Up To Speed

MILWAUKEE – Production of iconic American-made Harley-Davidson motorcycles destined for Europe will be shifted from U.S. factories to overseas in response to tariffs imposed by the European Union, the company announced this morning in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Roughly 16 percent of all new Harley-Davidsons are …

THOMPSON, CT – Some bikes just stand out in a pack, and for different reasons. While each of the dozens of bikes entered in Thompson Speedway Motorsport Park’s third annual Vintage Motorcycle Classic today provided a reason to stop and look, RIDE-CT & RIDE-NewEngland chose to locate the owners of …

HARTFORD – In an editorial as regular as the first day of summer, the “Hartford Courant” today (and once again) called for the implementation of a universal helmet law in Connecticut. “Year after year, The Courant pleads for a helmet law for all motorcycle riders. And year after year, riders …

RHINEBECK, NY – Every year at the Rhinebeck Meet there are motorcycles that are unusual or odd, and unlike any other. Tintype artist Rob Gibson of Gettysburg, PA brought a 1950 Harley-Davidson Panhead with side rig that has a photographic darkroom, while George Ellis of Coxsackie, NY showed off a …

RHINEBECK, NY – Uncommon motorcycles are commonplace at the Rhinebeck Meet and the 12th annual show at the Duchess County Fairgrounds last weekend was no exception. Rhinebeck rarities included a British-made Hesketh from the 1980s and a German-made 1938 Zündapp. RIDE-CT & RIDE-NewEngland talked with the owners:

UPDATED – June 25, 2018: After an examination of the Victory, Richard Porter’s insurance company declared it totaled and issued a settlement check. He used it as down payment on a 2018 Indian Chieftain, which is expects to pick up later this week. WOODBURY, CT – It was a step-off …

RHINEBECK, NY – Maybe it was the overcast sky. Maybe it was the diminished status. Maybe it was the ouster six weeks ago of the event’s primary organizer. Whatever the reason, opening day of the 12th annual Rhinebeck Meet on Friday had noticeably fewer vendors, noticeably fewer antique motorcycles on …

She lives in the Yorkshire Dales in northern England and has been riding motorcycles for 25 years. Colette Coleman has also been writing about them for a long time, too. Ten years ago, she authored “Great Motorcycle Journeys of the World,” which took riders to exotic and just plain gorgeous …

DES PLAINES, IL –  Motorcycle thefts in the U.S.. decreased in 2017 with a total of 44,268 being reported stolen, a drop of five percent from 2016 when 46,467 were reported taken, according to a just-released National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) study. The most thefts occurred in a July and …

TOWNSEND, TN – After an absence of 45 years, Honda is bringing the Super Cub back to the U.S. The highest-selling motorcycle in history, with more than 100 million produced, the Super Cub was introduced in 1958, which was one year before Honda began selling motorcycles here. It inspired the …

LACONIA, NH – Laconia Motorcycle Week is just days away. It runs Saturday through June 17 with the usual vendor exhibits, demo rides, music and more. During two days of the event, the Mt. Washington Auto Road to the summit of Mt. Washington in Gorham, NH will be restricted to …

LITTLE NECK, NY – So a rider friend and I decide to stop in to the local Harley-Davidson dealership for a look at the latest models. It was around 11:00 o’clock on a mid-week morning. As you might expect, there were no customers in the showroom at that hour; just three …

Time for the monthly edition of “Staff Inflection” where the writing staff sounds off. This time it’s a little less frothy than usual: What myth about motorcycling – either believed by some riders or by the public in general – bugs you the most and why? Some responses regarding motorcycle …

SANTA MONICA, CA – Dates for the 2018-2019 Progressive International Motorcycle Show tour were announced this morning, with the New York stop scheduled for Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 at the Jacobs K. Javits Convention Center. The 38th annual tour will once again visit  seven cities across the United States; …

THOMPSON, CT – The invitation came unexpectedly. The winner of a contest held by the New England Riders motorcycle group was unable to attend an upcoming non-sportbike track day and organizer Ed Conde wondered if I’d like to fill the slot. Set for May 7 at Thompson Speedway, the street rider …