Anyone got any reccomendations for good bike schools in the SW area? Ive googled a few and theyre either fully booked for the next century or horifically expensive, or want to charge anything up to £90 for an “assessment ride” to judge wether youre good enough for a DAS.
Im fed up of being stuck on a dinky 125. Ive got the money put aside for a DAS, I was planning on going back home when Ive got some time off from uni and doing it but the only bike school in the area has closed down (this is doubly a problem because I did my CBT with them and I think Ive lost my CBT certificate! Whoops).
To be honest I dont really fancy doing a DAS in London, because the roads here are insane and I still have no idea where Im going, Id much rather do them back home in the countryside where I know the roads like the back of my hand and dont have to worry about taxis and white vans trying to murder me constantly. But it looks like Ive got no choice, unless I want to stay on my 125 for a few more years til Im done with uni.
can you get up to heathrow? if so look at west London motorcycle training, ask for Nigel. alternatively PM iggy on here, same person, and he’s really good.
Im in Tooting, so MCT are within a reasonable distance.
My biggest concern is doing the test in a totally unfamiliar area with serious traffic, especially for the free riding section of the test - at least if I was somewhere familiar I wouldnt have to worry so much about figuring out where Im going. Though I suppose that could work in my benefit if I spend half the test time sat in traffic going nowhere I think Im also a bit more worried about mod1 than mod2, Im crap at emergency stops though that might be due to having only done them on 125s with rubbish brakes rather than a big heavy 600 with triple brake discs or whatever.
I failed my car driving test 3 times before passing, though that was back when I was a nervous 19yr old, but thats kind of put me off doing further driving/riding tests so Id rather make it as easy as possible on myself! Though hopefully now Ive been driving for 7 years and riding for nearly 3 I shouldnt have as much trouble.
then go get some good tuition, and make sure you tell them what you are particularly concerned about, like e stops. good instructors like all those recommended above will tailor their training to YOUR needs, not theirs.
sounds like terry at MCT is your man, give him a call and say all that to him, then you will see what good instruction is all about.
oh’ and you don’t really need to know where you are going, just that you can read a road sign, otherwise your examiner will tell you what to do. And tell Terry you are worried and get lots of practice.
Agree with the assessments of both MCT and Bikewize above. Although to be fair ot Bikewize, my experieince of them was many years ago, but they didin’t seem very professional.
I believe I used Off The Kerb years ago, when they were near Chelsea. It looks like they’ve moved to White City. Anyway, they were pretty good and friendly when I used them, though I’m sure the others mentioned here are good too.
I agree re London. I know loads of people who will not ride or drive in London but don’t know any London drivers/riders who are afraid to venture beyond the M25.
I think Im also a bit more worried about mod1 than mod2, Im crap at emergency stops though that might be due to having only done them on 125s with rubbish brakes rather than a big heavy 600 with triple brake discs or whatever.
