Up To Speed

THOMASTON, CT – A grant from the Yamaha Motor Co. to the Newtown, CT-based Pathfinders Motorcycle Club for equipment needed to maintain the riding trails behind Thomaston Dam that have been enjoyed by dirt bikers for decades gave the club members the chance to show off their volunteerism on Saturday. …

It’s another edition of Oil Drippings, the catch-all post for recent items from near and far that maybe don’t warrant a stand-alone story or, ahem, got overlooked at the time of release. Here goes: Auction To Offer 150 Bikes, Plus Parts, Etc. An auction of the contents of Jim Hoellerich’s …

REDMOND, WA – Within a week or so, Ural Motorcycles is expected to begin shipping new models from Kazakhstan after moving assembly of its sidecar rigs out of Russia following that country’s invasion of Ukraine. “If everything goes well, we expect the first shipment of bikes from our new assembly …

MONSON, MA – Motorcycles and other motorized vehicles will once again be struggling up the “Monson Monster” after the Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday night overturned two town-issued cease and desist orders forbidding hill climbs staged by the Quaboag Riders Motorcycle Club. The prohibition on hill climbs, which have …

MONSON, MA – Fearful of another postponement if too many protesters attend a rescheduled Zoning Board of Appeals meeting here tonight, the Quaboag Riders Motorcycle Club is now asking supporters to show up but to disperse before the meeting starts and to not observe the proceedings. While the club is …

HARWINTON, CT – The exhaust notes produced by a motorcycle as it passes by can often reveal the identity of its manufacturer, or at least provide clues. It was while weeding the flower beds in my side yard this morning that I heard what sounded to be something old and …

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Great Cape Baking Company is no longer open as of early November 2023.) AMENIA, NY – Show me a motorcycle rider who isn’t always on lookout for a good place to eat and I’ll show you a rider whose bike is parked more than it’s ridden. Frequent …

WESTFIELD, MA – Sometime in late summer or early fall, Indian Motorcycle of Springfield will get new quarters for its showroom and collection of vintage Indian models. The dealership will move roughly a half-mile north of its current location to 1120 Southampton Road (Routes 10/202) in Westfield. This will allow …

MANCHESTER, N.H. – MOMS has made another acquisition; this time gobbling up Team Woody’s Performance Center in Topsham, ME. The MOMS chain now owns 10 stores in four New England states. Team Woody’s Performance Center sells Yamaha and Polaris products. It was founded in March 1997 by Keith and Florence …

It’s another edition of Oil Drippings, a compilation of recent news items from near and far that have insufficient heft to get a stand-alone post: GWRRA Shutting Down After 45 Years The Phoenix-based Gold Wing Road Riders Association, which was founded in 1977 and once boasted more than 80,000 members, …

MONSON, MA – The showdown over the shutdown of hillclimbs staged by the Quaboag Riders Motorcycle Club is now getting national attention. The Ohio-based American Motorcyclist Association is throwing its weight behind the club’s effort to get the town to relent and allow hillclimb races that date back to 1945 …

MANCHESTER, NH – A scholarship to help students who want to become motorcycle technicians has been endowed at Manchester Community College in memory of motorcycle racer and enthusiast Scott Mullin, who died in a crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last August. Started by his family, the Scott M. Mullin …

In a move that would benefit Harley-Davidson owners and independent repair shops across the country, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Thursday announced that it’s initiating action against Harley-Davidson for “illegally restricting customers’ right to repair their purchased products.” The FTC ordered the motorcycle manufacturer “to fix warranties by removing …

MONSON, MA – A Zoning Board of Appeals hearing scheduled to potentially determine the future of hillclimb events staged on land owned by the Quaboag Riders Motorcycle Club was short-lived Thursday night when the inadequate size of the meeting room forced a postponement until July 14. State law requires that …

HARWINTON, CT – It wasn’t a surprise really that the battery on my 1987 BMW R 80 RT was dead when spring arrived. I’d neglected to keep it on a Battery Tender throughout the winter, only plugging it in occasionally and for short periods of time. It was 33 months …