Update: Donald L. Miller died Saturday (June 20, 2015) in New York City at the age of 83 after suffering a stroke. This column appeared last Sept. 16. It was a pleasure knowing him, hearing his stories and eating his scones, if only for a short while… Donald L. Miller …

LACONIA, NH – It’s a yearly ritual. Bill Smith of Harwinton, CT rides (or trailers) his Suzuki Bandit here for Laconia Motorcycle Week. He escapes the grind of working as a computer expert for IBM and serving as a firefighter and secretary of a local volunteer fire department. He meets …

NEW HAVEN, CT – There are things we do when riding that we don’t even think about. Pulling in the clutch and downshifting when approaching a stoplight comes to mind. So does upshifting when the engine’s sound indicates that it’s time to do so. The hands-on nature of motorcycling, and …