Up To Speed

DEEP RIVER, CT – If ever a hot cup of coffee (followed by a hearty breakfast) was needed, it was after riding 50 miles just after sunrise on a chilly mid-April morning. The purpose of today’s ride was to meet some other Moto Guzzi owners from Connecticut, but the first priority …

EAST TROY, WI – American sport bike manufacturer EBR (for Erik Buell Racing) has shut down operations. Buell said today that the company is seeking court protection from creditors. Out of work are

How often do we rely on the advice of others when it comes to goods and services? A friend recommends a restaurant, we try it. A total stranger suggests a scenic or curvy road to ride, we seek it out. When the automatic transmission in my pickup recently began slipping, advice …

A Yamaha recall of six 2015 models to fix a power train problem is in the works, with 4,900 motorcycles affected. The company reports FJ-09, FZ-09, FZ6R, Super Tenere and Super Tenere ES, and R6 motorcycles manufactured between

CRARYVILLE, NY – The Weaver family’s long-running Bultaco operation, which includes the sales, service and restoration of vintage Bultaco motorcycles, has a new logo and a new web domain today following the surrender of the U.S. trademark of the Bultaco Cemoto name to the revived motorcycle manufacturer in Spain. Bultaco, which …

Japanese manufacturers build motorcycles that are “significantly more reliable” than those made by companies in the U.S. and Europe, according to a just-released “Consumer Reports” survey of subscribers. They provided their experiences on more than 12,300 bikes built between 2008 and 2014. Yamaha/Star was judged to be the most reliable …

BROOKLYN, NY – The Brooklyn Bowl at 61 Wythe Ave. will be the host venue for the 2nd annual Split’n Lanes and Dodgin’ Gutters classic motorcycle show, set for Sunday, May 3, from noon to 6 p.m. Organizer Girard Fox reports that 35 to 40 hand-picked motorcycles from the 1920s …

Ducati is recalling 5,962 of its Multistrada 1200 motorcycles from the model years 2010-2014 to remedy a throttle cable issue. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports

GATLINBURG, TN – There’s probably no better company at branding than Harley-Davidson, and it has now allowed its logo to appear on a brand of moonshine. Ole Smoky Tenneessee Moonshine is now distributing its Ole Smoky Harley-Davidson Road House Customs Charred Moonshine – is that name a mouthful or what? …

NEWINGTON, CT – A possible change in driver’s license regulations has the Connecticut Rider Education Program preparing to offer trike training. Under current state law, anyone wanting to ride a trike on state roadways must have an “M” endorsement, despite the fact that riding a three-wheeled motor vehicle doesn’t require

HARTFORD – A bill that would allow the sale of Polaris’ Slingshot (pictured) as well as other three-wheeled “autocycle” motor vehicles in the state is moving forward in the Connecticut General Assembly. Approved by the Transportation Committee in a 31-0 vote on March 18, Raised SB No. 936 creates

BMW is recalling some 43,426 bikes built between 2005 and 2011 to replace a rear wheel flange that may crack if the mounting bolts are overtightened. The existing rear wheel flange is made of aluminum and can crack if the bolts are too tight. Dealers are

BOXBOROUGH, MA – An online shopper who used a stolen credit card to buy more than $700 in parts and accessories from Ural of New England has the dealership searching for the scammer. In a Facebook post at 10:59 a.m. Wednesday, Ural of New England business manager Olga Bykhovsky described …

With the release yesterday of the trailer to the upcoming Paramount Pictures action movie “Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation,” BMW was today crowing about its connection to the flick, which hits theaters on July 31. Both BMW cars and motorcycles appear in “Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation,” which stars Tom …

WESTFIELD, MA – So far, the revived rivalry between Indian and Harley-Davidson has been largely civil, with each manufacturer touting their respective products. However, a Facebook post at 6:03 p.m. on Friday by Indian Motorcycle of Springfield showed some attitude by taking what can be viewed as a swipe at its …