Spark Moto Night Revs Up Newtown Scene

By Nancy K. Crevier

When Adam Zuckerman sat astride his first motorcycle, a 1977 Honda 750 Super Sport that was already nearly ten years old and had had seven previous owners, the 17-year-old knew he had finally found a way to explore the far horizons. Since then, he has owned five other motorcycles, including the 1998 Moto Guzzi California and the 1986 Honda Shadow 1100 that he still owns, and has put on thousands of miles crisscrossing the country.

“The first full summer I was riding, I went from Canada to Florida. I’ve gone coast-to-coast several times, from the Long Island Sound to the Puget Sound, and touched the tire in both oceans,” said Mr Zuckerman. For 18 years, a motorcycle was his main mode of transportation.

Now Mr Zuckerman, a motorcycle enthusiast who is an art installer and a freelance writer for Kawasaki’s Accelerate, RoadBike, and Motorcycle Consumer News, has created an event for those who own or love European and vintage motorcycles and scooters, custom café racers, street fighters, and rat bikes. The Fuel, Air, and Spark Motorcycle Night (Spark Moto Night, or Spark, for short) meets once a month, always on a Wednesday evening, at the Blue Z Coffee House on South Main Street, from 6 to 9:30 pm.

“There are a lot of bike nights out there, but all of them seem to be aimed toward the Harley Davidson crowd,” said Mr Zuckerman. “I was looking for something for people with motorcycle interests outside of that and couldn’t find anything, so I decided to create Spark Moto Night,” he said.

The first Spark was held August 12 and hosted 25 bikes and about 70 bike lovers, Mr Zuckerman said. Rain dampened the turnout for the September 16 event, but not the enthusiasm of those who did attend.

“I heard a lot of what I wanted to hear — that this is what has been missing for motorcycle aficionados like us. And a lot of people enjoyed the Blue Z environment as a gathering place,” he said.

The evening is a great place to make new connections, said Mr Zuckerman, as well as to plan future rides, and hang out with riders of like interests. Coffee and other refreshments are available for purchase, and bikers can enjoy an evening of live music. There is no admission charged, but those who attend are encouraged to tip the musical performers, which so far have included Phil Hovey, and local bands Ocecmic and Hot Sauce Committee. More great music is planned for the upcoming October 7 Spark Moto Night.

A regular event at Sparks Moto Night is the People’s Choice. Tickets are sold entitling the holder to one vote per ticket to elect the evening’s top bike. “Everyone who rides in can enter the People’s Choice, and everyone who attends can buy a ticket to vote,” said Mr Zuckerman. There is no trophy awarded, and no cash prize for winning People’s Choice — just the glory. In August, a 1956 Royal Enfield motorcycle was the winner. Ticket sales are divided, with half going to one lucky winner of the evening, and half going to offset promotional costs of the event.

“If you love bikes, or love to look at bikes, come on down,” encouraged Mr Zuckerman. Contact the Blue Z at 364-0631 or subscribe to Mr Zuckerman’s mailing list at sparkmotonight@gmail.com for a list of future dates. For more information about the Fuel, Air, and Spark Motorcycle Night, become a fan of the Fuel Air and Spark Motorcycle Night Facebook page.