New England News

COLEBROOK, CT – Route 8 in Connecticut runs north-south from Bridgeport on Long Island Sound to Colebrook at the Massachusetts border. Before the flood of 1955, it was a narrow, winding road with numerous cities along the way. After the flood, dams were built on the Naugatuck River to prevent …

AGAWAM, MA – The shiny black 1981 Harley-Davidson FXB Sturgis that Paul Murphy still rides was purchased new from what was then Easthampton Harley-Davidson for approximately $5,200. Some 36 years and maybe 150,000 miles later, it’s still on the road, although its motor has been rebuilt four times and many …

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Some motor in proudly. Others are rolled in, while a few arrive with “some assembly required.” The annual Indian Day staged at the Springfield Museums brings together dozens of old Indian motorcycles, along with their mostly old owners. The colorful show was held again Sunday not from …

SPRINGFIELD, MA – His father, Fritzie Baer, ran the factory dealership at the original Indian Motorcycle plant and Butch Baer got his first ride as a newborn on a 1923 Indian with sidecar. He’s been riding ever since, but after a couple of driveway drops last year, it looked like …

SUFFIELD, CT – Year two of a revived motorcycle show at Hilltop Farm, once owned by original Indian co-founder George M. Hendee, proved satisfactory on Saturday with a bluegrass band livening the proceedings. “The big change is the music. There’s nothing like live music,” said Kacy Colston, president of The …

NEWINGTON, CT – Are your riding skills sufficient to teach others? If you think so, have some free time and would like to earn a few bucks in the process, CONREP needs you. The Connecticut Rider Education Program has lost roughly one-third of its instructor corps over the past few …

A stunt rider from Ohio who went down last week while showing off on a Connecticut roadway is getting ridiculed on Facebook as an “asshat,” a “dumb ass” and a “jackass” – and, after watching the video, it’s easy to see why. Jeff “C-Bear” Flaherty, whose Facebook page says that …

THOMPSON, CT – If this were a fish tale, it might be considered a whopper. However, unlike anglers who sometimes exaggerate the struggles involved in landing a prize catch, motorcyclists don’t need to embellish when storytelling because the truth alone is usually sufficient. Maine “Ted” Smith of Cheshire had such …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Motorcyclists who ride the back roads of New England know just how bad they can be. Potholes, cracks and uneven pavement can make maneuvering a challenge. A new report released this week by the non-profit national transportation research group TRIP confirms it, revealing that the New England …

POMFRET, CT – As usual, the parking lot at the Vanilla Bean Cafe was filled with motorcycles on Sunday morning, but some heads turned when Charlie Gallo of Mansfield, CT rode in on his 1929 Harley-Davidson JD and parked next to a 1924 Ace owned by Dan Emerson of Woodstock, …

THOMPSON, CT – Some bikes can grab your attention instantly. The 1960 Velocette MSS owned by Rick Price of Chester, CT did just that as it was being unloaded from the back of a pickup at the Thompson Vintage Motorcycle Classic. So did the 1971 BSA Rocket 3 owned by …

THOMPSON, CT – What a difference a year and five weeks makes. It was under a sunny sky filled with puffy clouds that shirt-sleeved riders enjoyed the 2nd annual Thompson Vintage Motorcycle Classic on Sunday at the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. The warm day was a huge difference from the …

WATERBURY, CT – The recent closure of Adams of Oakville, the former Honda and Suzuki dealer nearby, and a “family pet project” have combined to prompt Doc’s Motorcycle Parts to expand its business into providing parts and gear for motocross and dirt bike enthusiasts. “We’re a motorcycle shop. Those are motorcycles,” …

WETHERSFIELD, CT – Are motorcyclists second class citizens in Connecticut? It seems that way. I recently received a tip from a rider and reader Chris Hinze of Middletown, CT who complained that the state Department of Motor Vehicles is discriminating against motorcyclists by not allowing us to research online the …

MANCHESTER, CT – Thieves smashed the front doors of Manchester Honda-KTM-Husqvarna overnight and made off with two KTM dirt bikes as well as one Husqvarna motorcycle. Surveillance video captured the culprits, mostly dressed in black hoodies, lifting the bikes out of the store through a door and loading them into …