About to do Direct Access, training centre opinions...

[NutsyUk]

So after moving back home for a bit ive finally saved up enough to do my Direct Access course...

Some googling I have found Camriders, they have a centre in Norwich...

https://www.camrider.com/uk-locations/norwich/prices-and-courses.html

And for a 4 day course they charge 469 quid. From what i can tell that's including the test fees and bike hire.

Has anyone here used these guys? Have anything good or bad to say about them?

The price certainly seems cheap so I wonder if there's a catch.

Also ive been riding now for 10 months. Would the 4 day course be the right choice?

What do you lot think?
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Yamaha FZ8/Fazer800 (split headlight one) 2014, gingerly getting used to the massive increase in HP and not killing myself in the process! That was easy to get used to.
Kawasaki ER6F 2007 650 Gonna sell as a project bike!
Lexmoto XTR S 125 Sold!

[mudcow007]

Me personally, would look at getting a single lesson with them (if reviews are cool)an ask them what they think of your skillz

You may need more/ less training?

[Hawkeye1250FA]

I did the 4 day course (many moons ago) after 3 or 4 years of riding on a CBT and really could have done it over 3 days with hindsight.

If you have good balance and can control the bike well, 3 day course would be fine (imo)
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[NJD]

So -- if my understanding is correct -- you're going from a CBT to your first full license -- A?

I'd go on a pay as you go basis simple because pre-booked courses are great when you pass first time but more money and leave a sour taste when you don't, also regardless of how well you think you can ride there's no one shoe fits all amount of training time when it comes to the school getting you up to the standard of being happy to put you in for the tests.

I'd say book a day's worth of training and see where you're at. At the end of it see how much they want you to do before a Module one test and then book that plus the test. After the module one see how much you'll need for Module 2 and then book that and the Module 2.

On the whole you're better of going down a local car park with some cones than you are expecting to get full on Module 1 training: several hours on a car park would drive anyone nuts. In reality you're training will be out on the road and maybe an hour on the test pad.

Also keep notice of the fairly standard practice of putting you on a tiddler first before letting you on an A2/A bike. I, however, went straight onto a GS 500 because "yup I've got my own bike and yup I commute like a handful -- then -- times a week."

Training takes forever and costs an arm and a leg.

Still got to do my A license, canne be bothered.
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The do it all, T̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶,̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶i̶g̶ ̶l̶u̶m̶p̶,̶ ̶C̶h̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶N̶o̶o̶d̶l̶e̶

[Ste]

Training schools like saying how many days a course is but I'd be much more interested in how many hours riding time you get for your money.

What happens if you fail mod 1, do you lose your mod 2 booking that's already been paid for or will they move you to a later date at no additional cost?

What happens if you fail mod 2, is the only option their £110.00 extra session?

[arry]

Sub £500 I'd just pay it and do it. They get good reviews. Nip down there, have a chat with them, see if you can get along and if so, get the damn thing done.

[NutsyUk]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

Well thats easy to resolve.

Just get down to an empty car park and practice. You can get the U turn measurements online and find two lines on a carpark around the right distance and crack on.

The swerve test is easyput your weight on which-ever footpeg is on the side you want to swerve while you practice.

Obs you cant practice the 50kph bit But have at it.


The MOD2 stuff is just normal riding with good obs and doing full checks etc etc.
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[Evil Hans]

[NutsyUk]

[Rogerborg]

Book and pass Theory.

Book and sit mod 1 on your own bike for the princely sum of £15.50. Don't fret if you fumble the U-turn because sportsbike, it's just cheap practice to get you past any test nerves and show that there's nothing to it.

If you can do it on an XTR, you can do it on a 600 with ABS and such, so book the course with confidence and have at it.

Mod 2 is just a ride around. Slow in, sharpish out, job done.

Check that you're not getting a Tef as an instructor.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[bacon]

4 days seems like a lot considering you have been riding 10months already. Though it also does seem bloody cheap so might be worth going for it.

Back in 2009, in Weston super mare, Morses Yamaha dealer, I booked a cbt for £120, a week later did the theory. Then 2 weeks later I did a 3 day DAS, with the single test on Monday morning (I rode around for an hour before the test as well in practice), at a cost of £630... Maybe I got truly robbed price wise! But I felt the amount of training was about right.

I hadn't ever sat on a bike before my cbt (but did have a car licence for 6 years prior).

[TbirdX]

Camrider will be four sessions, not four days. Sessions are usually four hours long, give or take.

From memory, you'll do a 125 to 600 transition, a mod 1 practice session and road ride, mod 1 test, mod 2 test.

If you fail any part you'll have to rebook, about £150 for a mod 1 - £220ish for a mod 2.

It might vary by centre though but that was my experience with Camrider.
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VFR800X - TTR250

[Ste]

£150 for another go at mod 1?

[TbirdX]

Yup, about that. You're paying for four hours essentially. Bike hire and chaperone.
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VFR800X - TTR250

[Gunhawk]

I used Cam Rider (Rackheath, Norwich) for my CBT in 2012 and found them to be great.

I then used Tinklers, Norwich to have a 1-1 session to practise MOD1, before doing Mod 1 + 2 on my own 125 (back in the old days in 2012) and found them to be great too.
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Current: Honda VFR800 VTEC
Previous: Honda CBF125, Honda XL650 Transalp, Honda CBR600f3
CBT: 19/5/12 > Theory: 06/08/12 > MOD1: 29/08/12 > MOD2: 16/10/12

[Bonnie Lad]

I used craft motorcycle training for my 5 day intensive course in Norwich. Were very good but not in operation anymore by the looks of it.

Twice during our mod 1 practice session our guy told the camrider instructor to do one, as he was using the time we had booked on the mod 1 facility to let his students watch our instructor teach us the routine. Was a bit awkward tbh

[Wonko The Sane]

As others have said, you may need more time, you may need less time.

I did a half day's training which didn't cost much as an assessment and got me a fair way towards being mod 1 ready (probably could have chanced it)

This was knocked off the cost and I was told I'd only need 3 days and how much extra would be if needed.

I actually passed with half a day remaining which I used towards the maintenance course they offered at the time.
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Looking to pass your CBT / Bike tests in Bury Lancashire? try www.focusridertraining.co.uk Would recommend.
They're also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Focus-Rider-Training/196832923734251