The image of an ostrich running at full speed somehow popped into my mind as I was riding by a horse farm in Bethany, CT. With their long legs and long necks, ostriches look comical at full run, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the motorcycle that I was testing looked
Read More »Massive Recall Of Harley-Davidson Touring Models
A massive recall of ABS-equipped 2014 Harley-Davidson Touring and CVO Touring models has been issued because their front wheels may lock up without warning. Some 66,421 units with anti-lock brakes built between June 1, 2013 and May 7, 2014 are affected. Harley-Davidson says the front brake line can get pinched …
Read More »Sunbeam Takes Owner Back To Younger Days
SHARON, CT – It’s hard to forget your first motorcycle. Alistair Jones was a lad living in Chichester, Sussex on the south coast of England when he bought his first bike – a 1952 Sunbeam S7 Deluxe. The year was 1970 and it cost him a mere five pounds. Jones …
Read More »Suzuki GS650 Is Newman’s Own
FALLS VILLAGE, CT – It was seven years ago that Pete Newman of Granby, CT acquired his 1981 Suzuki GS650. So why’s he only been riding it for three years? The answer is that it took four years to take a stock bike and make it a lot more eye-popping. …
Read More »Test Ride: KLR650 New Edition
By Steve Smith The venerable Kawasaki KLR650 dual-sport has been around since 1987 and has been very popular model. It remained relatively unchanged from its introduction until a major redesign in 2008 that included a more powerful engine, new bodywork with dual headlight, new gauges, bigger fork tubes, and upgraded …
Read More »Suzuki Is Recalling 2014 V-Strom DL650A
Suzuki is recalling a small number of 2014 V-Strom DL650A models for a drive chain link that may not have been riveted by an outside supplier. The total number of bikes, built on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21, being recalled is
Read More »Getting Touchy Over Throttle-By-Wire
Maybe I’m just a doofus when it comes to modern motorcycles. Or simply inept. But I inevitably scare myself nearly every time that I test ride a modern bike with “throttle-by-wire.” The instant on/instant off nature of the system makes “unintended acceleration” a common occurrence, and I’m lucky that I …
Read More »Doc’s Motorcycle Parts Plans Vintage Show
Doc’s Motorcycle Parts in Waterbury, CT is planning its first-ever vintage motorcycle show and swap meet on July 19 with all brands being welcome. Mike “Mike Doc” D’Occhio reasons that
Read More »Details Released On EBR 1190SX
Erik Buell Racing officially unwrapped a second model on Tuesday – the EBR 1190SX – and provided specs and pricing for the first time. The company describes it as “a true naked streetfighter-style sport bike.” Weighing in at 414 pounds, the 1190SX uses the same 185-horsepower V-Twin engine found in …
Read More »Zero Motorcycles Gets Boost From Livewire
Harley-Davidson’s unveiling on June 19 of an electric motorcycle prototype, dubbed Project Livewire, has “already impacted on business” at Zero Motorcycles. Scot Harden, vice president of global marketing for the California-based maker of electric bikes, tells RIDE-CT/RIDE-NewEngland that traffic to Zero’s website doubled on the day that Harley debuted Project …
Read More »Museums To Honor Yarocki On Indian Day
Vintage Indian expert George Yarocki of Torrington, CT (shown above) will be honored by the Springfield Museums at its fifth annual Indian Day celebration on July 20 in the Massachusetts city. Yarocki is a life-long Indian lover and co-founder of the 101 Association, an organization devoted to the history and …
Read More »Indians Star in “Somethin’ Bad”
It’s two new Indian motorcycles that play crucial roles in Miranda Lambert’s new video, “Somethin’ Bad,” which is actually a duet with Carrie Underwood. The collaboration has the two country music stars
Read More »Dierks Bentley Pens “Ride On”
They are song lyrics that any rider can relate to: Give me a highway I can ride on, Miles and miles I get high on;
Read More »Jason Lee Rides ’33 Indian Chief In Movie
RHINEBECK, NY – Motorcycle lovers who attend the Rhinebeck Grand National Meet at the Duchess County Fairgrounds in New York always have hundreds of vintage bikes to admire and thousands of parts and accessories to consider buying. The recent annual gathering had many alluring bikes, including a 1914 Excelsior, but …
Read More »Neracar: A Rarity From The 1920s
Do not ask David Perillo how much money he paid for his vintage motorcycle. He won’t say because he thinks the question is rude. “It’s kind of a personal thing, like income,” he said when asked a few years ago “I would never ask someone that.” Such a throwback attitude in …
Read More »