Up To Speed

FORT MONTGOMERY, NY – Rockwell Cycles has set aside Saturday, July 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to remember and celebrate the life of its co-owner and president, Nick Rockwell. Rockwell, 71, passed away on June 12. A post the next day on his Facebook page by Ron Troiano …

SUFFIELD, CT – Hilltop Farm’s track record staging motorcycle shows has been, well, inconsistent. The sprawling, picturesque non-profit facility that was once owned by Indian “motocycle” co-founder George Hendee staged “Hendee Day” celebrations from 2008 to 2012 and 2016 through 2018, but missed out from 2013-2015 as well the last …

AMESBURY, MA – A long-running motorcycle news and information website aimed at riders in Boston and across New England, and which had a memorable logo that showed a Minute Man riding a chopper, is no more. Operator Paul W. Cote recently shut down Boston Biker/New England Biker (bostonbiker.com). What now …

NAUGATUCK, CT – The subject of emergency braking came up recently in posts on motorcycle social media groups, at a club rally and while on a group ride, so perhaps a review of proper techniques is overdue. Learning, practicing and always using the correct emergency braking practices will not only …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson plans a mid-season reveal of a new sport model on July 13 at 11 a.m. EDT. The unveiling will be done virtually. All that’s known is that the new bike will fit in the “sport segment” and will use the Revolution Max motor found in the company’s …

Harley-Davidson’s new Pan America 1250 adventure model has a solid future, results of RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England’s latest poll show. Nearly 70 percent of readers believe the model will be a success, and nearly one-third suggest that it can singlehandedly change the trajectory of the company, which has had declining …

NEWINGTON, CT – The designation “Newington Motorcycle Madness” is a bit misleading. It’s anything but a rowdy event, despite attracting hundreds of riders, having a beer tent, and a live rock band in Shovelhead. Held at Mill Pond Park this afternoon and evening, the well-organized gathering put on by the …

Decisions, decisions. I had a choice to make over the weekend and I knew a wise decision was needed. I could have gone out to my garage, fired up my Triumph Bonneville and taken a ride in some glorious weather. Or, I could have taken a seven-mile trip to my …

WOODBURY, CT – It’s most likely the cutest car that U.S. motorists have never heard of or ever seen. Writing for Hagerty back in 2018, Larry Printz declared the limited-production 1991 Nissan Figaro to be “Cuter than a basket of puppies.” It’s not that much bigger, either. Built only for …

HARWINTON, CT – Any critter on a roadway is a concern for riders, but it used to be that deer were the primary concern. They could dart into the path of a rider at any moment, with nighttime being especially scary. Now, a second large member of the wildlife kingdom …

WASHINGTON, D.C – While the COVID-19 pandemic had everyone hunkered down and spending less time driving in 2020, crash deaths rose last year. Motorcycle fatalities spiked nine percent, according to preliminary data released late last week by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Motorcycle fatalities totaled …

In one respect, all riders are the same. We may dress differently. We may ride different styles of motorcycles. We may use our motorcycles for different purposes; recreation being the primary reason here in the U.S. But we all have a sense of daring or adventure whether the ride is …

WINDHAM, NH – Nault’s Powersports here is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for stealing five Kawasaki dirt bikes worth more than $30,000 from the dealership over the weekend. Surveillance video of the break in, which happened overnight Saturday, shows …

TORRINGTON, CT – A 30-year-old Harley-Davidson police motorcycle that once patrolled the streets of this Northwestern Connecticut city is back in use. Sort of. After sitting ignored for years in the Torrington Police Department’s sally port, the 1991 Harley-Davidson FXRP is now on prominent display having been loaned to the …

FALLS VILLAGE, CT – Toymakers Cafe, the colorful eatery that catered to motorcyclists for nearly two decades before closing in early September, is planning a comeback. It will no longer be a full-scale restaurant open for breakfast and lunch, rather a spot to enjoy a cup of coffee and shop …