Up To Speed

DANBURY, CT – Custom-made, one-off motorcycles have always been an extravagance and a bit of an enigma in terms of purpose. Are they created to be displayed as expensive artwork in the lobbies of corporate offices or in man caves? Or are they crafted to actually be ridden; at least …

WATERBURY, CT – Most BBQ runs involve a fair bit of long-distance riding before chowing down. Visiting places like B.T.’s Smokehouse in Sturbridge, MA or J&J Smokehouse in Catskill, NY require the patient building of an appetite as the scenery whizzes by. They’re two spots that RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England …

(Editor’s note: Bud Wilkinson writes the “My Ride” classic car feature in the “Republican-American” newspaper in Connecticut. He often comes across car-related stories that don’t fit the format of the feature, so RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England has added a “Classic Cars” page to provide an outlet for these stories and …

Dealers who serve beer and other alcoholic beverages during on-site events are looked upon unfavorably by more than 70 percent of riders, results of latest RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England poll reveal. While most dealers don’t ever serve alcohol, a few actively engage in the practice and heavily promote their boozefests. …

It’s another edition of “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told…” It’s an items column filled with national and local news tidbits along with a bit of opinion. Here goes: “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You…” Still Waiting For An Official Announcement, But… The …

MILWAUKEE – Royal Enfield is back with a motorcycle model that exhibits old-time style and a “Classic” moniker. The India-based manufacturer today unveiled the Classic 350 that will be sold in the U.S. for the 2022 riding season. Royal Enfield’s Classic range dates back to 1948. It was in 2008, …

MILWAUKEE – “Claim” is a clever word. It can be used as a verb and as a noun, and has several definitions, including “to assert to be rightfully one’s own” and “an assertion open to challenge.” It pops to mind because of a short press release issued today by Harley-Davidson …

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 put the regular “If You Had Asked Me, I Would Have Told You” column of news tidbits into an extended hibernation that has lasted 18 months. It returns now with some local, national and international items and a bit of opinion. …

ATHENS, NY – The seven-week “Head Out on the Highway: A Love Embrace” exhibit of vintage motorcycles and cultural items associated with motorcycling comes to an end this weekend at the Athens Cultural Center here with special “Hog Days of Summer” send-off events planned for Saturday. A “Motor Mouth” story …

EAST HAMPTON, CT – After a one-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brit Jam returned to the Haddam Neck Fairgrounds today, packing the show ground with hundreds of vintage models and drawing a large crowd of enthusiastic motorcycle owners and riders. “It feels normal out here,” said Tom Reitsma, …

TERRYVILLE, CT – It’s not uncommon when attending a vintage motorcycle show to spot a brand with an unfamiliar and/or rarely-seen name. The standout Friday at the opening day of the National Meet staged by the Yankee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America was a British-made 1919 Sparkbrook. …

SANTA MONICA, CA – With only four weeks to go until show time, the New York City stop on the Progressive IMS Outdoors tour scheduled for Sept. 3 through 5 at the Brooklyn Army Terminal was suddenly canceled late this afternoon. Changing COVID-19 rules in the state prompted the show’s …

TERRYVILLE, CT – Maine “Ted” Smith wasn’t making any predictions today as to crowd size at this weekend’s National Meet at the Terryville Fairgrounds being staged by the Yankee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. However, the organization’s president did drop some clues as to why the turnout …

TORRINGTON, CT – For some motorcyclists, old models have a magical allure. They’re certainly much easier to work on than their modern-day counterparts, and they also spur the imagination to speculate on their past adventures. “I always think about the history,” said collector Richard Nelson of Torrington recently as he …

NEW MILFORD, CT – It’s not often that a 20-year-old motorcycle looks like it just rolled off of a showroom floor. It’s even rarer for one to look even better than new. Mike Metcalfe’s 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200R Eddie Lawson Replica does, though, as the Waterbury, CT resident is fastidious with …