Up To Speed

You Might Be A “Dunkin’ Angel” If…

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com A few years ago, with the help of a few friends and acquaintances, I wrote a RIDE-CT column in “The Republican-American” on the telltale signs of “Dunkin’ Angels,” a peculiar specie of motorcyclist that is more poser than rider. As I noted at the time, …

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Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com A motorcycle business in Gastonia, N.C. buys gently used Harley-Davidsons, adds some bling and then sells them to customers around the world. In four years, the three-man shop has sold nearly 800 Harleys via eBay. – It wasn’t mentioned in this morning’s column in “The …

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Victory Plays Hard-Ball with New Model

Victory designers reached into the parts bin and regurgitated a new model Friday evening in Long Beach, CA with the unveiling of the 2012 Hard-Ball at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show. The Hard-Ball mixes the ape-hangers and beefy rubber of the High-Ball with the hard bags from the Cross Roads …

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Safety Video Presents Obstacles

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Five-time Moto GP World Champion Mick Doohan makes a point about safe riding in this safety video that Steve Smith sent me. Admittedly, I had to watch it a couple of times to “get it,” but only because of Aussie Doohan’s accent when he explained …

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Stunt Rider In Scary Accident

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com A motorcycle stunt rider in Brazil misjudged the paths of some oncoming cars while doing a wheelie and got catapulted roughly 80 feet through the air during a performance. The mishap involving the rider who is wearing black comes at the end of the video:

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Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Some riders were standing on the sidewalk in Kent yesterday afternoon when one of them observed, “You don’t see many Harleys at this time of year.” Even though there were a couple of Harley-Davidsons parked nearby, the comment still drew chuckles because it reinforced a …

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Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Honda’s recalling Gold Wing/GL1800s for the model years 2001-2010 and 2012 for a possible braking system problem. The company reports that “the compensating port hole inside the secondary master cylinder can become blocked… If this occurs, the rear brake temperature and pressure progressively increase.” The …

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BMW Ejects Spark Plug, Causes Two-Up Calamity

By Bud Wilkinson By the time the Sunday motorcycle adventure ended, and riding cohort Gary Randall’s 1968 BMW R50/2 was securely strapped on a trailer, the sun was setting in the Berkshires and a bovine chorus was serenading us from beyond a barbed wire fence. Something that I feared happening …

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Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The revived Norton brand is having some growing pains across the pond. BBC News reports that the British biker-maker is behind on delivering models to anxious customers. One customer who paid up front even sued to get his money back. The company is hoping to …

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Invite Issued for Motomarathon

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Received an email yesterday evening from Cliff LaMotta, former of owner of Cliff’s Cycle Revolution (now MAX BMW) in Brookfield, on behalf of the Motomarathon Association. He extended an early invitation to RIDE-CT to participate in next year’s Motomarathon. It’s a four-day endurance tour that …

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Vintage Triumph Strands RIDE-CT

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Today’s glorious weather had the roads loaded with bikes. RIDE-CT thought it wise late this afternoon to “exercise” all three bikes in the garage – get the oil circulating and the gas tanks topped. The 1969 Triumph T100R Daytona proved to be balky, though, requiring …

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Show Conflict Coming In January

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Winter is the time when motorcycle shows draw our attention away from snow and ice and get us thinking of the spring ahead. We check out new models and load up on gear and accessories that we might need or desire for the coming riding …

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Royal Enfield Commercial Cuts The Cord

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The power’s back on after eight days following the pre-Halloween snowstorm here in Connecticut, so it’s back to posting news and other interesting motorcycle info… It came out four years ago, but an overseas TV commercial for Royal Enfield certainly makes the point that the …

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