Driven to Ride

Cat MacLeod has spent much of his life bringing two passions together: motorcycles and travel. Raised on a horse ranch, McLeod began riding at age 11 under the guidance of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Gunnar Lindstrom. He later earned an MBA and built a career in the motorcycle industry, holding marketing and brand-management roles with companies including Bel-Ray, BikeBandit, and LeoVince USA.

MacLeod’s experience in the travel business dates back to the 1990s, but a ride through Europe convinced him that conventional motorcycle tours were not always designed for experienced, performance-minded riders. That realization inspired Leod Escapes, which combines guided road tours with track time at internationally renowned racing circuits.

Over the past 14 years, Cat has ridden a dozen MotoGP circuits, including Mugello, Sachsenring, Phillip Island, Catalunya, Portimão, and Brno. His tours typically pair three days at the track with carefully selected roads, regional food, local culture, and practical rider training.

On this episode of “Driven to Ride,” host Mark Long talks with MacLeod about learning from an eventful first tour, building a worldwide network of instructors and suppliers, and creating unforgettable experiences for riders who want more than an ordinary motorcycle vacation.

https://www.leodescapes.com/

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Nick Ienatsch has spent most of his life riding and racing motorcycles. He’s an acknowledged expert in his field, having won club and national championships on everything from single-cylinder street bikes to exotic grand prix road racers. In the second of a two-part interview with “Driven to Ride” host Mark Long, the magazine editor turned instructor emphasizes continuing education.

Following a long run with the Freddie Spencer High Performance Riding School, Ienatsch co-founded the Yamaha Champions Riding School, which offers a multi-tiered approach to “building confidence and maximizing fun.” Options run the gamut, from online courses to hands-on instruction. As Ienatsch says, “There’s a path to doing this well forever.”

Ienatsch doesn’t pull punches when the discussion shifts to avoiding dangerous situations while piling up street miles. “I hate to preach,” he says, “but if you're riding with people who push, push, push, push everywhere they go—through traffic, lane-splitting—you will meet their family in the hospital, I promise you. So, be careful of that.” Sound advice, indeed.  

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In the early 1980s, Nick Ienatsch was studying English at the University of Utah and working part-time at a Salt Lake City motorcycle dealership. He wrote a letter to Art Friedman, the editor of Motorcyclist magazine, asking for a job. Friedman hired Ienatsch in 1984, launching a two-wheel adventure that has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists.

“All we did was think about motorcycles,” Ienatsch recalls of his early days in moto-journalism. “I lived with [fellow editors] Lance Holst and Jason Black; we started Sport Rider magazine. We lived together. We worked together. We raced together. Everything was motorcycling. All we wanted to do was ride motorcycles. There were a lot of crazy, funny times, but it was all bikes.”

Ienatsch eventually transitioned from writing road tests to rider instruction, first with the Freddie Spencer High Performance Riding School and, since 2008, the Yamaha Champions Riding School. His 2003 book, “Sport Riding Techniques,” remains a must-read. Over a 40-plus-year career, Ienatsch’s enthusiasm for motorcycling has never dimmed, burning brightly to this day.

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There are motorcycle-industry professionals who need an introduction and those who don’t. Scot Harden is in the latter category. From Baja to the boardroom, this hall-of-fame racer and business leader has been there and done that. He likely designed the proverbial T-shirt, too. To his credit, however, Harden is quick to praise those who guided him on his 50-plus-year two-wheel journey.

Harden got his start racing off-road, beating the best in the desert near his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. “Back then, Barstow to Vegas was the biggest race in the world,” he says. “It started just east of Barstow, California, and went all the way to Las Vegas—a 170-mile point-to-point hare and hound. In 1973, there were 3,000 entries. I got third overall, first 250cc Expert.”

Decades of top-level international competition helped Harden develop models and programs that quite literally transformed the sport. Those successes aside, Harden, who will soon celebrate his 70th birthday, isn’t resting on his many laurels. “Motorcycling can’t be taken for granted,” he cautions. “There are a lot of challenges, and we need to be more proactive.”

See what Scot is up to now at harden-offroad.com

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The freedom of the open road, escape from the every day, and throw in a little rebellious spirit - that’s what motorcycles are all about right? Well, according to author, historian, and professor, Dr Wendy Pojmann, that idea may only exist in the US - whereas, in Italy, motorcycles are looked at more as a part of everyday life.

In her book, Connected by the street, the myths and realities of motorcycles in the USA and Italy, Wendy breaks down the pretty striking difference between how motorcycles are perceived in the US culture versus the Italian culture - whether you look at racing, manufacturers, or even motorcycle clubs.

The product of Wendy’s research stems from her passion for everything Italian - from Ducatis and Vespas to espresso, and combines it with her personal experiences from the surprising reactions of both Italians and Americans when they learn she rides a motorcycle - although I guess you won’t find a huge of crossover between college professors and motorcycle riders.

What’s fascinating about Wendy’s book is that it takes a lot of things that motorcyclists may already ‘know’, but frames it in an academic sense, complete with research and historical context - and you may not look at Italian motorcycles the same way again.

Buy Wendy Pojmann's Book

Wendy Pojmann on Instagram

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