Ride New England

TORRINGTON, CT – It was at the end of a recent Sunday morning coffee klatch inside a motorcycle shop in Torrington that Tim Raindle asked rhetorically, “What’s the value of a piece of rust?”  The decayed subject of his inquiry was parked next to him. It’s more than 100 years …

HARWINTON, CT – His grandfather raced motorcycles. His father raced motorcycles, too, so it was likely preordained that Kenny Coolbeth Jr. would follow in their tracks. He started riding and racing as a youngster growing up in Warren, CT and can still be found on the racetrack testing new Honda …

HARWINTON, CT – The exhaust notes produced by a motorcycle as it passes by can often reveal the identity of its manufacturer, or at least provide clues. It was while weeding the flower beds in my side yard this morning that I heard what sounded to be something old and …

HARWINTON, CT – It wasn’t a surprise really that the battery on my 1987 BMW R 80 RT was dead when spring arrived. I’d neglected to keep it on a Battery Tender throughout the winter, only plugging it in occasionally and for short periods of time. It was 33 months …

HARWINTON, CT – It was a good idea that had a bad outcome and involved a church and a motorcycle. The obnoxious stunt had spectators at a Memorial Day Parade here covering their ears in pain and disgust, and ultimately reflected negatively on a church that was simply trying to …

HARWINTON, CT – This riding season is unlike any other. By this time last year there had already been a three-day trip to an antique motorcycle show in Pennsylvania. This year, operating a motorcycle for even a few miles has been thwarted by an injury.    While I routinely put …

EAST HARTFORD, CT – It’s National Beer Day, and it’s providing yet another example of motorcycle dealers being irresponsible by serving alcohol in their stores. The notable culprits are Hartford Harley-Davidson in East Hartford, CT and Old School Harley-Davidson in Ellington, CT. It’s a practice that’s not only irresponsible but …

GREENWICH, CT – It would be misleading to claim that motorcycles are an afterthought at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. The event staged on the waterfront at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park routinely draws some exquisite models. It’s just that they’re always overshadowed by the high volume of expensive vintage and modern …

It’s the October edition of “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…” It’s an items column filled with news tidbits from near and far that either didn’t warrant a full story or somehow fell through the cracks. There’s also a smattering of opinion. Here goes: “If You …

It’s another edition of “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told…” It’s an items column filled with national and local news tidbits along with a bit of opinion. Here goes: “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…” Still Waiting For An Official Announcement, But… The …

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 put the regular “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You” column of news tidbits into an extended hibernation that has lasted 18 months. It returns now with some local, national and international items and a bit of opinion. …

TORRINGTON, CT – For some motorcyclists, old models have a magical allure. They’re certainly much easier to work on than their modern-day counterparts, and they also spur the imagination to speculate on their past adventures. “I always think about the history,” said collector Richard Nelson of Torrington recently as he …

FALLS VILLAGE, CT – It’s a task with no requirements other than a pulse and a willingness to pick a favorite. Unlike other motorcycle shows, the two-wheeled portion of the Falls Village Car & Motorcycle Show doesn’t have categories, year restrictions or demands for original perfection. It’s a “come one, …

Time for another installment of “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You,” the column that updates recent stories and contains fresh ones (items that maybe aren’t sufficient to justify a full post), along with a smattering of opinion. Before getting to the news, though, a question: Why …

It’s another installment of “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…,” a column that updates recent stories as well as contains fresh items that didn’t warrant a full post or slipped through the cracks. Here goes: “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…” That …