IAM

[EssexDave]

I'm considering doing the IAM this year.

Now I'm not interested in people telling me it's a waste of time etc etc, I'm interested more in the logistics of how it works.

The training school I used for my tests sort of said, pay our guy £30 and hour, and pay membership to IAM and then after maybe 4-5 sessions, do the assessment and become a member if you pass.

Now, being on the IAM website, it suggests that the actual training is free (bar some money for petrol to your trainer) and this is organised once you go for rides with them, they help you and when they think you're ready you can take the test etc etc.

So it seems going through a training school is a grand way to waste £30 an hour, or am I missing something?

Cheers,

Dave

[600+]

You are correct!

You pay the IAM about £100 odd quid, they send you paperwork to fill in, you go find your local IAM group and start going out with them on rides. The "training" is free and usually they suggest 4-6 rides before you take your test. That depends on the rider ofcourse.

In my group the one being trained will buy breakfast for the trainer.

If you don't pass the test you pay to retake it.

Simples!

[Stu]

Well through the IAM it's £139 for the skill for life package - which is your observed runs from your local club (we charge £5 a run for observer's petrol) and the test fee included. But most importantly it lets you join the club with all the benefits of social rides, club nights etc etc that brings.
Artybiker should be able to describe the 3rd way I believe as her club is no longer affiliated to IAM but offers similar training and lets you sit the test.

I can't recommend joining the IAM highly enough (so long as your local club is as good as mine)

[Kilted Ginger]

yep thats a scam...

You buy the skils for life program, I think its £130ish. That includes your membership to the IAM for a year, membership of whatever group you join for the same year and the test fee. The only other costs after that are as you say a small contribution for the observers fuel. in my experience some just take a coffee etc at wherever you stop for a debrief at the end of the run or 3 or 4 £ for fuel.
hth

Forgot, if you contact your local group they usually offer the first night free, do an observed ride and get a blether with others there, lets you decide if its the right path for you before shelling out £100+

[orose]

Up here it is a similar layout to how 600+ described - pay for skills for life, do an observed ride with one of our senior observers, then drag an observer around for 10 or so sessions before going back before the seniors for pre-test assessment. We go on the basis of feed the observer as well, with a club membership to cover the non-riding aspects of the club like the social meeting and classroom Q&A sessions

It sounds like the original quotes you got were from an advanced training school rather than a local group, so I'd be tempted to head over to www.iam.org.uk and find your local motocycle group in their directory.

[Essex of Essex]

Dave, Cadam is your local group, £10 per ride to assist in your observers petrol costs, I then generaly buy the tea for the associate out of that. Drop me a PM if you have any specific questions.

Andrew

[Kalessin]

Apparently, many local "chapters" of IAM can differ greatly in the way they operate, so this is what happens at my local IAM group, Northants Advanced Motorcyclists. YMMV.

In addition to the Skills For Life package, Northamptonshire residents can join the IAM at a hugely discounted rate when they attend Bikekraft (Northants' version of BikeSafe). That's what I did. Bikekraft was great.

NAM Rideouts are every Sunday (or weekdays by prior arrangement) and we pay £8 per rideout to the observer to "cover their petrol". This is a sample route (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=A428%2FBedford+Rd&daddr=A508+to:Melton+Mowbray,+Leicestershire,+UK&hl=en&geocode=Fb4DHQMdOn7y_w%3BFXbmHQMdNjLy_w%3BFVseJQMd bnzy_ynbFYaEiH13SDGa2q7xddzjMA&mra=ls&via=1&sll=52.52207,-0.803375&sspn=0.564017,1.194763&ie=UTF8&ll=52.515385,-0.781403&spn=0.564103,1.194763&t=h&z=10) for a Sunday morning.

At the start, the observer has a look at your bike to ensure it's taxed and roadworthy. They'll ask you about the POWDER pre-ride checks (petrol, oil, water, damage, electrics, rubber) They then talk about how you feel about riding in general, if there are any areas you're concerned about, and describe the approximate route, and how it'll be travelled.

Some observers will give you a one-way radio before you set off, so they can give you directions. Others will signal in plenty of time and expect you to be vigilantly checking your mirrors.

At some point during the ride, the observer may pull you over into a layby to discuss your riding. I had this happen once because I was very nervous and the observer wanted to reassure me, and once because there was an "interesting" road layout ahead and the observer wanted to point it out as we were about to approach it.

At the end of the ride, we stop for a cup of tea or whatever, and discuss the ride and any issues that either of us had. The observer may question you on manoeuvres you made, to make sure you can back them up with observation-based reasoning.

In addition to the practical side of membership, you also get a copy of the highway code and a copy of the IAM's official motorcycling book (it's just changed and I haven't got it and can't remember the new title). They also recommend you buy a copy of the Police Motorcyclist's handbook, which is well worth it IMO.

[ArtyLady]

Or try these Dave - not affiliated to IAM but you can do IAM or Rospa test or both. Not sure what the join up costs are but they do totally free training once a month (sunday mornings - usually a couple of associates to 1 observer) and then also when you go out with your allocated observer for one to one its £5 to cover petrol.

http://www.eamg.org.uk/

[EssexDave]

Thanks for your replies. Have checked out Cadam andrew, they look like just the ticket, will try and get down once the weather is a bit nicer :p

[Steve_God]

If you're lucky like I was, you can normally find the odd IAM group that won't even charge for covering the cost of petrol (as they do it for the fun / excuse of getting out on the bike) :p

[Stu]

If you're lucky like I was, you can normally find the odd IAM group that won't even charge for covering the cost of petrol (as they do it for the fun / excuse of getting out on the bike) :p
I did even better than that!

I got through my training before they started the contributions, now I'm an observer they have brought in the contributions :smt077

[Caddy2000]

Dave, Cadam is your local group, £10 per ride to assist in your observers petrol costs, I then generaly buy the tea for the associate out of that. Drop me a PM if you have any specific questions.

Andrew

And what's wrong with the EAMG eh?

[Essex of Essex]

And what's wrong with the EAMG eh?

Nothing, but I had some information that I could impart about Cadam and I was waiting for an Eamg member to advise the details for Dave (thankyou Arty:smt006

[Caddy2000]

Well that'll teach me for not reading all the thread before posting won't it!

[jamessunhill]

I did mine last year.
£139 for the membership and then training free (always bought the brews when we got back for the debrief/writeup though).

I found it really good and has made a big difference to my riding.

TBH, I don't apply all the training in everyday riding, but observation, road positioning (most of the time) and a few other bits make a big difference.