June 22, 2021
New England News, Up To Speed
AMESBURY, MA – A long-running motorcycle news and information website aimed at riders in Boston and across New England, and which had a memorable logo that showed a Minute Man riding a chopper, is no more. Operator Paul W. Cote recently shut down Boston Biker/New England Biker (bostonbiker.com). What now …
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June 22, 2021
Safe Riding, Up To Speed
NAUGATUCK, CT – The subject of emergency braking came up recently in posts on motorcycle social media groups, at a club rally and while on a group ride, so perhaps a review of proper techniques is overdue. Learning, practicing and always using the correct emergency braking practices will not only …
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June 21, 2021
National News, Up To Speed
MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson plans a mid-season reveal of a new sport model on July 13 at 11 a.m. EDT. The unveiling will be done virtually. All that’s known is that the new bike will fit in the “sport segment” and will use the Revolution Max motor found in the company’s …
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June 16, 2021
New England News, Up To Speed
Harley-Davidson’s new Pan America 1250 adventure model has a solid future, results of RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England’s latest poll show. Nearly 70 percent of readers believe the model will be a success, and nearly one-third suggest that it can singlehandedly change the trajectory of the company, which has had declining …
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June 12, 2021
New England News, Up To Speed
NEWINGTON, CT – The designation “Newington Motorcycle Madness” is a bit misleading. It’s anything but a rowdy event, despite attracting hundreds of riders, having a beer tent, and a live rock band in Shovelhead. Held at Mill Pond Park this afternoon and evening, the well-organized gathering put on by the …
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June 8, 2021
Hill Country, Up To Speed
Decisions, decisions. I had a choice to make over the weekend and I knew a wise decision was needed. I could have gone out to my garage, fired up my Triumph Bonneville and taken a ride in some glorious weather. Or, I could have taken a seven-mile trip to my …
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June 7, 2021
Classic Cars, Messenger, Up To Speed
WOODBURY, CT – It’s most likely the cutest car that U.S. motorists have never heard of or ever seen. Writing for Hagerty back in 2018, Larry Printz declared the limited-production 1991 Nissan Figaro to be “Cuter than a basket of puppies.” It’s not that much bigger, either. Built only for …
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June 7, 2021
New England News, Up To Speed
HARWINTON, CT – Any critter on a roadway is a concern for riders, but it used to be that deer were the primary concern. They could dart into the path of a rider at any moment, with nighttime being especially scary. Now, a second large member of the wildlife kingdom …
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June 6, 2021
National News, Up To Speed
WASHINGTON, D.C – While the COVID-19 pandemic had everyone hunkered down and spending less time driving in 2020, crash deaths rose last year. Motorcycle fatalities spiked nine percent, according to preliminary data released late last week by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Motorcycle fatalities totaled …
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May 27, 2021
Bookshelf, Up To Speed
In one respect, all riders are the same. We may dress differently. We may ride different styles of motorcycles. We may use our motorcycles for different purposes; recreation being the primary reason here in the U.S. But we all have a sense of daring or adventure whether the ride is …
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May 24, 2021
New England News, Up To Speed
WINDHAM, NH – Nault’s Powersports here is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for stealing five Kawasaki dirt bikes worth more than $30,000 from the dealership over the weekend. Surveillance video of the break in, which happened overnight Saturday, shows …
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May 23, 2021
Destinations, New England News, Up To Speed
TORRINGTON, CT – A 30-year-old Harley-Davidson police motorcycle that once patrolled the streets of this Northwestern Connecticut city is back in use. Sort of. After sitting ignored for years in the Torrington Police Department’s sally port, the 1991 Harley-Davidson FXRP is now on prominent display having been loaned to the …
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May 22, 2021
Eats, New England News, Up To Speed
FALLS VILLAGE, CT – Toymakers Cafe, the colorful eatery that catered to motorcyclists for nearly two decades before closing in early September, is planning a comeback. It will no longer be a full-scale restaurant open for breakfast and lunch, rather a spot to enjoy a cup of coffee and shop …
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May 19, 2021
Up To Speed
Readers of RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England are split on a new law in Spain that requires riders and their passengers to wear protective gloves when out on the road. A plurality of 38 percent called the law an example of governmental overreach, while 30 percent think it’s a wise idea, …
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May 17, 2021
New England News, Test Rides, Up To Speed
MANCHESTER, NH – Having been “disappointed to be disappointed” upon taking a first test ride of a new Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 on Friday at a dealership that I dubbed “Dealer A,” I nonetheless kept my appointment for the second ride on Saturday at a different dealership. Everyone else …
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