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Erik Stephens, Director of eCommerce at BWI (parent company of brands like Twisted Throttle, DENALI Electronics and more), joins Momentum to share the evolution of rider-focused lighting products.

In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz talks with Erik about how a small group buy for motorcycle accessories eventually grew into Twisted Throttle, how DENALI Electronics became a leading name in motorcycle lighting, and how the brands continue to focus on helping riders.

Erik explains how real-world rider experiences, near-misses and customer feedback influence product development, from forward lighting to side visibility and CANbus-controlled accessories. He also breaks down homologation, why some aftermarket lights can be dangerous when improperly designed or installed, and what riders should understand before upgrading their motorcycle lighting.

The conversation also explores the business side of scaling enthusiast brands, including international growth, localized marketing, distribution, fulfillment and the importance of listening directly to customers at events like the BMW MOA National Rally and Touratech Rally.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How Twisted Throttle started from a motorcycle accessory group buy
• How DENALI Electronics grew out of a need for better vehicle-specific lighting solutions
• Why rider safety is a major motivator behind DENALI product development
• The difference between seeing better and being seen by other drivers
• Why side and rear visibility are becoming bigger priorities for motorcyclists
• What homologation means and why street-legal lighting standards matter
• How CANbus technology changed motorcycle accessory installation
• Why real-world demonstrations help riders understand lighting performance
• What DENALI learns from customers at motorcycle rallies and events
• The challenges of scaling motorcycle and off-road brands internationally
• How rider needs differ between the U.S., Europe and Australia
• Practical starting points for riders who want to improve motorcycle visibility

📲 Connect with Erik Stephens via email

🌐 Learn more at DENALIelectronics.com

🌐 Learn more at VisionXOffRoad.com

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a motorsports event organizer who wants more participants or attendees, your marketing and operations may be in need of a revamp. I help evaluate where you're at, develop a customized strategy, implement the tasks and assess the results. So if you're serious about getting more support, let's work together. Visit HighGearSuccess.com to get started.

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a racer looking to show sponsors how you can bring value to their company, visit HighGearSuccess.com to view services offered by High Gear Success for racers.

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Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast, powered by High Gear Success

👉 Want to connect or recommend a guest? Visit: MomentumMotorsportsPodcast.com

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Chase Bailey, an independent sales rep in the powersports industry, shares how racing dirtbikes as a kid led him into dealership work, where he learned the value of relationships, product knowledge and connecting with customers. In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz chats with Chase about the role of independent sales reps, how the Powersports Rep Association helps open doors in the industry, and what it takes to represent multiple brands while supporting dealerships in a meaningful way.

From dealer-direct sales and merchandising advice to social media, customer experience and the realities of working on commission, this conversation gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at an often unspoken part of the powersports business.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Lessons learned from working in dealership parts departments
• What an independent sales rep does and how the role differs from working for one brand
• How the Powersports Rep Association helps individuals break into the professional side of the industry
• Why relationships and communication matter so much in sales
• Tips dealerships can use to better sell parts, accessories and apparel
• Why product knowledge, merchandising and social media can make a big difference
• Chase’s advice for anyone wanting to build a career in powersports

📲 Connect with Chase Bailey on Instagram

🌐 Learn more about the PRA at PowersportsRepAssociation.org

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a motorsports event organizer who wants more participants or attendees, your marketing and operations may be in need of a revamp. I help evaluate where you're at, develop a customized strategy, implement the tasks and assess the results. So if you're serious about getting more support, let's work together. Visit HighGearSuccess.com to get started.

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a racer looking to show sponsors how you can bring value to their company, visit HighGearSuccess.com to view services offered by High Gear Success for racers.

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Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast, powered by High Gear Success

👉 Want to connect or recommend a guest? Visit: MomentumMotorsportsPodcast.com

🔔 Subscribe on YouTube for more motorsports stories and strategies

📸 Follow @MomentumMotorsportsPodcast on Instagram + Facebook

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David Zelma, USA Country Manager for SW-MOTECH, has built a career around motorcycles, marketing and the aftermarket industry. In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz talks with him about his path from the custom Harley side of the industry to the adventure touring market.

David shares how an early piece of advice helped him choose a career tied to something he loved. The conversation also explores dealer education, motorcycle setup, the growth of smaller-displacement bikes, emerging e-bike riders and why hands-on product knowledge still matters in sales, marketing and leadership.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How David turned his love of motorcycles into a long career in powersports
• Lessons learned from the Harley, custom and performance aftermarket segments
• Why adventure touring became an exciting next chapter
• How bike fitment can make a major difference
• What sets SW-MOTECH apart in luggage, crash protection and rider accessories
• How dealer education supports both dealerships and riders
• David’s perspective on small-displacement motorcycles, Chinese brands and future riders
• Why technical product knowledge strengthens marketing and storytelling
• The role technology plays in modern motorcycles
• David’s favorite SW-MOTECH product and how he uses it every day

📲 Follow SW-MOTECH on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

🌐 Learn more at SW-MOTECH.us

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a motorsports event organizer who wants more participants or attendees, your marketing and operations may be in need of a revamp. I help evaluate where you're at, develop a customized strategy, implement the tasks and assess the results. So if you're serious about getting more support, let's work together. Visit HighGearSuccess.com to get started.

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a racer looking to show sponsors how you can bring value to their company, visit HighGearSuccess.com to view services offered by High Gear Success for racers.

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Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast, powered by High Gear Success

👉 Want to connect or recommend a guest? Visit: MomentumMotorsportsPodcast.com

🔔 Subscribe on YouTube for more motorsports stories and strategies

📸 Follow @MomentumMotorsportsPodcast on Instagram + Facebook

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Adventure riding is about more than dirt roads, gravel routes and challenging terrain. It’s about the people you meet along the way. In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz talks with Kane Wagner, owner of Appalachian ADV and host of the Appalachian ADV Community Podcast.

Kane shares the story behind the Fool’s Ride, how it has grown from a small gathering into Appalachian ADV’s flagship event and why he wants his rides to feel more like a reunion than just another motorcycle event. He also talks about building routes, managing permits, creating safety plans, leading clinics and helping riders gain confidence on adventure and dual sport bikes.

From community-building and coaching to calculated risk and the phrase “Have fun, take chances”, this conversation gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create meaningful riding experiences.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How the Fool’s Ride grew from a small early-season event into a 150+ rider gathering
• Why unpredictable spring weather is part of the challenge and appeal
• What riders can expect from Appalachian ADV events, clinics and guided rides
• The behind-the-scenes work involved in scouting routes, permits, insurance and safety planning
• How Kane approaches coaching riders from different backgrounds and skill levels
• Why community is at the center of Appalachian ADV
• The story behind the phrase: “Have fun. Take chances.”
• Where riders can connect with Appalachian ADV and follow upcoming events

📲 Connect with Kane Wagner on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

🌐 Learn more at AppalachianADV.com

🌐 Listen to the Appalachian ADV Community Podcast

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a motorsports event organizer who wants more participants or attendees, your marketing and operations may be in need of a revamp. I help evaluate where you're at, develop a customized strategy, implement the tasks and assess the results. So if you're serious about getting more support, let's work together. Visit HighGearSuccess.com to get started.

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a racer looking to show sponsors how you can bring value to their company, visit HighGearSuccess.com to view services offered by High Gear Success for racers.

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Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast, powered by High Gear Success

👉 Want to connect or recommend a guest? Visit: MomentumMotorsportsPodcast.com

🔔 Subscribe on YouTube for more motorsports stories and strategies

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From watching Supercross on TV to standing on top of the podium at Loretta Lynn’s MX, Carter Gray is already building a serious motocross résumé at just 13 years old. In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz talks with Carter about how he got started in racing, what it felt like to finally win at Loretta’s after years of chasing that goal, and the work that happens behind the scenes to compete at a high level.

They also talk about racing for Team USA in France, learning how to stay calm under pressure and the role his coach and training program have played in his success. Plus, he provides insight into what recovery looks like after a back injury. Carter also shares what he enjoys outside of racing and which pros he looks up to.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How Carter got his start in riding and racing
• What it meant to win Loretta Lynn’s (AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship) with his family waiting at the finish line
• His experience racing for Team USA in France and how different that track felt
• Why breathing and staying calm are such a big part of how he races smart
• What fans do not always see about the training and work behind the big moments
• How Driven MX and his support system have helped shape him as a racer
• What recovery looks like after breaking his back and having surgery
• The goals keeping him motivated as he works to get back on the bike
• Why Jett Lawrence and Eli Tomac are two riders he studies closely
• What Carter likes to do when he is not racing, from golf to basketball

📲 Connect with Carter Gray on Instagram and YouTube

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a racer looking to show sponsors how you can bring value to their company, visit HighGearSuccess.com to view services offered by High Gear Success for racers.

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Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast, powered by High Gear Success

👉 Want to connect or recommend a guest? Visit: MomentumMotorsportsPodcast.com

🔔 Subscribe on YouTube for more motorsports stories and strategies

📸 Follow @MomentumMotorsportsPodcast on Instagram + Facebook

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Grant Harlan has built a professional racing career through persistence, adaptability and a deep understanding of what it takes to keep showing up. In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz talks with Grant about his path from amateur racing to Supercross and Pro Motocross, what life looks like as a privateer racer and how he manages the mental and physical demands of competition.

They also talk about bike setup, suspension, recovery from injury, and the behind-the-scenes reality of making a racing program work with limited resources. Grant also shares how his perspective on success has evolved and why seeing Supercross in person gives fans a completely different appreciation for the sport.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How Grant went from riding in Hawaii to chasing a professional racing career
• What it’s really like living the privateer lifestyle in Supercross
• Why suspension setup matters so much, especially in Supercross
• How Grant manages confidence swings, bad weekends and long recoveries
• What success looks like for him now compared to earlier in his career
• Why he considers himself an outdoor motocross guy at heart
• What fans may not realize about the work it takes to keep a team going
• A look at what Grant enjoys outside of racing, including time around horses

📲 Connect with Grant Harlan on Instagram

📲 Follow KMR on Instagram

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a motorsports event organizer who wants more participants or attendees, your marketing and operations may be in need of a revamp. I help evaluate where you're at, develop a customized strategy, implement the tasks and assess the results. So if you're serious about getting more support, let's work together. Visit HighGearSuccess.com to get started.

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a racer looking to show sponsors how you can bring value to their company, visit HighGearSuccess.com to view services offered by High Gear Success for racers.

Support the show

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Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast, powered by High Gear Success

👉 Want to connect or recommend a guest? Visit: MomentumMotorsportsPodcast.com

🔔 Subscribe on YouTube for more motorsports stories and strategies

📸 Follow @MomentumMotorsportsPodcast on Instagram + Facebook

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Larry Lawrence has spent decades documenting the people, moments and milestones that shaped motorcycle racing in the United States. In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz talks with the longtime journalist, historian and RiderFiles.com owner about preserving the sport’s past, the challenges of keeping records accessible, and why so much of racing history is still at risk of being lost.

They also dig into the evolution of media, the value of physical archives, and Larry’s newly released book: The Immortals of American Motocross.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How Larry’s work writing AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame bios launched his deep dive into motorcycle history
• Why Rider Files started with digitizing Larry's own race photos and grew into a much bigger archive project
• What it takes to identify and organize decades of racing images and why social media has helped fill in missing details
• How race coverage changed from print deadlines and airport film handoffs to today’s nonstop digital cycle
• The difference between feeding the content machine and creating journalism that lasts
• Why Larry believes more motorcycle racing history needs to be preserved before it disappears
• How local and regional racing communities can start documenting their own history
• The challenge of ranking motocross legends for his new book: The Immortals of American Motocross

📲 Follow Rider Files on Facebook and Instagram

🌐 Learn more at RiderFiles.com

🌐 Find The Immortals of American Motocross book

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a motorsports event organizer who wants more participants or attendees, your marketing and operations may be in need of a revamp. I help evaluate where you're at, develop a customized strategy, implement the tasks and assess the results. So if you're serious about getting more support, let's work together. Visit HighGearSuccess.com to get started.

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a racer looking to show sponsors how you can bring value to their company, visit HighGearSuccess.com to view services offered by High Gear Success for racers.

Support the show

-------------------------------------

Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast, powered by High Gear Success

👉 Want to connect or recommend a guest? Visit: MomentumMotorsportsPodcast.com

🔔 Subscribe on YouTube for more motorsports stories and strategies

📸 Follow @MomentumMotorsportsPodcast on Instagram + Facebook

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From early memories of seeing a turquoise and white Harley-Davidson as a child to hosting more than 465 episodes of Motorcycle Men Podcast, Ted Kettler has built a life around motorcycles, storytelling and staying curious.

In this episode, host Heather Wilson Schiltz talks with Ted about his connection to Harley-Davidson, what he has learned through podcasting and why he decided to write The Road Most Traveled.

They also talk about the challenges of booking podcast guests, what makes an interview work, and why documenting an interstate motorcycle trip felt worth turning into a book.

🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Buying his first bike while serving in Guantanamo Bay
• The story behind working 18 months in exchange for a Harley-Davidson Sportster
• What inspired him to start Motorcycle Men Podcast
• Lessons learned from recording more than 465 podcast episodes
• How his ride from New Jersey to the Florida Keys became The Road Most Traveled

📲 Follow Ted Kettler on YouTube and Facebook

🌐 Learn more at Motorcycle Men Podcast: motomenpc.com

🌐 Find The Road Most Traveled on Amazon and Audible

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a motorsports event organizer who wants more participants or attendees, your marketing and operations may be in need of a revamp. I help evaluate where you're at, develop a customized strategy, implement the tasks and assess the results. So if you're serious about getting more support, let's work together. Visit HighGearSuccess.com to get started.

SPONSORED CONTENT: If you're a racer looking to show sponsors how you can bring value to their company, visit HighGearSuccess.com to view services offered by High Gear Success for racers.

Support the show

-------------------------------------

Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast, powered by High Gear Success

👉 Want to connect or recommend a guest? Visit: MomentumMotorsportsPodcast.com

🔔 Subscribe on YouTube for more motorsports stories and strategies

📸 Follow @MomentumMotorsportsPodcast on Instagram + Facebook