Ride New England

Has it really been nearly two years since the last installment of “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…” appeared? It had been a somewhat regular feature of light-hearted comment, predictions, and more serious opinion. Somehow, though, it got set aside in the day-to-day crush to cover …

HARWINTON, CT – Are you a good rider? A motorcycle mishap may prove you’re not as good as you think… Motorcycle instructor and “Riding in the Zone” author Ken Condon shared an old magazine column of his on social media yesterday in which he opined that most riders delude themselves …

FALLS VILLAGE, CT – The colorful, eccentric and British-themed breakfast and lunch spot started by Annie and Greg Bidou in 2002 has been a gathering spot for motorcyclists, especially on Sunday mornings. It has also catered to thru-hikers on the nearby Appalachian Trail. The Bidous labors will appropriately come to …

It’s all my mother’s fault. So what if she’s been dead for 38 years. She passed along her sports car-loving genes, and that’s undoubtably the reason why a used, two-seater Mazda in eye-catching burgundy ended up in my garage late last week, forcing the shifting of my motorcycles into tight …

GREAT BARRINGTON, MA – No matter the motorcycle that a rider buys, whether it be new, used, modern or classic, there’s bound to be an element or two on that bike that irritates. The dissatisfaction can happen immediately or develop over time. The seat might be too hard or a …

HARWINTON, CT – My neighbor and riding friend Bill Smith and I were catching our breaths after picking up some free firewood from down the street one evening earlier this week, leaning against our vehicles with six feet between us, when Bill asked, “Do you think Harley-Davidson will survive the …

There’s a somewhat flippant saying that a motorcyclist is “a person willing to take a container of flammable liquid, place it on top of a hot engine, and then put it between their legs.”  The unstated message is that riding is dangerous and takes a modicum of courage. It is …

HARWINTON, CT – It was while going through a plastic storage container stuffed with miscellaneous old papers recently that I discovered a diploma issued nearly 50 years ago when I was 16.  The “Driver Education Certificate” from The Faita A-C School of Driving in Torrington was dated July 1, 1970 …

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT – What transpired at a town council meeting in South Windsor last week is worth noting and remembering for the lessons it provided. It also needs to be noted that the meeting failed to address the underlying problem that brought a mob to Town Hall – excessive …

DANBURY, CT – For Al Lucchino, memories of launching a new Harley-Davidson dealership are as vivid as the paint on the glistening models that fill his showroom – even 25 years later. There are memories of the frustrating hunt for a location for the store and the exhilaration of customers …

By Bud Wilkinson WATERBURY, CT – From a sales standpoint, Harley-Davidson’s 1971 FX Super Glide model was an unmitigated flop. It was such an ugly duckling that only 4,700 of the ‘boat-tail” model were sold. “It was so untraditional for Harley that people just wouldn’t accept it,” recalled Cosimo “Doc” …

By Bud Wilkinson KENT, CT – Finally, relief from the roar. A solution to a nagging problem that should make riding more satisfying and cause fewer headaches. It was 18 months ago that I acquired a peppy used 2014 Triumph Bonneville from Mark’s Motorsports in Enfield, CT. The original owner …

By Bud Wilkinson THOMASTON, CT – Nothing’s settled. No decision has been made on the route that the Naugatuck Valley Greenway will take from the Torrington line southward to the Thomaston Dam, but recent discussions involving planners and concerned parties have apparently come up with a possible solution that may …

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 …

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 …