Two-Wheel Science 101 — w/Nick Ienatsch

How is speed on a bike different from speed in a car? Is chasing the limit different if you’re more likely to get hurt? And just why did your crazy old Uncle Eddie yardsale that ratty Ducati across a field, anyway?

Complex questions. Except Uncle Eddie. Dude owns a Chevelle and loves Foreigner a little too much, you know? Probably got hot blooded one night, wanted to know what love is. Maybe it felt like the first time? Tires were cold as ice, though, too many head games! But I digress.

Nick Ienatsch is the creator of the Yamaha Champions Riding School, one of the country’s best two-wheel performance training programs. He’s also a writer, a racer, and a hell of a good teacher. Before his current gig, Nick spent more than a decade as the lead instructor at the celebrated Freddie Spencer Riding School. 

We ask Nick about motorcycles in this one. Ross, Sam, and Jeff are all bike people, but that's not a prereq here. At the core, this is an episode for anyone who likes wheels and owns a brain. 

And maybe also Uncle Eddie.

RELATED TRIVIA: This episode marks the end of INTC’s first year on air! Fifty-two shows, one every week—weird, right? Honestly, we’re just geeked to still be here. Thank you for listening!

This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.

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ABOUT THE SHOW:

It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.

Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.

We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.

New episodes every Tuesday.