Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

By Bud Wilkinson

Back in August, RIDE-CT offered up reviews of the new Indian motorcycles by staffer Tim Aloisio and reader Dick Clukey of Torrington, CT, who was the owner of a 2003 Harley-Davidson Ultra Glide. In that assessment, Clukey predicted after riding an Indian Chief Vintage, “This is going to quickly become the finest V-Twin American-built motorcycle ever made.”

Today, Clukey battled treacherous roads to attend the official opening of Indian Motorcycle of Springfield in Westfield, MA to take delivery on a just-in 2014 Indian Chieftain. (RIDE-CT had hoped to attend but it took too long to dig out from the snowstorm to make it.)

He sure does look happy:

An article earlier this week on “Forbes'” website noted that Harley’s market share dipped from 55.26 percent in September to 54.9 percent in the fourth quarter due to surging Indian sales. It also quoted an investment research analyst as saying that some Indian dealerships are reporting that 80 percent of sales are to Harley owners in search of a change.

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A custom bike builder in Woodward, OK  called Covington Cycle City has built a worldwide customer base selling motorcycles that range in price from $20,000 to six figures. TV reporter Craig Day of KOTV did a lengthy piece on the shop yesterday:

NewsOn6.com – Tulsa, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports – KOTV.com |

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Rumors are circulating in Deutschland and beyond that BMW is working on a detuned, sport touring variation on its S1000RR superbike.

Beemer’s answer to the Ducati Multistrada, likely dubbed the S1000F, could be seen at this year’s trade shows in advance of an early 2015 launch – at least that’s the rumor.

The German magazine Motorrad had Stefan Kraft of the Stuttgart firm S. Kraft Design and Illustration do a sketch what the bike might look like. It looks enticing.

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Roadsmith Trikes in White Bear Lake, MN has unveiled the first trike conversion kit for the new Indian motorcycles.

“Taking its styling cues from Indian’s iconic, curvaceous fenders, the new Roadsmith Indian Trike looks as if it slipped out of the same time machine as the motorcycle itself,” the company’s website declares.

Does the rear look disproportionate or is it just me?