How many of you have had professional coaching to improve your road riding

[Bigyin]

Just wondering how many here have had professional coaching/formal training to improve their road riding after they have passed their tests.

I dont mean trackday with an instructor and also not IAM or Bikesafe as neither of them are professional instructors or have any qualifications to coach/instruct.

I mean using the likes of DVSA advanced instructor or professional riding coach to assess, identify faults and instruct how to improve on those faults

[weeksy]

Nopes. But arguably I should have.

However, I'd rather peel my own eyeballs and wash my mouth out with soap.

Riding is not supposed to be that thought out IMO

[Yorick]

I learned the hard way. But still survived.

[Nordboy]

Yep, i suppose I did, just a bit.

And now I am the instructor? Funny old world?

[Noggin]

I haven't - yet.

I did learn from two very good riders that didn't ride the racing line on the road! Learnt about control and when/how hard to change speeds

I did plan to get some tuition but I crashed and haven't ridden more than 10 times in four years!!


If I can find someone over here, I'll do some learning - more for confidence than anything else



Oh, I did do a very brief 'top up' when I got my first proper bike. I'd passed my test 6 years before and had hardly ridden in that time, so took a few hours with an instructor in Bristol (in torrential rain) who told me he didn't know why I'd asked for the lessons as I was just fine!!

And I guess BikeSafe doesn't count!!

But I do value learning in all sports, so will look for someone out here

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Another no here, but I passed my test in 1985 and I doubt if it existed then, but I also wouldn't have had the spare cash to spend on it and as a head strong 17 year old paid any attention to it if I had done it.

Would it have helped, yes, I did read the road craft book and if I followed that my riding was safer, but it did sap the fun out of riding a bike, riding like a twat is fun.

Which brings about the question, would I do training now, the answer is no, I don't need someone to tell me riding could be better.

[Bigyin]

Yep, i suppose I did, just a bit.

And now I am the instructor? Funny old world?

Yours was through your work for the role you were in though

If you had not been in that role would you have sought it out from a professional for your social riding ?

[Skub]

Before I start I'll make it clear I heartily approve of those such as yourself,Spin and Horse who are passionate about the topic and I don't wish to denigrate any of you in any way.

But.

It's not for me.

Reasons?

I dunno really,I did the old Blue Riband thing years ago and at the time I found it interesting and yes I learned stuff of value,so it's not like I'm saying it's not for me when I haven't dipped my toe in the water. I'd never tell anyone not to gain as much knowledge as possible.

The whole crowd of them were continually obsessed with their version of how to ride properly and which gear (usually BMW) was superior,all the specs for a pair of gloves etc. All these things are good in themselves,but it's not why I ride a bike and...

these are not my people.

That's probably what it boils down to.

[Horse]

I am looking for the likes of DVSA advanced instructor or professional riding coach to assess, identify faults and instruct how to improve on those faults

To what end? What do you think you don't know, enough about, so need to improve?

If it's to improve your own L training, then possibly a DIAmond instructor. Their 'advanced' test is, basically, test marked harder.

If you want high standard, 'Roadcraft' riding, then Rapid.

If you want teaching skills, search out City & Guilds 730 (or whatever the equivalent is now).

Or do something different:
- Moto Gymkhana
- i2i Academy

[Bigyin]

I am looking for the likes of DVSA advanced instructor or professional riding coach to assess, identify faults and instruct how to improve on those faults

To what end? What do you think you don't know, enough about, so need to improve?

If it's to improve your own L training, then possibly a DIAmond instructor. Their 'advanced' test is, basically, test marked harder.

If you want high standard, 'Roadcraft' riding, then Rapid.

If you want teaching skills, search out City & Guilds 730 (or whatever the equivalent is now).

Or do something different:
- Moto Gymkhana
- i2i Academy

You misunderstood the sentence or quoted out of context with the rest of the post ..... when i said " I am looking" i meant in the responses from other members of the forum, not to improve my own riding/instruction. I wanted to know how many of them have paid for post test tuition or have they just been self taught through experience

I have edited the initial post to make it clearer

[Couchy]

Nope and never will, breaking riding down and riding by numbers is the exact opposite of what I want from riding.

[Yorick]

Nope and never will, breaking riding down and riding by numbers is the exact opposite of what I want from riding.

What the daft lad says

But I'm paying for my nephew's test and will insist he has some proper training after

[Nordboy]

Yep, i suppose I did, just a bit.

And now I am the instructor? Funny old world?

Yours was through your work for the role you were in though

If you had not been in that role would you have sought it out from a professional for your social riding ?

I actually learned to ride a bike because of the job, and the role I wanted to do.

I passed in 2003, within 5 months I was on my standard bike course, within the year I had passed my Intermediate (before they got rid of them) and my Advanced course.

So, the answer would probably be, that I may not be riding a bike at all?

[Horse]

But I do value learning in all sports

I can honestly say that I've never had anyone suggest that they haven't benefited from a training session.

However, I changed my views on the type of training that I provided. I ditched formal 'advanced test' training, moving instead to more of targeted courses - problem solving, or improving specific areas.

It's interesting that the personalities of trainers is a factor that may influence people to even have the thought of 'training' being enough to put them off. Every now and again here, there are comments made that the mindset that trainers (like me and Spin) of planning for where things might go wrong is 'boring' or similar.

But everyone - however much some might deny it - already thinks like that to a certain degree. If you have ever braked for a corner, then you have demonstrated that type of thinking.


'Riding' is a classic example of Donald Rumsfeld's 'knowns and unknowns'. Many riders are completely oblivious to how easier riding could be, or how much more control they could have.

[Horse]

You misunderstood the sentence

Ah, so it is 'teaching skills' that you need

To what end? What do you think you don't know, enough about, so need to improve?

Same questions apply

[Demannu]

2 of our 3 AR crew are ex plod. 1 was an SIO trafpol and the other was surveillance.
Both are top drawer riders and offer advice and opinion on your riding abilities and dont pull their punches if they think you deserve a bollocking!
As I have said before, their rideouts are a lot brisker than UK based IAM stuff, but always 100% safe.
If most of your riding is on road, why wouldnt you want to make yourself safer/faster/smoother

[r1flyguy]

Passed my test and after a couple of years did a RosPa course, then through a career choice i ended up riding for a living and completed subsequent Advanced Riding & Driving course. Loved the job and practically lived on a bike both road and off-road.

Not in the same career now as chosen a different path but still ride with much the same mentality and standards (I think)

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

2 of our 3 AR crew are ex plod. 1 was an SIO trafpol and the other was surveillance.
Both are top drawer riders and offer advice and opinion on your riding abilities and dont pull their punches if they think you deserve a bollocking!
As I have said before, their rideouts are a lot brisker than UK based IAM stuff, but always 100% safe.
If most of your riding is on road, why wouldnt you want to make yourself safer/faster/smoother

I bet that makes for a fun day out

[Skub]

2 of our 3 AR crew are ex plod. 1 was an SIO trafpol and the other was surveillance.
Both are top drawer riders and offer advice and opinion on your riding abilities and dont pull their punches if they think you deserve a bollocking!
As I have said before, their rideouts are a lot brisker than UK based IAM stuff, but always 100% safe.
If most of your riding is on road, why wouldnt you want to make yourself safer/faster/smoother

I bet that makes for a fun day out

[Taipan]

I said no in the poll, but thinking about it I did have some training when I finally took my test. I did one of those CSM 2 day courses which included CBT and actual test. Don't remember learning much/anything but then I have he attention span of a 4 year old and the memory of a goldfish!