Columns

Lovers of vintage Indians would certainly notice the blending even if the rest of us didn’t, and last evening Rob Mathias took his “Chout” for a test ride up Route 4 from George Yarocki’s shop in Torrington, CT through Goshen. What’s a “Chout?” It’s a

We’ve all heard of “sticker shock.” That’s where something costs so much that the heart nearly stops beating upon discovery of the price, such as $495 for a single round of golf at Pebble Beach, cart not included. Less common but equally startling is “reverse sticker shock” where something costs …

It seems more people use motorcycles and scooters in an effort to reduce personal transportation costs when gas prices rise. Some smaller-engine motorcycles and scooters can get 60-70 mpg or better. The under-50cc mopeds can reach or exceed an impressive 100 mpg. Mopeds are also gaining in popularity, but I’m …

It was a hometown car and motorcycle show on Saturday afternoon – a half-mile from my house and benefiting the Harwinton (CT) Lions Club – so naturally I brought

Burt Ives Honda has reopened. The motorcycle dealership on Route 66 in Columbia, CT that dates back to 1931 has been closed since December after

An auction date of June 18 has been set for the assets of electric scooter maker Vectrix, the New Bedford, MA-based company that launched in 2006 but which ceased operating in January and filed for bankruptcy on

The showroom is filled not with new Triumph models, but with the scent of fresh carpeting. The floor of the service department glistens from the newly-applied sealant that still hasn’t cured in one area. A sign on the exterior of Hamlin Cycles in Bethel, CT has a Union Jack as …

Motorcycle shows are always fun, but the New England Air Museum‘s inaugural indoor event today in Windsor Locks, CT was best summed up by Rick Price of Chester, CT. “It’s such a cool place to have it. There’s certainly a lot of shiny aluminum around,” said Price, who brought his …

It stands upright on a podium, secured from beneath by thin cables and bookended to the front and rear by two other uncommon motorcycles that are posed on platforms that are appropriately lower. Spotlights in the ceiling make its bright blue and pink paint sparkle. The race-bike rarity is so …

By Bob Rosen Known to many, the Adventure Rider forums should be known to all.  Perhaps one of the very best all-round resources on the web. The depth and breadth of information on ADVrider is nothing short of astonishing.  Many a cold winter’s day has been whiled away reading the …

By Bob Rosen Bike EXIF – This blog by Chris Hunter features some of the most creative custom bikes you’ll ever come across.  The blog is updated on a regular basis and never fails to provide thought provoking (and even controversial) examples of bike builders’ creativity from around the world. Most often …

A neighbor recently thinned her bookshelves and deposited a plastic bag filled with paperbacks on my doorstep. Included in the discards that she thought I might enjoy was Robert Fulghum’s “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”  In reading it, having missed its gentle wisdom when it was …

  Even before un-virtuous ladies of the night could offer up their services something had to take place to generate interest and awareness for their “business.” They found themselves needing to sell their attributes to potential clients.  Attracting interested parties, emphasizing the superiority of their offering

Mixing smart phones and motorcycling is dangerous, but how about if there was a way to use one when not riding to improve your riding skills and knowledge? The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recently announced courses for

By Bob Rosen “Ride to eat and eat to ride” is our motto and Roadfood.com has a seemingly endless collection of destinations. Indexed by state on this page, each of the hundreds of eateries has their own page with reviews and a few pictures of popular items. The emphasis is definitely not on …