Up To Speed

Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The 3rd annual Torrington Thunder motorcycle show in downtown Torrington isn’t until Sept. 28, but we’re is already hard at work lining up bikes for The Republican-American/RIDE-CT.com display. Yesterday, Sal Masotta of Waterbury committed to bring his 1920 Indian Powerplus. The bike formerly belonged to …

Read More »

Bikes Along the Road

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com In this case, it’s just one bike “along the road” – a custom parked along the main drag in Kent yesterday. Despite trying, I never managed to locate the owner. The bike’s green paint with flames and skull and spider attracted glances. Whoever did the …

Read More »

June Poll Results: Loud Pipes Are Obnoxious

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Results of RIDE-CT.com’s June poll have been tabulated and nearly half of those voting – 49 percent – believe that loud exhaust pipes are obnoxious. Readers were given six choices to complete the line “Do you think loud exhaust pipes are…” and were allowed to …

Read More »

What Would You Do – Fix It Or Sell It?

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com When the “down low” noise began, I cannot recall. Maybe sometime last year. It became more persistent, although not consistent, this spring. Something definitely seemed wrong with my 1994 BMW R100RT, but I couldn’t pinpoint the problem. Friends rode it and didn’t hear a thing. …

Read More »

Victory Unveils New Badge

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Victory marks 14 years of making motorcycles in Spirit Lake, Iowa on the 4th of July and plans on unveiling some 2013 models next Monday. Today, the company rolled out a new badge design/logo with a teaser video.

Read More »

Bikes Along the Road

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com It was a bit too hot yesterday afternoon to enjoy riding much, but a morning spin to Toymake’s Cafe in Falls Village turned up (as usual) some noteworthy vintage models, including two Ducatis. Mark Young of Guilford rode in a black 1975 Ducati 860 GT …

Read More »

RIDE-CT.com Gets A Gift

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com John Purdy Jr., who oversees the motorcycle safety courses at Naugatuck Valley Community College and is a Connecticut Rider Education Program instructor, preaches the importance of riders being visible to drivers. He always wears a bright, reflective vest when riding and, a couple of years …

Read More »

Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com A high-speed ride took a scary turn for a rider with a video camera when a snake slithered out from between the handlebars… What would you have done?  Calmly slowed down or completely lost control? — Motorcycle noise in our National Parks is creating a …

Read More »

Anger Persists Thanks to Idiot Drivers

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com It was June 17th, the day after many of us in the riding community in northwest Connecticut were shocked to learn of the death of T.J. Zappulla of Torrington. Riding compatriot Gary Randall and I were headed north on Route 179, approaching North Canton with …

Read More »

Triumph Unveils Trophy SE

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Triumph has finally announced what RIDE-CT.com readers learned a month ago – that the company will re-enter the touring segment with a 2013 model called the Trophy SE. U.S. dealers will begin receiving the bike in January. A more downscale version, lacking the SE designation, …

Read More »

NHTSA Issues Warning About 5X5 Helmet

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com If you wear an SA-08 model motorcycle helmet, sold under the brand name 5X5, you might want to chuck it in the dumpster. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has flagged it for failing to meet head protection requirements  of the federal safety standard for …

Read More »

Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com A 44-year-old California firefighter rode his Yamaha Super Tenere motorcycle 2,428 miles from San Diego to Jacksonville, FL in 45 hours this week to help the non-profit group Friends of NICU buy a motor home to enable parents of premature babies stay close to them as …

Read More »

R.I. Sets Aside Spaces for Motorcycles

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com An idea from governmental entity that actually makes sense – and is useful to riders? The General Assembly in Rhode Island has passed legislation and the governor has signed off on providing specific parking spaces for riders at state, city and town buildings. The new …

Read More »