Up To Speed

It’s Sunday and time again for TWIR – The Week in Review for the week of July 5 through July 11. Each week, TWIR presents a collection of national and regional news that didn’t receive a full post during the week but warrants sharing. Here goes: Jack Loughrey Passes Away …

DOVER PLAINS, NY – Gotta love the entrepreneurial spirit of Americans, who, despite the prevailing economic times, stake a claim and make a go of a new business. Kelly and Steven Cervino have done just that with Kelly’s Creamery & Kelly’s Husband’s Truck and have created a smash hit in …

MILWAUKEE – After laying off 140 workers at U.S. plants in late June, Harley-Davidson today announced further employee cutbacks that will result in 700 jobs being eliminated by year’s end. ”Significant changes are necessary, and we must move in new directions,” said company chairman, president and CEO Jochen Zeitz in …

Sturgis, SD – COVID-19 has sidelined yet another motorcycle event. The Motorcycle Cannonball, which was set to start in just nine weeks, has now been pushed back until September 2021 by the ongoing pandemic. The biennial run that tests the endurance of extremely old motorcycles and their riders was scheduled …

STAMFORD, CT – Another motorcycle magazine has come to the end of the road. Connecticut-based “American Iron,” which has been in business since 1989, suspended publication today; a victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The world has changed significantly,” said its high-profile publisher and editor-in-chief Buzz Kanter in a midday statement …

It’s time again for TWIR – The Week in Review … for the week of June 28 through July 4. TWIR is a compilation of national and regional news that didn’t receive a full post during the week but warrants sharing. Here goes: South Windsor, CT Teacher Dies In Crash …

SIMSBURY, CT – Local ice cream is the best ice cream. Why you ask? Usually, it’s made fresh on the site that serves it, and with no or minimal preservatives. This allows the pure dairy deliciousness to shine through. You can’t get any fresher than going to the source where …

LAKE GEORGE, NY – Less than three weeks before it was set to begin, Americade has been canceled. The plug was abruptly pulled this afternoon due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizer Christian Dutcher posted an informational video on YouTube and called the decision “extremely disappointing” and “unavoidable.” Originally set for …

WATERBURY, CT – With Connecticut slowly opening up in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Naugatuck Valley Community College will soon begin offering Connecticut Rider Education Program (CONREP) motorcycle safety courses. N.V.C.C. will be the first CONREP site in the state to offer courses this year, beginning the weekend of …

It’s time again for TWIR – The Week in Review … for the week of June 21-27. TWIR is a compilation of national and regional news items that don’t warrant or receive a full post during the week for whatever reason, but are nonetheless worth sharing. Here goes: EICMA Canceled …

THOMASTON, CT – The popular riding trails behind the Thomaston Dam, which have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will reopen to off-road motorcyclists on July 6. However, there will be restrictions: Parking will be limited to 30 vehicles in designated areas.Tail-gating and group activities will not be allowed.A …

OXFORD, CT – A pleasant word of warning about visiting the ice cream stand at Rich Farm. The portions are huge. First-timers need to beware of that before ordering a double scoop!  And be forewarned, too, about the flavors.  Rich Farm has some exclusive flavors that are creative both in …

MILWAUKEE – In a move that the company calls “normal business,” Harley-Davidson today announced that 140 jobs will be cut at its U.S. plants as a result of reduced production in these abnormal times. The layoffs will affect 90 production workers at its factory in York, PA and 50 more …

(Update: Jack Loughrey passed away at his home on Wednesday, July 8, surrounded by his family.) SUFFIELD, CT – Seated on a 2014 Ural Gear-Up, Debbie Howard gently used her fingertips to brush the thin hair atop Jack Loughrey’s head as he sat quietly in the adjacent sidecar. “It’s all …

ITASCA, IL – Fatality rates for motorists are rising in the U.S. even as miles driven plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic. And, as yesterday’s story about the impact of speeding on roadway deaths suggested, the rise may largely be due to drivers ignoring posted speed limits. The National Safety Council …