Neale rides with the famous show host, and finds Dennis is more than a car guy

Editor’s Note: Many of us watched Dennis Gage on the old Speed Channel back some years ago, sporting his signature handlebar mustache and rocking fantastic old cars. But Dennis has been and remains a passionate motorcycle guy as well. Neale knows the icon well, so we thought a few of his old stories with Dennis might be fun to read here. Thank you Neale for sharing these great tales!

Parking my dusty, red Moto Guzzi Griso, some fifteen hours after climbing in the saddle on the other side of Sicily, I’m flogged. A plate of food, a hot shower and eight hours of shuteye are calling, but so is Dennis. We still have to film our nightly interviews for our TV series, Trippin on Two Wheels. Somehow, I have to sit in front of a camera and relay intelligent remarks about an incredible day riding around the base of Mount Etna in this stunning part of Europe.

Thankfully, Dennis is up first, and as I chug a can of Coke to try and restore consciousness, he starts his soliloquy. Like someone flicking a light switch, Dennis is performing for the camera. Dissecting our day, from his feelings about riding with his seventeen-year-old son, to a minor tipover on the cobble stones outside a sixteenth century Duomo, he leaves no part out. And then, after working the camera with all the verve and vitality he is famous for on his hit television show, My Classic Car, he puts me in the hot seat. Next, he proceeds to help me with my interview, smiling, leading, and prompting to give what he needs for the various television shows and segments he is producing about our ride. An hour later, over plates stuffed with hot, steaming pizza, Dennis is making sure our small crew is properly fed and watered before taking off to bed.

This man’s energy level is unreal.

Seeing television’s most famous car guy sitting on a BMW R60 in period gear must seem a little confusing to some of our readers. But after years of bringing the best of the classic four-wheeled world to the small screen, it is time to let the secret out: Dennis Gage is a motorcycle nut with a small collection of interesting European motorcycles: A collection that has just seen the addition of a Moto Guzzi Breva that he purchased on eBay from my hometown of Charlotte, NC.

The mustachioed icon, ready to ride. Photo by Neale.

Riding the newly purchased Breva to Indiana, I arrived at Dennis’ production facility to the sound of a booming V-twin blasting across the parking lot. With the familiar mustache horizontal in the wind, Dennis pulls up on a rain and mud splattered 1967 Moto Guzzi V-7 that looks like it might be a fully restored motorcycle under the road grime. Leaping off to offer greetings, he is quickly on the Breva, and we are tearing along some twisting country lanes on our way to his house, which means I get the pleasure of riding the V-7. As his daily commute, the road is a motorcyclist’s dream, wending its way through the Indiana countryside under thick canopies of leaves.

Back at Gage central, pulling the bikes into the garage to get a look at his collection, I notice they all have battery tenders in place and appear ready to roll. As a pretty good indicator of Dennis’ personality, they are an interesting and eclectic mix of modern and older European marques, and are all in a similar state to the V-7. I am going to spend a couple of days hanging out with Dennis so we can do some riding, and quickly realize I have a lot of cleaning to do before I can get my camera out.

Getting his two-wheel start on the family farm in the Mid West as a wide-eyed teenager on a Honda 50, he worked his way up to a particularly unreliable Montessa 250, which he finally sold at age 15 to help fund the purchase of his first car, a ’59 T Bird. The Bird gave way to a string of muscle and sports cars throughout high school and college, and there is no need to ask where the car thing came from.

Dennis finally earned a Ph.D. in chemistry, but not before he took a couple of years out to pursue a career in music. Having played guitar in rock bands and coffee houses all through school, he put a band together and ended up opening for acts like Charlie Daniels, Waylon Jennings and Doctor Hook. When a disgruntled club owner pulled a gun on Dennis in Selma, Alabama, late one night, he realized it was time to go back to Grad School.

Whiskers in the wind. Photo by Neale.

Now with a Ph.D. in chemistry and a respectable job, Dennis finally had some disposable income, so his thoughts turned again to motorcycles. With three young children at home, he had to do some selling to convince his wife, but before long a 1981 BMW R100RS found its way into the garage. It may have been the early trauma of the Montessa that pushed him toward a marque so synonymous with reliability, but there is no doubt he was captivated by the unique styling, precision engineering and incredibly smooth ride. “I am not a big fan of cruisers; either style or riding position. And I guess I like being on a bike that’s different,” Dennis quips.

Dennis’ waist-length hair had been cropped to a more socially acceptable length, but the famous mustache was in the making. Pursuing a career in corporate America, he wanted to challenge many of the organizational norms and demonstrate that you didn’t have to conform to contribute. This pushing of the limits continued throughout Dennis’ career, his burgeoning mustache a symbol of his non-conformist ways. The final act of independence though, was when he took off with current partner, Brad Kimmel, to make a television show. Saying goodbye to a successful career with Bristol-Myers Squibb was a huge leap of faith. And charging off into uncharted territory, who could have known that within a few years Dennis would be in 70 million households, with My Classic Car rating as one of Speed Channel’s top shows.

A little-known fact in the motorcycle world is that Dennis was also behind the popular Speed show that ran for five years, Corbin’s Ride On. As arguably one of the most diverse, content-loaded, and professional motorcycle shows on the tube, it was another successful move from the mustachioed maverick of motor sports television. Having met him right when the show was starting at World Ducati Week back in 2002, it was great to see it evolve and grow. It was also where I learned how to make TV starting as a field producer and hosting some segments towards the end of that show’s five year run.

Following Dennis around the garage it is nice to see the R100RS is still in the fold, and he eagerly tells me he has put over 30,000 miles on it over the years. It was repainted black about eight years ago, and apart from a Corbin seat, of course, it is basically stock. “My cars and bikes are all really twenty footers” he opines, “and while I have a great appreciation for museum quality pieces, I like reliable daily drivers. I could ride any of my bikes to California today.”

Moving on to the black 1969 R60 US, Dennis tells me it was the second bike he brought home several years ago. Like the RS, it was found in the local classifieds and picked up for a reasonable price. It is pretty much original except for a large solo seat and chrome valve covers, but it is a very functional, practical machine that truly personifies Dennis’ twenty-foot rule. Get close and there are battery acid stains on the muffler, road grime and oil stains on the engine, but all the important stuff like tires, cables and seals are in perfect shape. Dennis, dressed in period costume, has taken the award for the oldest bike ridden at a few shows with this machine. “It is not really a high mileage bike, more like a gentleman’s cruiser” were his exact words on the R60.

The truth be known, Dennis likes the reaction he gets with the R60. “It’s the bike I ride when I want to draw attention. It is the most looked at in my collection because we live in Harley land, and the Beemer looks like this old bike out of the ‘40s.” With Dennis suitably attired in his World War II army pants, flat cap, goggles and Henley, it is no wonder people turn to look as he comes chuffing past with his wild mustache blowing in the breeze.

A ride and a bite. A good day. Photo by Neale.

It is difficult to be around Dennis for any length of time before his celebrity status enters the picture. Usually in the form of someone saying, “Hey, aren’t you are the car guy?” or a more dedicated fan wanting an autograph. We even met Americans in Sicily who recognized him. When we talk about this, Dennis has a sort of detachment from it but is very aware it affords certain perks: Good tables at restaurants being an immediate one that springs to mind. “The whole thing’s a bit weird, but you get used to it.” When I asked him how his three children feel about it, I learned that in the beginning they thought it was very cool. Now, it has gotten to be something of an imposition to them as it takes a lot of his time and attention, but as they have gotten older, it’s not that big a deal. Sitting around the family dining table in the Indiana countryside, it’s apparent that away from the spotlight Dennis is a dedicated family man.

Back down in the garage after supper, we talk some more about the next bike in line, and my personal favorite as I have gotten to put a few miles on it: the 1967 Moto Guzzi V-7. Like the new Breva that I rode up from Charlotte for him, the V-7 is a fairly new eBay acquisition too. It is not a perfect period restoration, and actually uses 750cc pistons from a later model, but Dennis cares not a jot. It runs like a train, and with its reverse right foot shifting, throaty sounding aftermarket mufflers, and totally cool starter that operates by turning the key, I for one am hooked. It also has a few dings and dents, but having already clocked over 1000 miles since he rode it home from North Carolina, they are no problem for Dennis who is obviously more interested in riding it.

As we talk about the Guzzi, I have a feeling it might just be Dennis’ new favorite bike, edging out his 1973 BMW R75/5. Once his daily driver of choice, the V-7 has taken the spotlight lately, but that might change as the “Toaster’s” simple values shine back through. Another classifieds purchase for the princely sum of $2500, it is a nice unrestored motorcycle, and again one that Dennis is not afraid to ride. “The trouble with my touring bikes is they are big, so for bombing to work this has been my dream bike. It is light, nimble, and loads of fun. Nice thing is it’s quiet, so it doesn’t upset the neighbors.” The bike has made a few long trips, and for this Dennis has a large touring windshield and hard bags. These are not period correct for the bike, but he doesn’t mind and will reinstall them when he rides to the MOA rally in Vermont later in the year. Dennis estimates that he has ridden the bike some 20,000 miles, and hasn’t touched it other than adjusting the valves and keeping up on oil changes, tires etc. “It’s what I love about BMWs. You can really work on them yourself and they are so reliable.”

Dennis astride his beloved R75/5. Photo by Neale.

The element of Dennis’ motorcycle life that brings the most joy to him is his son, Sam, who is an avid rider. I met Sam a few years back as a somewhat shy teenager taking television production notes at a Triumph event in Marne, Iowa. Last year he came with us while we filmed a documentary on Sprint STs in Scotland, and this year, having turned seventeen, he rode his own Moto Guzzi during our Sicily adventures. Dennis got him started on his BMW F650, and I can tell you the lad rides well. The BMW sports a large aftermarket windshield, hard bags and street orientated tires. It also looks well ridden, and has made a number of long trips. “It’s an ideal first road bike for Sam. Modern but fairly simple, it does everything well and there is no vintage BMW pre-flight check needed. People get into big bikes too quick. Sam learned the right way on a Suzuki GZ 250 in the fields before moving up to the F650, and now he is ready to graduate to the 750 Breva.”

When I ask Dennis about how he sees himself in the motorcycle world, he says: “I am just an average rider who enjoys how the motorcycle allows me to experience being at one with the moment, at one with the world. I don’t spend a lot of time polishing; I like to be out riding.” Over the following days, the three of us do just that, roaring through the twisting, tumbling Indiana countryside. Joining Dennis for his ride to work one morning was a little slice of heaven. And, we also take a spin into downtown Evansville, which gives us a chance to get out his “high speed land jet,” the 1998 Triumph Trophy 1200. Dennis has a soft spot for Triumphs, and actually rode the original four-cylinder prototype at the National Motorcycle Museum in England a number of years ago. The Trophy is totally original, and has covered around 10,000 miles since being brought home. “It is just perfect for 600-mile days, and I use it exclusively for my real long-distance rides.”

Nothing like a father and son bonding over a shared love of motorcycles. Photo by Neale.

For our last ride Dennis has hopped on the RS, and over lunch we talk some more about his life in television and how fortunate he feels. My Classic Car is really a mirror of Dennis- quirky, funny, filled with real people, real cars and a whole bunch of enthusiasm for the hobby. But as father time ticks relentlessly on, Dennis is looking more towards the two-wheeled world. The bikes take up less space and allow him to spend quality time with his son. “Age brings perspective and wisdom, time becomes increasingly more important, and I don’t want to squander any of it. I am still amazed and fascinated by life and am looking forward to the next installment.”

As a television personality who counts people like Jay Leno as a personal friend, and someone who is contracted by events just to sign autographs, it is refreshing to know Dennis Gage is the real deal. Deeply involved with Trippin on Two Wheels, television’s most famous car guy is just as crazy about motorcycles as the rest of us.

Neale

*Top featured photo: Dennis among a few of his favorite things. Photo by Neale.