Great video Mark & Toby. I speak as a retired bike cop and contributed to my local Bike Safe initiative. I have to say, I really enjoyed my time with Bike Safe and nothing was more gratifying than to see riders getting something out of their experience; which hopefully would help them be safer but at the same time enjoy their riding even more than perhaps they did before. Again it would have been nice to have had a higher volume of younger demographic attend. As was said, I never regarded myself as a biking guru. In fact a lot of the attendees were naturally better riders than myself. It was just that I was lucky to have received a lot of intensive and high level training, which gave me a box of tools which I could use to ensure that I went home in one piece and not in a body bag. That training and experience I could offer to help others with their motorcycling passion. Certainly with us, all the biker cops involved would give up our days off to volunteer and help, such was the value and enjoyment we apportioned to this initiative.
Thanks guys. Just what we needed and I do wish the youngsters would take note. I'm 79 and riding a BMW K1100LT, having passed my test in 1961 on a RE 500 twin. Things have changed so much since then and more to the point the roads are far more crowded therefore awareness is paramount.
Totally agree it's a great thing to do. I did my advanced (car) way back in the late 80s, so not totally new to to advanced driving and riding. I did a Safe Rider course with the local Constabulary about 18 months ago. Straight off the back of that, I signed up with the local RoSPA group to take my bike advanced training and test. Last week, I started my journey to become an advanced tutor with the group. In the last 18 months I've made new friends, ridden with some excellent riders and enjoyed some brilliant days out on longer rides. Riding with others who ride to the same standard is a revelation compared to some of the group rides I've been on the past. Motorcycling is so much more enjoyable now.
Chaps, a small but relevant point - Bikesafe isn't offered in the whole of the UK, Scotland seems to have decided against it some time ago. We do have a locally delivered thing called Rider Refinement, involving police riders assisted by IAM/Rospa, but even that isn't consistently delivered across Scotland.
Hi Guys, this Bike Safe sounds like a good idea and as a returning rider I would benefit from just about any training. Sadly I came across a RTA only last weekend where a car pulled out from the side road "Monkey Tree" onto A3075 "Newquay Rd" into the path of a Motorcycle, this was a GS1200 I think and the rider was in a bad way having T boned the car.
That sounds awful. A course like this doesn’t mean it can’t happen but what it does do is start riders thinking about what could happen and looking ahead :)
Brilliant vlog guys. I am a ROSPA trained HGV driver assessor and i have put into practice what i have learnt on the bike. it is brilliant thing to do and you will learn something from it.
As Mark says, get a copy of roadcraft and perhaps visit a RoSPA group. Progression isn’t about sacrificing safety, quite the opposite. It’s all about safety
I have done both IAM and Rospa. In my experience its down to individual instructors. There are plenty who say “ride your own ride” and then criticise you for not going fast enough. So look aound and ask for someone more sympathetic to your point of view. Interestingly I find you end up in the same place: riding quickly, safely. I’m a blood biker who has to ride in London a lot and I can tell you I find the Roadcraft training just as relevant there as everywhere else.
The problem is that the Nottinghamshire Derbyshire and Lincolnshire Police are so anti motorists you wouldn’t trust them. I once had new tyres fitted 10 miles later at matlock the police on foot took the tyre depth even though the bike hadn’t moved in about an hour
How is it awkward? Bike safe has been going for years and this shows how good it it. Whatever is going on in the country at the moment, they still get on with the job day in day out. Not awkward at all, in fact it’s great to see
Great video Mark & Toby.
I speak as a retired bike cop and contributed to my local Bike Safe initiative. I have to say, I really enjoyed my time with Bike Safe and nothing was more gratifying than to see riders getting something out of their experience; which hopefully would help them be safer but at the same time enjoy their riding even more than perhaps they did before. Again it would have been nice to have had a higher volume of younger demographic attend.
As was said, I never regarded myself as a biking guru. In fact a lot of the attendees were naturally better riders than myself. It was just that I was lucky to have received a lot of intensive and high level training, which gave me a box of tools which I could use to ensure that I went home in one piece and not in a body bag. That training and experience I could offer to help others with their motorcycling passion.
Certainly with us, all the biker cops involved would give up our days off to volunteer and help, such was the value and enjoyment we apportioned to this initiative.
Thanks guys. Just what we needed and I do wish the youngsters would take note. I'm 79 and riding a BMW K1100LT, having passed my test in 1961 on a RE 500 twin. Things have changed so much since then and more to the point the roads are far more crowded therefore awareness is paramount.
I’ve done it. Highly recommend it.
Totally agree it's a great thing to do. I did my advanced (car) way back in the late 80s, so not totally new to to advanced driving and riding. I did a Safe Rider course with the local Constabulary about 18 months ago. Straight off the back of that, I signed up with the local RoSPA group to take my bike advanced training and test. Last week, I started my journey to become an advanced tutor with the group. In the last 18 months I've made new friends, ridden with some excellent riders and enjoyed some brilliant days out on longer rides. Riding with others who ride to the same standard is a revelation compared to some of the group rides I've been on the past. Motorcycling is so much more enjoyable now.
Awesome :)
I did a course with biker cops , really good informative didn’t really observe the limits it was your riding style and safety ! Very good , do it 💪🏼😎
Used to do this course regularly when working/living in London and was organized and paid for by my work. Used t get a decent goodie bag at the end.
Chaps, a small but relevant point - Bikesafe isn't offered in the whole of the UK, Scotland seems to have decided against it some time ago. We do have a locally delivered thing called Rider Refinement, involving police riders assisted by IAM/Rospa, but even that isn't consistently delivered across Scotland.
That’s a shame. Thanks for the info
Hi Guys, this Bike Safe sounds like a good idea and as a returning rider I would benefit from just about any training. Sadly I came across a RTA only last weekend where a car pulled out from the side road "Monkey Tree" onto A3075 "Newquay Rd" into the path of a Motorcycle, this was a GS1200 I think and the rider was in a bad way having T boned the car.
That sounds awful. A course like this doesn’t mean it can’t happen but what it does do is start riders thinking about what could happen and looking ahead :)
Brilliant vlog guys. I am a ROSPA trained HGV driver assessor and i have put into practice what i have learnt on the bike. it is brilliant thing to do and you will learn something from it.
not scotland!
IAM is all about progression often against safety, my opinion is that this is fine for police riders but not for general use.
I would suggest you get a copy of Roadcraft and have a read. They are about making progression safely. Ride Safe
As Mark says, get a copy of roadcraft and perhaps visit a RoSPA group. Progression isn’t about sacrificing safety, quite the opposite. It’s all about safety
I have done both IAM and Rospa. In my experience its down to individual instructors. There are plenty who say “ride your own ride” and then criticise you for not going fast enough. So look aound and ask for someone more sympathetic to your point of view. Interestingly I find you end up in the same place: riding quickly, safely. I’m a blood biker who has to ride in London a lot and I can tell you I find the Roadcraft training just as relevant there as everywhere else.
IAM is all about safe progress.
The problem is that the Nottinghamshire Derbyshire and Lincolnshire Police are so anti motorists you wouldn’t trust them. I once had new tyres fitted 10 miles later at matlock the police on foot took the tyre depth even though the bike hadn’t moved in about an hour
Abit awkward to involve the police with whats happening nowadays
How is it awkward? Bike safe has been going for years and this shows how good it it. Whatever is going on in the country at the moment, they still get on with the job day in day out. Not awkward at all, in fact it’s great to see
Been reading into what's happening in the media to much. I work with the police almost everyday were just doing our jobs keeping the roads safe.