The Riding Academy of NJ

Fantastic experience: Great coaches and a great team. prices are very affordable and I went there for BRC2 class which is just a weekend course and arround $139..other places charge $400 ..for me it was a pleasant experience.

Fantastic experience: I had no experience my first day my second day I did very awesome, I got my motorcycle license completed. It’s a very nice place to be trained. They teach you well thank you guys.

Fantastic experience: Just completed and passed my riding skills test at the APRC on Saturday, October 26th and must express my gratitude and praise to an amazing organization, with outstanding instructors and staff, who it made possible to obtain this milestone! The support from beginning to end is incredible, with seasoned, professional, knowledgeable and compassionate instructors who make it their objective to hone the skills necessary to complete the test! This is the third “riding academy” I have attended…and the third one is the charm! Kudos to an amazing staff, with special thanks to riding instructors Wendy Baytan, Lou Pisano with the additional support of Alex Zarenin….and I would be remiss if I did not sing the praises of “Super Dave” who makes the experience “serious fun”. Barbara L.

Fantastic experience: BEST RIDING ACADEMY OF NEW JERSEY AND THATS NOT AN EXAGGERATION! Fast Ed, Paul & Felix were hands down amazing teachers. Super insightful, helpful & just flat out great people. For anyone interested in getting their motorcycle endorsement in the state of NJ, this is the spot to go do just that! Can’t thank these guys, Dave Belizzi & the rest of the team enough for having made this not only a great lesson in properly and safely riding a motorcycle but a great experience overall. Thanks again RANJ!

Fantastic experience: I've taken the trail-braking class, critical skills, and slow maneuvers with this team. They are absolutely fantastic. Trail braking changed the way I turn and corner for the better - forever! Great for accomplished riders or beginners - something to learn and improve on for every rider. Great classes and well worth the time.

Negative experience: Owner Shari is rude & has no respect for clients. Instructor snax & other guy are egotistical and believe yelling at students is the way to teach first time riders. Embarrassing & discouraging as it is hard to hear them at times. Sure go on about safety & what not but theres no need for the disrespect, don't worry about my name or replying with some snarky remark. People should stay away from this place & go to the riding academy of nj located in montclair, great instructors that take their time with their students and understand the nerves of first time riders.

Fantastic experience: I took the BRC1 and IME (Joann) courses since I had zero riding/clutch experience. All of the instructors were wonderful and helped me achieve my goal of learning the fundamental skills needed to safely ride. The course was the best that I have experienced in terms of the training materials, hands on experience but also the level of very thorough communications. I would highly recommend this course/academy to anyone.

Fantastic experience: First time taking bike lessons and choosing this school was the best decision ever . I recommend people who never rode a motorcycle or have experience with clutch to take the IME . Gives you a head start for your actual in person riding . Highly recommend this school 10/10 ✅

Fantastic experience: Very nice trainers and very helpful training

Fantastic experience: Simply put, I had an awesome experience!

Fantastic experience: I am typically not a fan of any kind of formal training. The classroom stuff was made as fun as it could be, and honestly did contain some very useful sections. The practical / riding portion was about the best I could have hoped for. There were folks that had probably never touched a bike / clutch / standard gearbox in their lives, and the class seemed to make them fairly comfortable, competent, and confident enough to past the test. My real regret was "learning to ride" on a larger bike before taking the class. I had developed some bad habits in a short time and actually found myself struggling a little bit on breaking them. Mike and Nelson worked extremely well and hard to help correct them. Mike in particular offered friendly conversation, a great way of presenting constructive criticism, and general coaching style that helped me to never feel panicked or frustrated even when I struggled with a particular excercise or two. On the riding days, you also get a few laughs from Dave who is basically a peanut gallery of one. I am going to get a little local road time on my bike and practice a bit, but I can't wait to schedule my BRC2 class. Hopefully I can spot / schedule it with Mike as coach again. Thanks guys!

Positive experience: John and Joann are patient and really good at their job. One suggestion is that Dave should be more patient and coordinate with on-site instructors. Overall, it was a good experience.

Fantastic experience: Highly recommend. The class was very helpful, the instructors were clear and encouraging, and the process to get your license afterwards with their certification was smooth!

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend this school if you don't have any experience in motorcycle. The coaches are very patient and professional!

Fantastic experience: I recently completed the basic course to obtain my motorcycle endorsement. The staff was knowledgeable, patient, and incredibly helpful. They offered excellent techniques to get the feel of operating a motorcycle, which was a foreign concept because I have never operated something with a clutch. I’m very happy I received training through this academy and am enjoying riding my new bike immensely.

Positive experience: great class if you never been on a motorcycle the instructor are great give you lots of info, best way to get your license

Fantastic experience: Great people!

Fantastic experience: Kudos to Wendy B for astute coaching. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Awesome instructors, course layout, and teaching skills (very informative, hands - on, non-intimidating, and extremely encouraging)!!! Highly recommended!!!

Fantastic experience: Angelo the goat, customer service on point!

Fantastic experience: Got lucky to get into a class this year and loved every second of it. Just got my first bike and I can definitely say the class put me at an advantage!! Props to the instructors at the riding academy of nj . Thanks for everything.

Fantastic experience: Best motorcycle place anybody can ask for!!!

Fantastic experience: Huge shout out to Dave and team. I participated in the BRC this weekend (5/1, 5/2) taught by Joann and Michael. These instructors were incredible and overall the live class and 2 day riding course training were highly organized and informative.

Fantastic experience: Dave Bellizzi and his team are patient, observant, and care about getting you the information to be safe in the real world. I've completed the BRC1 in 2015 which allowed me to obtain my motorcycle endorsement. I returned to this school because they were great back then so why change schools. In 2021 as soon as the classes became available I was allowed to participate in a one on one with instructor Joann to get back to basics and feel comfortable again. Joann is amazing. She is super patient and calming because my nerves were getting to the best of me. She never let me feel bad about my lack of experience. Even though I was nervous I had so much fun. She made it fun and I am grateful. This school is great regardless of what level of rider you are. I highly recommend them if first time riding or returning to the sport.

Fantastic experience: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Truly an amazing experience. I went in very nervous because I had no clutch experience. The team was extremely helpful and patient with us all. They made us feel comfortable and confident. I am now 3 months in since passing, & I have been on rides with my partner, niece, sister, brother and father, all thanks to the team at The Riding Academy of NJ. Thank you!!

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend TRAONJ!!! Their attention to detail is reflective of the combined riding experience that made everything look simple. Their process was spot on from the easy to understand direction in every aspect or the curriculum. The entire staff is very knowledgeable, well versed and friendly. I walked away feeling better for taking the class and certainly feel like I got my monies worth. Quite frankly I don't know how they are able to turn a profit with everything they offer. I am sure they will see me again! Kudos to a job well done to everyone at TRAONJ... Dave, Sal, Angelo and Wendy and the gracious people who answered my questions whenever I called. You made it an enjoyable experience. Anthony Scarito

Fantastic experience: I rode an off-road bike 10 years ago with the help of my relatives back in the Philippines and never again held a bike after that. Fast forward to 2020, I had a sudden itch and just told myself I should really sign up to get professional riding lessons. After some research, I found The Riding Academy of NJ online and they are known to be one of the best (if not the best) riding academies in New Jersey and for very good reasons. The instructors we were assigned to at the time (Paul, Blaze, and Dave), were extremely educated and professional throughout the entire course and their experience in riding shows. Although not all may pass the test the first time, you will have enough chances and you will certainly not leave the class feeling like you have learned nothing. The instructors make sure each participant is being coached one-on-one privately and that alone to me is worth every penny because it was wholly thorough and I did not feel rushed at all. They will impart important life-saving skills as well as basic riding skills. They also offer advance riding courses which I’m highly interested in taking next open season. Unsurprisingly, I found the demographic of the students to be male-dominated (I was 1 of 3 women in class out of 12) but for females out there that want to ride and are a bit nervous in taking the plunge, I want ya’ll to JUST DO IT!! It is so much fun and can get challenging at times but don’t let that stop you! I really wish I had started sooner but I was afraid that I was not tall enough or had decent coordination But! The good thing is they have bike sizes for mostly everyone! I am a petite 5’4 and I got the mini monkey which was comfortable enough for my height As long as you absorb the reading material in your independent study prior to the course and have enough rest the day prior, you’ll have little to no problems during the practice days. Thanks again TRANJ!! Will be recommending to all my friends :)

Fantastic experience: Super Dave, Angelo, Dave, and Paul were absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend this location. Everyone there is super friendly and patient. What made this course great was how they went step by step with helpful tips. If you’re interested in a riding course, this is the place. Thank you again to the wonderful instructors!

Fantastic experience: Dave and team are just awesome! Experienced tons of fun while receiving genuine safety techniques that will save you in the real world. Totally recommend this to anyone who wants to learn how to ride a motorcycle safely. I will definitely be back to the riding academy to continue developing my skills as a motorcyclist. Thanks Dave and team for this amazing experience. See you soon!

Fantastic experience: I had the pleasure of par taking in the very first online class given by the Riding Academy of NJ in Montclair. Let me first say the President of the school Dave Bellizzi aka Super Dave is just that. What an amazing guy, as well as an amazing teacher. His energy and passion while teaching the course really showed and made the entire experience so much better. I also appreciate the professionalism displayed by Dave and his team when it came time to notify me and guide me through the testing requirements. There’s so much more I can say but I will end this off by saying. Before finding The Riding Academy I did extensive research and spoke to several schools nearby. Without a doubt The Riding Academy of NJ in Montclair are absolutely the best in the business ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Negative experience: Stay away from this Riding School, there are several of them in the area that treat the students way better. First of all I signed up for this class about 5 weeks ago, and I get an email saying our class has been canceled and you can either get a full refund or book a future class at no charge. So I reached out to them multiple times to ask them a few questions and they will not return your phone calls. So I called 2 other riding Schools and they are canceling the classes they have going on also, but they are rescheduling everybody the same way they were signed up so the people that signed up first will be the first ones back in the class after all the restrictions are lifted. Instead here you have to reschedule and be pushed behind everybody that was signed up after you, very unfair and very unprofessional. That's the difference between a school that actually cares about it's students and this one that just wants your money.

Fantastic experience: The team at The Riding Academy is absolutely the best. If you want to learn how to ride a motorcycle or improve your skills, look no further.

Fantastic experience: Just go!!GO NOW! They are awesome! I had gotten my licence through another company MSF course at a place Brooklyn and while I had passed and gotten my motorcycle licence I didn't feel I "got it". So, I lugged out from NYC to the riding academy in NJ to go get a refresher because I wanted a more thorough training. SO GLAD I WENT! The bikes are in great condition, my instructor, Mark, was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and gave incredibly helpful and productive feedback. He paid attention to how I ride every exercise and pointed out small details I may have missed (I forgot to let the clutch out all the way after shifting, grabbed the front break too hard etc etc) so I could improve and notice the next time around the exercise. Learned more here in 3 hours than the entirety of my MSF course at another place.. (mind you the NJ riding academy is based upon the MSF course but they do it RIGHT!) They also include teaching engine breaking which other courses omit. Learning how to engine break made me so much more comfortable with increasing speed. Go here! Whether you are a new rider entirely or just need a refresher, you will leave with a totally better understanding of how to handle your bike and stay safe on the road! (Also, side note, as a female rider the bikes are Suzuki NOT Honda rebels, and the break levers and ergonomics on the Suzuki's are so much better for slightly smaller hands statures.) Cannot reccomend enough. 10 stars!

Fantastic experience: This is the place to start your motorcycle riding. Learn how too ride the right way and most importantly the safe way. Everyone at the Academy have one thing in mind, to keep you safe. To give you the know how and the mind set to keep you riding for a long time. I recommend the full three day course, that will give you a full day of book work at the end you take your permit test. The next two days you ride. It's a closed parking lot course so it's very safe. There you will go through anything you can go through on the road. At the end you take your riding test. Pass it and your riding. Instructors are knowledgeable, experienced and sensitive to riders nerves. Highly recommend !!!

Fantastic experience: Great learning experience and great coaches. I learned a lot about riding a motorcycle. I couldn’t have chosen any other school! 5 Stars!! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fantastic experience: I will recommend this place to anyone and everyone I had such an amazing experience the instructors were amazing treated everyone with love and always made sure we were safe doing what we had to do. Make sure to go and make sure to listen leave the rest in there hands and you’ll be riding in no time.

Fantastic experience: If you want to learn how to ride this is the place to go... I’ve been riding over 3 decades and actually picked up a few things from taking the class...in 2018 and yes don’t let Super Dave scare you HAHA he’s a great guy and very knowledgeable when it comes down to riding... my advice go for it... it’s a great weekend and you will meet new people with the same passion To Ride

Fantastic experience: This is a little late considering I took the class in 2016 and its now 2019, but this somehow poped up in my account and I had to give a review. I took the class back in spring 2016 and it definitly taught me alot that has kept me alive and well on the street. I am now a track guy, hoping to start racing. Granted this class won't teach you how to ride fast, but how to ride safe. Not saying its not fun, because we did have fun while learning how to stay safe. 10/10 would recommend.

Fantastic experience: If you want to ride, save yourself the stress of learning on your own and take this course! Had Sal and John as instructors and they were great. Great personalities and even better teachers, I will go back eventually for more advance safety courses, after taking their course I added 1000 miles to my odometer within a few days.

Fantastic experience: Awesome class, awesome instructors. Very knowledgeable!

Fantastic experience: If you guys really want to learn how to Ride a motorcycle, this is the place ... Great coaching , friendly , dedicated , highly recommend ... Dawn and Lori are the best

Fantastic experience: Stop watching YouTube videos and reading reviews online. Just call these people. They will take care of you. They will teach you the skills you need to safely ride. I had zero experience (don't even know how to drive stick) and after the 3 day course I am confident in the skills learned that I can ride safely and avoid an accident. No experience? Do the MIS before the BRC. It is worth it. I am anxious to get some riding time under my belt to return for the advanced classes they offer. Yes, these people are that good. That's why you're reading these awesome reviews! Just call. Thanks Ray, Joann, John & Dave. You are AMAZING!

Fantastic experience: I am an experienced rider with over 35,000 miles on 2 wheels. However I stopped in 1990 when I got married. I recently bought a new bike and wanted to get my license in NJ. I took the course originally as a means to an end by not having to deal with the NJ DMV to do so. After completing the 2 day course, Dave and Blaise were just tremendous. Since most students were first time riders, the Riding Academy's curriculum was really good, and I was reminded, and sometimes informed on things I had forgotten or never really knew or considered. These guys are simply terrific. They are completely dedicated to riders' safety, but still made the class fun. The majority of the time is spent practicing how to ride in many different and relevant situations. As I'm riding around now, I am constantly thinking about the things Dave and Blaise focused on, and using the little pointers they shared with the class. Great job Dave and Blaise. Thanks very much for the dedication, and your commitment to keeping riders safe out there. H. A.

Fantastic experience: Small class size, excellent instructors and a well designed practice course make this the complete package for Motorcycle training. It's intense, but thorough.