Columns

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com It wasn’t until after a recent phone conversation with Mike Cunningham ended that the most obvious question popped to mind. Cunningham is Director of U.S. Sales and Dealer Development for Zero Motorcycles and the question – OK, two related questions – that I’d failed to …

By Steve Smith The inspiration for this column came when I observed a student rider in a CONREP class make an error during a cornering exercise that caused a close encounter of the asphalt kind. The student was wearing protective gear and was fine. After righting the motorcycle, coaching was …

By Steve Smith People pursue the art of riding in different ways. Some casually glide along the boulevard or back roads, while others enjoy the adventure of dual sport and off road, carving mountainous curves of asphalt ribbons or engaging in the adrenaline pumping action of track days or racing. …

By Steve Smith RIDE-CT readers may be familiar with the acronym “ATG-ATT,” which stands for “All the gear, all the time.” Myself and fellow Motorcycle Safety Foundation rider coaches extol the virtues of using proper riding gear as it is essential to safe riding. Wearing the right clothing can make

By Bud Wilkinson Before March 8, I’d neither heard of a Garelli nor envisioned myself emulating the guys on the “American Pickers” television show. I didn’t know that the Italian brand of motorcycles and mopeds was founded by Adalberto Garelli in 1919. Italian motorcycles to me meant Ducati, Moto Guzzi, …

By Steve Smith of RIDE-CT.com Most motorcycle safety professionals extol the value of visibility when riding a motorcycle. Our vision is probably the most important of our primary senses to help reduce the chance of a crash. The common phrase used is “See and be seen,” which reminds riders to …

By Steve Smith of RIDE-CT.com The Connecticut Rider Education Program recently released 2011 training statistics. The number of riders trained was more than 6000, but the number of students taking courses for experienced riders was down significantly. I find this odd that riders are not seeking out ways to improve …

By Steve Smith of RIDE-CT.com One recent Saturday, the service manager at Libby’s Motoworld in New Haven just by chance happened to notice that the tire pressure appeared low on a visitor’s ’74 Honda CB750 Four. The incident provides the rest of us a reminder that under-inflated tires are the …

By Steve Smith of RIDE-CT.com Learning is a life-long process. We are never too old or have been riding too long to work on improving our riding skills. While waiting out the winter PMS (parked motorcycle syndrome) until being able to participate in an on-cycle skills improvement course consider doing …

By Bud Wilkinson Place a Mustang motorcycle next to almost any other motorcycle and it would look a bit like a Tonka toy. All the pieces are there – the wheels, motor, gas tank, seat, etc. – but they’ve been slightly downsized. Is a Mustang is a miniature motorcycle or …

By Bud Wilkinson At what age or state of physical decay is it appropriate to draw up a “bucket list” of things to do or accomplish before one dies? Having prematurely written a “year-ender” column back in November after the pre-Halloween nor’easter and ensuing extended power outage left me unable …

By Steve Smith of RIDE-CT.com While rolling the Kawasaki Concours 14 backwards out of the garage and down the steep incline of the driveway on New Year’s Day, I felt an odd unsteadiness as my feet began to slide slightly on the asphalt. In a heartbeat, I recognized “black ice.” …

By Bud Wilkinson Mention the name “Husqvarna” to anyone who lives in the country and images of chain saws and lawn tractors inevitably come to mind. There’s one of each sharing space with the bikes in my garage. They’re orange-colored time thieves that curtail riding and cause a sore back …

By Bud Wilkinson By the time the Sunday motorcycle adventure ended, and riding cohort Gary Randall’s 1968 BMW R50/2 was securely strapped on a trailer, the sun was setting in the Berkshires and a bovine chorus was serenading us from beyond a barbed wire fence. Something that I feared happening …

By Bud Wilkinson Jim Batterton has a sensible goal for his business. “I don’t have any aspirations of becoming huge, but I would like to be able to support myself doing something I enjoy,” said the 60-year-old Batterton, who gets enjoyment from converting heavyweight motorcycles into trikes. He owns Kent …