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Motorcycle News from Long Island Sound to the Litchfield Hills and the Quiet Corner
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Bud's Blog
2008 Softail Cross Bones
Catching Up After Busy Month
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Time flies, and the past month has been a blur thanks to back-to-back-to-back colds and numerous hours devoted to the Team T100 project of restoring a vintage Triumph (see Team T100 page).
Having finally come up for air, though, I managed to stop by Yankee Harley-Davidson in Bristol yesterday to check out the new 2008 Softail Cross Bones (see above). This old school model may not be for everyone, but is an eye-catcher.
Friday night, it was a visit to the annual "Cabin Fever" party hosted by the British Iron Association of Connecticut in Manchester, and what a food spread there was - chicken, pasta, sauage and peppers. The guys from Gengras in East Hartford brought a new Triumph Thruxton to display. The Bass went down mighty easily, too.
Coming this Saturday in the RIDE-CT column in The Republican-American newspaper will be a behind-the-scenes tour of the Vanson Leathers factory in Fall River, Mass. by the company's art director, Kevin Nixon (below), who is a native of Naugatuck.
Dave Perewitz and Michele Smith
Quick Visit to Motorcycle Expo
Sunday, January, 6, 2008 - 6 p.m.
Having spent eight years working in TV news, I know first-hand that what you see on the tube isn't always what you get in person. Some people look better on the small screen than they do in real life, while other times the real person is better looking than the one seen on the tube.
Michele Smith, who hosts the "American Thunder" motorcycle show on Speed, is one of those people who looks exactly the same in person as on TV, but what the camera woefully fails to capture is her warm personality.
On "American Thunder," Smith comes off as deadpan and stilted, leaving the impression she was hired solely for her cleavage. In person, though, she sparkles and exudes an inviting friendliness, which was amply on display this weekend at 9th annual Northeast Motorcycle Expo in Hartford.
Also on hand were custom bike builders Dave Perewitz and Steve Stone as well as hundreds of riders from Connecticut and beyond. 
Besides dealers and countless vendors, the Northeast Motorcycle Expo also featured a charity build of a motorcycle by Jody Perewitz (below right) and Sara Liberte (below left), who are pictured with John Haymond and Dave Perewitz The finished will benefit Bikes for the Cure.
Unfortunately, the visit to the Northeast Motorcycle Expo on Saturday was a short one as a riding buddy who accompanied me had to get home early Saturday afternoon. Note to self: Next year, spend more time.
With the weather warming up over the weekend and the forecast calling for temperatures in the high 40s and low 50s, Sunday seemed to be a good time to chip and shovel ice from the driveway. If enough of the remainder melts in the next day or two, the first ride of 2008 is a definite possibility.
Michele Smith to Attend Expo
Tuesday, January 1, 2008 - 10:30 a.m.
"American Thunder" host Michele Smith will be just one of the eye-catching attractions at the 9th annual Northeast Motorcycle Expo, which is set for this Saturday and Sunday at the Connecticut Expo Center in Hartford. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Peforming on Saturday will be King Norris from "The Howard Stern Show," which is fronted by Fred Norris, who was born in Willmantic and grew up in Manchester, and who joined Stern when he worked at WCCC. Custom bike builders Dave Perewitz and Steve Stone will also be in attendance.
Wishin' and Hopin'for New Bike
Tuesday, December 25, 2007 - 11 p.m.
Sometimes it's the motorcycles that you can't get that provide the biggest attraction. The itch has certainly been building recently to add another bike to the garage and give the V-Rod some company.
A lack of funds may limit the choices, but two new bikes have particular allure simply because they're untouchable. One hasn't been announced yet, and the other's only available in Europe, which seems odd considering that it's a Harley.
The first bike is a new 1500cc cruiser with shaft drive that Triumph reportedly has under development, which I mentioned in the model preview that appears on the web site. It has been rumored for years and was supposedly going to be released as a 2008 model.
The rumors have now morphed it into a 2009 model. Gone is the shaft drive, replaced by a chain, while the release has reportedly been delayed to boost the transmission from a five-speed to a six-speed to match the competition.
So long have rumors been circulating about this stealth model that interest is now waning.
The other bike that's caught my eye is the new Harley-Davidson XR1200 (above and below). While a bit compact for my bulk, it nonetheless has me panting for the simple reason it isn't being sold in the U.S.
Isn't that always the case; that you want what you can't have?
BTW, saw a great bumper sticker the other day on a vehicle driven by a race fan. Let me modify it for riding:
"Why do I ride? Because golf, tennis, baseball, football and basketball only require one ball!"
Two Tales That Are Strange
Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 10:30 a.m.
Pardon the two-week absence. A rather relentless cold got the better of me. Didn't feel much like working, but did manage to find some time to do some Internet surfing and discovered two strange motorcycle tales from earlier this month that are worth repeating for the lessons they provide – whatever they may be.
From New Orleans, a 45-year-old motorcyclist died of head and spinal injuries suffered in an accident. Sandow Szalmas lost control on a curve when he was distracted by the rattlesnake he was carrying on the back of his bike. Reports differ on whether the serpent was dead or alive at the time of accident.
From Pennsylvania, a 37-year-old man was sentenced to six to 23 months in a county prison after being convicted of shooting a motorcycle that someone had parked in his driveway. David Bauchat, who said he had been drinking when he blasted the bike full of holes back in July 2006, acknowledged that he went “way over the top.”
Just two more examples of why riding a motorcycle can be risky business. Merry Christmas.
A Motorcycle from Subaru?
Friday, December 7, 2007 - 11 p.m.
Let's see... Honda builds car and motorcycles. Suzuki builds cars and motorcycles, and, in fact, advertises them together in the same commercials.
So why not Subaru?
Motorcycle message boards have been peppered with reports in recent weeks about supposed plans by Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru, to build a 499cc, water-cooled, DOHC, single cylinder sport bike.
The HS500sa - yes, it even has a name - would put out 50 horsepower and have an aluminum frame made in China. There have even been alleged spy shots circulating.
RIDE-CT has no insider info and Subaru apparently isn't talking, but, as a Subaru owner, I can give one solid reason why the company should think twice before going to market with a bike: Subarus are not cool.
Motorcycling is a lot about attitude, about showing off and about striking the pose even if you aren't about to take risks beyond the normal ones associated with riding, and, let me repeat, Subarus simply are not cool.
I ride a V-Rod but I drive an Outback, and I'll be the first to admit that its styling is dull and its cool factor is nil. I bought it for the all-wheel drive and because it's dependable and has sizable space in the back for my dogs. I didn't buy it for looks or sportiness, I bought it because it's bullet proof and good in snow.
Do anyone buy a bike for any of those reasons? I suspect the primary reason anyone buys a particular bike is because they envision how they'll look on it. A badge bearing "Subaru" just won't cut it when up against any other nameplate. The Subaru name itself will be an insurmountable hurdle.
Big Sendoff for Evel Knievel
Thursday, December 6, 2007 - 7 p.m.
Motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel will receive a final tribute in his hometown of Butte,Mont. with a fireworks show on Sunday night followed by a public viewing and memorial service on Monday morning at the Butte Civic Center.
Knievel died Friday at the age of 69 after suffering for years from pulmonary fibrosis. Presiding at the, funeral will be the Rev. Robert Schuller, founder of the Crystal Cathedral in southern California.
The Butte Civic Center holds 10,000 people and a big crowd is expected for the service as Knievel had countless fans.
Naugatuck firefighter Tim Andrew is among them. Upon learning of Evel's death, Andrew emailed and recalled attending a closed-cirucit TV broadcast at Waterbury's Palace Theatre of Knievel's attempt to leap the Snake Ruver Canyon.
The next year, Andrew and a friend rode their Hondas to Springfield, Mass. to watch him leap 12 cars in person. "I got a flat on my Honda in New Britain, so we hitchhiked to Mass. and back."
For more info, visit the offical Evel Knievel web site.
Xmas Card Comes on Two Wheels
Wednesday, December 5, 2007 - 11 p.m.
Harley devotees Sharon and Jay Flynn of Torrington are putting their love of riding on display this holiday season with the motorcycle-themed Christmas card shown below. It comes from the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio.
The Flynns' affection for Harleys is serious. Milwaukee iron is parked in their garage and their spacious basement is filled with Harley collectibles - models, key chains, pins, shot glasses, a letter-opener, placemats and plates, a bottle opener and much more.
The Harley memorabilia collection dates back to 1990 and just keeps growing. I trust they kept one Christmas card to include in their collection of all things Harley. I'll say this, I'm keeping the one that they sent to me.
A Trip to Oz Aboard a Triumph
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 - 10 p.m.
Any TV show that starts with a girl kick-starting an old Triumph and then ripping down the road in a rush to work has to be good, right? If that girl is DG, shorthand for Dorothy Gale (as in "The Wizard of Oz"), it's even better.
As played by Zooey Deschanel, DG has gone back to the Outer Zone (the O.Z. as Oz is now called) in the new three-part Sci Fi channel mininseries "Tin Man," which began on Sunday night and wraps up tonight.
"Tin Man" presents a new and thoroughly darker take on the classic L. Frank Baum story, just as the musical "Wicked" did on Broadway.
That DG rides a Triumph makes it even better. She went by so fast, though, I didn't get a chance to check out whether it was emerald or not.
Securing Land for Off-Road Use
Friday, November 30, 2007 - 9:30 p.m.
It didn't take a psychic to predict how ATVers and dirt bike riders would react to last Saturday's story in "The Republican-American" on the Connecticut Motorsports Business Association's letter to the state Department of Environmental Protection questioning why - 21 years after the legislature passed a law requiring that land be see aside for off-road riding -- there's no place to ride in CT. (See story on the Home page.)
Melissa Conway emailed to agree that "there isn't a darn place to ride legally, which causes us to ride illegally and thus are prone to be arrested or fined. I was wondering what, if anything, we can do to get this moving. I know tons of ATVers that would support us."
Well, Melissa, there is something that you can do. Email nautilusgap@aol.com for info and get behind the effort by lobbying your state legislator.
Stanley DeMayo also emailed and declared, "The state of CT should open up some land like in Mass. - charge $10 for a plate and let that go to maintaining the parks."
DeMayo continued, "In Middlebury, the police let a man drive around in a golf cart without arresting him. I have seen him up on the edge of (I-)84 and in Waterbury. Why can he do that but if you did it with an ATV you would be ticketed and possibly have your ATV confiscated?"
I'm assuming you're being rhetorical, Stanley, but, if you aren't, I have no idea.
Shedding Light on a Problem
Friday, November 23, 2007 - 10:30 p.m.
Driving home about 10 p.m. last night after enjoying Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's house, I spied a motorcycle coming from the opposite direction. It caught my eye because of the temperature - below 40 degrees - and the hour.
As it passed, I noticed the fairing around the headlight, and guessed that it was perhaps a BMW. Glancing in the rearview mirror to see if the back of the bike provided a clue, all I saw was darkness as the bike's tail light wasn't functioning and the turn signals hadn't been modified as running lights.
Within moments, two cars passed me going in the same direction as the bike, causing me to mouth a silent hope that they didn't run up the backside of the rider.
There's a lesson here: Always check your bike's lights and signals on a regular basis. And, if possible, turn your rear turn signals into running lights that are illuminated at all times. The person you'll be protecting is yourself.
What's that Smell? Turkey
Thursday, November 22, 2007 - 3:30 p.m.
Part of the enjoyment or riding are the scents along the way. Freshly-cut hay, fall leaves and even cow manure come immediately to mind but a new fragrance was on the wind today during a 95-mile, work-up-an-appetite, pre-Thankgiving dinner ride.
The game plan wasn't to be away for more than two hours but a noon-time blast up Route 8 ended up in Otis, Mass. and a right turn on Route 23 ended up at Route 20. The result was the long way home through Westfield and Southwick, Mass. and Simsbury and Avon.
Only a handful of other riders were out on the wet roads and none on Route 23 where small piles of snow, an omen of what's to come, could be spotted alongside the road.
The most memorable moment of the ride, though, was the momentarily unfamiliar smell that slipped under the visor. It took a second for the brain to process but it did, recognizing the smell of a turkey being cooked outside in a deep fryer.
Just perfect.
RIDE-CT.com's Bud Wilkinson with his first motorcycle, a 1999 Triumph Legend.
About Bud Wilkinson
Award-winning journalist Bud Wilkinson hosts the syndicated radio show "Broadway's Biggest Hits" and writes the "Eye on Broadway" and "RIDE-CT" newspaper columns.
"Broadway's Biggest Hits" airs on stations across North America, including Phoenix's KOY, Denver's KEZW, Seattle’s KIXI, Toronto’s AM 740, Richmond’s EZ 100.5 and Syracuse's WTLA.
In Connecticut, where the show is based, "Broadway's Biggest Hits" is heard on three stations, including New Haven's WQUN, Middletown’s WMRD and Old Saybrook’s WLIS.
The "Eye on Broadway" column premiered in February 2003 in "The Litchfield County Times" in Connecticut. It takes readers into the dressing rooms of the stars of the biggest Broadway hits and offers the latest Broadway news.
The "RIDE-CT" column premiered in July 2005 in "The Republican American" in Waterbury. It celebrates motorcycling and promotes safe riding.
A Connecticut native, Wilkinson spent more than two decades in high profile media positions in Phoenix, Arizona. He launched "Broadway's Biggest Hits" as a local show on KOY radio in late December 1997. It became an instant ratings success, prompting syndication nine months later.
Prior to creating "Broadway's Biggest Hits," Wilkinson spent eight years as Entertainment Editor at Fox-owned KSAZ-TV (Channel 10) and Entertainment Reporter for news/talk KTAR radio, preceded by 10 years as TV/Radio Columnist for The "Arizona Republic" newspaper.
A graduate of Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vermont and Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, Wilkinson brings an award-winning background in journalism to "Broadway's Biggest Hits" and to the newspaper columns.
Wilkinson was honored with a Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award in 1992 for a series of reports on adult literacy for Channel 10 and received a regional Emmy Award for commentary on Channel 10 that same year. He also won an Arizona Press Club Award for spot news reporting on a hostage situation at a Phoenix TV station in 1982.
During his career he has also written extensively for "Arizona Highways," "Phoenix," (Arizona) "Diamondbacks," "Arizona Golf Journal," "Passport" and "Theater CT" magazines as well as the entertainment/trade publications "Variety" and "Electronic Media."
A 2003 Harley-Davidson VRSCA (V-Rod) is currently "The Offical Ride of Ride-CT."
Bud Wilkinson interviews Donny Osmond (above) and Christy Carlson Romano (below) at a cast party following the final performance of "Beauty and the Beast" on Broadway.
(Photos by Debra Aleksinas)
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ph: 860-485-0700
budw
