So Fabio and a talk show host walk into a bar…

Nope. It’s not a dad-joke, folks. It’s our latest collaboration here at The Bullitt.

Nope. Not a dad joke. It’s our latest collaboration here at The Bullitt.

If you don’t know Sam Schneider, he’s romance-novel masculinity with late-night timing and Oprah-level emotional range.

Sam has been to every moto event I’ve ever attended, plus the ones I skipped. Do the math. He’s one of the personalities that makes this industry fun to work in. While most moto guys show up like a Hollywood casting call for “tough guy,” tattoos and dust included, I met Sam at the Handbuilt Show in Austin and was struck by how genuinely kind he was.

And by kind, I mean I thought he might be picking up his daughter from kindergarten. Or taking my drink order.

Then he did an impersonation of a mutual friend standing within earshot. I knew immediately we’d be friends for a long time.

The first thing you notice about Sam is the personality. Quick with a comment, a great listener, and always ready to “yes, and” whatever project is in front of him. I was convinced enough to pitch him as an on-air talent when I was leading marketing at EagleRider. After two months of pushing the idea, COVID wiped out the Euro-to-US touring market. You know how that story ends.

These days, when Sam isn’t on a U.S. and Canadian tour with Triumph, showcasing the 2026 lineup and occasionally pushing bikes through the snow, he’s hosting the Bad Beard podcast. There, he covers the characters of the moto world, film production, and the beautifully unhinged stunt community.

He’s also a newlywed, occasionally featuring his wife in his video content. And yes, sometimes she’s wearing only a towel. Relax, Sam. I’m helping your engagement numbers. Between multi-state wedding stops and what I assume will soon be Niagara Falls, these two are committed.

Enjoy our catch-up with Sam, his XC tour with Triumph, and in the next post, we’ll break down the bikes riding in his trailer.

Bad Beard, take it from here.

AKA @BadBeard

Name: Sam Schneider

Company: Bad Beard

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am Sam. Florida man out living a life of adventure. Storyteller, stuntman, and lover of people. Currently, you’ll find me writing this in a makeshift cubby I’ve built into a 24’ v-nose trailer parked in front of Motos-Illimitees in Terrebonne, Canada. 10,000 miles behind me, Nova Scotia ahead, before a mad dash back home.

Name one thing no one knows about you.
I’m pretty much an open book, just ask and you’ll get an answer. But tidbits people always get a chuckle out of, I’ve been run over by an airboat, while simultaneously being smushed backside onto an alligator. I was a competitive cheerleader, and I’m up to 26 total broken bones.

Where are you from, and where do you live now?
Born and raised in Fort Myers, Florida. Film School in Orlando, FL. 12 years in LA after graduating. Last 5 in Atlanta, GA.

What do you do for a living?
Depends on who’s asking and more importantly, who’s paying… But seriously, after nearly 15 years in business creating media for global brands, live events, and film productions, I’ve built a career at the intersection of action and storytelling. I’m an actor, stunt performer, and director now based in Atlanta. I’ve worked in commercial/music videos/features/live concert production, both on stage and behind the lens. I run Bad Beard, a production company focused on honest, experience-driven work, usually through my lived experience. Storytelling you can feel.

Tell us about your first motorcycle.
Oh man. I made a movie because of my first bike, a 2014 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight in Candy Volcanic Orange. The opening line of the film kind of hits it on the nose:

“My friend got me a deal on a new Harley, and he said I had to pick it up in Florida. I said ‘deal,’ but he would have to ride it back to Los Angeles with me.”

What followed was a ride from Daytona Harley (shoutout to Shelly Rossmeyer) up to Milwaukee to check out the museum, then riding the entire length of Route 66 to finish at the Santa Monica Pier. Check the trailer here.

Sam on his first bike near the Golden Gate Bridge

How did you get into motorcycling?
I have a habit of making friends with really talented folks. These specific folks just happen to be AMA pros, touring FMX riders, and Pikes Peak record holders. By proximity alone, motorcycles were unavoidable.

“By proximity alone, motorcycles were unavoidable.”

Sam with the late Carlin Dunne

Who or what influences you?
The “who” is definitely my friends. I love people, and I think everyone is unique and interesting. There’s always something to learn from everybody.
The “what” has to be time. Everything is constantly evolving, including perspectives. Letting lived experience inform me daily keeps me present and aligned with what shapes my opinions.

You get to design your dream moto vacation for you and three buds, all expenses paid. Where do you go and why?
We’re going tip to tip. Alaska to Patagonia.
Jokes aside, I’m in the process of relaunching a moto retreat company built around exactly this idea. Nepal, Colombia, Bali, Tulum, Italy, Thailand. We’ve logged serious miles and mapped some incredible routes, with all the unique curiosities handled. I’ll be excited to share more once a few more i’s are dotted, and t’s are crossed.

Bad Beard and Frankie Garcia roadtrippin’

What’s a life lesson you learned from motorcycles?
“Letting Jesus take the wheel” applies to motorcycles, too. Practically speaking, letting go of the bars and turning around to shoot riding photos is something I’ve been doing for a while. Steering with your hips and catching great rollers is some of my favorite stuff, especially when I’m blessed with cruise control.

Spiritually speaking, Jesus, God, the universe, whatever your “thing” is, it’s about letting go. The tighter you try to control what isn’t meant for you, the more feedback you get from the bars and from life. Go with the flow and trust that it’s always working out, even when you don’t understand it.

“Jesus, take the wheel” by the homie Josh Ariza (Chomp brand)

Have motorcycles helped you discover some aspect of your personality, and/or have they helped you understand your purpose?
As an aptly titled ego machine, motorcycles can definitely amplify parts of my personality that don’t need more volume. What I’ve really identified, though, is an innate desire to explore, disappear, and live in pursuit of adventure, with a bomb between my legs.

You have $10k and one hour to buy a bike…. Go.
I’m calling Waheed. If he doesn’t already know of an epic bike at that price, he’ll have an opinion on every option available at exactly $10K.

When you’re not wrenching or riding, what else keeps you busy these days?
Currently speaking, I’m behind the wheel of a 3500 dually, logging miles like I’m Kenny frickin’ Loggins. Hauling late-model motorcycles around the country on a 2026 dealer tour.

What is one thing you cannot live without when riding?
Simple answer: tunes.
In order of importance: phone (maps and music), cruise control (previously mentioned use), modular or half-shell helmet (great for shooting), bags (camera gear), fairing, rear pegs (for moving around), and a cup holder (road sodas).

Any previous builds or projects that you’re proud of, or surprised by public perception?
Not a build of my own, but one I own. “Frank” from Classified Moto has been an endless head-turner and a frequent source of random viral moments. It’s a Triumph Speed Triple that’s worth a Google. (We’ll save you the trouble. Just go HERE)

Part Triumph, part tank. This is “Frank” by Classified Moto.

What project has your attention currently?
Other than the six bikes in the trailer I’m dragging around the country, probably the KTM 350 I just bought so I can practice some intentional crashing.

(not Sam)

You’re editing your own moto video. Footage of riding with your best friends. What song opens it?
Somewhere between Paul Cauthen’s “Country as F*ck” and Circle of Life from The Lion King.

It’s your last drink and meal on earth. What is it?
The champagne of beers, a blue steak, and orders of Spätzle.

What was your most memorable day on a motorcycle to date?
So many come rushing in. Rides through Colorado with Danger Dan that jumped from freezing temps to sleeping under the stars, unnecessary stops to check roadkill, and getting our alligator hunting licenses. Or a recent ride I shot from Grand Rapids to Moab and back to Toronto on Buell’s new Super Cruisers, memorable mostly because I totaled a prototype in the first two hours. Broken thumb, broken collarbone, wounded ego, then back on another bike to finish the ride.

But the one that always gives me a chuckle was a Ducati charity ride shooting artist Frankie Perez during COVID. Cross-country, raising spirits for the elderly locked inside. I was so exhausted by the time we hit what I think was New Jersey that I apparently started dancing the Multistrada dangerously close to a semi’s trailer. Slowly weaving, grazing the trailer, until I side-swiped the concrete center barrier and woke myself up.

That one sticks.