There are other options!!!..Save your money. ...Think twice before investing on these clases at this place. This is one of those places that only wants about your money...The reason I gave 1 star is because the classroom session was taught by J.P and it was dynamic, great and interactive, otherwise I wish I could rate them with a zero. J.P does focus on safety and the time goes rather quickly and you learn a lot, he seems to know what he is talking about, and he deserves to be working somewhere better and not let the school reputation ruin his image, he seems to like what he does. Unfortunately all those good facts are overshadowed by their office manager, the office assistant (Wanda) and by their field instructors (Yakanki), they lack of professionalism and experience....Their main objective is give you a hard time and force you to pay for the whole course again, $350 dollars...they just want your money. At the office there is rarely someone to answer the phone, and when there is someone, the phone is answered by Wanda, who is abnosious and lack of customer service skills. She seems to be a person, who cant stand people, and really hate her job. She is arrogant and obnoxious. Once she recognize your number she answers the phone in a very lazy manner..I requested to speak with a supervisor or the person in charged and she prevented me from getting In touch with her. I did my skilled test in a cold 30's degree NYC weather with 10mph winds. I was evaluated by 2 instructors who were very inexperienced ( Yakanki and Janine) and one more who was learning and being trained; he also was evaluating. They lack of measuring devices, they only rely on their sight and poor judgement to determine the speed and braking distance. Their grading system was very unfair, They deducted up to 5 points for going too "slow", or putting the food down, Since there are 5 exercises on the test, you can easily fail with over 20 points deficit. Their instructions and test setup was very confusing, sketchy, difficult to distinguish and understand due to the poorly marked courses. they have a poor selection of cones and configuration, it was difficult to understand since They mixed different size and color cones in the same track. The main "instructor" Yakanki was hard to understand and he wasn't very clear explaining the exercises, he rarely demonstrated an exercise on the motorcycle, instead he had one of the instructors showed in the motorcycle or run around the track as he "explains" it. He was wearing a helmet just because the cold weather not to demostrate anything. Unfortunately that's not all, their motorcycles are very poorly maintained and stashed inside a container in a parking lot, bikes are beat up and very deteriorated. I took my test on a bike in which the clutch needed replacement or maintenance. I have to rev the engine higher than would normally in order to get the bike moving. The "u turn at the box" test and the cone "waving" was very challenging specially with a non-working bike with an almost non-existent friction point, the bike hardly got any momentum. I brought that to the instructors attention but there no more working motorcycles available....Yakanki told me: "it's ok, you have big hands, you will manage", the other instructor Janine, agreed with me and acknowledged it and told me that she understands that it can be frustrating. However they both changed the version of story and told the office manager, that the bike was working accordingly and there was nothing wrong with it. According to the "office manager", the clutch and friction zone doesn't have to do anything with way the bike handles specially at low speeds. I WONDER IF SHE KNOWS HOW TO RIDE A MOTORCYCLE AND IF SHE DOES, HOW SHE PASSED THE TEST.. I would love to see her riding and taking the test. The office manager needs to understand the meaning of customer service and customer relations and she needs to LEARN how to treat a customer. She is very r It was very frustrating experience, you better off going somewhere else or going to the DMV and taking your test as it's supposed to. If you are looking to get a waiver this is not the place. Look somewhere else, I'm sure there are other places with more professional instructors this place they are still in training and learning the business read more

Avoid this course at all costs. Marty, the instructor, is a liability to this business and should be fired. He doesn't teach. He yells and makes arrogant comments that discourages you from daring to ask follow-up questions as to how it should actually be done. He's even condescending to his assistant teacher. He saw me do the wrong thing and he didn't even bother to tell me the proper way to do it. Don't take this course while he's still there. You will learn very little and you will be yelled at by a petty man during the entire time. Avoid this course or, at least, ask for someone other than Marty. read more

TLDR: Signed up for the BRC course so I can start riding a 600cc bike. Passed the exam on 2nd attempt. Experience was decent. The instructor, JP, is a mixed bag as mentioned in many previous reviews. The full story: The BRC course is $350. What you get is 5 hours of classroom time to learn about operating a bike and safety. There's a 3 hours online course you must complete prior to showing up to this. After that is 10 hours of riding time split over 2 days on the weekend. The exam is done at the end of the second day. My group of about 16-18 people had JP for the classroom and riding. In the classroom, he's cool, funny, and witty. He'll break your balls a bit if you act fresh, but it's all in good humor. Now onto the meat of the story, the JP experience - JP takes his job very seriously and wants you to know how to ride properly and with the mindset of a safe rider. With that said, it was a collective thought with seemingly every person in my class that thought he was an ********* (insert whatever profanity your imagination thought of). He shows his frustration very easily and takes it out on people who do not get it right the first time via verbal abuse with a touch of physicalness. His words are sadistic, belittling, and overall harsh if you do not follow his every instruction to the T. This can impact your confidence level and be a distraction from focusing on the riding if you don't have a thick skin to brush it off. In terms of his physicalness, it's minor but uncalled for. I've seen him shove his hand at people's helmets, myself included. During the beginning of day one where we were learning how to shift through the gears while the bike was still, I was having difficulty finding neutral. As he was walking over to me, I found neutral by using my hand instead of my foot. As he's about to inspect my bike, he shoves my head out of the way with his hand and said something along the lines of "get out of the way, you don't know what you're doing." My first thought was, "Did this guy really just put his hands on me?!" I didn't want to start a fuss over it and potentially get booted from the course so I let it slide. I responded, "it's in neutral now." He said, "no it's not." When he checks the bike and sees that it is in neutral, he apologized and walked away. Thinking that the apology was a sign that he would cool it a bit, I was wrong. Just 2 minutes after he walked away from me, he continued to shove other people's heads when they did not perform to his expectations immediately. We were collectively shaking our heads at this guy wondering what's the deal with him. Throughout the 2 days of riding, he will continue to berate you and badger you on small details that, in my opinion, is not material enough to matter for the sake of this course. In my case, it was repeatedly telling me to use all 4 fingers to squeeze the clutch and front brake levers. I naturally 2-finger the levers and just find it awkward to use all 4. His comment was something like "save that for when you're in MotoGP." I think that should give you a good enough sense of what it's like if you're fortunate enough to have JP as your instructor. Now onto the exam - It's a 5 part exam and you cannot get more than 15 penalty points overall or more than 10 points within the first 2 parts to pass. The points vary by what you do (dropping a leg during a turn, running over a cone, not stopping clean within the designated box, or going over the lines). We were not told what the point system would be like beforehand. During that weekend, the passing ratio was about 2/3 or 67% out of everyone. I happened to be one of the lucky ones to have failed because I choked on the first 2 parts. I tend to be one of those guys that will execute well during practice but then choke when it comes down to test time. Anyways, once all the scoring was done, JP was cool and calm again. He wished us the best, to stay safe, and apologized if he hurt anyone's feelings. I suppose that was slightly redeeming but given all the negative reviews about him on Yelp, it appears this trend has been ongoing for some time now. Redemption - After accepting my failure and tending to my bruised ego, I called Trama (aka Trauma as another reviewer cleverly called it) to schedule a retest for next week. It was a painful process as they generally don't pick up phone calls or call back. I actually needed to book the retest twice because they didn't put me in the system the first time. The Re-test - Myself and 3 others I've not met before were collectively happy to see that the instructor for that day wasn't JP. It was instead a guy named, Ikonke. We liked him - he stayed professional, calm, and was supportive. After the exam, Ikonke said I passed. I thanked him and went home. If you've made it this far into my review, I hope you now have a full picture of what to expect. If you're still interested in Trama, ask for Ikonke or the other instructors that they have - just not JP. read more

Great business, I passed with flying colors the first day and the instructors are incredibly helpful. They are strict when it comes to people who like to fool around but it's understandable, if you're looking to play stay out of school, they are here to teach so you should take it seriously. They are reasonable and not expensive for the services they provide, I honestly loved going here and have recommended it to all my family and friends! read more

I had the greatest time and learn s much from JP and Gerry. This class is a must for beginners. The course is very comprehensive and safety is paramount. JP and Gerry have years of valuable experience and offer their personal insight so freely. Gerry is one hell of a lady who has been around the world on her bike. She is quite extraordinary. JP was my man. Yes, will get on you about the proper way to ride, especially keeping your head always up survey as much information as you can. That is his job. Safety is the key while you are having fun. I intend to take the next to courses BRC-2 and Advanced. I cannot thank them both enough the experience. - Corey "Old Man" Leonard read more

I never got to the Motorcycle safety school portion of the program (which is actually taught by Queensborough College - NOT Trama's, Firstly, They offered no driving directions from Manhattan and when I got lost, there was no telephone number to call to provide any help. NOR do they have an answering machine (this is definitely on purpose as Beatriz Trama was very clear that they have NEVER had an answering machine). My guess is, that they just really don't want to call you back. Because they don't respond to faxes, and you have to call several times before anyone will return your calls if you have a problem. I should have realized when they wanted the full $350 up front in a money order that there were problems. A reminder, always listen to your red flags! Find another place. read more

I'd been riding a motorcycle and have a bike in NY but decided it was time to get a license. We were part of a 2-full-day weekend course. The instructor showed up 30 minutes late the first time then gave everyone a hard time for being a second late after each break. We then had afternoon practicals that were delayed over an hour due to the morning class delays meaning we didn't finish our classes until 8pm. The classes were supposed to finish at 6pm and there was no indication from instructors that we'd be there late. Communication was horrible and when we asked them for updates they evaded the question time and time again. On to the practical course it self. If you've taken the course before it's easier to see where the marks on the course are. But if it's your first time, looking at a parking lot with parking lines, and a full array of dots, circles, markings in different colors etc means it's impossible to know where the course is the first time around. Instructors were very condescending asking why we couldn't possibly understand where the course was. They were rude, and one made several condescending remarks to women in the course. On day 2 we were delayed again and again and this time had to take the rider test in the dark - no headlights on bikes, dim streetlamps on the parking lot. It was past 7pm, we were hungry, tired and annoyed at the instructors. More than half of us failed including many of us with prior riding experience. Regardless of how well you do during the practice, if you fail during the exam, you've failed. That said, you're given only one month to take a second retake exam. Schedule it early and ask to be able to take the day 2 class again so you get accustomed to the bike. If you don't get accustomed to it you'll likely fail again. I was able to take day 2 for free, while another student had to pay $75 for one hour of practice time before the exam. He passed too, but had to pay. On the exam - you'll have to do a figure 8 so nail it. When they say you have to stop the bike with the front wheel in the box it has to be IN the box, not on the line of the box, etc. And whatever you do, be sure you're in first gear before you start each test. You often have some space to walk or drive your bike before the starting point. Take this opportunity to drive in first gear otherwise you'll stall. Stall 3 times and you fail. Overall feelings? If you have no other choice, go with them since they have a monopoly in Queens. But don't expect to be nurtured. Practice during the practical and practice hard. It's far harder to drive at slow speeds than fast - so if you're an experienced driver, try to do a tight figure eight and see how well you do. Good luck. PROS - decent bikes, only provider in Queens, good price, if you fail they might let you take day 2 for free CONS - cocky instructors, poor instructions, failure to stay on time, poor communcation read more

They stress the importance of safety and basic riders skills. It's a lot of knowledge squeezed into a quick weekend, but they really want you to ride properly and safely. If you fail, then it's for your own good and safety. They don't owe you a pass just because you paid so much. You need to practice, be serious, be on time (like anything in your life), and be safe. This place is legitimate and they care about you learning the skills and being a good rider. read more

Run and I mean run go anywhere else, the office staff lies and the. Lies some more. Due to JP's rudeness and running very late I suffered acute heat exhaustion and was yelled at for pulling over. I got off the bike and went down from severe dehydration to it was over 100 degrees and JP only believes in debriefing in the hot sun even when I asked for the shade I was told no. I also was promised to be able to come back and finish the 2 parts I missed and the road test but no call only lies from a Wanda. And does Bea really exist promised call backs since August 2015 going elsewhere and the DMV should review their license. Maybe a call to DMV is also needed to wake them up. Zero stars are a negative 10 would be more in line. As of today 6/4/16 once again they lied to me the office staff are liars and very rude. Run go to another school. read more

JP is definitely one of the most valuable instructors at Trama's! He may seem stern and strict, but it's only because he wants you to be safe and understand what happens in the streets. I was reading the below reviews and really wondered why these people are so critical. Motorcycle riding is not just to have fun, pay money and expect to get a license, you have to earn the license. You have to work hard in order to get what you deserve. If you really think he's yelling at you, it's because you are wearing a helmet and he's being a little loud so he can hear you! Stop being sensitive and work hard to get what you want. My experience was great, most of the training happens at Queensborough Community College, stay alert, know how to ride a bicycle, and don't be late! You can have fun while learning, but the key thing is to be safe and that's all that Trama's wants for you to be! Thank you for being a great motorcycle school! read more

Just completed my 2 day Basic Riders Course at queens borough community college and I must say it really was a great experience. The instructors were strict but also had a fun side. All in all they want you to be safe. I highly recommend this course of you are looking to learn how to ride a motorcycle and get your license read more

I took the 5 hour pre-licensing course here and it was a complete waste of $40 and my time. I learned more about the instructor's unemployed personal life instead of how to drive safely. He constantly left mid sentence to pick up personal calls. When he wasn't on a call or putting on cartoons, he asked each of us what our liquor preference was during the drunk driving portion of the class, yet never explained B.A.C. He also taught us that if we run over a cat, we must call 911. *mind blown* At the end of the day, I got my certificate but now I feel less safe on the road because this is the course being taught to future drivers. read more

Awesome experience, beginning to end. If you want to ride a motorcycle and get your license, Trama's is the place. Safety is rule 1. And 21. And everything in between. Motorcycling is dangerous. The Basic Rider Course is three sessions. One five hour class in the classroom in Massapequa, then two five hour on-motorcycle riding sessions, at the end of which is the 'evaluation' - Trama-speak for 'road test.' I used to ride. Started at 11 with a mini bike, and escalated through bikes until I was 25. Never bothered to get a license. Married, kids, no bike. Kids are out of the house, and I'm a grown-up now, so new bike, and license it is. I'm tied up in the mornings, so PM it is for me. But the timing of the classes offered were mixed - that is, they offered a morning classroom session linked with two afternoon riding sessions. Or the other way around. As I said, this wouldn't work for me, so I called and asked if I had any options. Wanda was great - she said 'no problem' and signed me right up. I took an afternoon classroom session with Marty, then two afternoon riding sessions with John Paul and Jerry. I thought (unfairly, I guess) that my request would be met with resistance. I was very happy that they made that accommodation so easily. The classroom in Massapequa was a little squishy. Twelve participants and the instructor in a small room. Probably would have been less uncomfortable had it not been so hot out. But no deduction of stars for this - just a minor inconvenience. The session was very informative. Much of the material is common sense, much is common to driving a car, but the stuff specific to knowing about riding a motorcycle is vast and detailed, helped along very well by the dry-humored, very personable Marty. At the end of the classroom session, you must take a New York State mandated written test. Fifty questions, I think (don't quote me on this) you need to score 80 percent. If you don't pass, you probably shouldn't be on a bike. If you do fail however, they'll give you a do-over, just not on the same day (again, New York State.) Jerry and JP met us at the riding location - in my case, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, promptly at 1PM. Sign in, choose a helmet, greet your assigned bike, and pay attention. There has been talk in previous reviews regarding promptness. I was on time, and everyone in my class was on time, so I never saw any consequences of showing up late, so I can't speak to that. Hey - we're grownups. Be on time in life. It's disrespectful to everyone around you if you're not. Our class consisted of teenagers, and people right up into their fifties. All levels of experience were represented. Some had never been on a motorcycle before, some had experience, and some were actively riding their own bikes but needed to earn their license. We all did the same exercises and evaluations. Safety issues were constantly on the forefront. They're serious, as they should be. We went through oh, 18 exercises (?) in two days. The courses are clearly laid out, and the rider coaches describe what is expected, then they show you. They take as much time as you need to understand their expectations. JP was on my case to turn my head more than I was. "Turn your head!" Every pass I made, "Turn your head!" He must have told me that 30 times. But this is not a complaint, rather, a tip of my hat (helmet?) to his tenacity. See, he wasn't busting my chops or trying to make me feel bad, he was being patient and tenacious in his instructions. As soon as I started following his "Turn your head!," I started riding better! And Jerry was the Yang to JP's Yin. Patient and mellow, she gave clear instructions and advice. Whatever experience level you're at, there are some parts of the sessions that make your nerves begin to jingle. She has a great way to soothe without coddling. Again, the name of the game on the course is 'safety.' Follow the directions, don't be cocky, but don't be afraid, and I think that the Tramas people will meet your goals. So this was a pretty long-winded review, and I don't know that I accomplished what I set out to do. I wanted to speak to the quality of the program and the rider coaches (top notch,) but I did more describing than I meant to. The bottom line is that I would recommend this course to anyone interested in riding a bike. It's a serious business - not to be taken lightly. You must match the seriousness of the program, but don't forget to have fun. That's why we're doing all this, right? And 'safety first!' read more

Jerry is an awesome instructor. She's a former middle school teacher who is doing this in her retirement because she absolutely loves riding and wants to share her experiences (and she'll tell you all about her amazing rides around the world) and she wants people to be safe. I could not get a good read on JP. He clearly wants people to be safe, he is responsible for people with 300 lb machines who may have never ridden before, but there is a different between being firm and appropriately authoritative and just being snarky and impatient. I could also understand having 2 instructors take on "good cop / bad cop" roles. But this wasn't exactly what was going on. It seemed like one instructor (Jerry) wanted everyone to be safe and go home able to ride, and one (JP) just wanted to go home not having to write up any incident reports. On my first ride, I told him there was something wrong with my bike, the brakes were sticking and the bike wouldn't go into neutral. He essentially didn't listen, kept on telling me to do stuff I didn't understand. The third time I tried to tell him, he kind of yelled at me, and I let it go. Since I had experience with motorcycles before, I just compensated for the problems. The next day, when returned, he told me my bike was broken and asked me why I didn't tell him. He was also 45 minutes late that second day, and sometimes contradicted what Jerry was saying. Just a bit difficult as an instructor and at times less than professional. Thankfully, Jerry was always very supportive, encouraging, and clear at explaining things. read more

I'm a huge believer in Trama's. My entire family and friends attended the beginner course. Let me tell you something: MOTORCYCLE RIDING IS LIFE THREATENING IF YOU ARE NOT 100% ATTENTIVE. This is absolutely THE BEST intro course out there. Our whole family never even started a bike before entering the course, and still passed the test. Motorcycling is a life-long skill that needs to be studied and perfected over years. Trama's is a great start. Consider the fact that you may not be cut out for it. Take the course. If you don't feel like it's for you, just don't buy a bike. It's not THAT much money, and it pays for itself in the long run as a defensive driving discount on your auto and moto insurance. I have friends that were very excited to get on a bike, then took the course and decided that they felt too vulnerable on a bike. Others took the course and loved motorcycling for years to come. Coaches are very knowledgeable and patient and are always willing to answer your questions and concerns. read more

My instructor's name is JP. He is such an asshole instructor. Understand that safety is important, but whenever someone makes a simple mistake that isn't critical or do something incorrect, instead of being patient, he would reply in a very sarcastic manner and basically yelling at everyone. He isn't providing a very positive learning environment. He needs to understand that people riding are new and that yelling and berating at everyone all the time isn't helpful. read more

If you have a loved one who wants a motorcycle I highly recommend this course to mitigate risks on the road. I called to schedule the class there was 1 space available. I was directed to the website to register. I started to register as I went to pay someone else register faster! I called the office and they confirmed in the 3 minutes it took me to register someone else registered. The receptionist worked with me until she found a course that fit my schedule... whew! I took the basic riding course, license waiver class with Marty in the classroom followed by JP, Ikeke (sp?) on the motorcycles. They are all serious about safety. During the classroom session Marty reviewed the pre-course then we had a written test. I wish I paid more attention to that test. If you fail this test you will not fail the course. If you fail the written test at the end of the second day you will have to repeat it. Marty told us: 1. When you are wearing a helmet you may not hear the instructors so they will speak in a loud voice 2. Arrive on time, but do not expect to leave on time because each group is different and it is possible to have a delay 3. Have fun, but always be safe. Day 1 645am to 1pm. You absolutely have to arrive prepared, dressed appropriately or you will be asked to leave. Don't wear flip flops. I suggest arriving 30 minutes early especially if you are going to queens borough, even with the map with turn by turn directions people were still lost. A few people arrived late both days, but the instructors were setting up, checking the motorcycles and didn't say a word. The instructors reviewed the motorcycle with us, they were patient and kind in repeating their directions. When each person went through a drill JP and Ikeke would give us feedback. Every time someone dropped the bike or went speeding away they had to be counseled, fill out an incident report and that caused delays. The afternoon class watched us because we went over our scheduled time. Before we left we were instructed to wear rain gear the following day due to the forecast of rain. Day 2 1pm to ? the time we left. The second day we arrived and the first class was not near finished. The instructors didn't eat lunch and Bea, the owner, arrived to bring them food and proctor the morning group written exam. It was raining and we thought we were going to be sent home, after an hour it stopped raining and we started our session. It started drizzling and the instructors asked if the group wanted to continue or stop, I personally wanted to stop, but everyone else wanted to continue so I agreed to continue. In the rain and cold, it felt never ending, but the instructors were great and we completed the session. There is a written multiple choice test at the end of the second day, pay attention to the instructors and remember the video you watched in the pre-course. I am elated I took this course. The first time I rode my bike it rained! I'm grateful for the instruction I received during this course. Thank you JP and Ikeke! read more

Motorcycle Basic Rider Course The rating that I'm about to give to Trama's Auto School may or may not change by October of this year. It all depends on how I end up being treated by the school and the owner by that time. So far, as of May 27th, 2014, it is not a school that a customer expects. Let me tell you my story: I was scheduled to take the course on May 24th, and May 25th. I went to the class, which it's a fast paced one. As a beginner and new rider (no experience at all), you would think that are entitled to make mistakes, learn from them, and be supported by instructors. I did fall from the motorcycle twice during the first 4 hours on May 24th, and I was advised by one of the instructors to cut out of the class, and call Ms. Beatriz Trama (owner), because "she was nice", and explain the situation to her. He said she would be willing to work with me. It's May 27th, and I just hanged up with her. She said that is all in the contract and that there is no make ups as the instructor said. "It's all in the contract", she said. She also said that if there is a course in October I might get into it. Yes, October when it's cold, and when maybe, I'm expected to forget all about it. This is a very very expensive course (350usd), and the owner should be willing to compromise with customers once a while. Treat them with consideration and respect. I'm dissapointed and sad. For now, I would not recommend this place to anybody. If something changes, I will definitely come back and change/edit this comment. read more

LOL all these negative reviews about JP, i had a feeling. He's genuinely a nice guy its just that his way of teaching at times can make you feel like sh*t. Just don't be sensitive towards his criticism. Follow his instructions, do what he says and you'll be riding comfortably in no time. read more

I took the basic rider's course over a weekend in February 2013 and I had Marty and Sue. It was by far the best experience I've had when it comes to riding OR driving. The memories I have from that course will stick with me forever. i can hear Marty and Sue in my head every time I ride out there. Sure, it was tough love, but they are down-to-earth people who want to see you stay alive. I appreciated every moment of it. The one bit of advice (aside from what others are giving here) is to LISTEN and PAY ATTENTION. I can not express enough how this was a major issue on the course. Stupid things like not keeping your shield down as soon as you are on the bike was a big one. Just listen, have fun, and be safe. This is not a game and it's not high school. Take it seriously because some of that advice could save your life! Be safe and ride hard. -Tommy read more

I'm going to preface this review by stating that I passed the course and got my license waiver, so this isn't written out of bitterness at failing. I took the Basic Rider Course. First off, this is definitely NOT a "basic" rider course. Luckily, I had experience on a motorcycle thanks to having ridden with my permit. If you have never been on a motorcycle, or have extremely limited knowledge of operating one, DO NOT take this course. You will likely not pass, and risk wasting your money and time. The course I took was over the span of two days. The first day was 13 hours (5 hours of in-class time starting at 6:15 AM, 1 "hour" of lunch of which 30 minutes was eaten up by travel to the range, and 7 hours riding). The second day was about 6 hours of straight riding. If I could go back, I would NOT do this again. It's brutal. In all fairness, they tell you to bring food and water, but if you're new to riding then nothing can prepare you for how tiring this actually is. Moreover, one of the instructors gave us massive attitude when we asked to take a break for water. After hours of riding, we were sweaty, exasperated, and beaten down, and JP acted shocked when we asked for a break. "You're just cutting into your riding time," he said, as if we didn't know what the hell we were doing. Irritated that we'd have the nerve to ask for something like that, he "let" us go as he stood around leisurely in his sunhat, sipping his coconut water. My advice - split the course up over several weekends if possible, especially in the summer. This leads me to the instructors. Gerry is the saving grace of this whole thing. She's definitely tough, but it's because she genuinely cares about her safety. You can easily tell that she loves the idea of training new riders to join the community. As a former middle school teacher (she told us), she takes no trash from you but in return teaches you well and encourages you at every turn. She even generously offered us some of her watermelon after we took the licensing test. She's cool, patient, and a pleasure to learn from, but firm when she needs to be and always prioritizes your safety. JP, on the other hand, is a different story. In the classroom, he's a decent teacher; a bit snarky, but in a funny way. He cons you into thinking he'll be the cool teacher who's a bit of an a-hole at times, but friendly at heart. Once you're out to the range, everything changes. He's impatient, irritable, and unfriendly. On more than one occasion, he'd cut me off in the middle of a question thinking he knew what I was about to ask, delivering a rude and flat-out irrelevant answer. He'd insist on that wrong answer despite me trying to re-ask my actual question. He makes you feel dumb for making mistakes, and dumber for asking about problems before they become a mistake. He yells (yes, actually) at you when you do something he didn't say to do, and then also yells at you when you sit there awaiting instruction and he expects you to read his mind. I understand that motorcycles are no joke and that safety should be a top priority. Yet, JP discourages you from riding a motorcycle in the first place with his cocky attitude and unfriendly demeanor. He offered maybe one thumbs up of encouragement my entire time on the range, and is altogether unrepresentative of the friendly and communal riders I know in my personal life, who are better exemplified by Gerry. I hope for the sake of his past and future students that he was just having a bad day when I was there. I definitely learned how to ride a motorcycle properly, and feel much safer on one than I did prior to the course. In that sense, then, I suppose I got what I paid for. However, basically every moment not spent with Gerry was an annoyance. If you can't guarantee she'll be one of your teachers, just look elsewhere for a rider course. read more

All, I recently paid 350 for the basic rider course 2 day course and attended the first six hours of the first session until the instructor asked me to leave for wearing sneakers. The instructors were very professional and I understand why they asked me to leave. The issue I currently have is the company's customer policy in that no credit was given to me to retake another course. The fact that I paid 350 for a two day class and was only provided one day is disturbing. I guess that is why the company does not take credit cards so that if a dispute occurs, the company always wins. I understand the confirmation states wear boots, but the company should understand people do make mistakes. To not provide even a partial credit towards another class is just bad business on the company's behalf. I will never recommend this company nor will I ever take another class from this company. Thank you for wasting my time and asking me to call back multiple times to tell me .. "You forfeited your 350"... That was very professional and much appreciated. I will contact the better business bureau as well as actively express my discontent with your company via social media. Thank you for treating your customers like door mats it's great for future business. read more

I took this course over the past two weekends and I must say it was a great experience!! I recommend it to anyone who really wants to learn how to ride. My instructors were Marty & JP & they were truly amazing. They work with each student and try to help you with your own problem areas. They give great advice along the way and have great personalities. Everyone should take this course!!! :) read more

If you're looking for an MSF certified establishment to enhance your skills etc., Trama Auto School is where you need to go. The staff is very knowledgeable and professional. They will teach you things that you would never get to learn on your own. Very valuable information, can't put a price on being safe. There is even a cool trendy little motorcycle shop that sells gear at the massapequa classroom location. Great experience and made some new friends. My instructors were Marty(bad santa) and JP. By the way (bad santa) is not so bad ! read more

Just spent great weekend with Trama's MSF course. Thank you all the instructors (Jerry, Jean Paul, Ikenke and Jeanine - sorry for wrong spelling) for patience, helpful tips, useful information and friendly and personal approach. I have never ridden regular motorcycle before and after hours and hours on training site I am ready to ride a bike. I know that I still need to spend more hours in the parking lot, but I am confident that I can be a safe rider. Thank you for teaching being respectful to our bike and ourselves. read more

My experience at Trama was horrible!!! I took one private lesson and because I had never ridden a motorcycle before, I was discouraged from taking the course because, "I would be holding everyone else back." I didn't know Trama only gave lessons to people who have some motorcycle knowledge. If the instructors are so great then they should have been able to teach someone like me, who has never been on a bike. I drove all the way out to Long Island to be told not to sign up for the classes or I would be dropped if I held everyone else back. Maybe this was a ploy to get me to take private lessons. Who knows? Then the instructor told me to call the office and tell them to cancel my classes so I could get my money back. That's all well and good, but my lesson was Friday evening around 5 and when I called the office it was closed. Funny their policy is you must cancel before 24 hrs to get your money back. When I called the next day I was given the run around and told I couldn't get my money. After several calls and talking to "someone in charge" I was given my refund minus a $10 processing fee. So all in all, Trama sucks eggs!!!!!!!!!!!! My advicve if you've never been on a motorcycle, go to another school where they're not so damned elitist and have the patience to teach you. TRAMA GETS A BIG THUMBS DOWN FROM ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Tramas would've received zero stars if possible. BE AWARE of their 350 non refundable fee. Like the others have posted, the customer service is horrible and the people who work there are rude. I was basically yelled at and mocked by the "owner" of the company. Please go elsewhere!!! read more

Ignore the bad reviews. Not everyone is going to pass the course and that undoubtedly bruises some feelings. Not everyone should, however, and it's all about safety. They take your safety seriously. The course is educational and fun, but the training can be strict as it should be, since very few of the students have ever ridden a motorcycle before. If you put the effort in and are willing to take it seriously, this is a great course taught by very knowledgeable people. If you feel that you are entitled to pass simply because you paid your fee and you tried, spare everyone and don't take the course. read more

I will NEVER recommend anyone to this school. On the range "JP" talks to u like ur stupid.. god forbid u dont hear him say something (ex. "Keys off") a.k.a. turn the key off, he makes u look like a jackass in front of everyone and makes a motion turning his hand and shouts "KEEEYYY OFFFF" talking to u like as if ur a 2 year old... i felt like smacking the helmet off his head but they u got by the balls because u have to kiss their ass because theyve got the certificate for u to bring to the dmv to get ur license. In the classroom Marty the instructor wasnt a bad guy he was just too sarcastic and u dont know if hes kidding or not, on the range he was pretty cool though. William (Bill) is a great guy all around and very helpful in both classroom and range. Now lets go on to what i experienced on the range.. first day went fine, ended later than 4:30 which doesnt make sense to me. The second day on the other hand, well lets see they told us in the class to meet at the range at 10:30 we get there n theres another class "finishing up".. 2 HOURS LATER THEY CALL US FROM OUR CARS... it is now past 12:30 and the schedule says the class ends at 4:30. We start the final evaluation around 5. We got up to the second step of the evaluation (now 5:30) and they claim it is too dark and we have to come back another day and WE have to call the office to see what date it is going to be held. So not only did they make us wait 2 hours but now we have to come back another day and myself being located in mid-suffolk wouldve really wanted some sort of partial-refund because i traveled 40-50 minutes to get to massapequa/nassau coliseum to not only be told to come back another day but also be held there AFTER 4:30 which is the time the range class should end. SO DONT MAKE ANY PLANS FOR CLOSE TO 4:30 BECAUSE CHANCES R THE CLASS IS GOING TO GO ON LATER THAN 4:30. Next day i call Tramas office and they tell me im going to have to travel even further and go to QUEENSBORO COLLEGE to do the make-up class. I arrive at the make-up day and they always tell u dont be late so i got there 30min early, i see people on the range with the bikes (the same people from my previous classes) thinking they got there early and the instructor is letting them warm up. I hang out in my car for a bit then i walk over to the instructor he gives me the same papers i filled out the first day in the classroom and tells he'll call me from my car when their done. AGAIN i wait an HOUR to start my make-up evaluation... the evaluation started and i quickly told bill that didnt need to warm up or anything, showing him i wanted to get the show on the road and get out of there. Evaulation went quick and i passed. IMO the office people at Trama's needs to get way more organized. Cant blame the instructors really for the delays, but "JP" on the other hand, needs the lighten the f**k up. read more

Worst school ever. I signed up for the motorcycle course. I was 5 minutes late because I couldn't find the parking lot they were in since the directions they gave aren't too good. When I arrived I was told I need to be on time, to leave and reschedule for another session, which I did. On my rescheduled session I got there early, only to sit and wait an extra 2 HOURS for the course to start due to issues the instructors were having. I was told a student in the previous class kept dropping the bike and instead of taking it out of service to check it, it was given to me. I did not feel comfortable riding this bike as there was obviously something wrong with it and I have been riding for 10 years. It kept stalling mid ride and the clutch kept sticking, even the instructor couldn't get it to move, yet I was told I couldn't have a new bike and it must be something I'm doing wrong!!!! Again, I'm not a newbie rider and was only taking the course so I could ride legally. The instructor was angry the entire class because another instructor didn't show up and he had to teach a large class on his own. Two people didn't even take the classroom portion and were brand new to riding. We never got a lunch break and the class was running 3 hours over schedule. I would never recommend Trama's, go elsewhere for a MC course. The course was a complete sh*t show. read more

awesome, fun, and easyyyy class. don and marty were our instructors , boy what an experience that was. Marty was awesome in the classroom, Don was more chilled out in the classroom. But on the range marty was prettttyyyyyyyy harsh. All for the good. Don was real down to earth when u made mistakes. They honestly did help me get rid of my bad habits, and i learned sooooooooo much. its really easy to pass you just have to LISTEN and always TURN YOUR HEAD (if you take the class, you'll see what I mean.) i highly recommend the weekend classes with marty and don at QCC. bring snacksssss there is no fooooood there. and get plenty of rest. bring lots of water. and i recommend bringing your own helmet, those helmets stink. one more thing....DONT BE LATE!!! they will kick u out and make u reschedule. good luck! read more

This is not a school, this is a scam. A school would teach something. They were very happy to take my money, but never called me back after I left several messages or even had the decently to answer any of my emails.I had only completed the morning classroom for one day and once I was on the motorcycle (which I never was previously, as I explained prior to signing up) needed some one on one assistance. I explained that I was willing to take extra classes but noone would call me back. They took my $350.00 and ran. BEWARE!!!!!!! read more

Erik Trama & John Paul are excellent instructors. JP was strict but for good reason. Riding a motorcycle can be very a dangerous risk. They teach to be aware of your environment (other drivers, the road, and the weather conditions) which are important factors when riding. Would definitely recommend this course. read more

I took the Basic Rider Course for motorcycles with J.P. which was just what I needed and much cheaper than the same course at a school near me in Williamsburg. If you pass the riding skills evaluation at the end, this course allows you to earn a waiver so you can get a class M motorcycle riding addition to your current drivers license through the dmv without having to take an additional driving test. I tried to learn to ride a scooter from my boyfriend before, and it was too difficult to learn from a loved one. So much better to learn from a neutral party! The hands on skills portion of the program with J.P. was excellent and it left me confidently riding a scooter! So much fun. The classroom portion of the class is shaped by the nationwide motorcycle safety program, and it includes a lot of "don't drink and drive" content that I think makes more sense for teenage drivers or persons attending a court ordered class. I think a few hours of "do the right thing" and common sense propaganda could be cut from the required eclass and classroom hours. This is not a choice of the school though, and it will be found anywhere offering this nationwide "motorcycle safety" basic rider class and waiver program. Overall, I highly recommend this school and thus course! Great service, great office, great skill instruction! read more

. None of these attributes make for good teaching or a good learning environment. I absolutely would recommend that you NOT attend this school.Today my nephew attended the motorcycle training course...if you need to be taught basic riding skills...Don't Go Here! Not unless you want a lesson in profanity and how to be berated and demeaned in public. The instructors (2 out of 3) were coarse, crass and impatient read more

This class is an absolute must for anyone looking to learn how to ride a motorcycle, safely and properly. I just completed the course and passed the skills evaluation and came into the course having never ridden a manual transmission motorcycle before. My only previous experience was a couple of days on a moped in the Keys and mountain and road biking (bicycle) experience. I left the class feeling much more confident while also understanding how seriously riding a motorcycle must be taken and how much more I'll need to practice and gain experience to handle all on road situations. If you're taking the class in Massapequa/Nassau Coliseum I recommend asking for the class lead by Eric Trama. He was an amazing classroom and range instructor. JP was also out on the range and made sure that you were aware of any details you might be missing as you practiced each skill they taught. Both for myself as well as everyone else in the class there was a huge noticeable difference in everyone in the class. I took the course over 2 days, from 8:30am until about 7pm split between the classroom and the range. It may sound like a lot but both sessions are fun and interesting and time moves pretty quickly. I plan on taking the Basic Course 2 once I get some experience under my belt. I highly recommend this course for any beginner no matter how little experience you have. read more

Marty, Marc and JP.... Thank you for all the help, great safety instructions and training! Amazing work! I signed for the Basic Rider Course in order to get my driving test waiver. The price was similar to what my local Auto school was charging for 1. renting the bike for the test, scheduling the test and 2x45min driving classes. For the same money, at this Basic Rider Course at Trama's you get 5 hour class, 2x5 hours of excellent driving instructions and the driving test waiver in case you pass the test, and have NYS driving license and the M learners permit. 5 hour class. My expectation was, this class will be boring and will last forever. I was wrong. Marty and Marc were great! I was well prepared for the test, but I also learned a lot in this class! Excellent exercises, tricks, and tips from both Marty and Marc made this class amazing! I'm 100% sure everyone in the class enjoyed it. At the end of this class there's a test you have to pass. Just download their brochure from Trama's website and read it a few times and you'll be OK. 50 questions at the test, a few choices each.. I think it was pretty easy if you pay attention to what instructors are saying. 2x5 hours driving class/test It was scary in the beginning. It was raining, helmet fogging and we were all trying to follow the rules as precise as we could. You start from basics. I've seen people first time on the bike, ending the class successfully and finishing all the exercises with smile. Instructors Marty, Marc and JP were great again. Just follow all their instructions and DON'T BE LATE! If you're late they will not let you join the class. And they are right. That means you don't respect the rest of the class. They would have to repeat everything they did to prepare the candidates, and the whole class is supposed to wait for you? Second exercise was more fun, and all the other exercises even more. Each exercise you have more smile on your face. Test itself was actually easier than some of the exercises. BUT several people made mistakes at the test because they were under stress and for no reason. You are not going to fail the test because you run over the line or the cone.. so relax and enjoy! Keep driving. I think they repeated the same warning like million times. Squeeze the break gently. Do not grab! And that's the only thing that will make you fail the test. It's not a big deal if you stop a bit further or run over the cone. You get some negative points but not fail the test. Grab the front break and you'll end up on the ground. Anyway, I have to say I'm super happy with this course, with Trama's auto school experience in general and especially with the quality of exercises provided by all 3 instructors! Will recommend them to all my friends. Thank you guys! I have to admit, after this class, I'm paying more attention when driving my car too. I wish this class was mandatory for ALL the drivers in New York! Goran read more

I took my 2-day basic rider course last month. I have to say that it was very intense.... much more than I had expected. I went in with no motorcycle experience whatsoever and passed my test the next day, and I just got my motorcycle licence today. I think it's a very good course for a beginner. If you know how to ride a bicycle, and a little bit about gear shifting... you'll be ok. My only complaint is the some of the instructors lack professionalism. The days when I took my course the weather was really hot... in high 90's, which made it very difficult to spend 6 hrs continuously under the sun both days. So some frustration / anger was acceptable from the instructors. However, I thought that they pushed it a little too far. Not just they were mean and yelling but this instructor named JP was actually cursing at people in their faces. And for me that environment was not educational at all. It was very stressful. I think he needs to be reminded that people who are coming to take these courses deserve some respect. In short I would say that yes I learned a lot in 2 days. But did not appreciate the instructor's tone. I would not recommend this course with at least the same instructors that I took it with. read more

I took the Basic Motorcycle class with Marty and Gerry this week and wanted everyone to know they were fantastic. They made the classroom portion of the course educational and entertaining at the same time. The field class, with on-bike exercises, was excellent. They did a wonderful job of making sure you knew what to do on the bike and helped ensure bad habits did not start to develop. I'm very happy I signed up for this course and I am seriously considering taking the next course when my Indian Scout arrives and I have had some time to practice all the things I learned over the past two days. I highly recommend this class to anyone considering a motorcycle and looking to ride as safely as possible. read more

I read some reviews on Yelp before I took the class. I told myself after I took the class I would leave an honest review no matter what. So other people have touched upon how the three days go, it was the same for me more or less except all the written stuff was done on day 1 in the class room. Classroom is a bore but it's comparable to 5 hr class that you have to take for the Drivers license. As for the actual lessons, they showed us the ropes and told us how to operate the motorcycle. The only problem was that there wasn't enough individualized attention so half the time the instructors didn't see the mistakes I was making and they'd just wave me forward. JP, Marty (God bless him), and Ikeke are good people. Strict sure but good people. They had us do 12 exercises to get us through the whole course. At the end they offer a skill evaluation, and here's where the $350 matters. If you pass you get a waiver to get Motorcycle license and if you fail you get 1 opportunity on another date to try again. In my class there were 6 people who knew how to ride a bike previously and six including myself who did not. The 6 that knew how to all passed the evaluation while the six of us all failed. There just wasn't enough practice and in retrospect it was very hard to pass without more practice. Sure you can pay for individual lessons but after spending $350, it just doesn't seem worth it. I felt terrible after failing my evaluation and I can't say I'm bitter to the coaches but I just think there wasn't enough practice. After taking the evaluation they take you aside and tell you what you did wrong. I took note of everything I did wrong, went home and watched all of those things on Youtube. I kid you not I learned a lot from youtube that I missed in class. And unlike some of the people I was with, I tried my best to pay attention since I didn't know how to ride. I watched videos and went back a week later to retake the skill evaluation (I didn't know anyone who had a bike to practice on and I couldn't afford another lesson) and I passed my evaluation. I felt so grateful and blessed. In retrospect it could have gone worse, and I may have gotten a bit lucky too. I definitely don't feel safe riding in the streets of NYC and I wont put myself on the road until I get a bike and practice in a parking lot somewhere until I feel confident. If you have never ridden a bike before and you want to but the $350 is a very expensive price tag for you (I'm still in college and have a small job so it was a big deal for me) then I don't think you should go with this company. My friend did Learn2Ride and from his experience they made it easier for everyone to pass and everyone in his class passed. It's 60 miles out east on long island but if it means saving $350, I think its a good idea. Even though I got my waiver, if I could go back, I probably would have picked that company. If you're a new rider, be a little wary, pay attention to all the details and ask questions. After Day 2, when you go home, look up on YouTube the stuff you learned and the stuff you didn't understand, look up how to do figure 8s and right turns from a stop and how to weave and how to shift gears, how to swerve, and how to use the friction zone. If you can understand how those things work, then the next day on day 3 you can apply what you learned the day before with the knowledge you learned and practice it all because everything I mentioned up there WILL BE ON THE EVALUATION. You have to know all that stuff. What I'm saying now in this paragraph is what I wish someone had told me. If you do it as I say, it will make everything easier I promise. I had to youtube stuff after I failed my evaluation, if I had watched that stuff and understood it the day before my evaluation I think I would have done better. I went from failing my evaluation to passing the retake in one week without practicing on a bike. That's the difference it made. Please let that be your take away from this. I felt so bad for everyone who found out they failed cuz all 12 of us bonded and when 6 of us failed it was just a terrible crappy feeling. I'd hate to have anyone else fail and that's why I went into so much detail. TIP: During slow turns (especially during Figure 8/U-turns), turn your head to the direction you're planning on going in BEFORE you start the turn, and give Gas. TURN YOUR HEAD AND GIVE GAS. The bike won't fall if you give power and the bike won't go out of the boundaries if you turn your head properly. If you put your foot down during the U-turn evaluation you lose 1 pt. If you go out of the boundaries or hit a cone, you lose 5 pts. Use your head. Cheers read more