Riding Instructors and Their Bikes

[V8 FOU]

A question out of curiousity.
When you see instructors out with their line of ducklings, why do they, the instructors, always ride large bikes? If you are following/leading 125cc and low power bikes, surely a mid weight trailie or similar would be more suitable for this sort of use?

Or is it willie waving? "Look at me on my big bike. One day you might just be this cool" or similar.....

Your thoughts, please!

[CaptainSlow]

My instructor had his panniers full of cones, FA kit etc etc

[EagleMoto4-2]

Am sure there are many reasons, some I can think of are they use one bike to lead/ follow all their learner riders, so including those doing full license on 600cc upwards bikes.
They are more visible on a big bike so to some extent would help other road users spot them and their pupils.
They often have all sorts of useful stuff in their panniers (at least my instructors did).
Considering how much riding they do a big touring bike is a lot more comfortable.

[dern]

I suspect that at least once a day they have to go and round up all the ones that got lost and have stayed put at the side of the road.

[mad4amanda]

what about when they are doing a DAS course or do you expect them to have 2 bikes available? And how about some comfort given some of these guys do 50k a year?

[ooo000ooo]

My instructor arrived on a gleaming 900 hornet but went out for lessons on whatever cg125 was spare, his assistant accompanied us on a blackbird.

[jamiehamy]

Couldn't care less. Probably because they spend every working day and need something comfortable

[Rubin215]

Different firms do different things.

Sometimes instructors are self employed so use their own bikes, some have dedicated instructor bikes, others just use whatever student bikes are available.

One place I worked (attached to a main dealership) invested in new instructor bikes every two years (the old instructor bikes became student bikes, the oldest/most knacked student bikes got tarted up and sold off to unwitting punters) another had a hotch-potch of whatever they had got a good deal on when they had some spare cash and kept them until they were shagged.

Generally, bike schools try to keep investment in bikes as low as possible!

[dreamer75]

I saw a CBT lesson the other day, and the instructor was on a monkey bike.....

[ash reynolds]

I think generally that people that can be bothered to help others improve, sometimes in their own time and may not be paid for it, are not the willy waving type.
And as already mentioned, they do loads of miles.

Edited by ash reynolds on Wednesday 29th August 22:52

[alant]

No willy waving from my instructor, and as others have said kept equipment in his panniers

Used the same bike for all ride outs and could comfortably handle a large bike so I don't see what would have been the benefit of him riding a 125 when out with trainees on these

[Harji]

My instructor had a Pan European, well used, panniers for equipment and little treats like sausage rolls, which he never shared.

[cbmotorsport]

Often they use their own bikes, so it's just what they own.

A big bike has a better road presence, they often make themselves as wide as possible and dominate (lol) the lane behind their students to stop any idiots trying to overtake and split the group up.

It's useful to be on something more powerful than their students, as inevitably riding at the back means occasionally getting left behind at junctions etc.

They sit on it all day, maybe 6 days a week. A big bike is usually a comfortable one.

Visibility over traffic is better.

[TommyBuoy]

As others have said - comfort, road presence, equipment etc.

Also, when I did my cbt a young lad was deemed dangerous on the road (fine in the car park though) so they stopped him and gave him a lift back on the bike, so I guess pillions are a consideration.

My CBT instructor had such a loud aftermarket exhaust on his bike I could barely here his instructions...I changed companies to do my DAS...

[ZesPak]

My instructor was on a big old Triumph tourer. He rode to work everyday so it was just his own bike.
He did a lot of miles in all sort of weather, and that's what these bikes are build for.

Don't know if his bike was shaft drive, but something like a Pan will save a ton of time on maintenance as well.

[DurianIceCream]

Harji said:

My instructor had a Pan European, well used, panniers for equipment and little treats like sausage rolls, which he never shared.

It's not like being a bike instructor is a good paying job. It's a bit much expecting the instructor to feed you as well as instructing!

[sooty61]

My DAS instructor was on a scooter, even riding from Epsom down to Burgess Hill with me for my Mod 1

[308mate]

And nothing beats demonstrating figure 8s to a student who claims it can’t be done, like doing it on a massive bike.
Or a Hayabusa.

[ZesPak]

308mate said:

And nothing beats demonstrating figure 8s to a student who claims it can’t be done, like doing it on a massive bike.
Or a Hayabusa.

True. I dropped my CBF600 on one of those.

[TimmyWimmyWoo]

308mate said:

And nothing beats demonstrating figure 8s to a student who claims it can’t be done, like doing it on a massive bike.
Or a Hayabusa.

My instructor showed us he could do the figure 8s on his Ducati 999. He offered me a go on it as soon as I passed my DAS… I perhaps wisely turned him down.