Show Notes
Welcome to the first proper episode of The Untypical Bikers Podcast. We're starting with two pretty important questions: what do you ride, and why do you ride? Liz talks about going from a 125 to falling completely in love with her Triumph Scrambler 900, why the bike she originally thought she wanted wasn't actually right for her body, and why choosing a bike isn't necessarily about engine size or what you think you should be riding.
Dazza takes us through his current (slightly excessive) collection, including his new Moto Guzzi V7 Special, his Harleys and why, after more than a million miles on motorbikes, he's finding himself drawn back towards lighter bikes that are simply good fun to ride.
But we also get into the bigger question of why. For Dazza, riding has been part of his life since he was 14. For Liz, it came much later and she discovered something she hadn't expected: being on a bike quietens her very busy brain.
Plus: 🏍️ Dazza introduces his first Nerdy Minute, complete with props when he talks about cc's. 🏍️ Liz shares her latest Liz's Learning: why the right bike isn't necessarily the biggest bike, but the one that feels right for you. 🏍️ We answer our first listener question: Does it matter what you ride? And what about turning up to a biker meet on a little 125? 🏍️ And we have a chat about the upcoming Brighton Burn Up and our previous attempt to join the ride… after everyone had already gone past.
Whether you've been riding for decades, you're wobbling around on L plates, you're thinking about getting your first bike, or you just really like motorbikes, you're welcome here.
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And if you've got a question you'd like us to answer, or there's a biking event happening near you that you'd like us to give a shout-out to, send it our way on the Untypical Biker Instagram account here
The Untypical Bikers Two very different bikers. A lot of motorbike chat. And apparently, now, props.
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More from The Untypical Bikers
What happens when you decide to celebrate your 50th birthday by riding motorbikes through the Himalayas? In this episode we're joined by Nick Hammond, who shares the story of an incredible adventure with his brother Richard and a group of friends, riding Royal Enfield Himalayans through some of the highest mountain passes in the world. From breathtaking scenery and challenging roads to a terrifying encounter with an Indian army lorry on the edge of a mountain, it's quite a 50th birthday experience! We also chat about Nick's love of motorbikes, his Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, and the beautiful Ducati 600 SS that was a very special birthday present but spends rather more time being admired than ridden! Plus, Dazza gets technical about Ducati engines in his Nerdy Minute, Liz shares another little lesson learnt out on the road, and we finally have a proper jingle for Dazza, thanks to one of our listeners! Thank you Ed Curthoys. 🏍️ Adventure Motorcycle Film Festival 2027 We're also giving a shout-out to the Adventure Motorcycle Film Festival, taking place at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal on 26–27 February 2027. A weekend of motorcycle adventure films, stories and great company. Find out more and book tickets through the festival's website. This sounds fabulous. We'd love to hear from you! What's the most adventurous ride you've ever done? And is there a bike you've always dreamed of doing it on?
How different was taking your motorbike test in 1988 compared with 2026? Well, quite a lot! This week we're comparing our very different experiences of getting our motorbike licences. From Dazza heading out on the road at 16 with no training whatsoever, to Liz navigating CBTs, theory tests, Mod 1 and Mod 2 nearly 40 years later. And despite all those differences, there's one thing we have in common. We both failed part of it first time! Dazza in a slightly more spectacular way than Liz maybe. Dazza also shares the story of his most serious accident just 10 days after his 17th birthday, which raises the question: Does today's more extensive training make us safer riders? Plus, Dazza gets nerdy about countersteering, Liz shares what she's learnt about riding in the rain, and we discuss what we wish car drivers understood about motorcyclists.
This week we're joined by Lou and Paul from Mad About Bikes & Adventures for a conversation that goes from finding a love of biking later in life to one of the things currently dividing some issues at bike meets - rev bombing. Love it or hate it, it's here and we talk about it. We start where we normally do asking Lou and Paul why they ride, and what they ride. Paul was super excited about picking up his new bike the following day. You'll be able to hear his smile! Then we got onto bike meets. Rev bombing. Burnouts. Wheelies. Showing off. And whether some of the behaviour we're seeing at bike meets could ultimately put the future of those meets at risk. Paul and Dazza admit they weren't exactly angels in their younger biking days either - including one spectacular burnout that ended with a policeman emerging from the smoke. We also discover: 🏍️ Why Paul is swapping his huge VFR1200 Crosstourer for a Honda Transalp 🏍️ How biking gave Lou a new adventure when her children grew up 🏍️ The trials and tribulations of parking your bike 🏍️ The difference between today's rev bombing and the showing off of the 80s and 90s 🏍️ Dazza's experience with some particularly questionable Ducati side stands 🏍️ And why Paul has somehow become YouTube's unofficial motorcycle weather forecaster. It's bikes, friendship, questionable behaviour and plenty of laughs. Thanks to Lou and Paul from Mad About Bikes & Adventures for joining us. 🎧 Listen/watch and let us know: what do you think about rev bombing at bike meets? You can find Lou and Paul on: YouTube, Insta and Facebook And if you've got a question for Liz and Dazza, or a biking story, send it over to us on Instagram - it might make it into a future episode. Ride safe, Liz & Dazza The Untypical Bikers Podcast
How do you choose the right motorbike? For Dazza, that answer has changed quite a bit over nearly 40 years of riding. From what he could afford, to sports bikes, speed, racing and the bikes he wishes he'd never sold. For Liz, with just over a year of riding under her belt, the process has been rather different. There was a green Harley Sportster she was convinced she wanted… until she actually sat on one. And eventually, a Triumph Scrambler 900 that turned out to be pretty much her perfect bike. We also get into some of Dazza's favourite bikes from over the years, including his late-90s Ducati 900 SS that seemed to object to leaving the country, and the Harley that's become a bit like Trigger's broom. Then it's time for Dazza's Nerdy Minute, with possibly one of the more unusual explanations of torque vs horsepower involving Tyson Fury, Bruce Lee and a brick. And in Liz's Learning, Liz shares what happened when she accidentally found herself leading her first group ride… just as the heavens opened. Plus, we chat about finding your biking community and why sometimes it's just nice to have someone else decide where you're riding. And we want to hear from you… Have you got – or did you used to have – a late-90s Ducati 900 SS? Dazza would love to see it, so send us a photo. Or perhaps you've got a black and red Yamaha RD350 YPVS F2 like the one he owned back in the day. We'd definitely like to see that too. And what's the bike YOU wish you'd never sold? If you've got a biking question you'd like us to tackle, or something happening in the biking community you'd like us to give a shout-out to, send it our way. Safe riding! Liz & Dazza The Untypical Bikers
How do you keep having motorbike adventures when your brain wants to keep going but your body sometimes says otherwise?