Up To Speed

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 …

Readers of RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England are split on a new law in Spain that requires riders and their passengers to wear protective gloves when out on the road. A plurality of 38 percent called the law an example of governmental overreach, while 30 percent think it’s a wise idea, …

MANCHESTER, NH – Having been “disappointed to be disappointed” upon taking a first test ride of a new Harley Davidson Pan America 1250 on Friday at a dealership that I dubbed “Dealer A,” I nonetheless kept my appointment for the second ride on Saturday at a different dealership. Everyone else …

WINGDALE, NY – The smoker is being shut down at a longtime favorite barbecue haunt of riders. “No tears, please,” says a message on the website of Big W’s Roadside Bar-B-Q announcing that the the place will be closed forever as of 7 tonight. “It’s been such as amazing adventure, …

NORTH HAMPTON, NH – Harley-Davidson’s new 2021 Pan America 1250 and Pan America 1250 Special seem to be all anyone in the ADV community can talk about these days – and for good reason. The Motor Company has broken new ground with this ground-up model.  Spoiler alert: Harley-Davidson has done …

BRANFORD, CT – With a promise to deliver a “fresh, energized approach,” the rebranded Freedom Road Harley-Davidson opened for business here on Thursday. It replaced Brothers’ Harley-Davidson, which sold out to FRG, LLC, co-owned by Mario Galasso of Southbury, CT and Mark Smith of West Hartford. “I’m excited for the …

IRVINE, CA – Motorcycle sales in the U.S.rose dramatically in every category in the first quarter of this year compared to the same time frame in 2020, data contained in the Motorcycle Industry Council Retail Sales Report issued today revealed. On-highway, off-road, dual purpose and scooter sales all grew significantly …

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES – It opened in January, and Dunkin’ even put out a regional press release in early March, but the story went largely unnoticed outside of the Philippines where riders of bikes, mopeds and motorcycles now have the option of riding through a dedicated drive-thru lane to buy …