Up To Speed

TORRINGTON, CT – Aspiring motorcyclists in Litchfield County will have to travel much farther next year to take the state’s mandatory Basic Rider Course. After 26 years of allowing Connecticut Rider Education Program (CONREP) classes on the UConn Torrington campus, the university is kicking the program to the curb by

In a deal that has been rumored for weeks, Daimler’s performance German brand Mercedes-AMG today announced that it will acquire 25 percent of MV Agusta. What Mercedes is paying for the quarter stake in the Italian maker of high performance bikes wasn’t disclosed.

This time it’s the American College of Surgeons that is out with findings that support universal helmet laws. In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers compared the impact of partial helmet laws (for riders under age 18 or under age 21) in some states to the requirement by other states that all …

It has been said that actions speak louder than words. If that’s true, Polaris needs to stop with the “bullish” lip-service and either pay some serious attention to its Victory brand or put all its eggs in Indian’s basket. As it currently stands,

ROCKVILLE, CT – Tour what was once the Hockanum Mill in Rockville with Ken Kaplan, as RIDE-CT did recently, and his attention to detail on his $10 million dream project is constantly evident. It was evident during

California is the only state in the nation that allows lane-splitting – riding a motorcycle between two lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic on a freeway – but the results of a new year-long study released this week just might spur

NORFOLK, CT – When heading out with friends for a ride through the Litchfield Hills, I am always on the lookout for quality eating establishments, especially ones that are motorcyclist friendly. The Wood Creek Bar and Grill represents all of this and more. Owners Mike and Heidi Dinsmore started the …

Suzuki is recalling more than 23,000 of its GSX-R750 (model years 2011-2014) and GSX-R1000 (model years 2009-2014) motorcycles due to a drive chain adjuster issue. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “If a gear is missed while up-shifting, the strain applied to the drive chain after the next …

TERRYVILLE, CT – It was at today’s “Indian Summer” motorcycle show at Chute Gates Steakhouse here that Dennis Bolduc talked expansion plans, confirming that his Indian Motorcycle of Springfield (MA) dealership may be getting a sibling store in

Yamaha’s Star cruiser brand today unveiled a new, third version of its Bolt model for 2015. Called the C-Spec, this Bolt features clip-on handlebars, fork gaiters, a removable passenger seat cowl and “sport cafe paint and graphics. Available in silver or green, the Bolt C-Spec joins the existing base Bolt …

Motorcycle manufacturers love to embellish when describing their offerings, so it’s only natural to skim over some of the descriptions used by Triumph regarding its Thunderbird LT model – lines such as “premium class touring cruiser” and “world’s largest parallel twin motorcycle engine.” More to the point is how does …

Triumph is recalling more than 1,300 of its 2012 and 2013 Street Triple R models because of possible loose bolts. The bikes, built between July 1, 2012 ad Oct. 1, 2013 and having ABS, have “four bolts that secure the two cable guides on either side of the headstock” that …

Kawasaki’s long-running, 649cc Versys model is getting a larger sibling. The company announced today that the Versys 1000 will finally be sold in the U.S. as a 2015 model, with both versions coming in an “LT” configuration. The larger Versys has been sold elsewhere in the world since the 2012 model …

Edgar Howard Johnson Jr. fervently believes in securing his recently-acquired vintage Harley-Davidson, and is adamant that history not repeat itself. The motorcycle is locked in the garage at his home near Charlotte, N.C. “There’s no way they’d be able to

About 100 miles north of New York City, Columbia County has long offered a great selection of fun riding roads and some interesting destinations. Among those destinations are three venues for modern outdoor sculpture – sometimes on a grand scale. The ambitious rider could visit each of these unique collections …