Up To Speed

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Chris ‘D’Aleo of Amenia, NY may have ridden into Toymaker’s Cafe in Falls Village, CT in a group yesterday morning, but the bike he was riding certainly stood out from the others (as did a Yamaha XS850 that I regrettably didn’t get pictures of). D’Alewo …

With the clock counting down on the unveiling of the all-new 2014 Chief, Indian continues to taunt with a new teaser that shows the bike’s Thunder Stroke 111 engine in action – inside a replica of Burt Munro’s famous “world’s fastest Indian.” Dubbed the “Spirit of Munro,” the motorcycle is

Ralph DeLuco, left, and Garrison Leykam By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Unlike most radio studios, the makeshift one inside Gengras Harley-Davidson in East Hartford doesn’t have a large window so visitors can peek inside to see the announcers at work. There’s no light above the door that shines brightly when …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com A new video from Honda dubbed “Hands” celebrates the Japan company’s 65-year history and its many innovations:

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Motorcycles come in all shapes and sizes because riders invariably have different needs and tastes. RIDE-CT.com is always on the lookout for interesting rides, whether they be new or vintage. Here are two that were spotted Sunday: 2012 Honda NC700X Owned by Michael LaRochelle of …

Inside the LiveMap helmet: LiveMap By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com With high-quality helmets costing hundreds of dollars, it’s not a huge leap to charge $2,000 if “something extra” is added. Russian inventors have devised the LiveMap helmet, which integrates full-color, translucent image and text displays on the visor to allow …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com It was last autumn that Libby’s Motoworld in New Haven quietly signed up as a dealer of SYM scooters and motorcycles. Already a dealer in Honda, Triumph, Yamaha and Victory motorcycles, Libby’s didn’t trumpet the arrival of the new brand as Alliance Powersports, SYM’s distributor …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Kawasaki is being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over a possible stalling problem that could affect nearly 10,000 of its 2013 model year Ninja 300s. The NHTSA has received 18 complaints from owners claiming that the engine stalls “when the operator reduces …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Why do I feel like I’ve dodged a disaster? Because maybe that’s the case. It’s a darn good thing that eagle-eye friend Neil Tolhurst texted (and called) over the weekend to see if I were free to go for short ride to compare his vintage …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Playing catch-up after taking a few more days off: – Indian today announced the date and location of the reveal of the all-new 2014 Indian Chief. It will be at 8 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame in Sturgis, …

[meteor_slideshow]   They came by the, well, dozens today to recount an era in British history when the leather-wearing “Rockers” squared off against the scooter-riding “Mods,” only this time harmony reigned. It was the 5th annual Mods V Rockers rally, sponsored by the CT Rockers, which began at Scooter Centrale/Vespa …

How popular is motorcycling in the U.S. and, specifically, New England? It depends on where you live. It also depends on how the figuring is done, according to Bill Belei, founder and webmaster of MotorcycleRoads.com. Belei’s gathered some stats that show that

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Yamaha fans can say “goodbye” to the four-cylinder FZ8 and “hello” to the FZ-09, a new model for 2014 that was unveiled today. It’s powered by an 847cc inline triple engine that’s linked to a three-into-one exhaust. With a price tag of $7,990, the FZ-09 will …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Having been shuffled to parking lots far away from the display ground numerous times at motorcycle shows in years past, it was fun yesterday to be riding the proper marque to gain front door access at the 35th annual British Motorcycle Meet in Auburn, MA. …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com After months of rumors, amid reports that owner Alex Gifford was seeking investors to save the store, the closing of Branchville Motors in Ridgefield, CT is now fact. The Triumph, Moto Guzzi and Vespa/Piaggio dealer is currently in the process of shutting down. The bikes …