April, 2013

• 4 April

  Spring’s Arrival Means Start of Rider Courses

  By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The arrival of spring means the resumption of Connecticut Rider Education Program courses across the state. For example, Basic Rider Course classes offered at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury begin Friday, but are already filled through mid-May. BRC classes at the UConn campus in …

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• 3 April

  “A Turning Point” for Suzuki Brand

  By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. is now the sole U.S. distributor of Suzuki motorcycles, ATVs, marine outboard engines and auto parts and service. The new company arrives following the restructuring of American Suzuki Motor Corp., which resulted in the discontinuance of Suzuki car sales in …

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• 2 April

  Readers Reject ATV Registration, New Poll for April

  By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com By a lopsided margin, RIDE-CT.com readers have said “no way” to a proposed law in Connecticut that would require the registration of all ATVs. That means quads, dirt bikes and snowmobiles – even if they’re used solely on your own property.  Results of the website’s …

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• 1 April

  Rare BMW “R69US” Provides An Easter Treat

  By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Seeing a rare motorcycle is always a treat, and Easter unexpectedly brought such a treat in the form of a very uncommon BMW. Friend Gary Randall and I had taken an early afternoon ride to Toymaker’s Cafe in Falls Village on Sunday where we ran …

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March, 2013

• 31 March

  Triumph’s Hurricane Always Stands Out

  ***CLASSIC RIDE-CT*** The 1973 Triumph X-75 Hurricane is unforgettable. It’s an attention-grabbing, three-cylinder motorcycle with a fan-like exhaust that is worthy of display in a museum of fine art. To hide one of these rare bikes, to have it covered and stored away in a basement spits in the face of …

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• 28 March

  This Just In: New Kawi Dealer in CT

  MotoFIT, the Aprilia-Ducati-KTM dealer in Danbury, finalized a deal today to become a dealer of Kawasaki motorcycles. Western Connecticut has been without a Kawi dealer since New Milford Cycles closed a year ago.

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• 27 March

  Results from the “Consumer Reports” Survey

  By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com A subscriber squealed. “Consumer Reports” yesterday came out with its first-ever motorcycle reliability survey, with an online tease only saying that “Japanese bikes have fewer problems than BMW or Harley models.” Only subscribers were allowed to read the full story. Well, a subscriber sent it …

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• 26 March

  Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

  By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com If the forecast is to be believed, the temperature is about to climb (at least modestly) to the point where more of us will be getting out bikes out of winter hibernation. Some riders never quit, though. Snow doesn’t deter them. A video posted on …

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• 25 March

  Product Review: Draggin’ Jeans

  Safe Riding columnist Steve Smith’s contribution last week titled “Getting Ready for the Riding Season,” in which he suggested that it’s a wise idea to give your bike(s) and your gear a going over now that the weather’s changing and the riding season approaches, got me off my butt and moving. …

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• 24 March

  The Joys and Pains of Being A “Newbie”

  ***CLASSIC RIDE-CT*** (Editor’s note: Because they’ve never appeared on online, RIDE-CT.com today begins reprinting in edited form some early RIDE-CT columns that appeared in “The Republican-American” newspaper.) By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com The outlaw image of motorcyclists, personified by Marlon Brando in the 1953 biker movie “The Wild One,” got …

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