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

OK, so perhaps you did your DAS and hopped on a SV or bike of similar size. How did you fare after that?
Was it plain sailing or do have x-rays that show otherwise?

Guilty.

Front wheel slide on a wet road - grabbed front brake.

Did the DAS - I felt it was good for what it's worth, essentially get's you to a standard where you're considered safe enough to get on the road with ANY bike...in much the same way that you CAN pass your car test in 5 days and can go out and drive a ferrari the next day if you want to :-/

BUT - I'd say it's only the START of learning to ride a bike, much like when you pass your car test, it takes a few months/years/decades of experience in all conditions to become good.

The other thing I did was start doing the IAM - this I am sure has saved not only my life (on at least a couple of occasions) - but has also saved me a few speeding tickets - due to the fact that I was riding appropriately for the posted limits etc. The IAM is a great way of progressing your learning and becoming a more competent rider...

That said, I did bin the bike within 3 months of passing the DAS - cold, icy morning, going round a roundabout and touched some diesel and the front end slipped away (those D220's are coming off any day now )

IMO the DAS course and L test just teaches you basic bike control, and basic road safety. On my DAS I asked about leaning for corners and was told "dont worry you dont really need to know that"

I struggled big time with nerves for the first 12 months after passing my L test and only saw any real improvement a few months after joining my local IAM motorcycle group 12 months ago. Now Im more knowlegeable, more confident , more progressive and altogether much safer rider Ive still a way to go but I hope to take my advanced test soon. Ive said before - I think that motorcycle accidents would be drastically reduced if there was a compulsory element of advanced training after L test.

Ride safe everyone

Did the DAS 6-7 years ago, first drop that was my fault and not be getting rear ended was over 5 years

Training or surviving long enough to tell the tale?
When I started riding all we had to do was pass a thoery test, valid for 2 years. This gave us entitlement to ride ANY size bike. Passengers and motorways were not allowed.
So I have met that mythical bloke on the 'busa who wanted know where first gear was!

Mate of mine bought a ZXR400 after I went bike shopping with him and advised him against the ZX7R. I couldn't let him ride it home, every time he changed gear he looked down at his foot

So for me, a relative outlander, DAS seems like a not so bad idea.

[Haircut]

At least with the DAS you're learning on a 'bigger' bike, which has to be a good thing.

What you do after you get a license is up to you.

A muppet can get themselves killed on any size bike.

well i am going to live up to my name, wot is the IAM exactly. as for the advance riding courses ill probably do that in the summer next year

There isn't a poll option that fits me.

I think that DAS suits some people, and others less so.

In my case, I did a DAS-pass in a week having never riden anything before. Ever.

Since then I've had 9 months on my Hornet and done a Bikesafe course with the local plod. No "offs" or drops and no really scary moments. My short-term target is to keep it this way through my first winter of biking.

I should say that I'm considerably over 21 years old and have been driving (own fault) accident-free for well over 20 years. I suspect that I'm not the sort of person to take undue risks with my safety although I'm not aware of being thought a particularly slow rider.

I think that DAS suits those who already have some on-road experience and have developed that 6th sense that's sometimes needed. DAS probably doesn't suit those at the other end of the spectrum of those who are able to do it, i.e. the 21-year old who's never riden/driven anything on the road before.

Originally Posted by burner

Training or surviving long enough to tell the tale?
When I started riding all we had to do was pass a thoery test, valid for 2 years. This gave us entitlement to ride ANY size bike. Passengers and motorways were not allowed.

Where and when was that, or did I miss something?