Ryders Alley Finds Permanent Home at New Jersey Motorsports Park

Motorcycle enthusiasts are very particular when it comes to their bikes and their riding obsession.Seven years ago, Demian Neufeld founded Ryders Alley, an organization dedicated to supporting serious motorcyclists in the Manhattan area. In addition to running classes and social events for its 450+ members, his group offers options to store and maintain motorcycles in secure garages in convenient locations. For members who participate in track days or actually compete in races, the location Ryders Alley uses most is an Exotic Car Garage (ECG) that Neufeld invested in at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP.)

Neufeld is an avid track-day rider based in New York City and, before 2008, there weren’t many viable local tracks. Consequently, Neufeld was at the gate on the very day NJMP first opened. However, NJMP’s road courses were a two-hour drive away, and Neufeld found he was spending an inordinate amount of time loading, strapping down, trailering and unloading motorcycles, only to repeat the process again at the end of the day.So when NJMP began building Phase I of its ECGs directly next to its Thunderbolt Raceway course, Neufeld promptly bought a 1,000-square-foot unit. Now the worst of his trailering days are over and Neufeld spends more time doing what he loves most—riding on the track.

“Compared to NYC, the price per square foot is a steal and you get two incredible racetracks, plus unparalleled security and all the park amenities,” says Neufeld.“For what I paid, I’m more than happy with the return, but the biggest value is spending less time trailering. It means the difference between loading a trailer and having a beer with a friend—there’s no price on time.”

The garage was also ideal for his Ryders Alley business.Neufeld customized his NJMP ECG by outfitting individual bays with shelving and battery tenders for each bike user.He currently stores 45 track bikes there and his members participate in AHRMA, ASRA/CCS, USGPRU and MotoAmerica races, along with track days and schools put on by N2, YCRS, Team Pro-Motion, Absolute Cycle Experience, California Superbike School, Evolve GT and others.

Neufeld personally owns 26 motorcycles; he says his favorite track-day bike is a Triumph 675R but he also likes his new electric Alta dirt bike. Neufeld says he doesn’t worry about the bikes in his garage, since NJMP security guards check inside each ECG periodically and patrol constantly.And, of course, NJMP is a closed facility with controlled access and only one point of entry.

Because he and his members use the NJMP ECG two or three weekends a month, Neufeld says he plans to develop the upstairs mezzanine into either a lounge for congregating, or possibly a YMCA-style bedroom with cots where riders can rest.

Neufeld says, “We use both Thunderbolt and Lightning tracks regularly, plus the go-kart complex is fantastic.We also like to have lunch at the clubhouse where it’s air-conditioned and the food’s really good.”

Ryders Alley members are a mixed group, primarily made up of track-day riders and racers, but there’s also a dirtbike/trail-riding contingent, along with vintage collectors and vintage racers, too. 

One of the more notable riders is British ex-pat Mark Heckles, a former World Superbike racer, who finished third in a MotoAmerica Superstock 1000cc Series race at NJMP in 2015; Heckles ran the entire inaugural MotoAmerica season with sponsorship from Neufeld and Ryders Alley. Another noteworthy member, Ben Younger, is a successful screenwriter/director with a new boxing film entitled “Bleed for This,” set to release in November 2016 staring Miles Teller.Younger recently received the green light to shoot a feature based on the Isle of Man TT Race, which will pay homage to his racing passion.

Neufeld’s group of motorcycle riders appreciate having a customized base for their bikes at the NJMP track.The Millville Airport immediately adjacent to NJMP comes in handy too, when members occasionally fly in for events.

“Due to a flight fiasco, I almost missed a track day with 25 of our Riders Alley guys, but then got lucky when Ben Younger picked me up at JFK in his Cherokee Warrior,” said Neufeld.“We landed in Millville, and were out of the plane and in our leathers in 15 minutes.”

The vibrant community of riding and racing enthusiasts at NJMP continues to grow.Phase II of the Exotic Car Garages in now underway with most of its seven units already spoken for even before the official groundbreaking.Soon thereafter, Phase III will roll out.Neufeld says he plans to hold on to his garage for a very long time.Yet, at the rate Ryders Alley is expanding, he may need another ECG down the road to house more members’ motorcycles.