Three Individuals Whose Careers Are Driven By Motorcycling

Motorcycling is a hobby for many, but for a few it is also their livelihood.

Making a living while engaged in something you love may seem like a pipedream. But we’ve met three people who have made that dream come true.

The variety of their two-wheel-oriented professions and the path each took to his current career demonstrates the wide range of needs in the motorcycling community.

Jamie Robinson’s first foray into a motorcycling career was about going as fast as he could. His current endeavors are focused on how far he has gone.

A former professional motorcycle road racer, Robinson has forged a career from his combined experiences in racing, journalism, photography, television interviews and travel.

He now operates MotoGeo, a multi-media company that provides a monthly adventure series for a global audience.

Robinson, who was born in Great Britain, was introduced to motorcycling at an early age.

“My dad built me a motorcycle when I was 3 and a half, and I’ve been riding ever since,” he said. “It was a chopped up Garelli moped that we bought from a neighbor for 10p (13 cents). My dad then stripped it down, chopped it up to make it smaller and then rebuilt it.”

Robinson’s interest in motorcycling moved from recreational to competitive when he was 11. He started his two-wheeled racing endeavors in motocross, then switched to road racing when he was 16.

His racing resume includes stints competing on two-stroke grand prix motorcycles at the national and international level, as well as several seasons racing superbike and supersport machinery in the British Superbike Championship. He also has experience racing in the Isle of Mann TT and the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.

Robinson raced professionally from 1991 to 2008 and found that no racer can beat the effects of aging. When his full-time professional racing career came to a close, he started MotoGeo out of a sense of desperation. Oddly enough, it was a movie about adventure riding that would capture his interest and plant the idea that has blossomed into his post-racing career.

“A washed up racer is basically unemployable, so I had to come up with something,” he said. “I watched the movie Long Way Round with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, and it was very inspiring. At the same time, a journey like that takes lots of time and money. So, I decided to try to create smaller and cheaper adventures that most people can do and somehow try and capture that on video and [then] broadcast it for free.”

Robinson started his business from scratch, but it quickly became a full-time career.

His job closely mirrors what is, for many riders, merely a hobby. He rides motorcycles, takes pictures and videos and travels to new and exciting places. While his gig may sound like all fun and games, it also comes with responsibilities and deadlines.

“It is a job, one I take very seriously. So, it isn’t as easy as it probably sounds or looks,” he said. “However, it’s still loads of fun, and I am very lucky to be able to do it.”

Robinson said some of the perks of his work are getting to test the latest motorcycles and riding gear.

“The down sides are deadlines and time away from my family,” he said. “The weekly tight deadlines add loads of stress to the video projects, and I really miss my wife and son when I’m on the road.”

The downsides have not dampened Robinson’s passion for motorcycling, which has always been at the center of his career. Between professional racing and MotoGeo, Robinson has not worked outside of motorcycling since he left school.

“I’ve, in some way, always been heavily involved with motorcycles,” he said. “In fact, I was even before I left school, as my weekends and holidays were all bikes, bikes and more bikes,” he said. “I love motorcycles. They make me happy. So that’s why I chose to make it a career from a hobby as soon as I had the chance.”

Robinson has eight motorcycles in his garage, although most of them are not in running condition. His 2015 Ducati Scrambler is one that does run and was featured in his film The Freedom Machine.

“I just fell in love with it, especially after Roland Sands had done a few customizing jobs on it,” he said. “Basically, it’s a super fun machine and it sounds fantastic.”

One of his other motorcycles in running condition is a 2007 Honda CBR600RR. He bought it as a wrecked bike, because it was the same make and model of the bike he raced at the Isle of Mann TT. He has converted the bike from a supersport racing machine into an adventure motorcycle.

Robinson encourages aspiring motorcycle videographers and producers to give it a try. He said there are many tutorials online about how to get involved in videoblogging.

“It’s fun to create your own content,” he said. “The main thing is to be your own worst critic and try and improve as you gain experience.”

MotoGeo started from humble beginnings before growing into a successful enterprise. Robinson’s first foray into the business featured him riding from New York City to Los Angeles on a motorcycle he bought in New York for $200.

“The whole trip cost me less than $500, and it is still one of the best and most memorable adventures I’ve ever done,” he said. “The main thing is getting a motorcycle, gearing up and then just going for a ride. Freedom awaits. With the vision of always aiming to inspire others to travel, ride motorcycles and gear up.”

 

Writing about motorcycling is not as easy as it may seem. It takes more than having an opinion to be a good motorcycle journalist.

Just ask Tom Mehren, founder of the online magazine Sound RIDER!, author and regular contributor to American Motorcyclist.

Mehren began publishing Sound RIDER! on a part-time basis in 1999 and made it his full-time job in 2002. The publication focuses on motorcycle riding and motorcycling culture in the Pacific Northwest.

Mehren also has authored six books about motorcycling in the Pacific Northwest. And his role with Sound RIDER! has led him into organizing and promoting a few motorcycle events, as well as opening an online store.

His interest in motorcycling dates to when he got his first motorcycle at the age of 10. He used his little Honda XL100 to begin exploring his home region of Southern California, and the two-wheeled exploration bug bit him hard.

Mehren did not have plans for a career in the motorcycling industry.

“I spent 25 years in the music business, doing various jobs, mostly involved in marketing and sales,” he said. “I worked in record retail, for record labels and finished out that career as a consultant to recording artists and small labels.”

Since he made the transition to writing books and articles, Mehren has found his greatest reward in sharing the stories that embody the ethos of motorcycling. The work also requires devoting a lot of time to riding.

“There are a lot of great miles and experiences in all those words,” he said. “If motorcycling was just a hobby for me, my average miles ridden each year would be significantly lower. I always ride with a purpose, which has been far more enriching to me than taking a bike out once or twice a month on a sunny day.”

One of the biggest challenges of Mehren’s job is keeping his material fresh and interesting.

“The volume of words and content for people to access today is horrendously huge,” he said. “So, one challenge is to get those eyeballs turned your way and actually have those riders feel that what you are writing is worthy of their coming back for your next article.”

Mehren also regularly deals with some of the challenges associated with motorcycling in the northwestern United States. The region’s damp climate and propensity for wildfires can make good riding days each year hard to come by.

To accomplish his two-wheeled journalism endeavors, Mehren calls upon one of his three motorcycles. His workhorse is an adventure-oriented 2012 Honda NC700X. For paved roads, he also rides a 2002 Honda Silverwing scooter.

“Maxi scoots are fun, and there’s nothing like that low center of gravity they provide,” he said.

For off-road riding, Mehren has a trusty 1988 Honda NX650.

“Someday, that bike will die. But after 30 years, it just keeps on giving,” he said.

Mehren advises aspiring motorcycle journalists to make motorcycling, not the author, the focus of the stories.

“People who ride motorcycles are always looking for more information to make their riding experience better,” he said. “Give them that, without telling side stories that would matter little to them. I rarely use the word ‘I’ when I pen a piece.”

Mehren also suggests strengthening one’s photography skills. He points out that many times he does not have the luxury of working alongside a photographer on his stories. It is up to him to capture the images needed to supplement his words.

He also said journalism is not often the path to a huge salary. But writing has non-monetary benefits that make it worthwhile.

In a field where technology has rapidly changed the way news gets from reporters to readers, Mehren stays ready to adapt to the times.

“If you are a consistent writer, you’ll earn enough to put gas in the tank for the next adventure and have a great time doing it,” he said. “Print is giving way to digital media, a format that is in constant flux, morphing from websites into apps, e-books, podcasts, digital subscriptions and more. I’ve written for all those media in my 20 years as a moto journalist. Wherever we’re going next, I want to be there.”

 

Christian Dutcher is the son of Bill Dutcher, who founded the Americade motorcycle rally in Lake George, N.Y. Christian has served as the director of the popular touring rally for nearly a decade.

Christian Dutcher’s passion for motorcycling dates back to when he was 4 years old and had his first experience as a passenger on his father’s Bultaco Alpina.

“He would wheelie it, scaring the heck out of me,” Dutcher said.

The motorcycling seed was planted.

His first motorcycle was a 1980 Honda XR200, which sparked his interest in off-road riding and exploration.

“I loved riding in the woods and had many adventures on that 19-horsepower bike, exploring streambeds and forgotten trails,” he said. “To this day, I love exploring remote off-the-grid areas. Last fall, I spent several weeks riding through Lesotho [Africa] and loved every minute of it.”

While his interest in motorcycling was solidified in his youth, it was not until he was well into his adulthood that Dutcher decided he wanted to take up the family business. Dutcher has worked at every edition of the annual Americade event, but his original career goals were not attached to his parents’ successful creation.

“I had a career in the tech industry and thought that was my future,” he said. “But, the opportunity to take over the company excited me, and I’m glad I made the leap.”

He began working full-time for Americade about 15 years ago. In his current role, Dutcher oversees all aspects of the Americade rally, the Dirt Daze Adventure Bike Rally and two annual motorcycle tours.

“It’s fun, ever-changing, challenging and unique,” he said. “We start working on the next Americade the moment the current one ends, and there are thousands upon thousands of decisions that need to be made throughout the year. It’s like planning a motorcycle themed party.”

For Dutcher, promoting one of the most popular motorcycle rallies in the United States has its perks.

“New bikes, new equipment and new companies are all part of my day-to-day business, which I love,” he said. “When I’m scouting a new route, I often chuckle in my helmet, muttering to myself, ‘I get paid to do this.’”

He also embraces the challenges of operating such a large event.

“Running big-time events comes with big-time stress,” he said. “While that is a downside, it’s also the thing that makes this job very exciting. Being able to maintain a Zen-like state during the craziness is a job requirement.”

A major part of planning motorcycling events is staying up-to-date on motorcyclists’ interests and preferences. As motorcycling is passed to succeeding generations, event promoters have to work hard to understand their attendees’ expectations and deliver a satisfying experience.

“Society is changing, which has an impact on what the motorcycling community wants from an event,” Dutcher said. “We are forced to recreate ourselves to meet those changes, which is no small feat. Americade 2018 was an excellent event, but it was significantly different from what Americade was like 10 years ago.”

Even though Dutcher’s experience working in the motorcycling industry is often a stressful one, it hasn’t muted his passion.

“To this day, when I pull out of my driveway on either of my road bikes, I smile,” he said. “That’s remained untouched, despite making motorcycling my career.”

When he needs to ride for work, Dutcher chooses among his fleet of three motorcycles. His primary road bike is a Triumph Tiger 1050.

“It’s my Swiss army knife, because of its wonderfully flexible power band,” he said. “It’s great for Vermont’s twisty roads. Its long travel suspension works well on the Northeast’s sometimes lumpy pavement. And it has enough storage for a weekend jaunt to the coast for seafood.”

For adventure riding, Dutcher uses a Kawasaki KLR650.

“It’s my faithful ‘mule,’” he said. “It allows me to get off the pavement and explore routes for my adventure bike events.”

He also owns a Beta trail bike for single-track, off-road riding.

For those who are considering a career as a motorcycle event promoter, Dutcher’s advice is not to lose sight of the sense of fun that makes motorcycling attractive.

“It requires an odd set of skills, but if you have them, then it can be very rewarding,” he said. “In addition to a love of bikes, one has to have the creativity to be able to develop fun events, while having the discipline to pursue the details.”