The Fujifilm XF200mm f/2: A Trackside Love Letter
July 17, 2026
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Over the past four years, my work has leaned increasingly toward motorsport photography. With that shift came a growing need for specialty long lenses that could keep pace with speed, distance, and rapidly changing light. My most practical early solution was the Fujifilm XF100–400mm f/4.5–5.6, a lens I still consider indispensable. It remains my de...
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Shooting MotoGP at Circuit of the Americas with the Fujifilm GFX100S II: A Field Review
July 16, 2026
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Let me be upfront about something: bringing a large-format camera to a MotoGP weekend is, on paper, a fool’s errand. The GFX system was never designed for high-speed action photography, even though Fujifilm says it can hang in that kind of environment. It is a camera built for maximum image fidelity, not maximum frames per second. And yet, there is...
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AI Will Not Just Cheapen Your Brand - It Will Destroy It If You Let It
January 12, 2026
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There is a dangerous illusion spreading through boardrooms and marketing departments right now. The belief is that AI, LLMs, and generative tools can replace creatives and marketing professionals while preserving or even increasing brand value. I think that mentality and course of action is the pathway to doom.
What these tools will do, when deplo...
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The Advantage of the Hybrid: Why Creative Depth Creates Better Marketing Leadership
January 10, 2026
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For more than two decades, my professional life has been shaped by making things: photographs, stories, films, and content designed to communicate meaning clearly and honestly. Long before I held the title of Marketing Director, I was learning how images influence perception, how narratives build trust, and how audiences respond when creativity is...
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Why Motorcycle Influencer Campaigns Fail (And How to Fix Them)
January 06, 2026
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I occupy a somewhat uncommon position in the motorcycle and powersports industry. I’m a marketing and communications professional by trade, but I’m also a content creator, brand ambassador, former journalist, and still, a professional photographer. I’ve sat in the meetings where budgets, KPIs, and how to maximize brand equity are debated. I’ve also...
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A Motorcycle Road Trip Rendezvous With The Great American Eclipse
June 11, 2024
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Photography and words by Sam Bendall
Published for Petrolicious
“Space. The final frontier, these are the voyages…” We all know this monologue at
least tangentially, and for me and many others, these words were a profound part
of childhood. Star Trek made me look up in awe at the heavens. Perhaps one day, I
thought, I would travel among the...
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Track Days Are Great Learning Opportunites for All Riders - Classic Track Day
March 02, 2021
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The right track day can prove incredibly useful to riders of all levels. Experienced riders who have frequented the track know this well. Those who are new to the track begin to see the benefits almost instantly. If you have never been, I encourage you to do so at your earliest convenience. If you live in Southern California, Classic Track Day shou...
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LOVE FOR THE BIG CAT - The Tiger 800XC Crosses 17,000 Miles
July 25, 2019
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As my Tiger crosses 17k miles in just under two years of ownership, I’ve been thinking about my time with this bike but this one thought stands out amongst the rest.
There is a special bond one develops when you own your own bike.
I’ve ridden well over 100 different motorcycles in the past 3 years and it continues to be a privilege that I’ll...
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Making a Motorcycle Video Series is Hard Work
July 25, 2019
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I wrote this as a Facebook post but it evolved into something else entirely so I put it here instead.
For all of my friends that know nothing about motorcycles other than my constant infatuation with them, I've taken to YouTube on behalf of The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows to help introduce non-riders to the world of two wheels dur...
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The Best Motorcycle Travel Gear: Velomacchi 28L Roll-Top Pack and 50L Duffel Bag
January 04, 2018
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I'm an absolute monster to all my motorcycle gear. My fiancée calls me "a little hurricane" because I cannot walk past something without the possibility of it getting utterly destroyed. When I get home my boots get ripped off, my bags are thrown to the corners of the apartment, not gently placed on the ground, and my phone even gets tossed on the t...
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I Bought A "New" Adventure Motorcycle and I Could Not Be Any Happier
September 28, 2017
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I have the honor and pleasure of riding a lot of different motorcycles, whether it is through friends or assignments as a journalist. I live a pretty blessed life in that respect but none of those bikes are mine. Like a perpetual playboy, I fall in love with each machine for 2 to 3 weeks at a time. I pick apart every nuanced genius that went into m...
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YOSEMITE SCRAM. BMW’s R nineT Scrambler Takes On The Sierra Nevadas
July 10, 2017
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Written by Sam Bendall.
Originally Published for Pipeburn
The sun is rising, the air is cool and crisp, and the wildlife outside my tent sporadically announces the start of a new day. As my eyes open and begin to adjust, the faint scent of hickory wafts through the air as the covered embers emanate amid a semi-silent dawn. As I emerge from my ten...
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Minabear – 1983 Yamaha XS650
June 20, 2017
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By Sam Bendall | June 16, 2017
Originally Published on Throttle Roll
“Don’t call me Minabear!” screeched the fire-haired young lady at James. She was clearly blessed by some recreational substances – but none the less, with that name James’s ’83 Yamaha XS650 had now been dubbed. This chance encounter with a stranger on the street would be the per...
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Murray’s Triumph Thruxton
June 06, 2017
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By Sam Bendall | June 7, 2017
Originally Published on Throttle Roll
A life of travelling the globe planted the seed of adventure in Murray, which only naturally would bud into motorcycling. Using one of the greatest forms of creating adventure, Murray and his Machine have forged a bond through thick and thin – and picked up something special alon...
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Rob’s ’76 Honda CB750
May 24, 2017
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By Sam Bendall | May 24, 2017
Originally Published for Throttle Roll
The need for 2-wheeled hoonery kicked off 24 years ago for Rob, from humble mopeds to more adventurous dirt bikes with mates he ascended the motorcycle hierarchy. It would be classic Hondas that would really drive his passion for riding and customization, with his latest being a...
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