BOLOGNA, ITALY – Sales of premium Ducati motorcycles showed a minuscule uptick worldwide in 2019 over 2018. The company reported today that it delivered 53,183 bikes to customers in 90 countries, a total of 179 more than a year ago. While its home country of Italy remained the brand’s strongest …
Read More »The Week in Review – Jan. 11
It’s the second edition of The Week in Review for 2020, a compilation of news nuggets, info from press releases and other items culled from near and far over the previous week. Here goes with The Week in Review: Ducati Tour Barely Touches Northeast Ducati skipped the Progressive International Motorcycle …
Read More »Harley-Davidson Trades Ford F-150 For GMC Sierra
MILWAUKEE – After years of Ford offering a Harley-Davidson edition of its F-150 pickup truck, GMC will now offer its first ever HOG-branded Sierra pickup. The reported price is $94,995. Yes, Harley-Davidson has traded a Ford for a GMC. Only 250 of the 2020 model-year trucks will be sold having …
Read More »“Doug Danger” Biography In The Works
WALES, MA – Motorcycle daredevil “Doug Danger” is getting his life story told in hard cover. Or will it be paperback? A biography titled “Doug Danger Dare To Dream,” and subtitled “From Tragedy to Triumph, A Daredevil’s Ride,” is being co-authored by Janet and Steven Hall. The co-authors recently announced …
Read More »“No Colors” Policy Rescinded By Eastern States Exposition
WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA – In an abrupt reversal, Eastern States Exposition has scrapped its decision of two weeks ago to implement a “no colors” policy for events staged on its property, notably at the upcoming Springfield Motorcycle Show. That sudden mandate put the future of the motorcycle show in jeopardy …
Read More »Motorcycle Gang Members Arrested For Guns, Drugs
BROCKTON, MA – Four suspected members and one associate of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club from four states, including Connecticut and Vermont, were arrested by the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit and other troopers at a Motel 6 here on Friday. Troopers seized six illegally-carried guns, ammunition, a knife, brass knuckles …
Read More »Eastern States Exposition Bans Colors From Springfield Show
WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA – With only two weeks until the Springfield Motorcycle Show, a new “no colors” policy being mandated by the Eastern States Exposition is putting the future of the long-running winter attraction in jeopardy. This year’s show is set for Jan. 18 and 19, but promoter Doug Sousa …
Read More »The Week In Review – Jan. 4
When it come to motorcycle news, some weeks are slow and some weeks are loaded. It’s always the case, though, where press releases are issued and stories are published elsewhere that don’t (for whatever reason) warrant a full post on RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England. Nonetheless, the items are worthy of …
Read More »Trailer Released for Northeast BDR Film
The beauty of New England and New York, and the rugged riding opportunities the Northeast offers, will be featured in a new Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) film that will be released next month. A 3½-minute trailer was released earlier this week and promises that the documentary will show “An epic …
Read More »Naugatuck Valley Greenway Routing Report Delayed
WATERBURY, CT – Release of the much-anticipated routing report for the Naugatuck Valley Greenway that includes the five-mile portion used by off-road riders above the Thomaston Dam in Thomaston, CT has been delayed again, but will be out “soon.” In an end-of-year email on Tuesday, Aaron Burdis reported, “We are …
Read More »Bemer Conviction Leads “Top 19 Posts of ’19”
Of the 181 fresh stories and columns published by RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England in 2019, one post was the runaway winner in readership. Leading the “Top 19 Posts of ’19” list was the April 10 story detailing the conviction of motorcycle dealer Bruce J. Bemer on multiple felony counts in …
Read More »20 Predictions For 2020
No one knows what the future holds, but it’s always fun to prognosticate. On this last day of 2019, the staff of RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England guesses what will happen in the motorcycle world over the coming 12 months. Many of the predictions safe, others are thoroughly speculative, and a …
Read More »The Week In Review (July 21 -27) – FTR 1200 A Hit
A new feature launches today. It’s a Week in Review post designed to collect all of those short news items that arrive during the week but don’t warrant a full post. Here goes: Polaris Has A Hit With Indian’s FTR 1200 MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The heavyweight cruiser market may be …
Read More »Staff Inflection: The Worst Stuff Ever Made?
Time for another Staff Inflection. This time RIDE-CT & RIDE-NewEngland’s columnists comment on the worst stuff they’ve ever purchased. Not motorcycles, rather gear, parts and accessories that they’ve acquired over the years. In one case, the item wasn’t bad, just unnecessary, while another was outright junk. Except for the belt …
Read More »Harley-Davidson Workers Reject Contract Offer
MILWAUKEE – Union workers at Harley-Davidson plants in Wisconsin reportedly “overwhelming rejected” the company’s offer on a new contract Monday, but are continuing to work under a short-term extension of the previous pact. That contract, which was ratified in 2010 and went into effect in 2012, would have expired Monday. …
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