best courses for novice rider confidence?

Which one would be best for increasing confidence of a novice rider of a big machine? I can only afford to do one at a time, so which would be most useful? I have been recommended IAM, i2i and off road...

The course of Personal Experience, I believe you can enroll at the University of Life

I passed my test then went away for two months to an island with no roads and came back to find my safe little 125 gone and just an SV as transport...with a pending lone trip to Scotland three weeks later...turned out I was fine and the experience gained from that ride did my confidence the world of good.

I am by no means against advanced courses, I do plan to take one at some point, but from personal experience when first learning I wanted to get to grips and just ride my own bike before trying to take in oodles of information from other folk which would just make me ride worse in the beginning. These courses are great for improving the techniques you have developed over time and possible ironing out any bad habits you will have picked up along the way. But there is definitely no substitute for experience

As Maria said above and...

Do the people you trained with to pass your test do post test tuition?

Some do and it will be cheaper as your getting one to one instruction for his or her day rate.

[Sir Trev]

Do you already drive Agy? If so you'll find it's all a matter or familiarisation and confidence, as the others have suggested.

Let us know if you do go on a course though - my wife would like to get back on two wheels and is contemplating some kind of refresher/confidence builder.

Yes I do. Not had a car for years tho... I'm a cyclist so very confident on the road in general. Just need some confidence building with things like skids, cornering etc A lot of people recommended off road..

I would recommend getting miles under your belt. However the IAM skills for life might work well for you. You'll be taught the IAM way which will give you more conifdence on the road plus you will meet many like minded people who you can ride socially with and learn further. All for a reasonable price.

I am booked in for the bike safe course with the police next month

[BoltonSte]

Get out and ride with people who are willing not to bugger off and leave you (I'm not talking big groups here), that way you'll get to see what's what...ask them how/why they did something and it'll be done at a suitable pace for you so you don't feel pressured to go out of your current comfort zone.

Most of us learn through practice, but doing it on your own could have you practicing but not learning anything. Being with someone else (doesn't have to be every time you ride) makes you realise that you can get round that corner at that speed, the bike will lean further etc...I'm all for doing an advanced course, but you can get a long way by following someone else.

hi im new to bikes . and find getting conferdence rideing does come wth time , i passed my test 8 weeks ago , and i do 64 miles aday to and from work , and most on cost and dual roads and i still slow right down to 20 - 30 mph on bends , but i am getting better , im a lot slower in the rain , on the open road , in dry iv had the bike upto 70 on a stright but thats my limit , i got a second hand bike , and it looks real good condition , but im still not over sure about it think with new riders its always some thing in the back of your mind if soomething goes wrong when your on the road , im away to put it into a garage to get them to check it over even thow im sure they wont find any thing but its just a piece of mind , i did the bike safe coarse last week in aberdeen , and it was a real good day , had a real good ride out with the police and an advanced rider joind us and took us back , i was told i was far to slow in bends , and have to relax more on the road , which i new any way , im going to join the advanced rideing trainning as been looking into alsorts of trainning and that does come up at thebest price , £140 for the year thats 8 lessons , free rac membership and all your tests , and if you need or want extra trainning you just have to pay for the trainners petrol , and thats it , not like a lot of trainning groups iv been in touch with who have given me prices from £45- £70per lesson after paying to do all my bike tests and trainning and to get my bike i just carnt afford that , so thats the road im going down now , but as many have said and will say the best way to learn is just to get out there , and ride , you have passed your test so you know how to do that , and as i was told on my trainning with the police , do not worry about cars behind you , they will pass you if they have to , as that was what got me , i use to pull over to let them pass but not know , hope all goes well , and im sure we will get there and to a standard thats keeps us safe and allows us to enjoy our bikes

[Balky001]

or if you can get yourself on the two or 3 day BMW Motorcycle course at Nurburgring then you'll get to know your bike and handlinig super quick (make sure you go in the touring group unless you want to be a racer!) Full of old BMW and other touring bikes and just gets you concentrating on riding and control (unless you are in the racing group!) The 200 u turns you have to do when riding small parts to get to know some of the corners in the moring sessions is a test in itself

Otherwise get a decent book, ride lots and practise specific drills