Monday Morning Podcast

Host: Bill Burr (All Things Comedy)
Episode: Freddie Spencer | Thursday Afternoon Monday Morning Podcast 12-11-25
Date: December 11, 2025

Overview

This episode of the Monday Morning Podcast features legendary MotoGP racer Freddie “Fast Freddie” Spencer as a guest. Bill Burr dives deep into MotoGP, motorcycles, the difference between car and motorcycle racing, and the mental and physical demands of elite motorsport. The tone is enthusiastic, genuine, and candid—true to Bill Burr's comedic, ranting style. The conversation is a mix of hardcore racing insights, childhood memories, reflections on sportsmanship, and lighthearted banter, plus a few memorable stories about officiating, survival on the track, and the evolution of racing itself.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introduction & Freddie Spencer’s Legendary Career

• Freddie Spencer’s racing legacy: Bill introduces Freddie as one of the greatest motorcycle champions, highlighting historic achievements like being the youngest MotoGP champion and the only person to win both the 250cc and 500cc in the same year (1985)—an unrepeatable feat in today’s MotoGP (00:00–03:14).
• Why MotoGP is gripping: Burr shares how he fell in love with MotoGP after becoming frustrated by the predictability of F1 (00:36–01:48).

Why Motorcycle Racing Is Unique

• The rider’s influence: Freddie discusses how motorcycle racing is less about the machine and more about the rider’s skill. Motorcycles allow for more dynamic, tactical racing with frequent overtakes:

  “Our ability to pass, and that the rider can make such a big difference... you can move on the bike and you can change trajectory and you can change lines much easier.” –Freddie Spencer (02:13)

• MotoGP vs. F1: The conversation draws strong parallels, positioning MotoGP as the motorcycle equivalent of F1 (03:28–03:36).

Bill’s Personal Journey With Motorcycles

• Getting into riding (04:00–05:09): Bill recounts his journey into motorcycle riding, the impact of strict parents, and his return to riding triggered by a MotoGP event at COTA.
• Therapeutic aspects of riding: Bill and Freddie bond over the mindful, meditative effect of riding motorcycles and how it clears the mind of everything else (05:09–06:13).

Freddie’s Early Lessons and the Art of “Feel”

• Training in the backyard: Freddie describes how honing his skills by riding for hours as a kid taught him intense focus, even down to reading the color of wet leaves for traction (05:09–07:17).
• Learning the “feel” of a bike: Both agree you have to surrender to the machine and connect with its unique quirks—whether bikes or helicopters (07:41–08:35).

The Raw Era of Racing

• Evolution of racing tech: Bill and Freddie reminisce about the raw, dangerous, noisy, and visceral racing of the 1980s, contrasted with today's smoother, safer, electronically-assisted bikes (09:55–12:12).

  “With electronics, it’s like having an AI on the bike... In my day, everything was done with your throttle hand. Your telemetry was your brain.” –Freddie Spencer (11:18)

Mental and Physical Demands

• Switching between 250cc and 500cc: Freddie explains the mental discipline needed to switch riding styles and speeds between two vastly different bikes in a single day:

  “I would give myself one lap, basically, to make the adjustment... That really was what my job was.” –Freddie Spencer (14:51)

• Physical toll: Discussing the price of this dual-championship year, Freddie recounts developing early carpal tunnel, surgeries, and long-term consequences (28:02–29:53).

Honda and Racing Innovation

• Relationship with Honda: Bill and Freddie dive into how racing innovation trickled down into consumer motorcycles and Honda’s rise in the sport (16:00–18:56). Freddie also shares anecdotes about Honda’s early engineers founding HRC and their ongoing influence in car and bike racing.

Officiating, Race Incidents, and Safety

• Being a steward in MotoGP: Freddie talks about his years as chairman of the stewards’ panel, deciding race incident outcomes, and the complexity of evaluating high-speed crashes:

  “We look at trajectory and we have high speed cameras... race incidents aren’t just about blame; it’s the context.” –Freddie Spencer (18:56–20:15)

• Analysis of a near-fatal crash at Spielberg, Austria: Bill describes the famous crash where bikes flew between Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales, and Freddie explains the ruling, the track changes made, and the aftermath (20:40–22:38).

  “Divine intervention is the only way I can say it... That’s why we changed the track design after this incident.” –Freddie Spencer (21:41)

The Future of MotoGP and Racing Rule Changes

• 2027 technical changes: Freddie teases new rules removing some electronics and aerodynamics to give more control back to riders and make racing more exciting (25:37–26:45).

Baggers and American Racing

• Build Train Race Program/Bagger Racing: Freddie discusses his involvement with Royal Enfield and bagger racing in the US (26:49–27:11).

The Philosophy of Teaching and Passing on the Craft

• Freddie’s riding school: Freddie reflects on his post-racing passion for teaching safety and skill to over 6,000 students, including Keanu Reeves and Lyle Lovett. Teaching isn’t about speed—“it’s about working with the bike to be safer and enjoy riding” (31:27–33:29).

  “I wasn’t teaching about speed. I was teaching about how to work with the motorcycle, how to be a better and safer rider.” –Freddie Spencer (32:00)

Racing Memories, Extreme Moments, and Mindset

• Stories of survival and “the silence before impact”: Freddie explains how elite racers train their minds for survival, what high-siding feels like (a brief moment of “airtime and silence”), and the mental techniques for processing fear and adrenaline (36:28–38:47).

  “Everything slows down... I still can close my eyes and remember every incident, even 40 years ago.” –Freddie Spencer (38:47)

• Racers’ dreams and trauma: Freddie shares recurring dreams about missing the start, and how he’s processed big crashes, including a particularly peaceful “near-death” out-of-body experience in 1987 (40:04–41:06).

Legacy and Humility

• Bill’s sports argument: Bill states Freddie’s '85 dual-title feat as “one of the great unbreakable sports records,” right up there with DiMaggio’s and the Bulls’ (29:53–35:00).

  “Basically was playing two football games on the same day... but on a motorcycle at 200 miles an hour.” –Bill Burr (30:06)

End Note: The Next Chapter

• Freddie’s autobiography “Feel” is coming to the US, and a film adaptation is in development (42:35–43:00).

  “We’re already working on a screenplay for a film...” –Freddie Spencer (42:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On motorcycle racing’s uniqueness:

  “The rider can make such a big difference... That’s what separates us from other elite motorsports.”
  —Freddie Spencer (02:13)

• On intuitive “feel”:

  “The best meditation I read as a kid... was five hours a day in my yard.”
  —Freddie Spencer (05:28)

• On switching bikes successfully:

  “I would give myself one lap, basically, to make the adjustment.”
  —Freddie Spencer (14:51)

• On officiating and race incidents:

  “We look at trajectory and have high speed cameras... I could explain it to you.”
  —Freddie Spencer (18:56–20:15)

• On near-misses and fate:

  “Divine intervention is the only way I can say it... We changed the track design after this incident.”
  —Freddie Spencer (21:41)

• On the craft’s demands:

  “Everything slows down and you remember everything... It’s survival mode.”
  —Freddie Spencer (38:47)

• On teaching:

  “I wasn’t teaching about speed. I was teaching how to work with the motorcycle...”
  —Freddie Spencer (32:00)

• Freddie to Bill:

  “You take me for a ride in your helicopter and I’ll help you.”
  —Freddie Spencer (31:06)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00–03:14: Introduction; Freddie Spencer’s legendary career
• 03:15–05:09: Why MotoGP hooked Bill and the sport’s appeal
• 05:10–07:17: Mindfulness, early training, and the “feel” of racing; meditative aspect
• 09:55–12:12: Rawness of 1980s racing, technical evolution
• 14:51–16:00: Mental transitions between bikes; Honda’s support
• 18:56–22:38: Officiating, race incidents, and the Spielberg near-miss
• 25:37–26:45: MotoGP’s 2027 technical rule changes
• 31:27–33:29: Teaching safe riding; celebrity students; legacy
• 36:28–38:47: Mindset in crashes; the psychology of racing
• 40:04–41:18: Dreams and racing trauma
• 42:35–43:00: Freddie’s forthcoming book and movie adaptation

Tone & Language

True to Bill Burr’s style: passionate, open, frequently comedic, and filled with awe for Freddie’s achievements. Freddie is reflective, humble, articulate, and eager to share hard-earned wisdom—whether about racing, officiating, teaching, or life.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This conversation is a rich, accessible masterclass in motorcycle racing—its dangers, its zen aspects, and its characters. Both fans and newcomers will leave with a heightened respect for the sport, its athletes, and the wisdom that comes from true mastery and humility.

Don’t miss this one if you love sports, stories about high achievement, or just want to hear Bill Burr geek out in the best way possible.