Oil Drippings: News and Opinion

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com

The revived Norton brand is having some growing pains across the pond. BBC News reports that the British biker-maker is behind on delivering models to anxious customers. One customer who paid up front even sued to get his money back. The company is hoping to get the backlog of orders taken care of by year’s end. The BBC story is posted here.

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Some former Harley-Davidson employees in York, Pa. are working together after one of them launched an ornamental metal-working shop, using his severance check from the company to buy equipment for the business from – of all places – Harley. “The York Daily Record” has the story here.

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There probably isn’t a way to get a total amount, but I wonder just how much money riders in Connecticut raise for charity each year? Between charity rides, poker runs and shows during the warmer  months to toy drives and the stuffing of stockings at this time of year, it has to be into seven figures state-wide, don’t you think?

While RIDE-CT has groused in the past about the inherent dangers of huge group rides – too many riders of varying skills riding too closely together – enough praise cannot be given to those who organize these events and those who participate. The good done by riders cannot be calculated, either.

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North of the border in Massachusetts, the legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation plans a pubic hearing at 10 a.m. tomorrow that will cover several motorcycle-related bills, including two involving helmet usage. Details on the bills can be found here.

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Is it finally time to start thinking about winterizing? Just wondering.