Motorcycles - Walt In PA

Ever since I decided that I wanted to get back into riding a motorcycle, I have been going down the rabbit hole of YouTube Motorcycle Content. It started innocently enough - just looking for reviews on bikes that caught my interest. This, of course, introduced me to Gear Reviews, Riding Tips, Motovlogs, and most recently - Documentaries. As the YouTube Algorithm does - I watch one video that sparks my interest and then it will suggest something else I might enjoy. Before long I've had videos playing in the background, while I work, all day long. I've watched several dozen videos over the past few weeks and, the more I watch, the more Content Creators I'm exposed to. I've started developing a mild curiosity for some and a fascination for others. In this post I'd like to share with you a handful of Motorcycle YouTubers I've enjoyed following - so much so that I've subscribed to their channels and look forward to seeing new content. General Interest Channels General Interest Motorcycle Channels are those that have an umbrella that covers a broad range of topics; from How-To Guides, to Gear Reviews, to Bike Reviews, to Motovlogs. They do a little bit of everything which makes them a great resource for Motorcycle Information. Below is a short list of General Interest Motorcycle Channels that I have found to be very informative. FortNine Of all my YouTube Subscriptions, FortNine is probably the one I pay the closest attention to. The topics covered are broad and range from Motovlogs to Reviews of all sorts. The production value is high and videos come across as crisp and polished with a little something for everyone. No matter if you are looking for a little humor or nerdy tech specs - Ryan F9 has you covered. https://youtu.be/VKGZdsIkLog Bikes and Beards Of all the YouTube Channels on my list of recommendations - Bike and Beards is probably the one I’ve watched more frequently than any other (by a lot). Bikes & Beards is the vlog for SRK Cycles in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and is basically a behind the scenes look at the dealership. I think what has appealed to me most about this channel is the unheard-of customer service that is offered. In more than one video, Sean offered to buy a bike back and “undo the deal” when a customer ran into mechanical trouble. Sean from Bikes & Beards doesn’t claim to be a motorcycle guru - instead he comes across as a genuinely good guy that I’m compelled to watch. I’m much less enthusiastic about the SRK Cycles Channel - not because they produce bad content but because it is more of a sales tool showcasing the many bikes they buy and sell at the dealership. https://youtu.be/aDJ3Cc4Ez00 RevZilla RevZilla was one of the very first YouTube Channels that I stumbled onto when I decided to get back into Motorcycles. I started out by reading a review featuring the Honda CB650R and before I knew it, I was watching their videos on how to buy a motorcycle. Speaking of the How to Buy a Motorcycle Video on RevZilla - They spent time in a local dealership (Martin Motorsports) which just happens to be a few miles away and the very same dealership I hope to buy my next bike from. Being the proverbial Home Team, I pay close attention to new videos and always look forward to new content. https://youtu.be/VEnDvbeIwN4 How-To / Education The How-To / Education Category in my list of Motorcycle Content Creators is pretty self-explanatory. These are channels that I have found to be extremely helpful in educating me about Motorcycles and how to operate them safely. Until I'm able to actually purchase a motorcycle of my own, this information has been strictly technical (not practical since I haven't been able to apply the knowledge they have taught me - I'm working on rectifying that). Below is a short list of How-To / Education Channels that I've taken a liking to. MotoJitsu MotoJitsu is kind of like that teacher you had in high school - laid back and a wealth of knowledge but doesn’t beat you over the head with too much too fast. One of the things I like most about this channel is its ability to explain technique in a way that makes sense. In this situation the bike will behave like this and here is why... The channel is full of great practical advice that is presented in a way that feels genuine. While I haven’t done so yet, I fully intent to purchase at least one of the MotoJitsu books in an effort to become a better rider. I’ve purchased both of Greg Widmar’s Motorcycle Books and found Road to Mastery an excellent primer for new riders. https://youtu.be/6k1xE5lHbos Jerry Palladino Jerry Palladino has been involved with Motorcycle Training for over twenty-years and may be one of the most recognizable names in the industry. I first learned of this individual back when I wanted to learn to ride. Several people recommended “Training Videos from that guy that teaches Police Riding - he can teach you to be graceful even on the biggest of bikes.” I can remember back to the first video clip I saw - he was doing things on a huge Motorcycle that I could only dream of doing on my little Suzuki 450. Not only is Jerry Palladino still a big name in Motorcycle Training all these years later - he seems to be at the top of his game. His YouTube Channel is a source for new content on a regular basis. Content is a mix of actual training footage of his students as well as Motovlogs that maintain focus on safe riding techniques. On a side note - there is a Ride Like a Pro franchise here in Pennsylvania. While it wouldn’t be the same as getting training direct from the man himself, I think it would be extremely beneficial for me personally. https://youtu.be/Ygv90Vjjq3w MotoVloggers Up until recently, I had no idea that Motovlogging was a thing. In a nutshell, it is a video blog done on a Motorcycle. If you've been around Walt In PA or Stogie Review for a while, you know that I have hundreds of hours worth of old cringe worthy vlogs (by today's standards) on YouTube. I love the idea of someone talking to the camera while out for a ride - so much so that I have toyed with the idea of re-focusing this blog. Below is a short list of Motovloggers that I've taken a liking to. Shadetree Surgeon Of all the Content Creators I've chosen to recommend - this is the one that I've struggled most with to describe. Part of me feels like the following description is going to come across as insulting but in the one-in-a-million chance that he reads this little blurb on the internet, I think he may find it as a compliment (that is in fact how I mean it) We all know that one guy - that guy that speaks like a professional wrestler cutting a promo and you never know what is going to come out of his mouth. On top of that, he loves Dungeons and Dragons and rides a Harley (I don't know if he actually loves D&D but he has talked about Fantasy Novels and I'm totally into that). In a nutshell, that is Shadetree Surgeon. Shadetree Surgeon can be a little weird at times and come across a bit crass but he is authentic and that is precisely why I enjoy watching his videos. https://youtu.be/BYAuHqctMAI Her Two Wheels There was a short period of time when I thought "This motovlogging thing seems awesome - when I get my bike I'm going to start one too!" This, of course, lead to several searches on how to setup a helmet for recording video. Out of the blue, YouTube suggested a Live Stream on "How to Start a Motovlog Channel". Perfect timing - I'm in! The Live Stream was being done by Her Two Wheels - a channel I hadn't watched yet. I was impressed with the quality of the video so I began watching older content. I liked what I saw in multiple camera angles, solid production value, and interesting discussion topics that held my attention. There is the occasional off-topic diversion "Awww, so pretty!" but with three daughters I've gotten used to that. https://youtu.be/ToOuha1ry88 Videographers I'm not sure that Videographers is the right description for the suggestions below (Quite honestly, I don't know how else to categorize them). These are Content Creators that go beyond a traditional Motovlog. Rather than covering a specific topic over a short period time, they instead tell a story with twists and turns along the way. Videos in this category can go on for well over and hour and do a good job of holding your attention throughout. Ryan Urlacher Lately, my thing has been to put on a YouTube video to passively watch as I work at my computer. I allow YouTube to auto-suggest and begin playing new videos one after another. This gives me the opportunity to keep the background noise going and introduces me to new content creators. This is how I came across Ryan Urlacher - Owner and Founder of Law Abiding Biker Media. The Ryan Urlacher channel has a variety of content but what I find most enjoyable is the long-form documentaries. These are multi-day road trips where the Sworn Few Motorcycle Club sets off and you get to see a handful of personalities. In between riding segments, you get a peak at what each town has to offer as well as a little info (They may stop at a unique bar and tell you a bit about the town in a voice over - very documentary-esque). https://youtu.be/2-G0g2MXFpo Teague Fleury It was about 4:30 am and I was about to start working for the day. I wanted to play a YouTube Video in one of my spare monitors to create a little background noise and give me something to glance up at every few minutes. I opened up the YouTube Home Page and among the many suggested videos was Get Lost | A Solo Motorcycle Adventure to the Darien Gap. At almost two-hours long, I thought it was perfect for some passive watching. What I wasn't expecting to happen was to be drawn into the story. Here was Teague Fluery and he was going to ride his motorcycle from Connecticut to Panama. He has no experience going on long rides, doesn't know how to work on his own bike, and doesn't know much about making documentaries. This checks none of the boxes for something that I'm going to be engaged in. Despite that, the story grabbed my attention and held firm. In less than two-hours we see what its like on the road for nearly two-months. The solitude, the breakdowns, and the downright scary situations make for an excellent story. "Walt, are you saying that when you get your bike you want to go on a long trek into South America?"The answer to that question is an enthusiastic Hell No! https://youtu.be/KuzOuBPuZVc A Question for You As you can see from my list above, I’ve been consuming quite a bit of Motorcycle Content over the past few weeks. It’s been a lot of fun finding new Content Creators but there has been one minor hiccup. I’ve found a number of channels that have produced some interesting content but have faded away with nothing current. I’m sure I’ve missed more than a handful of excellent channels. If there is a Motorcycle YouTuber that you love and isn’t on my list - I’d love to hear about them in the Comment Section below!