Columns

HARWINTON, CT – What’s the penalty for an overdue book? Is there a statute of limitations on a purloined tome? The first question is one that I asked more than a week ago in a Facebook post after finding a copy of the book “Stories for Children” by Elise Reid Boylston …

THOMASTON, CT – It was while visiting the Railroad Museum of New England recently that a volunteer conductor grumbled to me about the use of unnamed sources by those of us who work in news. He’d seen my reporter’s notebook and camera, and knew my profession. I was there looking …

BROOKLYN – When Peter Boggia first starting earning his living wrenching on motorcycles nearly 20 years ago, he found a line of work that resonated with him like nothing else. He ultimately established Moto Borgotaro at 97 Union St. in Brooklyn in 2008 and became the go-to guy for repairs …

CHESTER, VT – I’ve always been fascinated by cyclecars. What are they? Here’s a very loose history: Cyclecars first became popular in 1910. They were lightweight vehicles with small, motorcycle engines and minimal bodies. The most common configuration was a V-twin engine mounted in front between two steerable wheels with …

LAKE GEORGE, NY – Most everyone in the motorcycle world knows that the first full week of June is reserved for one of the best known motorcycle rallies in the country – Americade. But what most don’t know is that last year Americade hatched a side show – the DirtDaze …

Long weekends like Memorial Day provide an opportunity for friends and family to gather. Barbeques are certainly the norm for most and if you own a bike maybe riding that bike to a barbeque is also the norm. Hey, for me, riding a bike to everywhere is normal. Every inch …

WATERBURY, CT – Mother’s Day weekend didn’t go as uneventfully as Taig Rehmel had hoped. He’d anticipated a wonderful reunion with a fondly-recalled motorcycle model from his earlier street riding days and an exhilarating ride from Connecticut to his home in Georgia. Instead, he was confronted by pain and the challenge …

There are many who are all-year riders here in New England, but many wait for spring to bring their motorcycles out of hibernation. Experienced riders know it’s a good idea to perform an inspection and possibly some servicing of the bike prior to each ride, especially the first time the …

WESTFIELD, MA – If it seemed at all odd when Polaris Industries, maker of Indian motorcycles, came out with the Slingshot roadster three years ago, it was really a case of history somewhat repeating itself, and with a good deal more success. The three-wheeled, belt-driven Slingshot is really more automobile …

Maybe it was the muscle aches from yard clean-up, exacerbated by start-of-season riding with arms, legs and butt unaccustomed to being in a locked-in seating position for extended periods, that prompted the thought. At age 63, I probably have more riding days behind me than ahead of me.

CHESTER, VT – No, this isn’t about me having some kind of vision, or about some psychic that I employed to interpret it. Not even close. This is about the creative process. It actually stems from the rather arrogant assumption (on my part) that I can do it, or have …

Manufacturers hate to terminate dealerships. It’s a real hassle for all parties concerned and it raises questions about the brands involved. Prior to terminating an authorized dealer, a manufacturer will almost always try to help the dealer resolve its problems so they can remain a dealer for the brand. In …

BRIDGEWATER, CT – So, you’ve got several years and miles under your belt on tar and are feeling pretty confident in your on-road skills. And then spring arrives and you stop at your favorite two-wheeled Sunday meetup spot and hear some buddies talking about their awesome off-road adventure. They appear so …

This evening I found myself sifting thru pictures of motorcycles that I have owned. I like to do that from time to time. In doing so, I got stuck looking at several pictures of the 2003 BMW K 1200 RS currently within my herd. Though it wasn’t purchased new, I …

HARWINTON, CT – It has been a schizophrenic end to winter. Warm one day, cold and windy the next, with occasional rain or snow. One day I’m toasty while riding to New Haven to meet a friend for lunch, the next I’m shivering while hauling logs for the wood stove. …