Born in New Jersey and raised in New Hampshire, Jim has always loved music and motorcycles. Jim studied music throughout his childhood but his parents wouldn’t let him own a motorcycle until he moved out of the house. Too dangerous, they said.

Jim moved to Boston, MA when he was 18, receiving a scholarship to study music at Berklee College of Music. Jim supplemented his scholarship by working nights at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He graduated 4 years later with a Bachelor of Music Degree. He immediately bought a motorcycle and spent the next two months riding around the United States. Returning from his travels he continued working at the Boston Symphony for the next four years in the Management Office.

Jim relocated to Los Angeles to continue to work in the entertainment industry, freelancing in the film industry as a Set PA, Asst. Controller, Asst. Production Coordinator and Post-Production Coordinator, you name it, he did it (even some carpentry work). He continued to advance his riding skills and started to get the racing bug. A sailor since childhood, he began restoring a 1964 thirty-foot wood sailboat in 2003, which he still owns and rents for print and film work. If that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, Jim is an accomplished shooter and has attended a number of Tactical Firearms Training Courses.

At the same time, Jim started to work on photoshoots for trade magazines and getting certified as a California Motorcycle Safety Program Instructor. He left the film industry to work at EMAP Publishing for the motorcycle group and subsequently worked at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation as the Administrator, Motorcycle Safety and Training Standards. He continues to train new motorcyclists and well as continuing his certification as a RiderCoach Trainer, training novice students, executives and actors.

Jim started Road Racing in 2002 and in his first full season he finished CCS Pacific Series Regional Class Champion in GT Lights, 2nd Overall in Lightweight Supersport and 2nd Overall in Heavyweight Superbike in the Amateur class. Though missing some races in his first year as Expert in 2003, Jim finished out the season in 3rd place overall in both Lightweight Superbike and Lightweight Supersport.

Jim has done over 40 photoshoots, appeared on Speed Channel with Motorcyclist Magazine, instructed actors and celebrities for film work and has appeared in TV commercials. For more information on professional rider/model Jim O’Connor, please see resume…