Remember December? If not, don't worry, it's all a little blurry for us as well. Well, just before the holidays we discussed the top twelve riders and what the upcoming season might have in store from them. Which is all well and good, but what about the bikes? WHAT ABOUT THE BIKES?!

Well, don't worry because this week Mat and Peter are dusting off the old crystal ball to look at what MotoGP's next season might look like from a more...mechanical point of view. We're going to look at each manufacturer and their bikes, so we can ask where they are at, what they need and what could really throw a wrench in their plans.

Oh, and that last question might be a little more literal than you're imagining...

Cheers!

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

STOP! DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS AUDIO! THIS IS MEANT TO BE A VIDEO. GO WATCH IT ON OUR PATREON OR ON YOUTUBE!

Okay, still here? Hello, this is producer Sam. Normally, I'd be writing a description for our new episode here, but we're kicking off the new year with a very special scoop and we're going to need video to show it to you. I've put the audio here, but if you choose to listen to it rather than view it you will probably end up being incredibly confused. So go to our Patreon or YouTube, press play, kick back and enjoy!

Oh, and don't worry: next week, it's all back to our regular scheduled broadcasting!

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

Hey everyone! This week, I'm afraid that Mat and Peter are lost in the late-December limbo. So instead, we're giving all of you a holiday present in the form of a (formerly) Patreon-exclusive post. This interview with Casey was first published in March, and was one of the first things we uploaded exclusively for our subscribers. Like this? Then why not start 2025 with a subscription to our Patreon, and get cool stuff like this on the regular? Trust us – you’ll love it! We'll be back with you in 2025, so see you all in the new year!

Cheers,
Mat, Peter and Sam

Original Patreon description follows below:

Mat's been a journalist for longer than our producer's been alive, so he's got quite the archive. For this series we've asked him to pick some of his favourites, and we're kicking things of with the legend himself: Casey Stoner!

Mat called Casey to talk about how his riding technique changed over the course of his career, from the 990cc to 800cc and the inevitable 1000cc. Mat: “And oh my god, he's so fucking good at explaining how he rides the thing!"

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

Ho ho ho! Are you feeling the holiday spirit yet? No? Well, have we got just the thing for you: a visit from Father Christmas himself! No, not Saint Nick – we’re talking about the one and only Kevin Schwantz, wearing a funny little red hat!*

Yes, we gave Kevin a ring and he picked up the phone for us. A few minutes later we were talking about his racing career, and before you know it there’s some pretty cool stories being shared. Some of them are about fighting for your life on a machine that seems to have a mind of its own, others are about one of the very best rivalries this sport has ever seen. And some stories may even be about the cheeky projectile launching of edible goods in a restaurant...

So grab yourself some eggnog, turn off the umpteenth rendition of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and gather everybody around the tree, because it’s time for some bloody great stories from the Christmas Schwantz!

*Because of the audio format of this podcast, the hat might be imaginary. On the topic of seasonal headwear, listener discretion is advised.

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

This week, we're getting ready for the holiday season as we count down the Twelve Nights Riders of Christmas! Yes, Mat and Peter have been making a list (and checking it twice) from Bezzecchi to Martin, and they’re about to let you know who’s been naughty or nice…

So, who rides with the strongest emotions? Who has the most fighting spirit, the most crashes, the most wins and the most potential? Who should be proud and full of good cheer, and who might have been slacking a bit and finds coal in their socks?

There’s only one way to find out, so grab a drink, hit play and get ready...

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

This week, we asked our Patreon-supporters to send in their questions and they did not disappoint. For example: How do factories look at independent teams? Was there ever a crash so bad, it made Peter and Mat reconsider racing? How do you talk to a rider who just messed up their race? Whtiny mistakes can have the biggest consequences for a rider's career? And what does Peter mean when he talks about 'Rider Intelligence'?

The answers to all the above and way, way more are found inside this extra long episode. So go ahead, jump in and enjoy!

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

Oh boy, something went wrong this week! No, we’re not talking about the financial trouble KTM finds itself in – although I promise we’ll touch on that in a bit – but about our microphones. We’ve got it fixed for next week, but this episode the quality is in the lovely tone of ‘tin can’. Sorry about that.

However, don’t go away just yet, because we’ve got a guest! This week, we’re talking about the future of MotoGP. That’s the financial future, to be precise. With Liberty Media buying the championship, the question is: what motivates them to do so and what could they do with it? To answer this, we’re joined by financial expert, old friend of the show and Monza Group founder Dario de Wet.

It starts about finance, but pretty soon the bigger picture appears when the concept of ‘value’ comes up. Because what is it that gives MotoGP value? Not just monetary value, but an actual presence in the lives of people? And can new owners bring that to a new audience without alienating the old one? Or, put simply: how can we show people what makes this sport great, without losing it?

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

This week, we’re staying at the Barcelona paddock to report on the big test. That’s right: it’s been at least hours since a new champion was crowned, so testing for the next season can begin!
So, what will Mat and Peter find and does it get them excited? Well, there’s some stuff that looks absolutely amazing. And it’s right next to the stuff that will probably give us headaches. But what’s what, and why so?
The only way to find out is to listen! Also, get ready for guest appearances by Jorge Martin’s bike - and maybe we’ll see Jorge, too, or at least his doppelgänger. What’s he doing here? Does he want to be rewarded for winning the championship with a gifted subscription to this podcast? Or is he looking for something else?

Cheers!

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!