The Man Who Helped Build the CBR & Risked it All for Your Safety

Mitch Boehm is arguably one of the most influential figures in motorcycling that you’ve never heard of. In this episode of The Braking Zone, we sit down with the man who led the development of the iconic Honda CBR600 F2 and later risked a $200,000 advertising fallout to publish the truth about motorcycle helmet safety standards.

Mitch takes us behind the curtain of Honda R&D during the golden era of the 1990s , explaining how a 750cc prototype secretly evolved into the game-changing CBR900RR. We also dive into his legendary career in motorcycle journalism, from the "adrenaline crazed punks" era at Motorcyclist magazine to the high-stakes "Blowing the Lid Off" helmet exposé that forever changed global safety certifications.

Malcolm! The Autobiography: https://amzn.to/4tZnaZM

00:00 - Meeting the Last Magazine Editor

01:10 - Why the AMA Still Matters Today

03:55 - The Golden Era of Motorcycle Magazines

08:15 - The $200k Helmet Safety Scandal

10:35 - How One Article Changed Global Standards

14:20 - Integrity vs. Advertisers: The Buell Incident

18:15 - Inside Honda R&D: Developing the CBR600

21:20 - The Secret Origin of the Honda CBR900RR

23:30 - Testing Early ABS at 80mph in the Water

25:50 - The Rise and Fall of Magazine Empires

29:05 - Best Racetracks in the World: Laguna Seca & Suzuka

33:25 - Racing "Venture Royale" Tourers for Fun

35:30 - Close Calls at 125mph on Public Roads

38:45 - The Famous "Drunk Tank" Riding Experiment

47:25 - Capturing the Legend of Malcolm Smith

#MotorcycleHistory #HondaCBR #MotorcycleSafety