Up To Speed

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 …

EAST HARTFORD, CT – A year after buying TSI Harley-Davidson in Ellington, CT and renaming it Old School Harley-Davidson, Chad Clark and Bryan Castor have now reportedly picked off Gengras Harley-Davidson as well, according to industry sources. Details of the deal are not yet known. RIDE-CT & RIDE-New England has …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson’s sales nosedived in the first quarter of 2020 due to COVID-19, dropping 15.5 percent in the United States and 17.7 percent worldwide when compared to the first quarter of 2019. The company’s U.S. market share in the heavy cruiser market dropped 2.2 percentage points to 48.9 percent. …

UPDATE: As expected, Laconia City Council voted Monday night to postpone the 97th annual Laconia Motorcycle Week. It will now run Aug. 22 through 30, instead of the originally scheduled June 13 through 21. CONCORD, NH – The fate of the 97th annual Laconia Motorcycle Week hasn’t been determined, but …

BOLOGNA, ITALY – Ducati announced today that it is gradually reviving production of new motorcycles at its Borgo Panigale factory with “the minimum necessary” employees required “to carry out production and research activities.” Production halted March 13 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The reopening of the factory is being carried …

HARWINTON, CT – My neighbor and riding friend Bill Smith and I were catching our breaths after picking up some free firewood from down the street one evening earlier this week, leaning against our vehicles with six feet between us, when Bill asked, “Do you think Harley-Davidson will survive the …

WOODBRIDGE, CT – The annual Upcycle Helmet Art Show put on for the past three years by Lucky Soul Tattoo shop owner Jim LoPresti won’t be staged this year. It’s another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a Facebook post Wednesday, LoPresti announced the show is a no-go for 2020. …

LAKE GEORGE, NY – Americade is being postponed for nearly two months and will be mounted in an altered form, organizer Christian Dutcher announced in a video released at midday today. The new dates are July 21 through 25, instead of the previously planned June 1 through 6. Dutcher said …

COVENTRY, VT – Beginning in mid-June, it will be permissible to ride all-terrain vehicles on all town roads in this small town in northern Vermont not far from the Canadian border. In a unanimous vote at its Monday meeting, the Coventry Select Board approved an ATV ordinance that will go …

Two popular motorcycle events devoted to British brands have been shelved for this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, although one apparently holds out faint hope that it might be mounted later. The 30th annual show and swap meet by the Massachusetts chapter of the British Iron Association scheduled for …

CHENNAI, INDIA – The Norton motorcycle brand has been saved from the dust bin. TVS Motor Company announced today that it has spent £16 million in cash, signed an asset purchase agreement, and acquired the Norton name and other assets of the bankrupt British motorcycle manufacturer. “This is a momentous …

Update: Motorcycles are now being allowed at Harry’s Place again. Roughly two hours after announcing its reopening with a strict new policy that banned motorcycles, Harry’s Place is once again welcoming riders. “Harry’s Place contacted the town for clarification and realized there was a misunderstanding regarding motorcycle customers,” the burger …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson today announced extensive salary cuts for executives and a hiring freeze as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and in an effort to lower costs. According to a press release, acting president and CEO Jochen Zeitz and the company’s board of directors will forego salary/cash compensation, while …