Up To Speed

WEST SPRINGFIELD, CT – Pleasant weather contributed to a strong opening on Saturday for the two-day Springfield Motorcycle Show at the Eastern States Exposition. Riders from southern New England showed up to ogle custom motorcycles, check out new models and and do some shopping. “They’ve been looking forward to it …

BROOKFIELD, CT – Brookfield Indian Motorcycle is adding another brand to its hillside showroom. Late last week, it officially became a dealer of high-end Motus motorcycles, the high-performance sport touring machines that are made in Birmingham, AL. “We’re doing it because it’s an American product and it’s different from what …

LITLE NECK, NY – With new bike sales declining, more dealers are now paying greater attention to pre-owned bikes and are offering customers more choices. What nudged me into writing about this subject was a post this week on the website’s Facebook page showing two nearly identical Triumph Rocket 3 Roadster …

HARWINTON, CT – The signs are everywhere. The motorcycle industry is wobbling and possibly heading for a crash. Older riders are gradually giving up motorcycling and new, younger riders aren’t replacing them and engaging in what is an exhilarating (if occasionally dangerous) recreation. “It’s a big challenge for the industry right …

NORTH GRANBY, CT – I’m exhausted. From nighttime training. And now the Crotona Midnight Run has been postponed a week until the night of Jan. 20-21. Conditioning for the 100th event has been quite revelatory, and I don’t know yet what I’ll do with what I’ve learned. We’ve had extreme …

It’s a tough time to be in the print business of any kind. Circulation of newspapers and magazines are dropping, and advertisers are going elsewhere to spend their clients’ money. This is especially true in the motorcycle arena where numerous mags have disappeared, while others have been merged or seen …

WEST HARTFORD, CT – After 17 years of showcasing exotic Italian automobiles, Concorso Ferrari & Friends is looking to add Italian-made motorcycles to the mix in 2018. The fund-raising event benefits the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford and brings thousands of car enthusiasts to LaSalle Road in downtown. This …

Three Harley-Davidson dealerships in New England – one each in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont – will welcome author, instructor and motorcycle magazine columnist Ken Condon, who will give three free seminars this month designed to improve riders’ skills. The goal is “to get people to think and look in the …

WEST BOYLSTON, MA – What’s a motorcyclist to do when the temperature is well below freezing and snow covers the ground? For the Facebook group known as New England Riders, the solution was to have a winter party, and roughly 100 sidelined riders gathered last night upstairs at Cheoy Lee’s …

NORTH GRANBY, CT – The benefits of weeks of conditioning – both of myself and my motorcycles – will soon be known. The Crotona Midnight Run is a week away, provided the weather cooperates, and my excitement level is thru the roof. For the uniformed, the Crotona Midnight Run is a …

MAHWAH, NJ – Having lost the Victory line of motorcycles a year ago when Polaris announced it was folding the brand, Locomotion Powersports here is restocking its showroom in 2018 by adding Royal Enfield. Paperwork was signed Thursday, according to Royal Enfield’s regional manager for the northeast, Omar Buker. The …

WESTFIELD, MA – American Flat Track doesn’t have an event in New England, but the region will be represented in 2018. The Indian Motorcycle of Springfield dealership has purchased a pricey, limited-edition Indian Scout FTR750 racer and will sponsor rider Jay Maloney (#12) in the AFT Twins competition in the …

EAST HARTFORD, CT – Motorcycles and music are Joe Barone’s passions. He rides a 2012 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Custom. It’s dubbed “The Skunk” because of its stark black and white color scheme and it even has a personalized Connecticut license plate on the rear fender that reads “SKUNKD.” He’s also …

LITTLE NECK, NY – How well a sales person handles a showroom visitor can make all the difference between an excited new bike owner and a disgruntled shopper leaving a dealership in a huff. A well-trained, skillful sales person understands how important it is to follow an organized sales process that …

BRISTOL, CT – New ownership at Yankee Harley-Davidson has been busy making changes since taking over on Dec. 8. General manager and co-owner Mike Keehan reports that needed equipment has been purchased for the service and parts departments and that service technicians will be sent out for training this month and …