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By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The schedule of dates and locations for the Northeast Motorcycle Expo shows in 2013 has been posted for a while, but it was only brought to RIDE-CT.com’s attention recently that missing from the slate is a stop in Hartford. There will be shows in Boston …
Read More »Giving Bikes a Human Presence…
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com This weekend’s stop on the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows circuit is Long Beach, CA. The 13-city tour started in Atlanta in early November and comes to New York on Jan. 18-20. San Diego’s i.d.e.a. advertising agency came up with a “Human Motorcycles” campaign to promote …
Read More »Oh, Wait, That Wasn’t His First Crash…
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The video of Lolo – French motojournalist Laurent Crochet of Moto Journal – catching the hard bags of a 2013 Yamaha FLR1300 on a post and riding the bike off a sea wall has been posted today on numerous websites besides this one, so it’s …
Read More »Even a Slow-Speed Test Can Be Hazardous…
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Anyone who has ever taken a demo ride and signed a “you break it, you pay for it” release form knows the pit-of-the-stomach worry that comes with riding a borrowed bike. The best part of getting manufacturer loaners to ride and review for me is …
Read More »Janus Offers Handmade “Vintage” Bikes
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com They look maybe 100 years old, but two models from start-up builder Janus Motorcycles are new and affordable. The Goshen, IN-based company plans to have the Halcyon 50 Basic and the Halcyon 50 (pictured) available come spring for $3,900 and $5,300, respectively. Using a two-stroke, …
Read More »Street Stuff in Norwich Adds Triumph
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com This year has been a good one for Triumph in Connecticut. The British brand picked up Mark’s Motorsports in Enfield as a dealer back in June and is now adding Street Stuff Cycle in Norwich. Triumph’s Dave Rosen tells RIDE-CT.com that Street Stuff “will be …
Read More »Ural’s New Yamal Takes on the Ice
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Ural is out with a new limited edition Yamal model and is touting it as “the only motorcycle that comes with an oar.” Based on the two-wheel drive Gear-Up and with an MSRP of $14,250, the Yamal’s sidecar has a double hull and a weather-proofed …
Read More »Does “Brutus” Break New Ground?
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Of all the new models introduced at the recent EICMA show in Milan, one stood out – the aptly named Brutus. It’s billed as the “SUV of motorcycles” and features a fuel-injected, 45-horsepower, single-cylinder, 750cc engine with a CVT and optional reverse gear. It reportedly …
Read More »After Turkey Day Comes Duck Day
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com What comes after Turkey Day? How about Duck Day? Earlier this week, friend and reader Bob Rosen sent along a picture that he took recently while on a ride to eastern Long Island. It was of the Big Duck, an example of what he explained …
Read More »Happy Thanksgiving from RIDE-CT.com
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com It’s Thanksgiving! It’s a holiday to share with family and friends. Time permitting, it’s also a time to pause and give thanks. This holiday, among many things, I’m thankful for the friends that I frequently ride with and the many riders that I meet along …
Read More »“Cycle World” Recycles a Memorable Read
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Hunter S. Thompson’s memorable “Song of the Sausage Creature” about being loaned a Ducati 900SP, which originally appeared in “Cycle World” in March 1995, is reprinted in the December issue of the magazine. If you’ve never read it, it’s worth driving 20 miles to find …
Read More »End Is Near for “American Chopper”
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com “Entertainment Weekly” and EW.com are reporting that Discovery Channel is bringing “American Chopper” to an end in December after 10 years and 233 episodes. No longer will Paul Teutel Sr. (pictured above) and his son, Paul Jr., battle it out – at least on TV …
Read More »Oil Drippings: News and Opinion
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com One of the biggest irritants for motorcycle dealers is having someone come in and try on gear or examine an accessory … and then leave and buy the item for less online. Forget irritating. How about infuriating, especially when big-volume online retailers can sometimes sell …
Read More »New from Moto Guzzi – California 1400
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Can’t wait for the “Guzzi Guys” – friends Gary Randall and Brian O’Neil, who both ride vintage Moto Guzzi Eldorados – to feast their eyes on the latest cruiser from the Italian motorcycle-maker. It’s the 2013 California 1400, just introduced at the EICMA show in …
Read More »Another Custom Creation from Steve Luba
By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Earlier this month, I wrote about Steve Luba, the Torrington motorcycle fanatic who built a “bitsa” bike from a 1975 Suzuki GT550. Well, he’s now out with another customized creation that began as a 1990 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom. The bike uses a Suzuki GSX-R 1000 …
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