BaldyMan

Want a bike for the summer

Should i go with a couple of lessons a week - run of the mill school

Or should i do one of these intensive course thingimybobs

Anyone know any good schools - thingymybobs near Rochdale ?

Cheers, BaldyMan

chuckster

Do you know what bike you want? If it;s a nice R6 or Ducati then I'd recomend getting a few insurance quotes first, you could be in for a bit of a nasty suprise
I did a 5 day intensive, but had been riding 125 for a couple of years previously. Of 4 'brand new bikers' on my course, 3 failed on the first attempt. As an old man I'd suggest an old fashioned course stretched over a few weeks, the more road expereince the better IMHO, testers are especially keen to see the guys taking the test look confident.
Good Luck
Chuck

Chris T

I did the intensive course - but likewise i had ridden a 125 for just over a year.

All the brand new riders failed - just didn't have the low speed control for traffic and the u- turn in one lane test.

However on the intensive course you do learn a lot quickly (four days then test on day five) if you get a four to one instruction to riders you should be OK.

Pay a bit more for this and make sure they have good bike to bike radios.

My course was a sat sun - then sat sun following weekend then test on monday - saying that my GF passed first time and she had only ever been a pillion!

hth

kryten

Having just done it the exact same thing, I can speak from recent experience. I've been pillion a lot many years back but only ridden for a couple of hours on 50cc things in Spain.

I wanted a bike, and I wanted it NOW! So the Direct Access course was the only option. However, the idea of getting instruction, as suggested on a n to 1 basis didn't appeal. How can they sort you out to be as good as possible if there are three other people to concentrate on?

I found a local school that was recommended by everyone I know and called them. Booked a 4 day course (Thursday/Friday, then next Thursday, test on Friday). First day CBT was 2 to 1. Rest of the course was 1 to 1. Brilliant!

Remember, you may need to do the Theory test first. Its really pretty easy - just buy one of the official 'all the questions' books and read the entire thing!

Low speed riding is really the difficult bit to get right and the turn round is 'the one'. I made it round and passed with no problems.

I don't know the cost for the n to 1 courses, but I paid £550 for the 4 days, all in, which I think was pretty good value. I'll be going back for a bit more 'real world' riding instruction soon.

Plus, I'm now enjoying my Thundercat 600

Mr Leigh

Hi, I did my CBT followed by a two day Sat?sun course and passed no problem Having never been on a bike till that point. Like someone said you really just need to show confidence. Got a GSX-R600 value £3600. £510 ins TP/FT. Do it, you will never look back a cars again.

phd

I had a bike many years ago, like 20 odd! Didn't pass my test, sold the bike.
Decided last year I would go for the test again.

Bought a dropped N reg GPZ500 last August, spent the winter on a strip down, part finding, respray and rebuild.

Did my CBT one Saturday, rode a 600 Bandit the following Sat/Sun (in pouring rain/high wind) then had my test 8:30 on a Monday Morning, yip in the rain. By 10 am I was back in the Scoob driving home - passed. Had really good instructors though - all credit to them. ( Roadskill - Swansea, thanks!)

Pleased as punch now, £145 for TPF&T insurance on the GPZ. Will get some NCD before moving up a few 100cc's.

Best thing I ever did.

Pete

BaldyMan

Cheers ppl - thanks for the replies

Phill

One thing i found really usefull was the advanced road riding course offered by CSM and most likely everyone else, but they take anybody with a CBT or more and do two days @£100 a day going through how to ride on the road safely and it helps .....

Do this before your license training course as i found i learnt more in those two days then in five days on the license course itself, perhaps it might get you through in three days to help balance the cost !!