Tag Archives: Triumph

With annual EICMA World Motorcycle Fair in Milan, Italy opening its doors to the public tomorrow, motorcycle manufacturers have been using the lead-up days to unveil new and freshened models. There are almost too many new models from Milan for 2015 to count, so here’s an initial smattering

Motorcycle manufacturers love to embellish when describing their offerings, so it’s only natural to skim over some of the descriptions used by Triumph regarding its Thunderbird LT model – lines such as “premium class touring cruiser” and “world’s largest parallel twin motorcycle engine.” More to the point is how does …

Mention the word “grill” and I’m apt to smile. For me, the word doesn’t only conjure up an image of a backyard barbecue or a heavily-chromed front end of a car produced by Detroit automakers in the 1950s, but also a line from an audio recording that I heard many …

PEMBROKE, NH – The signage for Triumph hasn’t arrived yet, but bikes made by the British manufacturer have, signaling the addition of a second brand of new motorcycles at National Powersports Distributors at 319 Commerce Way. Triumph joins Royal Enfield (added in 2010) as the company, which began in 2002 as …

WATERBURY, CT – The badge on the gas tank bore the word “Triumph,” but the “swoosh” was above the name, not below. It swept from to the top of the “T” to the “h” and not from the bottom of the “r” as is usually seen. The shift lever was on …

The showroom is filled not with new Triumph models, but with the scent of fresh carpeting. The floor of the service department glistens from the newly-applied sealant that still hasn’t cured in one area. A sign on the exterior of Hamlin Cycles in Bethel, CT has a Union Jack as …

Harley-Davidson sold more than a quarter-million motorcycles in 2013 with sales in the U.S. and worldwide rising 4.4 percent each. The company reported today that it sold 260,839 new bikes last year, up from 249,849 in 2012, and that it expects to ship between 279,000 and 284,000 motorcycles in 2014, …

Dave Rosen and his Thruxton at New York’s IMS When the January/February 2014 issue of “Motorcycle Classics” magazine arrived recently, I immediately noticed the full-page Triumph advertisement on the back cover. It shows a customized Thruxton model being ridden on the Bonneville Salt Flats by pro motorcycle racer Jason DiSalvo, its …

Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham and Henry Winkler as “Fonzie” Time flies. It was 40 years ago yesterday – Jan. 15, 1974 – that the ABC sitcom “Happy Days” premiered. Among the many cast members were Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham and Henry Winkler as Arthur “Fonzie”/”The Fonz” Fonzarelli, a …

Kawasaki W80 It was at the end of last year that I was griping about the fact that Moto Guzzi doesn’t sell its Bellagio mid-sized cruiser here in the U.S. and that got me thinking about other models that never see our shores. While Honda withheld its CB1100 for a …

By Bud Wilkinson When the PSA came out in August 2009, it was credited with getting teens to stop texting while driving and with saving lives. Shot in South Wales and funded by the Gwent police department, it graphically showed the potential consequences of texting when behind the wheel. If …

By Bud Wilkinson Jim Hamlin is targeting a March 1 opening for his new Hamlin Cycles dealership in Bethel, CT. Pending zoning approval that will allow a service department, Hamlin plans to open the new store in a building that formerly housed a power equipment business. “We’re working on the inside …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Ever read a motorcycle review in a magazine and had to read between the lines or wondered what the point was? When you’re dependent upon ad dollars to stay afloat, you’d better be damn sure you don’t piss off a potential advertiser by saying that …

Don Devault and his Triumph By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com Don Devault got his Triumph back on Wednesday – 46 years after it was stolen. The blue 1953 Triumph Tiger 100 was stolen in Omaha, NE in February 1967 and spotted last month at the Port of Los Angeles by …

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com What’s the biggest gripe when calling “customer support?” My guess is that it’s talking to “Bob” in some far off land. It’s not that Bob isn’t knowledgeable, polite or capable – unlike “Peggy” in the memorable Discover Card commercials – it’s just that he’s so …