Up To Speed

SCOTTS VALLEY, CA – A day after Harley-Davidson released a statement that condemned racism in the United States, electric maker Zero Motorcycles this morning issued a similar statement of its own on social media. “At Zero Motorcycles, we stand for inclusion and support the right to protest against systemic racism …

HINCKLEY – A significant drop in sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing British motorcycle maker Triumph to lay off 240 at its U.K. plant and a total of 400 worldwide. The company employs 2,500 people around the world, with 1,044 in the U.K. Employees were told of the …

MILWAUKEE – With violent protests over the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis taking place in U.S. cities coast to coast in recent days, motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson this evening issued a statement on social media condemning racism and bigotry in American society. “Racism, hatred or intolerance …

TERRYVILLE, CT – The Yankee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America has given up hope of staging a National Meet in New England in 2020. Having pushed back the dates of its annual event at the Terryville Fairgrounds to Sept. 11-12 from its originally scheduled July 31 and …

HADDAM NECK – The 35th annual Brit Jam meet scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 16 at the Haddam Neck Fairgrounds has been called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to scrap the popular gathering which attracted more than 2,500 motorcyclists in 2019 wasn’t made by the organizer, the British …

HARWINTON, CT – The picture was posted Sunday on RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England’s Facebook page. It shows a group of motorcyclists socializing in Litchfield without wearing masks or following the state’s or the Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for social distancing. Accompanying the photo was the flippant observation …

It’s time for TWIR – The Week in Review, news items and other tidbits that somehow don’t rate or receive a full post (or fall through the cracks) but are nonetheless worth passing on. Here’s some of what happened between March 17 and 23: Road Fatalities Rise During Pandemic The …

CANTON, CT – A global pandemic can quickly cause folks to reflect on all the simple pleasures that many of us have had to do without lately – like a leisurely ride through the countryside on a warm, sunny afternoon with an ice cream stop along the way.  Together, motorcycles …

SANTA MONICA, CA – A switch from a multi-city tour in 2020-2021 to an online/virtual event may be in the making for the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows. That possibility is suggested in a new online survey being conducted by the company that stages the tour. While many motorcycle events in …

LITTLE NECK, NY – Most folks would agree that buying a new vehicle is just not a very pleasurable experience.  We all have stories about our trials and tribulations when attempting to buy a new car or light truck. Mostly, we use them for transportation or work. So, visiting the …

NAUGATUCK, CT – It’s probably obvious, but I’ll state it anyway: COVID-19 is impacting potential new riders seeking to get licensed.  Presently, there is no way to take a mandatory course offered through Connecticut Rider Education Program to obtain a motorcycle license. All CONREP training sites are shut down.  If …

WORCESTER, MA – Artist Tony Freitas waited until a decent day in late April to pull out his ladder and paints to alter a mural on the Miss Worcester Diner here that had riled Harley-Davidson. The hand-painted mural, which displayed the motorcycle maker’s bar and shield logo, now also exhibits …

RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England readers are split on whether BMW’s new R 18 heavy cruiser model (pictured above) will be a hit or a miss. While 35 percent of voters view the massive R 18 as a “retro work of art,” a total of 27 percent think it’s a “ghastly …

CHESTER, VT – It’s a place that I’ve dreamed of even though the name of it might elicit more of a nightmare – the COVID-19 Motorcycle Shop. It is not a place out of a Hieronymous Bosch painting. In truth, it is beyond pleasant. It is more a post-COVID biker …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson has turned to a native of Germany to revive the iconic American brand. Less than three months after being named acting president and CEO of Harley-Davidson following Matt Levatich’s departure, Jochen Zeitz has now been awarded those posts, effective immediately. The 57-year-old executive will also continue as …