Up To Speed

SHARON, CT – It’s not a stretch to suggest that Scott Rabeler became a BMW motorcycle enthusiast and collector by happenstance. Had dealers selling other brands been better stocked or shown more interest when he walked in their door, he likely wouldn’t have ended up with a basement workshop and …

PEMBROKE, NH – National Powersports Distributors is going back to its roots; surrendering new bike brands at its stores in New Hampshire and New York and returning to selling only used motorcycles. The switch is effective this coming Thursday, Aug. 1. The company is giving up Triumph in Pembroke, NH …

FALLS VILLAGE, CT – It’s one of the largest shows in the state each year, but the number of motorcycles that get displayed tends to vary from year to year. There was a sizable number of bikes this year, including vintage BMWs, Harley-Davidsons and Hondas as well as rare models …

It took a bit of easy burrowing to come up with some statistics that just may shock many Harley-Davidson enthusiasts. Unit sales over the past 10 years show a company in severe retreat. Sales have cratered.  To be precise, Harley-Davidson sold in excess of 100,000 fewer motorcycles worldwide last year …

WOODBRIDGE, CT – It’s about time. After a five-year hiatus initially caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Upcycle Helmet Art Show is being revived by Jim LoPresti. It will be staged from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 8 at LoPresti’s Lucky Soul Tattoo shop on Route 63 (214 Amity …

By Steve Rossi / RIDE-CT BETHEL, CT – Moto Guzzi says that the new Stelvio is “synonymous with fun and discovery,” which is exactly what we Guzzisti enjoyed when Jim Hamlin and Co. swung the doors open on Connecticut’s sole Mandello del Lario dealership on Thursday to welcome the new …

DANBURY, CT – Harley-Davidson of Danbury is engaging more in “forward planning” than aggressively seeking to sell after nearly 30 years in operation, dealership co-owner Al Lucchino said today. His assessment was in response to a story earlier this week by Hearst Newspapers in Connecticut that reported that the business …

Out of all the charity rides across Connecticut during the course of a year, this one stands out. It’s called the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. It features dapperly dressed riders navigating classic and vintage-looking motorcycles while raising money to battle prostate cancer and prevent suicide. “We need lots of motorcycles. It’s …

NEWINGTON, CT – After a more than three-week delay due to high water levels on the Connecticut River, the seasonal Chester-Hadlyme and Rocky Hill-Glastonbury ferries resume operation today following the winter hiatus.  Ferry service is set to start at 7 a.m. and will run daily through Nov. 30. Hours of …

Motorcycle deaths have soared in Missouri in the wake of that state’s repeal of a universal helmet law in 2020. Last year was the deadliest ever for riders with 174 fatalities. Only 77 of the victims were known to be wearing a helmet. The new data from the Missouri Department …

HARTFORD – The line of five motorcycles parked outside of Petrolhead Café early Saturday afternoon made a subtle statement by the badges on their gas tanks. There were four Triumph models – a Trophy, a Street Twin, a Thruxton and a Bonneville – and a lone Harley-Davidson Sportster variant. A …

ROCKVILLE, CT – Details haven’t been revealed, but GasGas motorcycle dealer Kaplan Cycles has revealed a “partnership” with Buell Motorcycle to expand its offerings. It is now selling the American-built brand’s sport bike (and upcoming cruiser) models. In videos posted Thursday on YouTube, Kaplan Cycles invited riders to “buy yours …

MINNEAPOLIS – Anyone with a savvy knowledge of Indian motorcycles – or “motocycles” as they were originally known – will be thrilled to learn that some old-time names are being dusted off and revived. In announcing five Scout versions for the 2025 model year on Tuesday, Indian revealed that the …

MILWAUKEE – LiveWire unveiled its third model on Thursday, an electric “performance cruiser” called the S2 Mulholland. It joins the existing S2 Del Mar roadster, which was released in 2023, and its original LiveWire One, which began as a Harley-Davidson model in 2019 before the company separated LiveWire into a …

TAMPA, FL – It was a pricey special edition model from Ducati and Lamborghini that was first revealed in September 2022. The limited-run 2023 Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini was described as “the most alluring Streetfighter that Ducati has ever produced.” With only 630 units slated to be assembled – at …