These are questions frequently asked on the NYC Motorcyclists (NYC-Moto) mailing list. Most of the answers are culled from years of responses from subscribers.
Yes. You will need a Class 'M' rating on your NY driver's license. This requires passing a DMV written and skills test. You will also need to bring a motorcycle, a car and another driver with a valid motorcycle license to the test.
There is an alternative. If you pass the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Beginning Riders Course it's a waiver of the DMV skills test (see below). This is the best approach because not only will it save you the hassle and delay of a DMV appointment, you will receive important riding instruction that could save your life and an insurance discount to boot.
Motorcycle endorsements from other states are transferable to your New York driver's license.
Several commercial driving schools offer motorcycle instruction courses, most of which are reportedly next to useless, although better than learning it "in the streets". The best school by far is sponsored by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. There are two MSF affiliates in New York City. The oldest is Trama's Driving School. Another school opened in 1999 at the Bronx Community College. For information, see:
www.magpie.com/nycmoto/newrider.html
Only a few companies write motorcycle insurance in New York. Among the most popular are Progressive, Universal Underwriters, USAA (for military vets and dependents only) and Geico. Subscribers pretty much prefer Progressive to all the alternatives. It has one of the best reputations for paying claims without hassles. Geico is the lowest rated because of its ridiculous premiums for sportbikes and it's "one strike/yer out" policy.
You can contact these companies directly by phone or you can use a local
insurance agent. Khlopin & Kelly on Richmond Avenue in Staten Island is one
of the more reputable brokers. Another local motorcycle broker specializing
in Allstate insurance is Viggiano Inc in Brooklyn (888 642-3467).
Most experienced riders advise starting with a small displacement, i.e. under
600cc, motorcycle. This is an exceptionally good idea. A lighter, less powerful,
more forgiving motorcycle will give you the experience you need handling and
braking a motorcycle, especially in NYC traffic. It's also a good idea to start
with an unfaired bike since the chances are very high that you will drop it
during slow or zero-speed maneuvers at least once during your first year and
plastic bodywork can cost up to $900 a panel.
A smaller, less powerful bike will also save you a bundle on insurance. A lot of
lesser-experienced riders will tell you that they started off on 130 horsepower,
fire-breathing sportbikes and, hey, they're still alive to tell the tale. Ask
them how much they spent repairing the bike (and possibly themselves) because of
novice riding mistakes. Also remember that too many people who went this route
aren't around today to tell you differently.
While there are several independent motorcycle shops which sell used bikes, your
best bet is the classifieds. Many of the bikes sold in motorcycle shops are basket
cases and auction dogs and unless you've got the experience to spot them you'll
just be buying someone else's problem. If you must buy from a shop, stick to a
franchised dealer who knows the marque.
This is not to say you can't get ripped off through the classifieds. Be very
careful of the paperwork and title, especially out of state titles. Check the
engine and frame VINs against the title. Be careful of sellers who want to show
you their bike in a supermarket parking lot.
At a minimum, bring along a friend who knows bikes. Very often, the seller won't
let you ride the bike before buying it. He doesn't know you or your riding
skills so don't presume it's a sign of deception. If you insist on riding it
first, bring a certified check or cash to the test ride and let the seller hold
it while you ride. Alternatively, make the sale conditional on the seller
delivering the bike to a qualified mechanic for checkout, where you will then
close the deal.
Many commercial garages won't accept motorcycles for "insurance reasons". What
this usually means is that they want to be able to push bikes around the garage
and don't want to be liable for the damage. So you don't want to park there
anyway.
Mark Bergman keeps a somewhat dated list of motorcycle-friendly parking garages
and reserved motorcycle parking areas at:
No, although it is unevenly enforced. It's certainly a lot safer for the bike if
you do but you'll risk a stiff fine. If you decide to do it, keep it low
profile. Don't block entrances, sidewalks, loading zones or bus stops. Don't
park in front of doorman buildings. Avoid parking on the avenues where traffic
enforcement is more aggressive. Anywhere there are parking meters means that a
Traffic agent is nearby.
Some subscribers claim that if you cover the bike that cops aren't allowed to
lift it to get the plate number without a search warrant. Others have stories
which dispute this. Some bike messengers take their plates with them when they
park, however NYPD has shown an increasing willingness to tow them as abandoned
vehicles.
Most of us would like to know the answer too. In general, most NYC motorcyclists
think the quality of local motorcycle repair shops ranges from shakey to
criminally incompetent, and that includes franchised dealers as well. For more
detailed comments from customers about individual local repair shops, see the
NYC Motorcyclists Shop Poll web page:
Among the area shops that get better grades from subscribers are:
Motorcycle Works in Brooklyn (general repair)
No, although it's common and it's generally safer to cut to the front of the
traffic at a light than get stuck between two cabbies who just spotted the same
fare. While it's rare to get popped for lane splitting on city streets, cutting
in and out of traffic at speeds significantly higher than prevailing traffic is
Darwinism at work. Remember that this isn't a city of drivers who use their
mirrors, respect lane markings or use their turn signals.
The exception: NYPD Highway are ballbusters about lane splitting, and they'll
often pad the ticket with other points citations like "reckless driving",
"failure to signal", and so forth. In other words, be careful about lane
splitting on the FDR, West Side Highway, BQE, etc.
NYC is not only a city of bike thieves, it's also a city of idiot cagers who
won't think twice about knocking over your bike if it means widening a potential
parking space. Unless you like riding a ratty looking bike, the annual cost of a
commercial garage space for your baby may be cheaper than the cost of repairs,
downtime and parking tickets on the street. Commercial garage space for
motorcycles in Manhattan runs from $90-150/month.
As the saying goes, locks just keep honest people honest. A standard motorcycle
fork lock can be defeated by an amateur thief in about the same time it takes
you to use a key. A disk lock may deter joyriders but a professional can usually
get through one in thirty seconds. Heavy chains and cable locks are more secure,
but unless you chain the bike to something immovable, the pros will just throw
it in a truck. Finally, chains and cables aren't absolute security either.
Thanks to Tool Time Technology, a battery-powered grinder can get through most
of them in a couple of minutes.
If you value your motorcycle as much as a thief, don't let it out of your
eyesight. And buy theft insurance.
Jon Kadis, backroads specialist extraordinaire, maintains an archive web site
containing detailed route sheet for lots of great rides. See:
The best thing to do is visit the NYC Moto Tuesday Night Hang and meet the folks:
The New Jersey Sport Touring Motorcycle Club hosts group rides most Sundays,
usually leaving at 9am from State Line Lookout on the Palisades Parkway. You can
call the STMC hotline at 201-487-4958 for pre-recorded information about the
next ride. STMC rides are very well-led, usually with multiple groups
geared for riders of different skills and ambitions. Rides are typically
100-250 miles in length and stick mostly to backroads.
Point your browser at http://www.magpie.com/mailman/listinfo/nycmoto05.
From the DMV FAQ:
However, if you fail to answer a ticket or pay a fine for a moving violation in any state except Alaska,
California, Michigan, Montana, Oregon or Wisconsin, your NYS license will be suspended until the ticket
is answered or the fine is paid. A driver from any state, except the six listed above, will have his or
her license suspended for failure to answer a moving violation summons or pay a fine in NYS.
If you are convicted of an alcohol or drug-related driving violation in any state, your NYS license will be revoked for at least six months. Otherwise, except for convictions in Quebec or Ontario under special agreements, out-of-state traffic convictions are not recorded on NYS license records and do not carry points.
You will hear lots of horse stories about this. If you have a reasonable
argument or the cop miswrote the ticket it usually pays to take your case to
traffic court. There's always a chance that you'll get a sympathetic judge or
the cop won't show up.
Remember that Traffic Court isn't Criminal Court. The judge is a magistrate and
has a lot of leeway to rule however he or she wants, despite the evidence. If
the ticket was botched in some substantial way, it may be dismissed. However,
trying to beat a ticket because the cop wrote down "blue" instead of
"cyan" will just irritate the judge.
www.panix.com/~bergman/bike_park_nyc.shtml
www.magpie.com/nycmoto/shop.html
Rizzon's (Ducati) in NJ
NJ Power Sport (Triumph)
Rockwell Cycles (Triumph, MZ) on 9W north of the Bear Mtn Bridge
Lombardi's Harley-Davidson in Staten Island
www.roadtwist.com
www.magpie.com/nycmoto/hang.html
New York DMV does not record out-of-state violations committed by NYS drivers in other jurisdictions,
except for out-of-state alcohol or drug-related violations (e.g. DUI) and moving violations committed
in Quebec and Ontario. Therefore, except for violations in Ontario and Quebec, points are not added
to your NYS record for out-of-state violations.
That's no guarantee that your insurance company won't hear of it though.
NYC Motorcyclists Home Page