Sergeant Uzander McFarlane

​Motorcycle trainer, epic stunt coordinator and militant biker, describe Sergeant Uzander McFarlane.

McFarlane is currently part of the police Transport Management and Maintenance Division and is the go-to man for learning how to ride a bike defensively, safely and within the law.

His passion for motorcycles developed in a district called Retreat, which is two and a half miles west of Brown’s Town, St Ann. “I used to ride my bicycle 18 miles to school and 18 miles back each day and was known for performing tricks. People would say if I was so good on the bicycle, they wouldn't want to see me on the bike,” said McFarlane. It was during these daily excursions that he developed a number of road skills. “My first exposure to a real bike was by a man in the village by the name of Mr Clark, aka ‘Pukus’. He put me on my first motorcycle and I developed a genuine love for it,” said McFarlane.

After moving to Kingston in 1987, McFarlane entered the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) police force and joined the traffic department. With his self-taught skills and training from the JCF, McFarlane became a force to be reckoned with. After just four years he was certified to become a motorcycle instructor due to his advanced skills in riding. “I saw the need to assist with training people how to ride, not just in the force but also persons with personal motorcycles,” said McFarlane.

“There are so many things people need to know about a motorcycle, even those who have been riding for many years,” said Lisanne Pessoa, one of McFarlane’s most successful students and one of the top female riders in Jamaica.

“Ninety per cent of motorcycle riders only have a learner’s license. When they come to me and do my exercises, majority of them cannot manage,” said McFarlane as he explained his training procedure. Training with McFarlane is done in two parts; it starts off with theory for the first week and followed by practical lessons. “When training with the police I have them in the classroom for the first five days and then practical lasts for five weeks. This prepares them for the examination to get their license. I also take them along the length and breadth of the island to get a different feel of the terrain,” said McFarlane. He is also a qualified motorcycle mechanic and teaches persons how to maintain motorcycles. In his skilled hands, persons learn how to mount, balance, break, corner and perform stunts. “I don’t know anybody else that has such an intense training programme and I know a lot of trainers,” said Pessoa.

            “I joined the force because I wanted to serve the people of Jamaica and to also be a traffic cop,” said McFarlane. His passion for motorcycles ran deep and is something he decided to dedicate his life to. “I spent over 21 years driving police motorcycles in the streets,” said McFarlane. However, training persons how to ride comes with some challenges. “My biggest challenges are training persons who are left-handed because the accelerator is on the right,” said McFarlane.

 “McFarlane was one of the most well-known stunters in Jamaica. He started one of the most successful stunt groups known as the ‘Crazy Bikers’, however he is currently with another stunt group known as ‘Bikers for Life’,” said Pessoa. McFarlane is also a crucial asset to the creation of stunts performed by the JCF at several events such as Grand Gala. “At this upcoming Grand Gala I will be performing a 13-man bike display,” said McFarlane. He is also the only person in the Caribbean who can perform a wheely with six persons.

Dedicated to being the best

“His training is like a boot camp. A lot of times I wanted to give up but he pushed me to keep doing it,” said Pessoa. Being part military-trained, McFarlane believes in creating disciplined riders. “Persons can expect to get the best training from me, they will be taught how to handle a motorcycle under any condition,” said McFarlane.

For comments or suggestions email us at autodrivegleaner@gmail.com