The folks over at MSS, New York’s motorcycle safety school have informed us that the 2009 class season has begun.

In addition to their excellent Basic Rider Course, there are two new items of note.

MSNBC has published a particularly helpful and succinct top ten tips squarely aimed at those of you considering the move to two wheels as part of your daily commute, and therefore do a nice job of framing the issues faced by the urban scooterist.

In short, I passed!

Today’s course was another range session for about 4 hours straight on the bikes to compliment our work on Saturday, followed by a written test and a DMV structured bike test.

Well folks, I finally made it to the MSS Basic Rider Course and I’m smiling from ear-to-ear.
The course started after work on Friday evening at 5.30pm which meant knocking off work a couple of hours early. The course has a strict lateness policy and I had no idea how long it would take to get there so I gave myself plenty of time to get up there.
Turns out, it’s a short ride from Manhattan, just one 6 train stop into the Bronx, and a short walk from there down to …

Once I signed up for the MSS Basic Rider Course, I got an email advising me that it would be worthwhile taking a private lesson a week or so before the course to get some advance learning.
While this is a sure-fire way to raise extra money for MSS, I signed up and just got back from my lesson in Williamsburg, and I highly recommend it.
I signed up for a 2 hour lesson for $130. You can sign up for an hour for half that amount, but having taken the lesson …

If there’s one useful thing I learned from the New York Scooter Club forums, it was how to tackle the DMV.
Their tips:
- Visit the downtown location on Greenwich Street for a reasonably painless wait.
- Arrive prepared with completed paperwork.
- Arrive early, as in 8.30am-door’s-opening-early.
Given I knew today was going to be a snow blizzard, what better day than to hit the downtown DMV? Surely no-one else would be there. I could be in-and-out.
Got down there super early, about a half hour before the doors opened, and no-one else I’m pleased …

It’s been a long time since I’ve taken a test for anything and I’m not sure what to expect from the DMV permit written test, so in addition to downloading the online NY State Motorcycle Manual, I also scoured Amazon.com for the most recommended Motorcycle riding book.
At the top of the list by a clear margin is David L. Hough’s Proficient Motorcycling.
I picked it up from the Barnes and Noble on 5th Avenue in Midtown near work and have spent the last few days reading through.
Given it’s all theory to …

With Spring fast approaching, I knew that MSS would be opening up for 2009 soon.
Their three day Basic Rider Course can be found and booked through their calendar system and they have a number of day configurations that allow you to take it at different points during the week.
I promptly signed up for the first available weekend course of 2009 starting on Friday March 27th. The cost of the course is $350, and they’re located in the south Bronx, but easily accessible from the 6 train.
To be eligible for the …

The wonderful thing about dreaming about riding for years, is that you’ve read information over and over by the truck-load. You’ve surfed the web, scanned the magazines and stood and lusted after every scooter you’ve passed in the street.
Something like three years ago I had stumbled upon the New York City Scooter Club website, and they had then, as they do now, a great forum of local riders eager to share tips.
I was able to get a solid understanding of the process needed to get on two wheels here in …