Up To Speed

Stymied for a Christmas gift for a BMW owner? A copy of the recently-released coffee table tome titled “BMW Motorcycles: 100 Years” might be the answer. Written by Alan Dowds and packed with archival pictures spanning a century, “BMW Motorcycles: 100 Years” is an elegant, comprehensive and celebratory book. Dowds …

BOSTON – There’s now proof that the term “donorcycle” has validity. Results of a study by researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital released Monday reveal “the number of organ donations and organ transplants goes up markedly during large motorcycle rallies.” The research examined areas where the seven …

TORRINGTON, CT – It was at the end of a recent Sunday morning coffee klatch inside a motorcycle shop in Torrington that Tim Raindle asked rhetorically, “What’s the value of a piece of rust?”  The decayed subject of his inquiry was parked next to him. It’s more than 100 years …

MILAN, ITALY – It was inevitable that Royal Enfield would find more ways to use the mid-sized motor found in its INT 650 and Continental GT models, and today the company from India revealed a Super Meteor cruiser entry at the EICMA show. Two versions of the model are reportedly …

MILAN, ITALY – Suzuki is out today with two new mid-sized models; the V-Strom 800DE adventure entry and the GSX-8S naked bike, the reveals coming at the EICMA show. Both are powered by an all-new 776cc parallel twin engine with six-speed transmission and will be in dealerships in the spring. …

STAMFORD, CT – This shoreline city in Fairfield County will soon have a new motorcycle dealer when Riley Motorcycles opens and begins selling Ducati, Husqvarna and KTM models at 747 E. Main St. “Yes, we purchased the rights to the franchises,” Jameson Riley confirmed in an email Thursday. Riley is …

PHOENIX, NY – Motorcycles of Manchester Inc. (MOMS) this week expanded its dealer network outside of New England, teaming up with New York operator Maddie’s Motor Sports in a partnership that saw them acquire Ingles Performance here. Ingles Performance was founded in 1981 by Mike and Robin Ingles. It sells …

Nearly half of all fatal motorcycle crashes occur at night and a new study has found that “a reimagined lighting configuration” in front could help improve other motorists’ abilities to see riders. The study suggests that “six running lights from the top to the bottom of the motorcycle rather than …

Dave Roper is a revered figure in vintage motorcycle racing for his endurance, his technique and for being the first American to win a race in the Isle of Man TT back in 1984. The half-hour documentary “Motorcycle Man” that CPTV is airing this weekend celebrates the racing career of …

It’s a long overdue fresh edition of Oil Drippings. It’s the catch-all column of recent news items from near and far that maybe don’t warrant a full post or somehow fell through the cracks. Here goes: Lower “S” Version of Kawasaki’s KLR650 The model has been around for 35 years …

It’s a motorcycle book with a somewhat long title; one sufficiently lengthy that a high-horsepower example of its showcased brand could be a mile away by the time the reader finishes saying it aloud – “The Complete Book of Ducati Motorcycles: Every Model Since 1946.” Written by Ian Falloon, “The …

MILWAUKEE – LiveWire became “the first publicly traded EV motorcycle company in the U.S.” today and marked the occasion announcing that it’s now taking orders for a production version of its urban-oriented, dirt track-inspired S2 Del Mar electric model. The “Launch Edition” of the model sold out in a 18 …

HARWINTON, CT – His grandfather raced motorcycles. His father raced motorcycles, too, so it was likely preordained that Kenny Coolbeth Jr. would follow in their tracks. He started riding and racing as a youngster growing up in Warren, CT and can still be found on the racetrack testing new Honda …

VARESE, ITALY – Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta is getting a higher profile in North America. Under a commercial agreement announced today, Austrian manufacturer KTM will distribute, promote and service MV Agusta models in the United States, Canada and Mexico. MV Agusta primarily builds high-end sport bikes that are as …

WATERBURY, CT – After an absence of two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Doc’s Motorcycle Parts revived its annual customer appreciation day and bike show on Sunday, drawing hundred of riders who came to enjoy a variety of noteworthy models and to stroll in the sunshine and scarf free …