\u00a0\u201cI was the kid rolling down the car window and yelling at a Hell\u2019s Angel that I loved his hog!\u201d<\/span><\/i> – Liza Miller<\/span><\/p>\n

When you are born with motorcycle oil in your veins, it\u2019s only fitting that you share your passion with the world. Liza Miller, host and producer of the <\/span>Motorcycles and Misfits Podcast<\/span><\/i>, has always had a love of motorcycles. At nine months old, she posed with one for a baby photo. At 12, she learned to ride, and at 17, she purchased her first bike.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, she kept that purchase from her parents until her first crash\u2014on the highway, with no protective gear except for the helmet she purchased at the thrift store for 75 cents. Luckily, the worst injuries she received were from her parents, who were less than thrilled about the bike and the crash!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Motorcycles and Misfits Podcast<\/span><\/i> was born in a motorcycle community in and around Santa Cruz California. The epicenter is Liza\u2019s ReCycle Garage, where they do more than just work on motorcycles. There, a group of people of all ages and walks of life come together once a week to eat, live, and breathe motorcycles on Liza\u2019s podcast. <\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Motorcycles and Misfits Podcast<\/span><\/i> is a critically acclaimed weekly podcast that features the stories, experiences, and bike tales of a funky, fun group of biking enthusiasts known as \u201cThe Misfits.\u201d (And by the way, there is just no way to convey how cool they actually are through this article!)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Liza started The ReCycle Garage to address a need she was hearing: people would often ask her how to start riding and\/or how to get a bike without spending tons of money. Liza knew there were a lot of broken bikes needing repair sitting around in yards and garages. She thought if she could get them for free or <\/span>\u201creally cheap,\u201d<\/span><\/i> she could teach others how to repair and ride them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, about thirteen years ago, Liza opened The ReCycle Garage. She started with just a couple bikes but quickly ran out of space. Now, anywhere from 12-20 people show up on Sundays to talk bike smack and work on their motorcycles! They mentor and learn from one another and form the core of enthusiasts self-described as <\/span>\u201cmisfits.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome riders come to the garage to repair bikes and some come to hang out and teach. As far as The Misfits go, we pride ourselves on being misfits with one common bond,\u201d <\/span><\/i>Liza explained.<\/span> \u201cPeople love helping other people, so it perpetuates itself. The riders and wrenchers are better than me now, and I\u2019m really proud of that.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The Misfits are an eclectic group who go by names like Miss Emma, Naked Jim, Bagel, and Nak. They have come and gone as the years have passed, and Liza welcomes new riders. The only qualification is to be a rider and have a passion for motorcycles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How did the gatherings of The Misfits evolve into a podcast? Well, as the group worked on bikes, they also traded stories, shared experiences, and taught one another. Liza wanted a way to capture those conversations, and <\/span>Motorcycles and Misfits<\/span><\/i> was born. It has since become critically acclaimed in the podcast <\/span>and <\/span><\/i>motorcycle industry. Liza\u2019s guests have been notable, including raving fan Norman Reedus of <\/span>The<\/span><\/i> Walking Dead<\/span><\/i>. Norman most recently appeared on the milestone 400th episode as a special guest. In 2016, he hung out at the garage while including The Misfits on his television show, <\/span>Ride With Norman Reedus<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho doesn\u2019t like geeking out on bikes with a bunch of misfits?<\/span><\/i>\u201d asked Norman.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Recording and editing a two-hour weekly podcast is a challenge Liza readily accepts. She usually doesn\u2019t know what they are going to talk about until about half an hour before they start. The topics vary widely; if one of the Misfits is in a motorcycle race, they will talk about it. If there is news, they will discuss it. Liza also compartmentalizes the show into segments, so she can \u201cplug and play\u201d as needed. One of the popular segments of the show is \u201cPorn Pic,\u201d During which the misfits scour Craigslist for cheap bikes and then discuss whether each is a good deal or not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the beginning of the podcast, they recorded live in Liza\u2019s garage. They would move tools, bring in equipment, and then pack in the garage to record. A few years ago, they moved to a studio, but the live and in-person element remained. They also added a YouTube channel to allow full Zoom recordings of the sessions to be seen. Currently, they are recording on Zoom, gathered around the computer screen to keep the podcast as close to \u201cnormal\u201d as they can.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to the <\/span>Motorcycles and Misfits Podcast<\/span><\/i>, Liza has been part of the Women Riders World Relay, leading trips across America from Maine to California. In 2019, over 3500 women riders participated in the year-long event, setting a record for the longest relay. Liza is also the creator of \u201cChickistan,\u201d a women\u2019s bike-tour group of Pakistan lasting almost two weeks. Liza\u2019s goal? To <\/span>\u201cchange the world\u2019s perception of the people of Pakistan. As a guest, you are treated as a celebrity in their country.\u201d<\/span><\/i> A documentary of the tour will be released soon, and Liza is hoping to take another group in 2021. She is also working on a series of motorcycle film festivals called \u201cRevSisters.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to the success of the podcast, The Misfits say it is about <\/span>\u201cbeing passionate about what you do and not being concerned about how many people are listening.\u201d<\/span><\/i> Fortunately for the <\/span>Motorcycles and Misfits Podcast<\/span><\/i>, both passion and listeners are plentiful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Author\u2019s note: As a new motorcycle rider and enthusiast myself, I\u2019m now a Misfit, and I will wear the name with pride! <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u201cI was the kid rolling down the car window and yelling at a Hell\u2019s Angel that I loved his hog!\u201d – Liza Miller When you are born with motorcycle oil in your veins, it\u2019s only fitting that you share your passion with the world. Liza Miller, host and producer of the Motorcycles and Misfits Podcast, has always had a love of motorcycles. At nine months old, she posed with one for a baby photo. At 12, she learned to ride, and at 17, she purchased her first bike.\u00a0 Unfortunately, she kept that purchase from her parents until her first crash\u2014on<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":10200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[721,968,966,965,967],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n