So I hit the ripe age of 36 and felt the compulsion to ride a motorbike. My provisional licence is on its way back to me and I'm now weighing up my options about how best to get a licence.
I've ridden bikes before on private land and abroad so have a really basic feel for how to ride. Has anyone done a DAS on here and got any advice to share? Particularly helpful would be any recommendations for riding schools near Sheffield too :)
Great thread. I have just booked up with the Honda school of riding to get my full license. I've driven scooters since I was sixteen (31 now) and think it's about time I done my bike test and took the bloody "L" plates off. Unfortunately Ive never driven a geared bike but I have 4 days of training with the mod 1 test on the 5th day and mod 2 test the following week. Really looking forward to it. IBe been driving cars since I was 18 so I'm sure the gears etc will come naturally...
I did a 5 day Direct Access course donkey's years ago. Being on a(n old, ropey) 500 in the wet at 60mph on the first afternoon was good fun.
However...... With hindsight, a day on a 125 beforehand to get a better feel may have been a good idea.
I suppose it depends on how confident you are on 2 wheels and with general road awareness. If happy with both then get on with your theory and book in a 5 dayer, job jobbed. But actually you've waited 36 years, so if you're not desperate, I can see the merit in starting chasing chickens for a day or so, just to make sure you are all round happy.
One instuctor was such a nob and so derogatory that on day 3 I nearly didn't go back, but that was Bristol, and I still see him with a procession of 16 year olds on 50's, so he won't be irritating you!
Can't help for recommending anyone near you but I did it in Hull a few years ago.
Started with a wobbly day on 50s to get used to a bike again, then 125 and 500 by end of week.
Theory test was a doddle then a space came up for the full test at the end of the week and passed with flying colours.
Had a bike for a couple of years but nothing at the moment.
Great fun to do even if you don't pick up a bike straight away.
Highly recommend A t B training.
It's between attercliffe and Darnall. Just behind McDonalds on Greenland Road
http://www.atbtraining.co.uk
Do you still need to do a theory test after owning a car license for donkeys years? After a 5 day course, what sort of bike can you ride?
Thanks for the advice so far chaps.
I believe you do need the bike theory test passed before you can take the practical bike test. After that on DAS you can ride whatever size you want providing an insurer will touch you ;)
I think I was about a year ahead of you..... But did Cbt, got a 125 Vespa for a few months, did theory, booked up DAS. Started on Monday am and full licence Thursday am. Cbr600 bought Friday am...... The rest is history, but seriously one of the best things I've ever done. Commuting on a fireblade ain't ever dull!
Even less dull if you live in Ramsey, in the Isle of Man, and work in Douglas - with one way traffic on the mountain for TT week! ;)Originally Posted by tz-uk73
It's just a matter of time...
Son did his CBT with abt and they seemed like reasonable guys, would also recommend Mike Barlow in Dronfield.
I have been riding motorcycles (or as my UK friends say, motorbikes) for more decades than I care to admit, and I have been through a lot of motorcycle training. I have had a number of bikes and I currently own and ride a new Honda VFR800 Interceptor. I took a basic three day course to start years ago, and I was also lucky enough to be sent to a two week professional police motorcycle officer training course which actually drew blood and I also ran over my left foot while still seated on a 800 lb. Harley Davidson Electra Glide. Yes, it can be done, but that's a story for another thread.
I can't help you with school locations, but I cannot overstate the importance of training, and training done by certified motorcycle instructors. You need to to be taught rider safety and survival techniques that are unique to motorcycling. and once you are introduced to these techniques, the instructors will give you exercises to inculcate these things into your brain as some of them are counter-intuitive.
Two of the most important things you will learn are to skills to avoid being an accident victim. These things are how to stop a motorcycle quickly and how to turn a motorcycle quickly and efficiently. A lot of people think they know these things because "they rode a bike in high school", but they actually know just enough to be dangerous. A professional instructor will teach you how important the front wheel is in braking, and how, to rapidly get a motorcycle to lean right and turn to the right, you have to turn the handlebars of the bike to the LEFT. Told you it was counter-intuitive.
Get in a course and become a sponge, best of luck to you and ride safe.
Dave
i dont ride but the other half decided to do his test at the ripe old age of 42. Went down the DAS route as he didnt was to waste time in little bikes.
passed his test and got a Suzuki GSX650 and made the decision to commute 50 miles daily in all weathers to work (6 months later he sold his car). 12 months later got a BMW 1200gs and is still using it daily along with a Fazer 1000 when the sun is shining.
Insurance is reasonable at £300 for both bikes considering he does 12k a year and is insured for class 1 business miles.
I had a 125 dirt bike when I was 17 for a year it got stolen and I bought a car with insurance, hit 30 and inherited £10k so went straight out and bought a BMW F650 picked it up Monday three hours a day training and passed test on Thursday. Went straight from test centre cockey as anything and nearly killed myself on the first round about.
Do it! But just remember a bike license isn't worth as much as experience and that only comes with riding, which is the best bit I suppose.
two words.......Lucky bastard!!
I'd just like to put my experience out there as it seems similar to what you're thinking of doing, although I live much further south than you so specific schools I can not recommend!
Last November, I was 28 and after after a few years of "Oh it might be fun to do one day", to getting home one unassuming work day and just thinking sod it, pick up the phone and get it booked. No point thinking about how nice it might be, just do it. Anyway, to my surprise and slight shock, I'd paid up (£695, DAS) for never having ever been on a bike before to going on my CBT the next day.
Next day comes around, on a beaten up 125 which whenever I stalled it (I did a few times) had to be bloody bump-started. It was not the most fantastic of machines but at the end of the day, I'd earned my CBT certificate. I then got home, booked up my theory test (which is obviously separate to any DAS) and managed to get a cancellation in only a week later. That came and went, no problem all very easy, theory passed.
Now, was the four day intensive bit! Mod 1 training day, all good fun, my school had really great 650cc Suzuki Gladius, perfect for learning on. The gear was crap, I didn't want to buy anything of my own till I was done. Went on the roads for the first time on a big bike, all very scary and such but still enjoyable! Then we went and focused on the Mod 1 training test, I was ok, some found it not so easy but I think it's just more relaxing but you've been on bikes before so no problem, it's pretty easy. Maybe except for the U-Turn... Anyway, next day was the Mod 1 test and I passed that without any errors whatsoever!
Think it was a few days later, can't remember exactly how much but now was Mod 2 training day. This was all about the road test so the day was spent on the roads, shadowed by an instructor shouting barely legible things in your ear via a rubbish ear piece. Not much to say here, just practising road craft on a bike. Next day, Mod 2 test. I was nervous as all hell. I don't like being tested at the best of times let alone on a bike I'd barely had probably 8, 9 hours on or so. I managed to stay focused and somewhat relaxed, did the required manoeuvres , looking over shoulders and all your checks, nothing dangerous and I supposed looking somewhat composed and not a the total wreck I was trying my hardest to hold inside! Sat down with the instructor in the office at the end of the test, he told me I passed and I shook his hand harder than I've ever gripped anybodys before. I was done!
Long and short of it, I went from never being on a bike in my life to passing full, unlimited license in under two weeks and had a great time doing it. As soon as I went back (un escorted!) to the shop to let them know of my success, I bought all my gear there and then, and boy was it a world away from the loaned gear but anyway! Still pop over to my training school/shop for a cup of tea now and then. A little trawling later I got my first bike a Suzuki SV650S 2007.
I got my license in the early 90s when this DAS stuff didn't exist so I can't help much with your question.
The two pieces of advice I can give are 1) once you've got you licence continue with your training. The bike wing of the IAM are an excellent resource and will teach you how to ride faster and safer and 2) wear as much body armour as you can afford, even in hot weather.
Motorcycling is wonderful. I miss it every day, but I'm still going to give you the standard warning.
My 20 years of motorcycling (sometimes tens of thousands of miles per year) came to an abrupt end on 1/11/11 when a van pulled out of a side road onto the A4 without looking. Unfortunately I was passing the junction at the time. Middle of rush hour, bright yellow bike with the lights on. I was doing maybe 40-45 in a 60 zone due to traffic.
My training with the IAM helped (I was positioned to give and get maximum visibility and had the opportunity to take some defensive action). I saw the van pull out and so very nearly avoided it, but the driver was determined and got me. That nothing else hit me was a miracle.
Injuries: Shattered eye socket and sinus, haemorrhaged eye, fractured skull, brain haemorrhage, multiple brain seizures, permanent facial nerve damage (was a tuba player) and a permanent headache, still going over 3.5 years later. And from the amount of armour ground out of my enduro boots I'm lucky to still have a left leg.
I was wearing heavily armoured enduro boots, with extra shin armour inside them, knee, hip, shoulder and elbow armour, a back protector, armoured gloves and a well fitting £500 Shoei helmet. That's the only reason I'm still here today and it was a relatively low speed impact.
The driver was convicted of carless driving. 5 points, £150 fine, £15 surcharge for causing injury and about £85 in costs.
So enjoy motorcycling but remember that every bugger out there will try and kill you.
And as this is a watch forum: the very cheap Seiko 5 that I was wearing survived without a scratch.
Did my DAS at 40 - wished I'd done it years earlier! Best advice? Listen, try and relax, look where you want to go and most importantly, enjoy :)
Oh How true, they sit in there cars looking at you and pull out anyway! On my bike I treat everyone as if they are going to kill me and ride accordingly.So enjoy motorcycling but remember that every bugger out there will try and kill you.
I passed my bike test 2 years ago. I did DAS but had a lesson once a week for about 6 weeks.
As a guide budget £1000 total ( CBT, Theory, Mod1, Mod 2 & lessons).
I'd say you need to revise using the DVDs for the theory and I doubt anyone would pass the module tests without proper tuition.
Last edited by vRSG60; 2nd June 2015 at 09:19.
oh wow , that's unreal,
For those interested, I did my advanced training with the Thames Vale Advanced Motorcyclists http://www.tvam.org
I thought my slow speed control was good. I can trackstand a bike for a short amount of time, but watching my instructor demonstrate correct low speed control by doing figure of eights, grinding the pegs of his Pan European on both sides, at walking speed, in a gravel over tarmac car park was quite special.
I did my DAS a few years ago, went from never having ridden a bike on the Wednesday morning to owning a gixxer 6 by Friday afternoon! Great fun!
And worth doing some advanced training also IMO. Invaluable
Well worth doing but agree with the last post - keep up the training after completing your DAS. I have done BikeSafe with the Police and I would definitely recommend it. In my experience I found the larger bikes (500+) easier to ride and more stable than the 125s, particularly for manoeuvres like U-turns. Not to mention safer for being able to power out of a potentially tricky situation.
My main tip: always ride as if you are invisible (not invincible!).
Good reply and points eddieo
Have a look also at the IAM bike course. Less than £139 and you'll learn so many new skills and also the IAM insurance is cheap afterwards
I was near enough brought up on 2 wheels. My dad makes a living restoring and trading classic bikes. He had me riding from around 10 years old and I competed in under 16s motocross. I never rode a bike on the road though. I passed my (car) driving test over 2 years ago.
Doing the bike test has been on my to do list for years. The bike test just seems so complicated to me now. I look up schools then read all the varying courses and just think "what do i NEED"
I was brought up on 2 wheels, but I've never ridden a motorcycle! (Actually not 100% true, but near enough).
M
Go for it - you'll love it. Until a few years ago I was a DAS/post test instructor and managed a small training school. I left to do something else a while after the two part test came in. If you've done any riding before it'll really help, as will road experience in other vehicles ( not sure if you drive as you say you've applied for your provisional). I'd not want to give general advice except to say don't get shoehorned into a course, but makes sure it suits you and your experience level. For anyone with only a small amount of road/riding experience, we used to try and build in some flexibility with the dates in case extra training was needed. Give me a shout if I can help with anything.
I've ridden scooters (geared - vespa px125) for a few years and recently got a geared bike (Derbi Terra 125).
Picked up gears within 15 minutes on the road, don't know if the 'gears' on the vespa helped me (different method of shifting but same sort of principal with clutch). Will obviously take some time to get as profficient as I'd like to be but that comes with experience.
Looking forward to getting some miles under my belt before getting full licence.
My friend came off and broke her shoulder on her second lesson. Hit a patch of diesel at 40.
I'm 39, got the scooter at about 35, go for it...
Yep, did mind and loved riding , now have two bikes in the garage, tour a lot with the missus on the back, sooooooooo glad I did it!!!!!!
I did mine nearly straight after. It was a gift from my old man as at 23 on a ninja 636 my odds of making it past 25 were low!!!!! I would go out with another mate and just notice how bad he was compared. Just simple road positioning and reducing risk on the road.
I could have taken my test when I first bought a Lambretta 125 back in 1970 at 17. It really was so much easier then as long as you avoided running over the Instructor when he jumped out at you for the Emergency Stop. The fact was that I didn't because I knew that I would be getting a car licence in due course. The scooter was sold in 1972 when I bought my first car.
Fast forward to 2008 and I bought a new Vespa GTV 125 and did my my CBT. I set a goal that I would do my test within a year, but failed to follow that through.
Every 2 years I duly turn up and retake my CBT, as I did in 2010, 2012 and 2014. I guess I'm happy now at 62 just to potter about on my latest Vespa GTS 125 which to be fair can do 64 and a half miles an hour (with a following wind on the flat). I do enjoy it very much and have racked up 33000kms (20000 miles) of pure pleasure scootering.
That said I wish that I had done DAS and at 36 John, you really should.
Ride safe.
scooter
I'd love to do the DAS course and get back on a bike, but SWMBO has very definite views on this. I'm allowed as many horsepower as I like, but only connected to four wheels :(.
I do still have a little bike hiding at the back of the garage, which I've managed to hang on to as it predates SWMBO. It's not been on the road for donkey's years (I think the last tax disc is from 2001), but since I changed jobs it would be ideal for my 3 mile commute - on a sunny day, of course, I gave up riding in the rain 30+ years ago. It's managed to rack up all of 3000 miles in 24 years..
Cheers,
Plug
I did my CBT, closely followed by DAS around 15 years ago. Managed to pass my test first time, more by luck than skill I reckon.
Did the "middle aged biker" thing for a while on a VFR800 until I hit a diesel patch and nearly launched it down the road. Gave up biking there and then.
That's my current steed
those petticoats would never fit inside your leathers Mary jane!!
not ALLOWED to ride by the missus?
I still have a fully road legal Honda CR 500 with a supermoto conversion in my garage. Got to love a good 2-banger. One of the few bikes that can break your ankle if you don't know how to kick start it properly. Amazing fun and unless I take it on a trackday somewhen, unlikely to be ridden again.
CR 500!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
aka "the widow maker"
CR125 are mental enough
My previous 2-bangers include a KR1-S, a TZR and an RGV250Γ. The CR500 puts them all to shame. It's a whole new level of quick and being unfaired does wonders for your neck muscles. Official figures are 18 hours for a set of rings. A small price to pay!CR 500!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
aka "the widow maker"
CR125 are mental enough
When I was rebuilding it (a previous owner appeared to have sand raced it) I had it powder coated lilac. Many an observer has questioned my taste. They've also asked about the colour of my bike.
I was told
If you have ridden before and are confident and have dexterity do the 3 days
If youre a bit crap at coordination then 4 day course
And if youre a girl the 5 day!
RIAC
Nope did mine a while back but just wanted to welcome you and the other new riders to biking....Well done you won't regret it it's addictive though....
And it's a dogged old cliche I'm afraid ......
but just treat every half of the other road users as they are myopic and haven't seen you at all...and any of the other half as actively seeking you out to kill you....
Morbid but sadly true and don't want to put downer on it....it's the best feeling in the world and we want you to enjoy it...I'm never stopping ...welcome...
Bloody hell, do you have issues with women? My wife doesn't *want* me to have a motorbike, she thinks they're dangerous. I don't see it that way, but I can see her point of view and respect it because I love her. Marriage is a compromise. BTW, I've also got a 360BHP car to go out and kill myself in if I really feel the need, so I can get my adrenaline jollies that way..those petticoats would never fit inside your leathers Mary jane!!
not ALLOWED to ride by the missus?
Cheers,
Plug
You will have to do a bike specific theory/HP test.
Remember any knob-head can do 100 mph in a straight line. Try doing 2 mph for 3 minutes in a straight line and if you cant stop what your doing and find another hobby or keep practicing till you can.
If you pass buy an older bike as you will drop it or fall of it quite soon.
Dont buy anything bonkers, Blade, Busa, Gixer thousand, Ninja until you have been off your old bike a few times. If you buy a bonkers quick sports bike you will just look like a knob as it take time and experience to master one.
First bike kit should be bought from Aldi as when you come off you wont feel too bad.
Remember this, when you least expect it someone will try and kill you.
Lastly join MAG.
PPS. Enjoy.
Your first post which I quoted used the word allowed hence my post, now it's "want", did your wife make you backtrack?!
Never get distracted by scenery and short skirts, learn road position and assume other vehicles have not seen you. The rest is pure bliss.
Oh dear, it appears I hit a nerve. My apologies for whatever I did/said, I back down, I was wrong, end of. Life's too short to argue on the internet. Can we get back to watches now please?Your first post which I quoted used the word allowed hence my post, now it's "want", did your wife make you backtrack?!
Plug.
I did DAS. Def possible in 3 days I thought why take the risk to save a couple of hundred quid. Did 5 days and when I did 2 tests I was confident passed with ease. In contrast another guy learning at the same time tried the 3 day route and failed.
Also remeber you have to do your CBT and theory first, both dead simple though. Good luck if you decide to go for it.
Maybe you wont Feel anything at all. My second wife a bike traffic cop told me to buy the best set of leathers I could afford because all the bits would be in the same place and I would be easy to pick up when I killed myself. I never scrimp on kit especially helmets, it's easier to rebuy kit than grow skin back where it's been worn away.First bike kit should be bought from Aldi as when you come off you wont feel too bad.
Excellent! That was the first geared bike I rode prior to my CBT (a mate of mine has 2). Back-to-front/racing gear box :D
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