Benefits of Advanced Motorcycle Training
“With great power comes great responsibility”, any Spiderman fan will know those words, spoken by Uncle Ben to Peter Parker. Though I dream and wish with every shooting star, I am not yet a superhero, but those same words apply to you if you chose to ride a motorised bicycle.
Motorcycles and Scooters offer you the kind of performance, power and acceleration car drivers can only get after spending upwards of £25k. It’s great riding a bike, but road safety should always be our primary concern, not just our own, but for all road users. Riding well at high speeds is a lot of fun but it takes great responsibility to harness the beast between our knees?
From CBT, to A1, A2, DAS and a whole host of Advanced Training courses, at whatever stage you’re at, we don’t stop learning.
There are three main benefits to getting advanced training on your motorbike.
1. Increased Skill and Safety Level
If you’ve ever had an accident or near miss, it is important to look at what could have been done to prevent them occurring, irrespective of how truly ‘stupid’ the third party is. The course gives you the ability to judge hazards better and react to them safely. This training will not only keep you safe, but will also increase your riding enjoyment due to having greater confidence on the road.
2. Reduced Insurance Premiums
Most Insurance providers will give you a reduction on their premiums if you have completed an advanced motorcycle training course. They recognise that you will have the awareness and skills to avoid the many of the most common causes of motorcycling accidents.
3. Economy
When I say economy, many of you think fuel, but that’s not all. Improved riding techniques will certainly improve your tank/mileage ratio, but it also gets more life out of your tyres. Both of these will save you money over time, easily recouping the cost of the training.
There are many motorbike training courses out there, some are single day courses, and others can last up to a week. There are many different skill levels you can apply to train at or towards. Some courses are aimed at improving your general riding and techniques while others are designed towards achieving qualifications. At any level, the benefits cannot be overestimated.
Don’t be fooled by the false economy by counting the cost of the training, it will definitely save you money in the long run.
A book I will recommend in addition to taking a course is Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider’s handbook to better motorcycling by Phillip Coyne. It is a wonderful book that forces you to look at your attitude to riding and ways you can become a better biker. Ride safe boys and girls.
Image credit: thomasrdotorg on Flickr
