New England News

CONCORD, NH – Another Harley-Davidson dealer in the Northeast is closing. Heritage Harley-Davidson, which has been in business here since 1982, announced this afternoon that after “careful consideration and with heavy hearts” the store will shut down on Sept. 30. Closing last week was Harley-Davidson of Southampton in Massachusetts. Going …

POCASSET, MA – Cape Cod Harley-Davidson got a new owner today. A three-man partnership acquired the store from sisters Cate and Molly MacGregor and immediately vowed to pump some new ideas into the operation. “I think they wanted someone to take over and excel with it,” said incoming co-owner and …

BOSCAWEN, NH – The bodies of what are believed to be a New Hampshire grandfather and his grandson have been found at a crash site in woods near the Salisbury, NH town line. Jerry Proper, 69, and Cody Pillsbury, 22, went for a motorcycle ride on a Honda Gold Wing …

NEWPORT, NH – A New Hampshire man and his grandson haven’t been seen since Labor Day after going on a motorcycle ride, and police here are seeking the public’s help in finding the missing riders. Jerry Proper, 69, and his grandson, 22-year-old Cody Pillsbury, left the Newport area shortly after …

SOUTHAMPTON, MA – The Springfield market and Pioneer Valley will be without a Harley-Davidson dealership next week after Harley-Davidson of Southhampton shuts its door after more than two decades in town. In a message posted on its website and on its Facebook page, the dealership announced, “We’re closing our doors …

There’s nothing new on television, and the new reality special “Kaplan America” that is set in Connecticut is the latest example to confirm this thesis. It premieres at 10 tonight on The Discovery Channel and unabashedly cribs elements from “American Pickers,” “American Chopper” and even “Counting Cars” with self-imposed deadline …

FALLS VILLAGE, CT – The curtain came down quietly on Toymakers Cafe this afternoon after 18½ years of serving as a gathering place for riders in Connecticut and beyond. Here are a few pics as the eatery closed. The parking lot slowly emptied… A signature sweet potato waffle got served… …

New England Motorcycle Museum owner Ken Kaplan is putting on his “Kaplan America” vigilante crimefighter garb for a new television special that will appear on the Discovery Channel next week. In the just-released promo for the show titled “Kaplan America,” he introduces himself by declaring, “I’m a motorcycle-flipping, ass-kicking, American …

Laconia Motorcycle Week in New Hampshire concluded its run on Sunday and “The Laconia Daily Sun” has a wrap-up story: By Michael Mortensen, The Laconia Daily Sun LACONIA — When Laconia Motorcycle Week promoter Charlie St. Clair and City Manager Scott Myers were asked to give their assessment of the …

WALLINGFORD, CT – It has been a riding season without swap meets or motorcycle shows because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but members of the Eagle Riders clubs from Naugatuck and Wallingford stared down the death count today by staging a show for frustrated riders. “We were tired of sitting home. …

Attendance at Laconia Motorcycle Week in New Hampshire is down this week, possibly because of the reported spread of COVID-19 by the recent Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. “The Laconia Daily Sun” has the story: By Rick Green, The Laconia Daily Sun LACONIA — Normally, the NASWA Resort, the official hotel of …

EAST HADDAM, CT – He was best known for playing consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and he lived in an opulent, odd-looking castle above the Connecticut River. Off-stage, actor William Gillette was a motorcycle enthusiast and a new video debuting today on the YouTube channel of the non-profit organization Friends of …

Laconia Motorcycle Week in New Hampshire is underway and “The Laconia Daily Sun” has a report on how it’s going: By Micheal Mortensen, The Laconia Daily Sun LACONIA — Weirs Beach was bustling Saturday, the first day of Laconia Motorcycle Week, but it did not look like other bike weeks. …

FALLS VILLAGE, CT – While a date for publication and a price still haven’t been determined yet, work continues on the soon-to-be released cookbook from the owners of Toymakers Cafe here and the editor of RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England. As first reported in mid-July, Toymakers Cafe owners Ann and Greg …

Laconia Motorcycle Week gets ready to begin in New Hampshire and “The Laconia Daily Sun” has an update on how safety is being stressed: By Michael Mortensen, The Laconia Daily Sun LOUDON — At a time that has come to be known as the new normal, promoters of Laconia Motorcycle …