Ramblestream Podcast

A simple question opens a lot of doors: why do we ride. We chase that answer from multiple angles this week, equal parts poetry, builds, and road-ready practicality, then bring it to life with the energy of a Midwest custom show and the clink of a limited-run rye. We start with the decision many riders weigh: Janus Halcyon 250 or 450. The 250 is light, immediate, and perfect for savoring 45 mph roads and neighborhood rambles. The 450 brings the Halcyon ethos to higher speeds and longer days ...

What if the routine you resist is the very thing that frees your riding? We crack open a lively, surprising hour that starts with bourbon banter and Pablo Neruda's Ode to My Socks, then lands squarely on the craft of becoming a better rider through repetition, rhythm, and thoughtful constraint. The core idea is simple and powerful: routines aren’t hacks; they’re invitations. When you reduce decision clutter, you gain attention for the line, the wind, the way the bike speaks through the bars. ...

Snow, skis, and a barn full of slot cars set the stage for a conversation about how riders actually get better. We kick off with community vibes and featured Janus builds, then get hands-on with a forged aluminum upgrade: new Halcyon 450 pegs that fold with a satisfying detent, grip when it counts, and service easily. From there, we head north to Winter Moto Camp, where deep powder, iced roads, and a Griffin 450 in the back of a Rivian push comfort zones, and prove that smart setup and shared...

What if your habits are the truest version of you, what shows up when there’s no time to think? We dive straight into that idea and test it against real motorcycle moments: the instant a car cuts across your lane, the ritual of gearing up, the subtle ways practice turns intention into instinct. Along the way, Richard reads A.E. Stallings’ Pencil, a poem that flips certainty into revision, and we nerd out on fountain-pen ink as a metaphor for tools that shape behavior. It sounds small, but it ...

Names aren’t just labels; they’re commitments. We opened with The Little Prince and the fox’s lesson on “taming," the slow craft of building ties, and used it as a lens to ask why we name bikes, boats, and the objects that shape our lives. From there, we dove into how ritual, patience, and attention turn a mass‑produced machine into a companion with character. To ground the philosophy, we toured three fresh builds from the shop. A Phoenix 250 in deep green with gold primary and copper second...

An hourglass, a motorcycle, and a name, what do they have in common? More than you think. We open with the simple act of naming a machine and end up deep in the reasons we ride at all: connection, presence, and the useful edge of fear. Along the way, we read a luminous Borges poem about time, riff on memento mori, and talk about how a bike becomes a partner when you give it a place in your life. We get our hands dirty, too. Together we configure a Griffin 450, debating Maze yellow vs silver,...

Doors change everything. We open this week with the image of Janus, the Roman god of thresholds, and use it to frame a candid look at where we’ve been and where we’re headed. From community roll call and a sip of E.H. Taylor to a live design session on a cream Halcyon 250, we balance reverence for the past with a practical plan for the future. We dig into the heart of January: a liminal space made for stock-taking and honest planning. That mindset carries straight into our craft at Janus Mot...

A Connecticut bourbon in one hand, a 250 cc V‑twin in the other: we kick off with community shoutouts and a lively debate about what makes a “thing” worth keeping, then dive deep into the most polarizing brand on our radar, Benda. From Napoleon Bob’s long, low stance and theatrical multi‑link front end to a cleverly disguised rear suspension that keeps hardtail lines intact, we examine where design ends, and engineering begins. It’s eye-catching. It’s controversial. And it raises the question...

A sidecar legend just took a hard turn, and we’re here for the full unpack. We trace Ural’s storied path, from postwar BMW roots to the snow‑crushing charm of the Gear Up, and confront the moment everything changed: sanctions, a factory move, and the debut of the Neo 500 built with Yingang. It’s lighter on nostalgia, heavier on modern cues, and aiming under $15K. But does a seven‑inch screen and ADV silhouette add value to a niche that runs on character, or does it blur the very story that ke...

What does it actually take to build a motorcycle brand that belongs in a barn find a century from now? We pull back the curtain on our WeFunder campaign, why we chose community investment, and how this funding fuels the unglamorous, essential work of scaling a craft manufacturer, bigger buys with trusted suppliers, smarter tooling, upgraded facilities, and a serious push to reduce lead times without compromising the ride. We get specific about the plan: unlocking supply chain savings to impr...

Ever feel the tug between watching quietly and jumping into the conversation? We lean into that tension from a snow-heavy night at Janus HQ, blending the joy of motorcycles with the craft of community. We start with a rider roll call, then build a Griffin 250 scrambler live, debating black-on-black stealth versus bold pinstripes, while unpacking how classic scrambler choices like knobby tires, wide bars, and a high pipe reflect the rides you actually want to take. Then we take a thoughtful d...