Streetwise Cycle School

Great Place, My brother and my niece, and a good friend all went. Learned alot too! Great Instructors, lots of fun, and I have my motorcycle license! I recommend to all. Also get a \discount on my Harley insurance. Definatly a 5 star experience!

I took the Experienced Rider Course last Monday and I got more than satisfied and happy with the classroom and riding range. That helped me a lot to improve the riding skills and learn new concepts /​skills we were not aware before taking the course.
The friendly atmosphere and respect it’s brought to the course encourages everyone to better take advantage on it and helps us to easier learn the new skills.
Communication, administrative processes, personal safety concerns, licensing process, everything was impeccable and I congratulate Bob and his team for such accomplishment.
I certainly recommend anyone to take this course, no matter if to improve the riding skills or to get the license. It’s a MUST.

Great school, we’ll run, instructors teach in a safe environment, everything’s demonstrated, instructors are thorough, you learn a lot they encourage a good, learning, environment everyone’s treated good no matter what your level or knowledge, when you leave you feel more confident, I learned a lot, I took the three wheeler instruction, 2 wheel motorcycle classes were we’ll run as well, I recommend this to anyone who needs a license, it flew by, seems we just got there and we were finished.

First thing first, instructors Rich and Mike are really nice, funny and energetic. The course consists total of 10 hours of ride and 5 hours of classroom; seems long, but actually isn’t that much considering the fact that you learn something new every hour. I took the morning classes from 7 am to 3 pm, they have 10 minute breaks every 2 exercise and a lunch break at the middle, so you get a decent time to freshen up. I didn’t have any motorcycle experience before, but 10 hours were solid knowledge for me. I was lucky to have a good weather for this weekend, but they teach on bad weather as well, so it could be viewed as an extreme weather training.
Recommendations:
— Wear the most comfortable pants, boots, sweatshirts/​shirts, gloves and glasses/​shades. You will ride a lot, so comfort is essential.
— Bring food or snack and a drink with you, as you will get dehydrated and tired as the course goes on. There is a lunch break, but still consider to bring some additional sources of energy.
— Try to pick a good bike at the beginning, as you will use it until the end of the course.
I used red Honda Hawks (naked), and I was pleased with it.
Everyone will have a driving test based on scores taken off/​gained (-), but it is relatively easy, since you practice exact same procedures before the test.
Also there is a written test of 25 questions, pretty straightforward as well. Need to score at least 20 to pass.
At the end you get completion card/​certificate that grants you discounts on motorcycle itself, insurance, gear etc from
select stores.
Don’t forget to bring the photocopy of motorcycle (M class) permit!

I took the Basic rider course and i will start by saying, if you are a skilled rider, please take the skilled rider course. The basic rider course will bore you to death and you won’t learn a thing.
I had never ridden a motorcycle before and right from the beginning the instructors encouraged us with a boost of confidence. They made me feel good and want to practise. At then end of the weekend i was able to complete some basic manoeuvers which really remember i practised only 8 hours for. I had never been on a motorcycle and for just about 10hrs total they did a great job. Most people had no biking experience and were looking to get into riding, It is a great mix of people that i really enjoyed.

I wanted to like Streetwise, but now I feel like I really need to share who doesn’t need this class. Basically, if you have some experience and know how to study, prepare to be bored by the slow spoon feeding.
I entered this class with the mindset of, if I learn one thing from this class that can save my life that I can’t learn on my own, this will be worth it. Sadly, I walked away scratching hard to even find that one thing.
Background: I had been riding motorcycles for a few weeks at this point. I knew how to start the bike, and felt countersteering before, but was no where close to being a master of the craft. I took the basic course because it was a way to avoid the RMV in getting my class M, would save on insurance, and everyone said to learn from the MSF. I’ve also been taught or have taught a few medical courses as well as some flight lessons on a variety of aircraft, so I have a few insights into the world of instruction.
The class is split into two types of sessions, an on motorcycle skills session, and an in class segment where you read from a book. Let’s start with the latter.
The bookwork is an insult if you have ever studied before. The primary method our instructor used was ‘point out the info that is relevant (or on the test), and have people take turns reading aloud’. In combination, he would divy up segments for class discussion so that we could ‘share important tidbits we found with each other’. If I wanted to listen to other people read out loud, I would go back 5^th grade. The information we were really told could be done in 1 hour just reading through the book.
This would be the point where a good instructor could glue everything together, as a book can only teach you so much. However, when people asked questions, all they got was a restatement of the line they had just read out of the book. After that, there was a lot of belching out the same things to do, but nary an explanation of why. Part of me hopes this would be better with a different instructor.
For example, the topic of countersteering was brought up once. For those that don’t know, at higher speeds, the bicycle instinct of turn handlebars in the direction you want to go gets a little complicated and backwards. But instead of getting a warning that this might be counter intuitive, and what might be going on, all you get is ‘press and lean’. Maybe good enough for some, but if you are like me and would swallow up an explanation of gyroscopic precession, this class is not for you. They specifically stay away from the detailed explanations because that would scare students away. So you just walk away with broad statements like ‘never brake in corners’, ‘always stay in 1^st while stopped’, or ‘Remember FINE-​C’ and no idea the reasoning behind them.
Now, the live riding segment. If you’ve never handled a motorcycle before, you will get a lot of benefit from this. You get to learn what the fuel shutoff does, how to shift into neutral, and a healthy dose riding experience in a nicely laid out parking lot. If you have done any of this, tough luck. You get to stand in line, and wait for 5 people to take turns doing the same exercise before you get to do it maybe a total of 3 times yourself. If you are unlucky, it will be cold and raining, so the instructors will want to take long breaks to drag the class out.
Having someone watch while you roll around can be useful. I think there was one exercise where I caught myself and needed to say, ‘oh I forgot to straighten out on that stretch’. Roll up to the instructor, and then hear the exact statement was a good reinforcement.
But that’s about it. Everything else, I would have loved to tear the course cards away from our instructor, just to practice them in a parking lot of my choosing, training repetitions until I felt good. In fact, if you want to do that, here you go:
Page 60 is where the critical exercises start.
So if you want to jump into the world of motorcycles from zero, I could see this class as a good starter. If you’ve ever worked hard to learn something before, and have some experience riding, this class is not for you. The main bite is that you can get your motorcycle endorsement in this class, but will be bored. If there was a way to take a rally course and get a class M, I would have fully endorsed that. Spend those 300 dollars on some literature and armor.

You can tell from all the other reviews, this place is really great. The first day of my class saw some really bad weather, with snow and cold seeping through our gear, but the instructors gave us breaks as needed and kept us on-​mission. When it came time to test, I felt as relaxed as I could be while knowing I’m being tested. Everything was kept simple, including the paperwork.

The instructors Paula and Bud were wonderful. Provided individual guidance to each student in my class of 12.
I didn’t like the fact that we had a fairly long outdoor session in the snow/​rain mix on Sat. It got uncomfortable and unbearably cold, to the point where students were continuously shivering with teeth chattering and my only concern was to get indoors. As new riders, many in the class were not prepared for that kinda cold.
We did end up postponing some of the motorcycle exercises to the next day, and covering all the classroom portions on Sat. Sunday was very enjoyable — people were better prepared and it wasn’t raining although it was just as cold.

Like any class or program, the instructors can make or break what you grasp and leave with. Bob and Bud were great. Decided 2015 is the year I’m finally purchasing a bike. Before that happened, wanted to take a weekend class to see if I felt comfortable enough to get something. If not, I’d move onto something else and forget a bike. Did I pass, yes. Did I learn what I don’t know, yes. Do I need lots of practice, yes.
Talked with Bob last week and he mentioned there may be a class this weekend (just finished). Signed up for it and the weekend was great. Spent lots of time on the bike doing drills & repetitions along with additional time in the classroom.
The class was smaller (7 people) with varying skills. Bob and Bud seemed completely natural and took the time to work with each of us to identify and correct bad habits and explain the correct way (and why). Safety, risk avoidance, emergency reactions, even the proper attire was discussed.
They are also a wealth of information if you have questions about the type of bike you are thinking about and offered to talk on the phone about future bike questions. You can tell when people enjoy what they do and these guys helped all of us learn.
I’ll be back in march for the experienced riders course.

I was very impressed with all the information and methods/​practice that I was given in only 2 days. I learned more in those 2 days than I had on my own over the last year. I highly recommend this school, regardless of your level of familiarity riding a motorcycle, it is a great basic course for anyone! I definitely plan on taking their experienced rider course in the future!
Thanks for such a great experience and great instructor (Rich)! Can’t wait to take all of it and put it into practice

Let me start off by saying Streetwise Cycle is an amazingly professional & fun school. I must tip my invisible hat to the instructors, Rich & Dale, for the wonderful job they did. The patience they displayed, & the genuine concern for the student’s safety was remarkable. I still can’t believe how much I learned in the 2 days on the bike & in the classroom. Bob, the owner, was also very helpful with registration, even going out his way to create a custom invoice for me & responded almost immediately via email every time. I’m extremely impressed & wouldn’t change one thing about this program! STREETWISE, YOU ARE THE BEST! THANK YOU!

This place is the best! I had great instructors who were incredibly patient and encouraging (I had no prior motorcycle experience — and have never driven a standard). The pace of the intro class is perfect and it was a perfect preparation for the test at the end of the class. Also, I’m only 5’1″ and they have small bikes for tinier people so you can be safe and comfortable.
Thank you so much Rich, Bud and Dale for being so wonderful! I have been recommending this class to all of my friends.

This is a well-​organized, pressure-​free school that provides excellent instruction for the novice as well as experienced rider. The instructors (Bud and Rich) are phenomenal: at once enormously competent and approachable, they make it very clear that their first concern when they’re on a bike or when you’re on a bike is safety. They clearly want everyone to succeed, and take an approach that corrects mistakes by coaching you in a friendly way rather than by making you feel like an idiot or an incompetent rider. This shores up your confidence — which is helpful to have when on a bike — rather than wearing it down. After two days of their Basic Rider Course, I went from never having driven a motorcycle to passing my written test and driving evaluation. The only thing I need to do now to get my motorcycle license is to wait for it to arrive in the mail!
I’d strongly recommend anyone who can ride a bike consider taking a Basic Rider Course, even if they have no interest in being a regular rider. It will make you a better driver in general, regardless of what type of vehicle you happen to be driving.

Really enjoyed the class. It was amazing how much better I got after the first day! I took the class at the Foxboro location and it was a great experience and even as a rider who has never been on a motorcycle, I felt comfortable and supported by our instructor. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get their license.

Rich was an excellent instructor, and the class was professional and organized, with plenty of opportunity for questions and personalized guidance. Ken was quite a character, but also a great instructor with loads of useful guidance. I left the class feeling comfortable with my ability to safely ride. Highly recommend this course.

If you want a motorcycle but have absolutely no clue as to how to go about riding one, this is the place for you.
The pacing of the classes is top notch. The instructions are patient & extremely knowledgeable. The practice bikes are in great shape considering what they’ve been put through.
I went from not knowing how to ride a motorcycle to getting my license in less than 48 hours. I’m not a rider yet (the instructors are also very good at making sure that your ego doesn’t get blown out of proportion), but I am well on my way!
Thank you Streetwise! I will definitely be recommending you to all of my friends.

Streetwise is fantastic! I was very happy with the beginner program. I felt like I learned a ton, both in the classroom and on the range. Bud led our class and was fantastic. He made it fun and relaxed, but always kept safety and responsibility top of mind. On the range he and Tom were very supportive and encouraging.
I’m a short female with zero prior riding experience (beside bicycles) and I never felt unsafe or rushed, and I left the program feeling really well prepared to ride.
Extremely satisfied and would highly recommend to anyone interested in riding!

Do not go anywhere else for the beginner riding course. Go only to Streetwise.
The beginning rider class is exceptional. The RiderCoaches make the experience what it is. Streetwise was organized, structured, and so well run. I came in with no expectations at all, not knowing exactly how I would do, and I finished the weekend thoroughly impressed with how comfortable I felt and how at ease I became on a motorcycle.
The environment was so collaborative and so supportive, without ever feeling forced. At every moment, I felt safe, comfortable, and capable.
I look forward to gaining enough skill to take an advanced course, and it will absolutely be at Streetwise.

Because the educational framework is from the MSF, I imagine the schools are similar in content. Therefore it comes down the the instructors. The staff in Foxboro were awesome, and our class of 10 came a long way. I had never ridden a motorcycle before– the day my license came in the mail, I rented a Harley 883 from the dealer and rode 300 miles of backroads, highway, and city.
Imagine learning on a 250cc in the parking lot, then pulling out onto Route 1 on a bike 3x larger.
THE STEETWISE INSTRUCTORS GAVE ME THE TOOLS TO DO THAT!
ps I’d advise all new riders rent some bikes before you buy– you’ll learn alot about needs and comfort zone. It’s $ 125 – 150 well spent.

I give Streetwise Cycle School 5 stars, knowing that I have nothing to compare it to, but that I had a great experience and left the 2 day basic rider course not only with my motorcycle license but with the confidence to purchase a motorcycle and continue learning. The instructors (Ken and Gary) were great, extremely knowledgeable and very encouraging. The course is paced to teach you all of the basics you need to know and gain experience.
Very satisfied overall with my experience at Streetwise Cycle School!