Riding Tips

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Try to use 2/4/12, SEE, and your "Quarterback Eyes" to spot them early and avoid them. If you have to ride over them, use the technique we teach in the BRC1 & the BRC2 LW; approach them as close to a 90 degree angle as possible (and no less than 45 degrees). If you can, rise off the seat slightly so you can use your legs as shock absorbers. Roll on the throttle to lighten the front wheel to make it easier for the front wheel to go over the obstacle. When you roll on the throttle, the weight goes to the rear. If you can, lean slightly backward to also help lighten the front wheel to make it easier to go over the obstacle. The technique is the same you use to ride over an obstacle on a bicycle. You can practice this technique by taking the BRC1 and/or the BRC2 LW with us.

Be careful entering gas stations or other entrances that have a curb. You will have to angle your motorcycle before riding over the curb. Same with lanes of a highway that have been newly paved. One lane may be higher than the others. Angle your motorcycle before riding into that lane. 

Avoid riding over cracks and creases in the road and certain sewer gratings. Your front tire may get caught in them.

When going through turns and curves, use the SLLR technique we teach in the BRC1 & the BRC2 LW; SLOW down well before the entrance to the turn/curve by using the brakes, engine braking or rolling off the throttle. (Your slowing down should be completed by the time you reach the entrance of the turn/curve - don't use just the clutch to slow down unless you're engine braking). The brakes are the preferred method of slowing down because the brake light goes on alerting motorists behind you that you are slowing down. LOOK where you want to end up but keep scanning the road back and forth, up and down for any hazards. LEAN and press in the direction you want to go, just like making a turn on a bicycle. ROLL on the throttle slightly before leaning the motorcycle into the turn to equalize the suspension. Once you see the exit of the turn, you can speed up. You can practice this technique by taking the BRC1, the BRC2 , and/or the APBRC with us. To further develop your turning technique, take the TBC to learn the best way to turn.

WHAT TO DO IF RUNNING WIDE IN A TURN (Heading for the guard rail or oncoming car)

1) Keep a steady throttle to maximize traction

2) Look where you want to end up

3) Lean more

The number one place where multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes occur is at intersections - a vehicle pulling out in front of you because they didn't see you or misjudged your approach speed. When you approach a "hot" intersection (one where there is a vehicle present that can pull out in front of you), look at the vehicles front tires and "cover up". If the front tires are moving or start to move, be prepared to stop. "Cover up" means cover the brakes and clutch. This will shorten your reaction time which will help to shorten your stopping distance. More tips to avoid an intersection crash are on our YouTube videos below.

Watch this video produced by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation for some great tips about Group Riding.

Ladies, if you're looking to join a women's riding group, we highly recommend The Garden State Girls. 

Whether you bought a new motorcycle or just put new tires on your motorcycle, be aware that new tires can be slippery. Sometimes a silicone substance is used to help with tire mounting and this slippery substance can cause you to slide and crash. It takes about 50-100 miles of use for the slippery substance to wear off. So ride nice and easy for the first 50-100 miles with new tires.

If you get a flat tire, you can plug a tubeless tire. But get a new one as soon as possible. Tires with spokes have tubes. You can't plug those.

DRY ROTTED tires - if you're buying a used motorcycle that has been sitting for awhile, the tires may be cracked or have dry rot. It's a good idea to get new tires when buying a used motorcycle.

Back in the 1940's, a process called SIPDE was developed by a driving instructor to help drivers recognize hazards in advance so they could do something to avoid a crash. The acronym stands for Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute. Years later, the trucking industry developed a similar system called the Smith System. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recently developed another similar system called SEE - Search, Evaluate, Execute. The military uses a term called "Situational Awareness"  - to be aware of everything going on around you. If you're good at spotting things in advance, you have time to do something about it. You have time to respond instead of react. We developed the term "Quarterback Eyes" and use it in our BRC1 and BRC2 LW courses. What does a good quarterback do when he drops back to pass? He's looking for hazards (defensive players that can tackle him, defensive players that can intercept his pass) and offensive receivers that can catch his pass. If you develop good "Quarterback Eyes" when you ride (and drive), you'll spot hazards in advance and have time to avoid them. Car driving research indicates that drivers who move their eyes often to scan the road ahead, the road behind and to the sides are involved in fewer crashes. We also created a YouTube video, "How To Use Your Eyes To Avoid A Crash", which is posted below.

The price for motorcycle insurance depends on many factors; your age, marital status, residence, type of motorcycle you buy, driving record, credit rating, etc. Insurance experts highly recommend that you purchase at least $250,000 bodily injury coverage for one person. Some insurance companies will give you a discount for taking a motorcycle safety course. One of our instructors, Don Daves, is an insurance broker. Give him a call for the best advice on motorcycle insurance and any other kind of insurance - (201) 254-1856.

If you're going to ride a motorcycle, make sure you have a good health insurance policy that will pay for your medical bills if you get injured and a good disability insurance policy that will pay you if you're out of work for a period of time.

We get this question constantly. The answer is "It depends". How much riding experience do you have? What kind of riding do you want to do? When you sit on the motorcycle, can your feet touch the ground? How heavy is the motorcycle? How comfortable is the motorcycle? Some of our students buy a big motorcycle before taking the BRC1, have no riding experience whatsoever and expect us to teach them how to ride it. We teach people how to ride on small training motorcycles. Motorcycles most can easily handle. Sometimes these people discover they bought a motorcycle that is too big for them.

The biggest complaint we hear is, "I keep dropping my motorcycle". If that's the case, it's too heavy for you. Get a smaller/lighter one and develop your riding skills. Then upgrade to a bigger one.

Go to several motorcycle dealerships and sit on some motorcycles keeping in mind the questions listed above. Almost all the major motorcycle manufacturers have their motorcycles on display at the NY Motorcycle Show held annually in the winter time.

Most of the time, go with your gut. Your intuition is a good guide. If you feel a motorcycle is too big or heavy for you, and the salesperson tries to convince you to buy it saying you'll outgrow a smaller one in six months, leave. You may crash and drop the bigger one for the first six months. What fun is that? (But it's a bigger commission for the salesperson).

You may want to buy a decent used motorcycle for six months to a year, develop your skills on it, then sell it and upgrade to a new and bigger one.

Don't go by the engine size (cc's). Go by the weight and the feel. A motorcycle will go as fast as your right wrist turns the throttle.

Good deals on riding gear can be purchased online at Motorcycle Gear Superstore, or by going to the Cycle Gear store located on Rt. 17 South in Hasbrouck Heights. There's also a Cycle Gear store located in Edison.

You can jump a motorcycle battery with a car battery. Just make sure the car is off. You may also be able to bump jump it. Roll down an incline with the motorcycle in 2nd gear - keep the clutch in. Make sure the key and Engine Cut-Off switch are on. Once you have enough momentum, let go of the clutch.

Some graduates feel they are ready for the road as soon as they passed the course. Others feel they need more practice with us. And others feel they need more practice on their own on their own motorcycle. If you had trouble riding our small training motorcycles, you should consider more practice before you venture out in the open road. As you know, it's a jungle out there and you must be prepared. If you feel you need some practice on your own, here's a guide;

1) Go in a parking lot with no one around and practice the Friction Zone rock - the first part of the second exercise of the BRC1. Get to know your friction zone and get to know it well before you take to the street.

2) Practice taking off on an incline. See if you prefer the front brake method or the rear brake method. Videos of both methods are posted on this page. 

3) Practice taking off smoothly. If you keep stalling, you're letting the clutch out too fast. Both hands must work simultaneously.

4) Practice shifting. Roll off the throttle first then squeeze in the clutch.

5) Practice smooth engine braking. After the downshift, coordinate the clutch and the throttle so the motorcycle doesn't jerk.

6) Practice stopping and downshifting to 1st gear when you come to a stop.

7) Practice turning using SLLR.

8) Make sure you come to a stop with the handlebars straight. Otherwise, you'll be watching the video on this page on how to pick up your motorcycle.

Get the basic riding skills down pat before you take to the street.

Then take it on the side roads with little or no traffic. Gradually work your way into traffic. Ease into it and you'll enjoy motorcycling for years to come.

The Federal, State & the local governments have tried to ban motorcycles several times in one way or another. The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is an organization that fights for the rights of motorcyclists. Stand with other motorcyclists who have joined the AMA to protect their right to ride. Let the AMA's lobbyists, delegates and other members take on the government to fight legislation that is not favorable to motorcyclists. Not only does your membership fund the fight, the AMA offers their members some great benefits and discounts. Click here and check them out. Then join the fight for your right to ride by becoming a member. Enter code RIACNJ for an additional discount.

Looking for someone to ride with? Looking to ride with a group of good riders who can help you further develop your riding skills? Looking to go for a ride with some new friends to a place to eat on weekends and weeknights? Give Shell Huber, one of our graduates, a call. He organizes some fun rides during the week and on weekends. Call Shell at (201) 887-8700. Shell is safety conscious, a good rider and handy at fixing motorcycles. He works at Locomotion Powersports on Franklin Turnpike in Mahwah. You can also find Shell on Facebook.

Female riders - you can join the Garden State Girls. Not only do they offer group rides, they have a rider mentoring program, will help you buy a motorcycle and they get involved with several charitable causes. Click here for more information about this female riding organization.

If you ever need a lawyer who specializes in motorcycle accidents, contact Jerry Friedman. Click here  to go to his website.

You need a motorcycle endorsement on your Driver License, or a motorcycle license, or a valid & current NJ motorcycle permit in order to ride a motorcycle legally on the street in NJ. You can get a motorcycle permit by taking and passing the NJ MVC written motorcycle permit test and passing the NJ MVC eye test. (YOU DO NOT NEED A MOTORCYCLE PERMIT TO TAKE THE BRC1 WITH US)

If you have a valid & current NJ motorcycle permit, you are not allowed to ride in the dark (after dusk), ride on a toll road, ride on a limited access highway (a public road with speed limits in excess of 35 MPH) and you are not allowed to ride with a passenger. You are also not allowed to ride in another State. These restrictions will be removed once you get a motorcycle endorsement/license (take the NJ MVC road test, or successfully complete the BRC1 or the BRC2 LW).

Effective August 1, 2010, motorcycles are no longer required to submit for an inspection in New Jersey. Riders should keep in mind that it is their responsibility to make sure their motorcycles are free from mechanical defects and are operating properly. Law enforcement may still cite a motorcyclist for not wearing a DOT helmet, equipment out of compliance, or failure to make repairs.

These are traffic lights usually located at left-turn only lanes or low traffic intersections. These lights stay red until a vehicle triggers the sensor that activates the green light. The sensors are usually in the ground under the pavement or attached to the signal light. The sensors under the ground are triggered by weight or metal. The sensors attached to the signal light are triggered by motion.

The sensors in the ground usually don't detect motorcycles because they aren't that heavy, don't have enough metal or are not wide enough. So you can be sitting at the light for quite some time until another vehicle pulls up behind you and triggers the sensor.

Making a left turn on red is illegal in many States. Some States have passed legislation allowing you to make a left turn on red at a traffic-actuated signal light after waiting a certain amount of time. NJ hasn't passed that law yet. However, if a traffic-actuated signal light doesn't detect your motorcycle, it is technically considered a malfunctioning traffic light. As the law states (N.J.S.A. 39:4-81), treat a malfunctioning traffic light like a stop sign.

Here are the links to each one:

Orientation Session    Liability Waivers