Columns

It’s an ambitious plan. Build an uninterrupted 44-mile “greenway” alongside the Naugatuck River from Torrington to Derby for use by walkers, joggers, bicyclists and their pets. A few segments have been completed, while work and planning continues on the remainder, according to a status report on the project’s website. Of …

NAUGATUCK, CT – Riding a motorcycle isn’t for everyone. While an estimated 85 percent of students taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation-designed Basic Rider Course are successful, passing the course doesn’t make one a skilled rider or even road-ready. That only comes with seat time and a willingness to constantly work …

NORTH GRANBY, CT – It was when approaching a left-hand turn this past weekend that I noticed two motorcycles coming at me. I put on my turn signal well in advance and not only scanned the road in front of me but, using my mirrors, scanned the road behind me. …

“Dealer Perspective” by Bob Rosen LITTLE NECK, NY – Up until this point, the arrest, trial, conviction and, as of earlier this week, sentencing to 10 years in prison of Bruce J. Bemer on multiple felonies for patronization and trafficking young boys for sex has played out as a titillating …

BRISTOL, CT – Parked just inside the front door of Yankee Harley-Davidson on Route 6 here and cordoned off by red velvet ropes is a stunning red, white and blue 2019 Road Glide model. A sign on its seat warns “DO NOT SIT ON BIKE!” and an invoice attached to …

The ranks of female riders are steadily growing, and it’s high time that this demographic is recognized by the increasingly profit-challenged motorcycle industry. Later this year, ladies will come out in force for the Women Riders World Relay (WRWR). What better way to unite women on two wheels and gain …

HARWINTON, CT – Bills often get paid with nary a glance. Go online, log in, look at the amount due, and click “submit payment.” I did that last week when the registration renewal arrived for my pickup truck. The process was quick and easy. Thanks DMV. Included in the tab was …

CHESTER, VT – There have been plenty of years when my riding season began back in March. Sound silly? Well, when I was a young married man with one car and a child on the way, having a motorcycle was often a Godsend. If I dressed properly, I could make …

HARWINTON, CT – Life is full of negativity, annoyances and sometimes outrage. There are keyboard terrorists on social media posting insults (from both ends of the political spectrum), neighbors who leave their outside lights on all night and allow them to rudely shine in nearby windows, and, in summertime, the incessant …

LITTLE NECK, NY – It’s a local story that hasn’t received national attention, but it’s worth noting and commenting on. The owner of two Harley-Davidson dealerships in Wisconsin is being sued by Harley-Davidson for $6.3 million.  What happened was – possibly because they were caught in a cash crunch – the …

WATERBURY, CT – What’s winter without a project? Winter’s the season when motorcycle owners and shops engage in deferred repairs, overdue maintenance and long-desired restorations to occupy idle time and to prepare for the coming riding season. In my case, a hinky instrument cluster on the 1987 BMW R 80 RT …

Not only will CONREP students get a grip on the throttle this spring, most will also be required to fire up a computer for some pre-course preparation in the form of an eCourse. “Connecticut is adopting the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) eCourse to further enhance the students learning time in …

CHESTER, VT – It’s always been about freedom. The new generation of motorcyclists are the ones that will see the greatest transition in motorcycling history. For so many good reasons, motorcycles are changing, and 2019 marks some milestones for those changes.  One of the more significant milestones is Harley-Davidson’s introduction of …

NANUET, NY – It’s 9:30 p.m. with a clear sky and 26 degrees when my sidecar monkey Paul Weinberg and I pull into a commuter lot. The plan is to ready my trailered 1989 Honda Gold Wing for the 101st running of the Crotona Midnight Run before we reach the …

NORTH GRANBY, CT – The Facebook notification from the Ramapo Motorcycle Club arrived Thursday while I was sitting at my computer working my checklist for my second Crotona Midnight Run. It had the word  “Postponed” stamped across the event flyer. Due to the weather forecast of snow, rain and anything else …