Cycle World Podcast

Cycle World

Join Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer for the weekly Cycle World podcast for lively conversations about motorcycles and the people who build and ride them. Cameron’s legendary knowledge and ability to describe highly technical subjects in ways that are easy to understand allies with Hoyer’s massive testing background and hands-on work in the CW garage.

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129 episodes
Updated July 1

Episodes129

Newest first

February 11 · 1 hr 15 min
Hello Sparky! History of Ignition, Spark! Open Flame! Hot Tube! What?!
We just want to light the fire, that's it! Kevin and Mark dive into all the different ways internal combustion engine builders have found to light the combustible air/fuel mixture. There has been spark, open flames(!), a thing called "hot tube" and more. Even compression can light off the charge, and we'll talk about that too. From magnetos to coil and points to fully electronic coil-on-plug ignitions with upward of 60,000 volts, we try to cover it all. Join us for the latest Cycle World podcast!
February 4 · 1 hr 3 min
Why Steel Pistons and Cylinder Heads? Why Now?
In the early days of internal combustion engines, pistons were typically made of steel, but it wasn't long before aluminum took over (thanks, W.O. Bentley). But steel pistons and even cylinder heads are coming back in special applications. Kevin and Mark dive in to 3D printed steel pistons, turbo housings, and steel cylinder heads in F1 and other racing. The guys take a deep dive into boost, piston temperature, lean burn, diesel, additive manufacturing and so much more.
January 28 · 1 hr 3 min
Torque! Tolerance! HOW HARD DO WE TURN THE WRENCH?! Feel? Force? Learn about tightening bolts.
"Don't want it to come loose!" This is true, but how many mangled fasteners and engine cases have you encountered? More than you'd like. So Kevin and Mark decided to talk torque, torque wrenches, lock nuts, fastener elasticity, sealing, and so much more. And what if you don't have a torque reference sheet for your bike? Learn fastener basics to help you have guidelines for fastener type and material, too. Lot's to talk about here. Grab your torque wrench and join us for the Cycle World podcast!
January 21 · 1 hr 5 min
Why OVERHEAD CAMS and How Did WE GET HERE?
Kevin will start with atmospheric intake valves and someone from the 1800s, but for real we are talking about Overhead Cams here. Why has OHC become the standard for four-stroke-engine valve operation and what are its advantages. Also, you won't believe how old the technology is. Join Kevin and Mark for the bumpy world of cams above the head.
January 14 · 1 hr 7 min
Piston Rings! The Tiny Parts that Make Piston Engines Possible!
Early attempts at sealing pistons in cylinders included hemp and other natural fibers. Today's piston rings are made of amazing metallic materials that allow motorcycle engines to last longer than ever. Kevin and Mark dive into piston rings from the early days to now and talk about cylinder finish, ring gap, "flutter," and so much more. Join them on the Cycle World podcast!
January 7 · 1 hr 2 min
Are Racers and Crew Chiefs Human? Inside the minds and talents of the world's best!
In this week's episode, Cycle World Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about racers and crew chiefs and how their seeming supernatural powers relate to their humanity. Also, we have learned so much from these talented, intelligent people and share many stories about some of the greatest road racing riders and tuners of all time, how they win and how they progress. Join us!
Dec 31, 2025 · 1 hr 22 min
MORE Dream Bikes from the Mecum Las Vegas Auction 2026!
Hey, there are more than 2000 bikes, and Kevin and Mark picked so many bikes for the first episode of the 2026 Mecum Las Vegas motorcycle auction that they wanted to keep going! Honda NSR400 to Vincents to one sweet Yamaha TR-2 350cc roadracer, it's another good time with some amazing bikes.
Dec 24, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Are HYBRID Motorcycles Dumb?
Hybrid power can bring the best of electric and combustion power together, but does it make sense for motorcycles? Benda recently showed a hybrid prototype and Kawasaki has already taken the plunge. Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss hybrid power, including diesel electric trains and a Canadian company doing similar work on semi-trucks and a diesel hybrid pickup truck to retrofit your full-size bike hauler. Hop on and ride with us!
Dec 17, 2025 · 1 hr 31 min
DREAM BIKES: Kevin & Mark's favorite Bikes from the Mecum Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction!
Kevin and Mark pick their favorite bikes from the MASSIVE Mecum Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction. Of course, Kevin picked technically interesting and historically significant bikes, and Mark picked "stuff he liked"! There are great bikes here and plenty of stories to go with them. Harleys, Hondas, a Buell and stuff you may not have heard of. Join us on the ride!
Dec 10, 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
Harley-Davidson Big Twin, Knucklehead to Now!
Harley-Davidson debuted the Knucklehead in 1936 and millions of subsequent Big Twins built in its image continue to "potato-potato" down the road! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the origins of Harley-Davidson's EL and journey through the Panhead, Shovelhead, and up to the modern era. Think of it as the engine that grew with the American highway system! Join us on the ride!
Dec 3, 2025 · 1 hr 19 min
How MOTORCYCLES improved because of AIRCRAFT!
As Technical Editor Kevin Cameron likes to say about aircraft, they have to be light enough to fly and heavy enough to make it to the destination reliably. This drove innovation in design and metallurgy in aircraft that made it all the way to motorcycles, of course! Roller tappets for camshafts? Check! And so much more. Kevin and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer talk about the flow of technology and design from aircraft to motorcycles.
Nov 26, 2025 · 1 hr 17 min
Where did Norton Motorcycles come from and why do we love them so much?
The new Norton debuted a full line of new bikes recently as parent company TVS finally pulled back the curtain after 5 years of work. Cycle World's Kevin Cameron and Mark Hoyer start about 125 years earlier, at the beginning of the company and its reputation for remarkable singles and following racing success. Isle of Man TT! Norton Manx! Up through Commando and the demise of the company in the 1970s. Join us for the ride and then visit cycleworld.com to see the new Nortons on cycleworld.com/eicma landing page.
Nov 19, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min
EICMA! New Motorcycles From the Biggest Show of the Year! China, India, Japan, Baggers!
Kevin and Mark take a look at new motorcycles from EICMA, the huge annual show in Milan, Italy. The guys talk about Chinese motorcycles, the Indian-made Nortons, and, of course, Honda's electric-supercharged V3R and, as always, "more." Visit cycleworld.com/eicma so see all the bikes and read about these interesting new models.
Nov 12, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
How Ducati history might have changed! The 60-year-old V-4 that never made production.
Long before the Ducati Panigale V4 the American Ducati importer convinced Ducati and legendary engine designer Dr. Taglioni to build a 1200cc V-4 that made 100 hp in 1962. It was designed to chase after sales in the lucrative police bike market in America. It was a 90-degree V-4 with four carburetors and very American styling. Join Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer as they explore the origins of this engine and motorcycle. The Ducati V-4 you never heard of!
Nov 5, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
The GREAT Dan Gurney: MOTORCYCLE ENTHUSIAST and ENGINE DESIGNER! The 280-hp Moment-Canceling TWIN!
American racing hero Dan Gurney's exploits in auto racing and car construction are legendary, but Dan was also mad for motorcycles. So much so he built his own feet-forward machine (the Alligator) with a few different production engines modified to his specs. But he also got his company All American Racers to design a compact 1800cc Twin that was projected to make 280 hp with perfect smoothness. Oh, the glory! Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief made many trips to All American Racers to interview Dan and see what was going on over the years, all shared here in this special Cycle World podcast.
Oct 29, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
EMPIRE OF RPM: Learn How HONDA built its MOTORCYCLE BUSINESS ON REVS
Soichiro Honda visited into Isle of Man TT in 1954 and was shocked to see how high Italian and German racing machines revved. The company got to work! By 1958 when the Honda Cub and its 50cc four-stroke debuted, its engine made peak power at 9000 rpm with great reliability. Honda went on in racing to develop Grand Prix engines revving beyond 20,000 rpm. This expertise led to street bike 350 twins such as the CB350 that made all the power and more than the prevailing British 650cc parallel-twins of the 1960s. Kevin and Mark discuss Honda's origin and the path the company took to deliver exceptional performance at competitive cost.
Oct 22, 2025 · 1 hr 18 min
How Exhaust Pipes MAKE POWER (or KILL IT!)
How does your motorcycle exhaust system help your engine make more power, be more efficient, and sound amazing? Like many parts of the motorcycle, there are near-infinite variations. For exhaust systems Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Chief Mark Hoyer discuss: length and diameter of the tubing, collector size and shape, how long each element of the system is, overall length, silencer type, cam design, port length and shape, cylinder grouping, and so much more. We get into four-into-one vs. four-two-one, the "power bulge," what is reversion, stepped headers and, well, like we said, so much more. Join us!
Oct 16, 2025 · 1 hr 15 min
Makin' FLAMES! The ART and SCIENCE of mixing FUEL and AIR.
Sounds crazy but early engines ran on "city gas," generated by roasting coal. Liquid fuels like gasoline improved our lot in Combustion Life, but there have been many experiments to get the most out of it. How close are we to perfect combustion? How do we get liquid fuel--which will not burn--to turn to vapor that will burn? So many questions that Kevin and Mark set out to answer. Let's get into the molecules, shall we?
Oct 8, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Ninja! Kawasaki's brand within a brand and how it came to mean "Sportbike" to the masses.
How "Ninja" came to define Kawasaki and what it means to the company. The bikes that built this brand within the brand started in the early 1970s and Ninja just put a name on it. What's "it"? Listen as Kevin and Mark of Cycle World talk about where the Ninja ethic began and where it's taken Kawasaki, from screaming two-stroke triples to supercharged 1000cc sportbikes.
Oct 1, 2025 · 1 hr 17 min
Fun With Materials: What are Motorcycles Made of and Why?
This week Kevin and Mark are getting MORE MOLECULAR than usual! We know, it's awesome, right? The motorcycle mostly started with iron, then steel and some bronze, and then we got aluminum, titanium, beryllium and more, plus all kinds of composites. Despite getting molecular, it's a big topic, so join us on our epic journey.