeting riders, preparing for trips and events, and building the skills and gear setups that make every ride smoother, safer, and more fun.

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