Direct access good or bad..... Gimme some facts!

i only passed in October and got my bike last month and no drop yet. Have been riding scooters for a few years (gotta start somewhere?) as that's all I've needed to ride.

My instructor was very good. He prepared me well for country roads but not enough for me to go out on my bike now and try to get my knee down. He was good about braking and approaching junctions, corners that gave you the confidence to approach them sensibly and possibly saved me from an off whilst on lessons when a chav driving his corsa decided to ignore me on a roundabout. If I'd pulled the front brake i'd be sliding. When riding a scooter and you have to brake you just grab both brakes which i hard habit to break.

I would like to take some further instruction but feel I need to get used to my bike so that the further training is not wasted.I don't want the training so that i can blast through twisties with my knee down, i've read the statistics and the training has not helped the ****s who kill themselves. I just want to be even more aware of my surroundings.

Two other things I thought were pertinent.

I don't consider the new part of the test they're adding to be an "advanced" bit, from what I've read it's simply doing what most of us have had to learn ourselves in a relatively safe environment.

Secondly, I had my first off a few months after getting my first big bike. It was a pulling away with cold tyres then discovering grit on the road moment. From what I've heard, pretty much everybody has made the same mistake at least once, it's a lesson well learnt, I think.

Add on to this, I can't help thinking that I'm basically agreeing with what BigApe and a few others were saying. The DAS is all well and good, now go out and do some more advanced training, cos it will become useful.

Originally Posted by Carsick

So, the question is, are people worried that we're not taught enough advanced riding? because I don't think that's what the DAS is for, and I don't think it should be, either.
If you introduce a compulsory "advanced" part of the test, then you're just going to discourage alot of people who may be perfectly good riders, or maybe just don't plan on riding like that.

I agree the DAS is purely to teach the basics and get you through the L test and cannot really encompass any more than that in the time available.

I understand what you mean about "perfectly good riders" but when you say "they dont plan on riding like that" I think you may be missing the point of advanced training - its not about doing fancy fast stuff, its about training to ride with far more awareness of hazards, better road positioning, better bike control and with that eventually comes natural "progressive riding".

Originally Posted by mumstoy

I understand what you mean about "perfectly good riders" but when you say "they dont plan on riding like that" I think you may be missing the point of advanced training - its not about doing fancy fast stuff, its about training to ride with far more awareness of hazards, better road positioning, better bike control and with that eventually comes natural "progressive riding".

I have to admit, I probably do have the idea of going faster and advanced riding stuck in my head.

So in the end, it really comes down to attitude. Do you want to learn more about riding a bike? The people that want to learn and can admit they don't know it all, anecdotal evidence suggests to me that those people are often the more sensible amongst us.

Have I gone off topic?

OK, so I've been on bikes 18 years, so my knowledge of the test is pretty irrelevant.

But having seen it change, along with the technology of bikes themselves I can say one thing - you never going to stop a **** from being a ****!

So with DAS some idiot with more money than sense can go out, with virtually no experience of bikes, let alone of road in general, and make a potentially deadly nuisance of themselves.

But they can do that anyway in a car - and with the relative safety that ensures they are less like to strengthen the gene pool by their absence, and more likely to kill others.

Also that kind of rider is as deadly, and as much of a boost to our insurance premiums, on a 125 or scooter as on anything bigger. If anything more so, as on a low powered machine you simply don't have that kick to get you out of a situation.

Everything else, learing to read the road, riding position, handling, low speed manouvering etc, it's all about experience - be it your own or taking on board that of others. No single test is going to give you that, only time. So to be honest I don't think it really matters which way you get into biking.

Some people benefit from a slow build up through smaller machines - others (myself included) feel safer and more confident on something with a bit of meat on it. It's horses for courses.

Everything is a learning curve, and face it, ****s rarely learn.

I do think that perhaps the IAM could do more to raise their profile amongst new bikers though. Many perceive their training to be all knee down race moves. It's anything but.
As Lorna said, it's all about passing on a wealth of experience regarding safer, better road riding skills. Stuff that could take you years and many mistakes of biking on your own to learn the hard way.

I have to say we're lucky in Northampton. Anyone who lives in Northamptonshire can sign up for the initial IAM police pursute ride for free. As well as a one day track course which is all about low speed handling, postitioning etc (you never get about about 45mph) in a isolated environment.
This is free too, all funded by Northhamptonshire police.

Um, I'm not too sure where I'm going with all this rambling!

Basically I don't think that either test is at fault. More the worries caused by the attitude of a few retards, which isn't going to change and can't really be stopped.



Well, not unless they start to include psychological profiling before your even allowed to apply for a car or bike test.

Originally Posted by K

you never going to stop a **** from being a ****!

You just summed up part of what I was trying to say in my last post.

I passed my DAS 3 years ago and touch wood haven't come off since passing. I did come off on my second day of my DAS course though.

I joined a large roundabout and my front wheel hit some diesel. I manged to keep the bike upright but headed for the centre of the roundabout, hit the kerb and ended in heap in the middle of the roundabout covered in mud (It was in the middle of January). As my instructor was helping me get to my feet who should ride past, none other than the examiner who took my test the next day. Still passed though.

I went the long route before taking my DAS. I took my CBT and went around on a 125 for 8 months (not just at weekends, all week) before taking my full test with 2 days tuition.

I did come off the 125 once or twice during the bad weather in the winter (I took my CBT in November). But that was down to having ice on the roads and that can catch the most experienced of riders out.

I think the motorcycle test as it stands needs changing somewhat. The age restriction doesnt work properly a lot of new riders are having a midlife crisis !! Perhaps grading and cc restriction would be appropriate for new riders. Having extra power is an advantage at times, but to the inexperienced it can sometimes be too much and can get out of hand.

[timwilky]

although I voted still upright after 2 years, By first bike was written off for me after 6 days. I stopped at traffic lights. Dozy git behind didn't. He admitted liability and I am still got an ongoing claim for personal injuries. So I don't count it,

DAS course teaches you the basics to pass the test. You only learn once you get out there feck up and get away with it and think I ain't going to do that again. At no point on my course was cornering ever discussed. Counter steering was something discussed in mags. It was on;y when I rode with some experienced friends that they helped me through my corner difficulties.