Up To Speed

It was probably a dozen years ago that a friend urged me to take his worn-orange 1970 Triumph Bonneville for a ride. Having never ridden an old British bike up until that time, I had to quickly adjust to the right-side shifter and left-side brake pedal. What I recall most …

LITTLE NECK, NY – If you blinked, you missed them. Missed the new 2018 Ducati models, that is. With Ducati noticeably absent from the recent Progressive International Motorcycle Show in New York, the best hope Ducatisti in the northeast had of getting a jump on seeing the new 2018 models was …

LITTLE NECK, NY – In my multiple roles as general manager, sales manager, consultant and even customer, I’ve experienced motorcycle dealerships from many different points of view. More than once, I’ve been asked,  “What does it take to be a successful dealership?” and I’ve long believed that small things matter. …

BRISTOL, CT – The new owners of Yankee Harley-Davidson have been identified. A partnership of three men – two businessmen from Avon, CT and a longtime Harley-Davidson dealer manager in Connecticut  – have purchased the store on Route 6 under the name of Iron Horse Road Group of CT. The …

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Flat track enthusiasts in the northeast who had to journey to Weedsport, NY on the far side of Syracuse to catch racing action this past season won’t have to travel so far next year. The 18-race American Flat Track schedule for 2018 released recently has the …

NEW YORK – Three examples of the redesigned 2018 Honda Gold Wing were displayed at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show this past weekend. RIDE-CT & RIDE-NewEngland talked with Bill Savino, manager of product planning for Honda, about the new Gold Wing: Here are the specs for the Gold Wing:  

SCHENECTADY, NY – Precision Volvo Sales & Service, which sells and repairs used Volvos at 99 Cordell Road here, is expanding beyond cars into motorcycles. It has quietly become a dealer of Royal Enfield motorcycles. “We haven’t even really officially opened,” co-owner Sean Nava said this afternoon. While six new …

NEW YORK – A new camera gave RIDE-CT & RIDE-NewEngland’s Bob Rosen an excuse for shooting more that 135 pictures at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show over the weekend. We’ve selected a baker’s dozen for this gallery:  

NEW YORK – What the Progressive International Motorcycle Show this weekend lacked in heft, with such major manufacturers as Ducati and Triumph not having corporate displays, it somewhat made up for with exciting new models and one model that a lot of riders would like to see. Sure, the size …

NEW YORK – The biggest attention-getters at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show each December are the new models displayed by manufacturers, but old bikes are also part of the show. Making its debut this weekend, and bringing nearly 20 classic models to display to show-goers, is the group known as …

CONGERS, NY – It’s “not your average road-run.” Not by any stretch of the imagination. It’s a slow-speed, overnight road rally in the dead of winter and in the dead of night that dates back to 1917, and the Ramapo Motorcycle Club announced Monday that it will stage the 100th …

HARWINTON, CT – What’s an old license plate for a motorcycle worth? The short answer is whatever someone will pay for it. Well, a friend desperately wanted one that’s how a $462 charge ended up on one of my credit cards Wednesday evening. Yes, $462 for a small, thin piece …

NEW YORK – The Ducati exhibit is traditionally one of the largest and most colorful at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center every year. Ducatisti will be disappointed next month, though, because the high-end Italian brand won’t have a display at this year’s show, …

THOMASTON, CT – It’s a case of deja vu for Jason Pinette of Roost Power Sports, the Husqvarna motorcycle dealer in Thomaston. The storyline is simple. Husky gets purchased and the new owner eventually announces plans to expand the brand’s offerings to include street-only models in addition to dirt bikes. Pinette …

CHESTER, VT – When I throw my right leg over the saddle and settle in for a ride on my motorcycle I’m suddenly in a completely different world. It’s a place where the risks are greater, where you need to bring a level of concentration based on situational awareness. Riding focuses …