Up To Speed

MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester Harley-Davidson has a new owner. In an official announcement posted Friday on its website, the dealership said that it has been acquired by Paul Veracka. Veracka owns five other Harley-Davidson stores, including High Octane Harley-Davidson located 35 miles away in Billerica, MA. The announcement declared that …

WORCESTER, MA – The artist who painted the Harley-Davidson mural on the Miss Worcester Diner here – a mural that the motorcycle company now wants removed – said this afternoon that he and diner owner Kim Kniskern are enjoying the publicity and plan to fight Harley-Davidson’s trademark infringement claim. “This …

WORCESTER, MA – A hand-painted mural that adorns an air conditioning duct atop the entrance to the Miss Worcester Diner here and featuring Harley-Davidson’s famous bar and shield logo has come to the attention of the motocycle company in Milwaukee, which has asked that it be removed. Miss Worcester Diner …

British motorcycle manufacturer Norton and two related businesses of CEO Stuart Garner have been placed under administration after struggling to cover £300,000 in unpaid taxes.  The grim situation leaves the jobs of about 100 workers at the company’s Castle Donington factory in Leicestershire and the brand’s future in doubt. The …

There’d be no blaming the Piano Man if he’s pissed following a weekend break-in at his Long Island home on Centre Island. TMZ reports that Billy Joel called the cops on Monday morning after discovering that someone had smashed a glass door leading to his garage and then vandalized 12 …

CONCORD, NH – Less than a year after seven motorcyclists died in a horrific accident in the town of Randolph, New Hampshire’s state legislature is considering the enactment of a universal helmet law. A hearing on House Bill 1621-FN by the House of Representatives’ Transportation Committee is set for 1 …

MILWAUKEE – U.S. sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles declined 5.2 percent in 2019 to 125,960 units, while worldwide sales dropped 4.3 percent to 218,273 units, according to full-year results released this morning by the company. Harley-Davidson sold 6,908 fewer models in the U.S. in 2019 compared to 2018, and 9,778 fewer …

DANBURY, CT – For Al Lucchino, memories of launching a new Harley-Davidson dealership are as vivid as the paint on the glistening models that fill his showroom – even 25 years later. There are memories of the frustrating hunt for a location for the store and the exhilaration of customers …

It’s time for The Week in Review for the week ending Jan. 25. The post is a mix of news nuggets, info from press releases, and other items culled from near and far. Here goes with The Week in Review: Triumph Getting Into Smaller Bikes MCN reports that Triumph and …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson is out with a “new performance option” in the form of a new 131-cubic-inch (2,147cc) engine that has a name that’s a mouthful. It’s dubbed the Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Crate Engine and is designed as “a bolt-in replacement for 2017-later model Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles originally equipped …

JUPITER, FL – Most folks wait until retirement age to move from the frigid northeast to Florida. The roads here are filled with elderly drivers with diminished skills, all changing lanes or making turns without signaling. Their behind-the-wheel antics are simultaneously comical and dangerous. Joe Taffuri made his move from …

SOUTHWICK, MA – It’s helpful to be polite when visiting the Gristmill Cafe, but only because it’s a cozy eatery with tables so close together that it’s sometimes necessary to make room for neighboring diners to come and go. “Always Ridng” columnist Paul Siciliano had suggested stopping there for lunch …

It’s another edition of The Week in Review; this time for the week ending Jan. 18. The post is a compilation of news nuggets, info from press releases, and other items culled from near and far. Here goes with The Week In Review: Royal Enfield Trimming Model Lineup? RideApart has …

WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA – A controversy involving “colors” in the days preceding the Springfield Motorcycle Show didn’t negatively impact opening day attendance at the Eastern States Exposition today. Indeed, it may have enhanced the gate. Riders representing numerous clubs strolled the aisles, gazing at the many motorcycles and the merchandise, …

MUNICH – BMW Motorrad experienced rising sales of motorcycles and scooters worldwide in 2019, but may have lagged in the U.S. as the company’s press release steered clear of revealing how well or poorly it did in the United States. BMW reported that worldwide deliveries climbed to 175,162 units last …