Dmitry Pavlovsky came to motorcycling later than some, but he wasted little time making up for it. Born in Eastern Europe and raised in the Chicago area, Pavlovsky was 35 when a friend suggested taking a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course as a relationship-building exercise. By the time the class arrived, the relationship had ended—but a new one with motorcycles was just beginning.

After learning on a Honda Rebel 250, Pavlovsky bought a 1977 Honda CB750 and started exploring the roads around Chicago. He eventually became an MSF rider coach himself, helping everyone from teenagers to returning riders develop the skills and confidence needed to ride safely.

Motorcycles also gave Pavlovsky a new creative direction. After more than 20 years as a graphic designer, he launched the Vector Burn YouTube channel, focusing on lesser-known gear brands and practical equipment for riders on a budget. Today, he serves as the Chicagoland marketing representative for Law Tigers, connecting with riders, dealerships, independent shops, and events throughout northern Illinois.

On this episode of “Driven to Ride,” host Mark Long talks with Pavlovsky about finding his identity on two wheels, teaching new riders, creating motorcycle content, protecting the riding community, and crossing the country through desert heat and Rocky Mountain snow.

Connect with Us:

Website:

www.driventoridepodcast.com

Instagram:

www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcast

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/driventoride

Email:

hello@driventoridepodcast.com

“Relationships are everything.” That philosophy has guided Rob Brooks through careers as an Atlanta-area rock-radio disc jockey, pastor, author, and motorcycle journalist. It also sits at the heart of RoadDirt.TV, the independent digital motorcycle publication he founded in 2019.

Brooks’ love of motorcycles began with his father, a dedicated Triumph rider who always seemed to have at least one bike—and enough spare parts to build another—in the garage. After riding minibikes as a child, Brooks stepped away from motorcycles for several years. The sight of a Honda V65 Magna rekindled his enthusiasm, eventually leading him back to riding and into motorcycle journalism.

His work has appeared in Motorcyclist, Cycle World, American Motorcyclist, and several regional publications. When print magazines began disappearing, Brooks brought together a group of experienced writers and photographers to create RoadDirt.TV, covering motorcycles, gear, racing, rallies, and what the team calls the “ride life.”

On this episode of “Driven to Ride,” host Mark Long talks with Brooks about building an independent publication, reviewing motorcycles by living with them rather than simply studying specifications, preserving the human side of motorcycle storytelling, and why the way a motorcycle makes you feel matters as much as anything printed on its spec sheet.

Connect with Us:

Website:

www.driventoridepodcast.com

Instagram:

www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcast

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/driventoride

Email:

hello@driventoridepodcast.com

For more than two decades, Motoblot has brought Chicago’s motorcycle community together in a way only Chicago could. What began in 2005 as Mods vs. Rockers—a small gathering of café racers and scooters outside Delilah’s—has evolved into a three-day celebration of motorcycles, hot rods, live music, art, film, and the people who make the city’s two-wheel culture special.

For this episode of “Driven to Ride,” host Mark Long heads to Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood to experience Motoblot 2026 and talk with the people behind the party. Founder Larry “Fletch” Fletcher and his daughter Tenley share the event’s history, its move to the South Side, and what it means to carry a family business—and a motorcycle community—into the next generation.

Mark also meets Morgan Michelle, the first woman invited to compete in MotoBlot’s Valhalla Custom Motorcycle Builders Challenge—and its first female winner. Her 33,000-tile disco chopper captured the six-foot Gungnir trophy and plenty of attention. Royal Enfield’s Jennifer Lewis also stops by to explain the company’s Build. Train. Race. program and why MotoBlot stands apart from other motorcycle events.

Part bike show, part concert, and part neighborhood block party, MotoBlot proves that it doesn’t matter what you ride. As Johnny Scheff puts it, “No jerks apply. Everyone else is welcome.”

www.motoblot.com

Connect with Us:

Website:

www.driventoridepodcast.com

Instagram:

www.Instagram.com/driventoridepodcast

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/driventoride

Email:

hello@driventoridepodcast.com