Bikesafe & Other advanced riding training and getting a bike

[Wyvern971]

I passed my DAS last week and am now looking to do the Bikesafe day, followed by IAM & RoSPA.

Question is not regarding the training itself, but as to whether I should get a bike to do it on.

I currently ride about on a 125cc bike (Kaisar F5, knock off of the CBR 125) but it is slow (I tested on a Kawasaki ER-6).

Is it worth doing the advanced riding on the 125 (I suspect not) or should I wait a bit, get a bigger bike and then do the advanced riding?

I'm presently looking at getting a bike in the 600cc sort of capacity.

I find the seating position on the 125CG and CB500F a bit uncomfortable (which is why i tested on the Kawasaki).

What bike would be recommended?

Thanks

[TPS]

I would personally say get a bigger bike to do the advanced stuff on.The reason for this in my eyes is the bigger bike is heavier and so harder to control etc than a lighter 125cc bike.You would still learn the advanced skills etc on a 125 but it would be better on the bigger machine.

[rsv gone!]

On a small bike, you'd never get the practice in advanced overtaking techniques as you wouldn't have the performance to safely pass NSL traffic (with a top speed of around 60mph, eventually)

ETA - I wonder how much advanced training a new rider could take in. At their stage of riding, the control of the bike is still not automatic.

Flipside of this argument is that the advanced tuition can help you form the right habits at the early stages of your riding career.

Edited by rsv gone! on Monday 18th June 14:17

[black-k1]

While I would normally recommend that everyone do as much advanced training as quickly as possible I think your situation is slightly different. As you intend to get a larger (faster) bike I would recommend waiting until you have that as the techniques you will focus on during training will be slightly different than for your current bike. In the mean time, start reading Motorcycle Roadcraft.

[Chilli]

I'm finding the IAM course pretty good. They also stage various machine control days, which are excellent at teaching you how to control the bike at slow speeds, in and around town etc....

[black-k1]

rsv gone! said:

ETA - I wonder how much advanced training a new rider could take in. At their stage of riding, the control of the bike is still not automatic.

Flipside of this argument is that the advanced tuition can help you form the right habits at the early stages of your riding career.

All the advanced training I have done has always established the trainees current abilities and focused the training at the level just above the current level. Only time this has been a problem is of you are being trained as a group of two or three where the levels of experience are vastly different. Then, the level tends to be set by the weakest trainee which can make things a little boring for the more advanced trainees. (Only happened once to me.)

[Busamav]

Chilli said:

I'm finding the I AM course pretty good.

get what you can out of it , but please dont morphe into one of the self appointed self rightous bastards that I AM riders normally become

[biker's nemesis]

Busamav said:

Chilli said:

I'm finding the I AM course pretty good.

get what you can out of it , but please dont morphe into one of the self appointed self rightous bastards that I AM riders normally become

Really sorry to keep quoting you but............

[rsv gone!]

biker's nemesis said:

Busamav said:

Chilli said:

I'm finding the I AM course pretty good.

get what you can out of it , but please dont morphe into one of the self appointed self rightous bastards that I AM riders normally become

Really sorry to keep quoting you but............

...and don't grow a beard

[reAnimate]

pointless on a 125

[Chilli]

rsv gone! said:

biker's nemesis said:

Busamav said:

Chilli said:

I'm finding the I AM course pretty good.

get what you can out of it , but please dont morphe into one of the self appointed self rightous bastards that I AM riders normally become

Really sorry to keep quoting you but............

...and don't grow a beard

True, I know a few!

Re the beard.....is stubble ok? Or should I book meself in for one of those back, sack and cracks.....just to be sure??!!!

[Wyvern971]

Thanks for the replies all (I thought it would be a waste of time on the 125)

I'm looking at getting a CBR 600F would love to have an R6 or a CBR 600RR but I'd probably end up binning it and the insurance is a killer.

On a side note I have no intention of growing a ponytail or a beard

[black-k1]

reAnimate said:

pointless on a 125

I don’t think I’d totally agree with that. Defensive riding techniques are valid for any rider on any bike. Knowing where to look and what to look for, how to brake and how to corner all apply from the point you sit on a bike, regardless of its capacity. Most importantly, understanding positioning, and thus how to avoid being ‘bullied’ by the other traffic, is possibly even more important on a small capacity bike.

As I said before, the techniques that will be the main focus of any training will be slightly different on a larger capacity bike but that does not reduce the value of the training on a smaller capacity bike.

[theturbs]

IMHO the IAM and RoSPA training will be more worthwhile once you have a larger bike, and a little bit more experience. Certainly won't be harmful to do straight after the DAS, but leave it a little while and you'll be able to ask better questions and get more out of the training.

My advice would be to do the bikesafe course: great value for money, introduces some useful advanced techniques and includes the police-observed rides. Then just spend some time building your experience, go for the larger bike and embark on the more advanced routes.

Congratulations on achieving your licence and safe riding.