BikeSafe 2006 - Review from my Experience

[Method]

Ok ill keep this short and sweet,

2 reasons why - You've probably heard it all before / theres been a post about it that ive missed AND Im fecking exhausted.

Right then:

Friday Afternoon, get a call from a mate. We put our details into BikeSafe website a while back, they rang him up saying they are short on numbers, does he want to come down to leicester tomorow (Sat 18th). Because this is their first one of 2006 its all promotional realy so they realy want numbers - £10 and a spot is his ( compared to the normal £50 aparently ). Naturally he takes the spot, the woman asks him if he has a mate that wants to come aswell, to make the numbers up. As i have no money, he tells her he has a freind that can come, but he cant afford it. She walks away - "If you pay for yours now, we'll do a buy one get one free for ya ". SO he takes it.

Voila - One free BikeSafe assesment for moi.

Ok so with that out the way - the panic starts.

At about 11.30pm friday night my headlight starts to flicker and my front indicator stops working - Call a mate round with spare indicators just incase. Numerous cups of coffee and some pretty impressive wiring repairs later and its all fixed. In bed by 1.30am

So Saturday Morning:

6:00am - Wake up, get my documents all set and packed into the tank bag, get kitted up - final check of oil, chain, lights and tyres and im on my way to my mates place for 7.10am.

Get to my mates - Frantic search entails after the elusive insurance documents

7.40am and we are at the petrol station - Full tanks and a quick drink later and we are on our way up the 47 to leicester.

Arrive in center of leicester around 8.10am - Getting lost then ensues, with the ability to read basic road signs distorted by tiredness, and boredom.

Arrive at the police HQ for about 8.55am - Just in time

9am and there is a quick photoshoot of all the bikes lined up for promo reasons, and we are inside.

9.10am introduction to what BikeSafe is all about, a quick "welcome everyone" and a description of what the day will contain.

9.20am PowerPoint presentation, showing the lines you should be taking round corners, to give you optimum view of the road...

9.45am And we are put into groups of two. Two people to one police rider. Shown the route we are taking, the seargent, in my case explains the first 20miles of the route
and tells me to ride it, but ride MY ride - how i would normally. Oh - Before all this he explains that basically he isnt out to issue tickets today,
theres no point you riding at 60 and him teaching you how to ride at that speed - when your going to leave the place and do 90+mph and not be able to handle it, thus wasting
yours and his time, which i thought was pretty sweet Never done 80+ with a copper behind me and not get gayed for it

so by 9-50 we are on the first leg of the ride out. You ride - You, then Police man, then your partner. Policeman watches you to work out what you need improving,
and your partner watches the policeman to get an idea of what he should be doing. Works well

20 Miles later we stop, have a chat about that section, tells me that i need to work on my line for the right handers, and use my front brake a little more when stopping / slowing.
We switch over, im now behind the seargent and my mate is in front, following the seargents Harley (Donated to them) is something special, and realy shows you what your
doing wrong, it was worth going just to see that. Spot on riding and realy helps to follow his lines

So anyway, a few more rotations like that through some country roads, a lot of talking about individual sections of each of our rides - focusing right down to foot peg positioning,
and we are at the main stop - Harley dealership in Uppingham. Stop there for an hour. A burger and endless coffee ensues, with a chance to see the harley and other police bikes up close.

An hour later we are back on the road, same as before but more detailed... no autocom communication or anything, so its all a case of doing what you think is right whilst your riding,
and then talking about it when you stop. Hoping youve done it all as you should.

3pm and we are the last to arrive back at the HQ - due to more fuel stops that neccesary realy but hey

Debreif in the main office and signing the certificates.

Voila - Uno Passo Del BikeSafe 2006 if youve done allright

All in all i covered just over 200 miles in the day - 120 on the days ride out and 100ish riding there and back. A Very long day, and if taken seriously and in the correct state of mind,
taking in what you are told - it is a very tiring day, both physically and mentally.

For what i payed - £0 More than worth it A Great day out, realy good stuff, learnt a great deal from it and would advise anyone else to do it

Would i pay => £50 for it? Im not sure - although i learnt a lot i dont think i got the most out of it, probably due to the crappy weather but hey. A Seirously good day out.

Basically focuses on Getting lines correct for bends, making sure you have the optimum visibilty at all times by correct positioning, and improving your overtakes! The way they exlpained it was - Advanced perception and awareness training, pretty much sums it up.


Ok so it hasnt been short, or sweet. Probably bored you all to sleep, but hey, there might be one person who reads this and finds it interesting, so to them i say "Your Welcome"

gg'z

Dave.
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CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[Brava210]

nice post,i will be doing a course in the summer...
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Honda Novio, Puch Grand Prix, Suzuki AP50, CZ 125, Wassell 125, Montesa 348,Honda 125TDC, Suzuki 100ER, Suzuki GSF650 Bandit, Aprillia Pegaso, Honda PCX125, Honda Forza300, BMW G310 GS, Suzuki SFV650, Honda CB500X

CHARLEY SAYS " ALWAYS TELL YOUR MUMMY BEFORE YOU GO OFF SOMEWHERE"

[unfazed]

Nice one Method , i have been thinking of doing one, now i think its a defo west mids do a 2 day course!

[colin1]

id definitely do it for free but i think its £100 in the west mids.

if anyone knows different let me know.

i might do it if it was £50 and probably wd if it was £30.

maybe i shd put my name on the bikesafe website too just in case west mids need numbers making up some day
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[bazza]

[Method]

I got the goody bag - Got some semi decent stuff in it like ear plugs and a metal ear plug holder lol

Although it also includes that DVD "A track, a street, an open road" am watching it now, pretty interesting actually

The day on the whole realy improved my riding - i couldnt realy tell much during the session because i was constanly worrying about the police bloke following me, and didnt want to feck up. But as soon as i got out onto the open roads and on my own - i could realy tell the difference in my riding

And now - for the first time in months im actually realy wanting to just go out into some twistys for a ride! I think this was just what i needed
____________________
CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[TOM M]

[mrchips]

Bikesafe is free in Northern Ireland, I/;m doign mine this summer.
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[NC30UK]

[Method]

They are bike trainers that day - they dont pull you.

Like he said - Whats the point in you riding like a numpty when as soon as you get on your own you ride like rossi?

Yeah youve learnt lots - but you havent adapted it to your own riding style. You might be even worse when you ride fast.

And to be honest mate - you shouldnt be riding at stupid speeds realy should ya? And if your scared to ride at those speeds in front of an experienced / qualified rider such as the bike safe guys, then you dont have the confidence in your own ability to ride at those speeds safely.

The dude told us to- "Ride your own ride" for that reason. You can ride his ride all day if you like, but then you've wasted your own money and time realy
____________________
CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[terrible_tony]

yea, it was free for you, you didnt even have to pay for you dinner did ya ya cheeky sod!

you can clean the bike for me!!!!

well at least we can say that we left our mark - quite literally! lol.

what they say about the - ride yor own ride, they dont nick you. All they do is tell you to slow down if they think it unsafe to be doing excssive speed, in a residential area for example. i was overtaking a vehicle at around 85 - 90, scary at first, looking in your mirror to see a police bike behind you. but he's there to improve your riding at the speeds you would normally do. Not nick you for speeding! Yay.
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remember when everythings coming ur way ...... ur in the wrong lane (well the right lane if ya wanna be difficult)

[Andy C]

sound like somthing i need to do, i can ride fast but think someone behind me telling me things to inprove is just what i need,

£50 is a lot though, for £10 i would no worries!!

What they like with race cans and 8x6 plates??
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[mrchips]

[Dazbo666]

Hoping to do a Bikesafe course later in the year - £80 in my area I believe
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Kwaks]

Pretty sure its still free up here in Ecosse Was meaning to do it for the last few years but to be honest I would feel uncomfortable with the Police sitting behind me, and if I was riding my own ride and he was on a Harley then I'm afraid he aint gonnae see much

Well worth doing though if you are unsure of your road positioning to give maximum sightlines
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Fallen Angel "Nae sniffing my seat now!!!!! "
www.cliqueycuntsmcc.co.uk
I AM NOT A FAST RIDER!!!!!!!!!

[Chriss]

For around £80 you can do an IAM course. Not as intensive, learn alot more (as they have more time to teach you) and it pays for itself in insurance discounts!
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[bazza]

[Dazbo666]

TBH I'll probably do both, eventually... and trackdays too.

I don't smoke, and I rarely drink, so riding is my only real vice
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[biggerjohn]

[mr.z]

Remember seeing some cops on pan euopeans in london, no fecking way your getting away from them
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Method]

[Andy C]

[Method]

[Chriss]

[T1z3R]

cool write up...sounds right up my street.

my insurance broker (devitt) are offering 10% discounts on their policys for doing a bikesafe course.

have checked their site out and will get in touch with them.

according to their site it is indeed free (in scotland at least) so may be worth further investigation if your interested.

https://www.bikesafe.co.uk/Bikesafe/Bikesafe2000/scotland/scotland.html
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duck my sick!