Up To Speed

Some visitors at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in New York back in December got to gawk at NHL legend Mark Messier, who was on the convention floor shooting video touting the Can-Am Spyder. The six-time Stanley Cup champ (five times with the Edmonton Oilers and once with the New …

Pictures courtesy of Marvel This is the week that Harley-Davidon has been waiting for – the week when Marvel’s much-anticipated “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” opens and shows off its new Street 750 model to moviegoers (and riders) around the planet. The hope is that new and younger riders will be …

By Bud Wilkinson The gossip website TMZ is receiving guffaws from riders coast-to-coast after cluelessly labeling a motorcycle ridden by a Los Angeles police officer as a “chopper” in a story about a woman who apparently dodged ticket on Friday afternoon. The website reported: The LAPD is conducting a formal Internal Affairs …

By Bud Wilkinson Michigan repealed its helmet law in 2012, allowing riders 21 and older to go lid-free, but similar efforts in other states since then have failed. Two attempts this year to wipe helmet laws from the book, including one in New England, failed. In the Vermont legislature, the …

It’s the longest-running British Motorcycle Meet in the country, and this years’s 36th annual event staged by the BSA Owners Club of New England will move to a new location at the Bolton Fairgrounds on Route 117 in Lancaster, MA. The meet includes a bike show and motorcycle flea market …

By Bud Wilkinson The arrival of spring not only means a return to riding, but also motorcycle meets and shows. There are at least three planned over the next few weeks and spread over the region. The most intriguing is… – The New England Air Museum Motorcycle Show, a first-time event …

Are you a sci-fi buff? Yamaha is taking a futuristic approach in promoting its new three-wheeled Tricity scooter by creating an imaginary place called “Rev STATION” where new models are created.  In a recently-revealed online introduction of Rev STATION, Yamaha tells of a 21st Century where “the Earth was weakening” …

By Bud Wilkinson There’s an old saying that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. There’s some truth to it. Notoriety is better than no one knowing that you exist. But what about the error-strewn case of TV exposure? The good news is that the grand opening party at Indian …

Honda today used the 30th Osaka Motorcycle Show to unveil an outrageous “exhibition model” that’s destined for production. Dubbed the NM4, the model features “Front Massive Styling” with a “low-setup cockpit position and adjustable backrest.” It’s powered by a 745cc, two-cylinder engine, has a dual clutch transmission and a large …

By Bud Wilkinson Oil drippings… – Burt Ives Honda in Columbia, CT isn’t expected to re-open until late April. That’s well after the original target of February. The dealership, which dates back to the 1930s, was acquired last fall by Ken Ives Jr. who bought it from his father. Remodeling, however, …

It was an overcast day in July 2007 that Woodrow “Pack” Landfair rode his 1995 Suzuki Intruder from Massachusetts into Connecticut on what was a year-long quest to visit the 48 contiguous states. I met up with him, rode with him for a spell and wrote about him in my …

By Bud Wilkinson Harley-Davidson of Danbury and Brothers’ Harley-Davidson in Branford, CT were recently named Silver Bar & Shield Circle of Achievement award-winners for the 2013 calendar year. The dealerships were recognized for their sales prowess, for their customer service and satisfaction, and for other business acumen. Gengras Harley-Davidson in …

By Bud Wilkinson Independent filmmakers Eric Ristau and Geneva Liimatta of Missoula, MT are going the crowd-sourcing route to fund their latest effort – a documentary about motorcyclists who ride with their four-legged friends. The movie will be titled “Sit Stay Ride: The Story of America’s Sidecar Dogs.” Shooting has …

By Bud Wilkinson Packed in suitcase that’s stowed somewhere in my house is a leisure suit from the ’70s. It’s lemon yellow in color, made of polyester and in such good condition that it could be placed on a mannequin and sold as new. It belonged to my long-dead father. He …

By Bud Wilkinson After a Facebook friend added a PSA to my wall last week that implores drivers to be aware of motorcyclists, I found a vintage video clip from the U.K. that provides the same message. It was posted here Thursday. Since then, I’ve been wondering if there are …