Getting ready

NOS Britain tank mounted and plumbed - check

Battery fastened down so it stops shorting out to the frame on every other bump - check

Brake lights working finally - check

Carb cleaned out of 2 year-old gunk - check

Head gasket - blown

If I make this run it will be a miracle.



Posted from my Droid

Old is Old

This Sunday, the Brits will be out in force. show, swap, refreshments and entertainment. a nice ride in the CT countryside to view some Vincents, BSAs and Triumphs as well as other marques of note. all are welcome and a great turnout is expected with the weather forecast for sunny and less hot.

FIM approved - see you there

Gypsy run...

Gotta get at least one bike running for this ... it will be epic,and an epic loss if I miss this one too.  Alternator shot in the dagger, and blown head gasket in the shovel. 

The shovel gets first priority.  Can't be seen on an Evo, at least by the haters.

Keep your ride safe, don't risk breaking this close to the kick off party!

Posted from my Droid

East Coast Motorcycle Mayhem

Quoted from their site:  Here we go again! The dates for the 2010 Gypsy Run are Aug. 26, 27, 28 & 29. We are doing things a bit different this year. First off we are very proud to announce that The run will be presented by Kickstart Cycle Supply, Biltwell and Dice Magazine. What that means is we all will be pooling our resources to make this the best run yet. We will continue the tradition of the run being an event for folks who love to RIDE. We will be fixing what needs to be fixed, and further improving the good stuff. Just wait till you hear what we have in store for this year, it will be epic. I am not exaggerating. If you miss this year, you will most likely be hospitalized for severe depression. It is gonna be that good. Only nine months THREE MONTHS to go, get yer shit together! Stay tuned for the latest.

Some Pics from years gone by...

You'd better freakin be there...

Hot Rod Riot 5 - Sat. July 10, '10 - Ellington, CT

the good folks at Murdercycles always put on a quality event. different location this year as it will take place at their new compound. here's the flyer and some pics from previous Riots. good times. mark your calendar.

FIM approved. see you there.

Need some help here...

Looking for a location to hold a traditional chopper show here in the state.  Needs to be paved, large enough for a show, have parking, vendors, band, dancing, and whatnot.

Preferably private property, but open to suggestions!

Old private airstrip keeps coming to mind...how cool would that be!

Contact me at Matt(at)themainbrace(dot)com

okay, so it's not CT

... but at least the trip started there. sorry for the lag in posting, btw. i recently took a couple of road trips down the I95 corridor and into the City for some fun and frolick and to visit some old haunts. the big LOVE sculpture is in the former site of the Harley-Davidson Cafe on Sixth Ave (just sayin'). My fave cigar shop is De La Concha, where my friend George has been a pillar of the smoking community for decades - the smoking lounge there is rather touristy, but good none the less. hey, there's a bit of Central Park in all of us. who hasn't hugged a lamp post in the hazy fog of tipsyness? a visit to Hugh at Sixth Street Specials in the Spring warmth is always a good thing. next up, buddy Matt ('67 Triumph 650) and I took in the clubby atmosphere of the Velvet Cigar Lounge on the LES and then wrapped the day with the best pizza in the City - Arturo's coal oven pizza.

De La Concha Tobacco, Sixth Avenue at 57th Street

Sixth Street Specials, 6th Street and Avenue C

Velvet Cigar Lounge, 7th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue

Arturo's Pizza, West Houston Street at Thompson Street

Now is when is gets scary

The beginning of the "riding season" here in Conn always makes me scared (read: attentive).  I have been back on the road since the ice on my tires melted, and just like every other spring, death for a rider is just a split-second away.

I heard a wise philosophy once that I have lived by ever since "Ride like you ain't got no brakes, and assume that God put every single car out there on the road specifically to kill you".  As we all know, there are dangers all around us out there on the road.   However, this time of year brings its own list of challenges.

First, the sand.  I live at the top of a hill, and every year the stop sign at the bottom is a sand pit.  All winter long, the town and state have dumped literally tons of sand on our road for us to slip on come spring.  The twisties that I love here in the Nutmeg State, right now, are still salted with crap that WILL break traction, and will suck you to your seat pan, if you get my drift.

Second, cage drivers have been more insulated from reality than usual over the long winter, and are even less likely to recognize a bike as a legitimate vehicle to share the road with.  If that lady that hit me a few years back "didn't even see a motorcycle" on a bright sunny clear day in the summer, imagine how self-centered they are now just coming out of hibernation.

Lastly, the great flood of 2010.  There are parts of the road that just ain't there anymore.  I was motoring along yesterday along RT85, a main route from Hartford to points S.E., and the pavement just disappeared into a brand new lake.  The water was swallowing Toyotas, I didn't dare try to set sail across it.  In Stonington, RT184 just drops off into the abyss.  A bridge vanished like it was abducted by aliens leaving a hole in the earth.  Think about cruising along enjoying the beautiful world around us ... and falling off a friggin cliff.

Do your spring maintenance, check your tires, put on clean underwear and stay vigilant.  That's what the Lone Ranger would do.

-Matt

Matt's S.E. Conn Spring Ride 1

Ok.  First, thanks to FTW for starting this blog, since mine gets almost no traffic.

 This ride is one that I made last year, and I ride portions of it all year round for fun.  It is scenic, easy, and very enjoyable.  Let me know if you ride this and how we can improve it!

Link to the "motowhere" ride map

Ride Description and Directions after the jump:

got the goods

thanks to FTWCO for the shirt 'n stickies.
happy to contribute to this fine endeavor.

FIM

bars - Tuesdays at the 'Shoe

as Spring begins to creep in, it's time to check out the local ride-in spots around Southwestern CT. Located in the center of this sleepy bedroom town and across from the train station, the Horseshoe Cafe in Southport has been serving thirsty NYC commuters for decades. a cozy bar with a gaggle of tvs showing sports, a couple of dart boards and a pool table, the 'Shoe also boasts a decent menu of pub food. On Tuesday nights, the 'Shoe hosts a relatively mild ride-in. on a typical Tuesday night, you'll see between 10-25 bikes or more - mostly late-model, shiny, Japanese, Italian, German and British marques with an occasional vintage or antique group in attendance. an 'older' demographic as well. For this past Spring-like Tuesday night, I was the only two-wheeler. good, more room at the bar.

and, by the way, i didn't stick around for the Karaoke competition.

FIM approved.

the Horseshoe Cafe is located at 355 Pequot Avenue in Southport, CT

Paris in the the Spring

here's a public service note to riders in the 4-season regions that are diggin' out their ride from the back of the shed / garage / kitchen. Spring's just about upon us and you'll need to get your ride(s) in shape. here's a friendly reminder to wrench BEFORE you ride. yeah, this means you. jot down this simple checklist and avoid around 90% of problems that'll put you on the side of the road faster than ..... [insert smarmy line here]

now, get to wrenchin':

change oil / filter

check / replace sparkplugs

add fresh gas and check / clean / replace fuel / air filter element

check chain alignment / tension

check motor and trans mount nuts / bolts

check exhaust bolts / flanges

lubricate zerk grease fittings

check tires / tire pressure - a sitting bike in cold temps can bleed air pressure

check wheels / spokes

check electric / ignition connections / battery - wipe down battery between posts to avoid current leaching and slowly draining the charge

grease / lubricate cables

check brakes / brake hoses / fluid levels

check bulbs, especially brake lights

and, finally - fix that pesky loose whatever that you've been putting off since last season!

see you on the road

eats - the BEST pizza - Pepe's, New Haven, CT

on a beautiful, Sunny February day with temps in the upper 40s, 6 riders rolled up I95 for the best pizza in the known universe - Pepe's Pizzeria. 4 of the 6 riders had never been to Pepe's.

after meeting at the rest stop between exits 12-13 Northbound on I95, we headed up. the ride to New Haven is approx. 45 mins. in light traffic. what we didn't factor was a breakdown. our newest rider, Matt from NYC, on his first bike - a '67 Triumph 650, was the unlucky one. his engine encountered a catastrophic failure 5 exits into the ride. about a half hour later Matt secured towing for the bike back to my place and we resumed the ride with one less rider. did i mention we were getting hungry by then?

once we arrived, there is monitored, off-street parking and a great spot for bikes right in front. Pepe's is world famous and there is almost always a line - especially on fine weather weekends. if you catch the 'wave' of patrons just right, you can sail right in to a booth in under 15-20 mins. due to our breakdown, we caught the wrong wave. it took over 45 mins to be seated.

Pepe's has been serving pizza from a coal-fired oven since 1925. in recent years, Pepe's has expanded to several satellite locations in the Northeast in addition to the original location on Wooster Street.

the three pies the 5 guys enjoyed this day were the original tomato mozzarella, the sausage and roasted peppers and the white clam and bacon pies. as for beverages, Pepe's serves wine, bottled beer and tap beer - Sam Adams, Bud Light and Genesse. we opted for Genesse, 'natch. the newbies were very impressed and all mentioned the wait was worth it - and these guys were all grumbling that 'we don't wait in line'.

FIM approved.

Pepe's Pizzeria is located at 157 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT

snow day!

with all this heavy weather lately, I attempted to get in a little saddle time. no such luck. but, I was determined!

hurry Spring!

eats - Colony Grill - Irish Pizza? - !!!

Stamford's own Colony Grill has been serving 'pizza and drinks' since 1935 and is considered the oldest continually run restaurant in the city of Stamford. Colony's specialty is ultra-thin crust pizza with variety of toppings. The most famous is their hot pepper oil pie and the 'stinger' pie, with a hot pepper atop each slice. At lunchtime, it's commonplace to see a line of take out with stacks of 4-10 pies per order. There is a dining area and a bar area. The best seats are at the bar, 'natch. There is off-street restaurant parking and bike parking in front on the sidewalk is permitted.

F I M approved.

Colony Grill is located at 172 Myrtle Avenue in Stamford, CT.