MILWAUKEE – “Claim” is a clever word. It can be used as a verb and as a noun, and has several definitions, including “to assert to be rightfully one’s own” and “an assertion open to challenge.” It pops to mind because of a short press release issued today by Harley-Davidson …

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 put the regular “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You” column of news tidbits into an extended hibernation that has lasted 18 months. It returns now with some local, national and international items and a bit of opinion. …

ATHENS, NY – The seven-week “Head Out on the Highway: A Love Embrace” exhibit of vintage motorcycles and cultural items associated with motorcycling comes to an end this weekend at the Athens Cultural Center here with special “Hog Days of Summer” send-off events planned for Saturday. A “Motor Mouth” story …

EAST HAMPTON, CT – After a one-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brit Jam returned to the Haddam Neck Fairgrounds today, packing the show ground with hundreds of vintage models and drawing a large crowd of enthusiastic motorcycle owners and riders. “It feels normal out here,” said Tom Reitsma, …

TERRYVILLE, CT – It’s not uncommon when attending a vintage motorcycle show to spot a brand with an unfamiliar and/or rarely-seen name. The standout Friday at the opening day of the National Meet staged by the Yankee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America was a British-made 1919 Sparkbrook. …

TERRYVILLE, CT – Maine “Ted” Smith wasn’t making any predictions today as to crowd size at this weekend’s National Meet at the Terryville Fairgrounds being staged by the Yankee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. However, the organization’s president did drop some clues as to why the turnout …

TORRINGTON, CT – For some motorcyclists, old models have a magical allure. They’re certainly much easier to work on than their modern-day counterparts, and they also spur the imagination to speculate on their past adventures. “I always think about the history,” said collector Richard Nelson of Torrington recently as he …

NEW MILFORD, CT – It’s not often that a 20-year-old motorcycle looks like it just rolled off of a showroom floor. It’s even rarer for one to look even better than new. Mike Metcalfe’s 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200R Eddie Lawson Replica does, though, as the Waterbury, CT resident is fastidious with …

CATSKILL, NY – We live in a world where packaging/portion sizes seem to be shrinking while prices keep rising. Have you checked out a box of pasta, carton of crackers or a can of shaving cream at the grocery store lately? The containers are smaller than they once were, yet …

SUFFIELD, CT – No way will Indian Motorcycle of Springfield owner Dennis Bolduc ever restore the recently-acquired 1916 Indian Powerplus that he brought to “Hendee Day” at Hilltop Farm today. To those who innocently inquire if a paint job is in its future, Bolduc has a succinct, pleasantly curt response: …

ATHENS, NY – It’s often the case when a gallery or museum chooses to spotlight motorcycle culture that the emphasis is more on the machines than on the trailblazing men and women who have made riding popular over the decades. The current “Head Out on the Highway: A Love Embrace” …

WASHINGTON, CT – It’s only been open since October, but The PO café on the green in this elegant Litchfield Hills town is already getting regional attention. Owner Maggie Colangelo enthusiastically pulled out a copy of the current issue of “Yankee” magazine when RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England visited to show …

FALLS VILLAGE, CT – It’s a task with no requirements other than a pulse and a willingness to pick a favorite. Unlike other motorcycle shows, the two-wheeled portion of the Falls Village Car & Motorcycle Show doesn’t have categories, year restrictions or demands for original perfection. It’s a “come one, …

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 …

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 …