Bud Wilkinson

Bud Wilkinson is editor and publisher of RIDE-CT. He writes the "My Ride" classic car column for Hearst Connecticut Media Group's newspapers in CT and for the company's CT Insider website and YouTube channel. The weekly feature began in 2016 in the "Republican-American" newspaper in Waterbury, CT. He also wrote the "RIDE-CT" motorcycle column in that newspaper from 2005 until 2025 when motorcycles were folded into My Ride. A graduate of Vermont Academy prep school, he holds a B.A. degree journalism from Ohio Wesleyan University. He is the recipient of a Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award in 1992 and a 1991-92 regional Emmy Award for commentary. He currently rides a 1987 BMW R80RT and a 1996 BMW R850R.

Eats: HindSight Barbecue A Worthy Successor To Joints Lost In Pandemic

WATERBURY, CT – Most BBQ runs involve a fair bit of long-distance riding before chowing down. Visiting places like B.T.’s Smokehouse in Sturbridge, MA or J&J Smokehouse in Catskill, NY require the patient building of an appetite as the scenery whizzes by. They’re two spots that RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England …

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A Device To Assist When The Traffic Light Changes Color But The Driver Can’t See It

(Editor’s note: Bud Wilkinson writes the “My Ride” classic car feature in the “Republican-American” newspaper in Connecticut. He often comes across car-related stories that don’t fit the format of the feature, so RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England has added a “Classic Cars” page to provide an outlet for these stories and …

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“If You Had Asked Me…” Deduces New Indian Dealer, Includes Apple Advisory

It’s another edition of “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told…” It’s an items column filled with national and local news tidbits along with a bit of opinion. Here goes: “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…” Still Waiting For An Official Announcement, But… The …

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Harley-Davidson Claims Sales Lead in Adventure Touring Category . . . Really?

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 …

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“If You Had Asked Me…” Deals With COVID-19, Dealers And New Models

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. …

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Athens Cultural Center Ends Exhibit With A Roar

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 …

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Big Opening Day For Yankee Chapter’s National Meet

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. …

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Different Layout, Large Crowd Possible At Yankee Chapter’s National Meet

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 …

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Vintage Harley-Davidsons A Family Affair

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 …

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Z-Rex Looks Better Than New After 20 Years On The Road

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 …

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Hendee Day At Hilltop Farm Features 1916 Indian Powerplus

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: …

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Destinations: Athens Cultural Center Celebrates Motorcycling’s Past

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” …

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Eats: Scenic Roads Lead To The PO On The Green In Washington, CT

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 …

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