Quick Reference Chart Structured Training? Lesson Plans? Suitable for experienced riders? Suitable for born agains? Suitable for new riders? Upgrade from this course to the Survival Skills advanced course? One to One training? Bring a friend? Full briefing? Full debriefing? Course notes? Email backup? Course notes on CDROM? Weekend training? Weekday training? Evening training  YES POSSIBLY NO

Course Summary

If you have just come back to biking after a long break, our unique back to biking "Creaky Rider" course would certainly be the place to start.

If you have not ridden for a while, what we think will surprise you, even if you drive, is how much the speeds have gone up, and how much denser and aggressive traffic is. Somehow it tends to escape you when you are sat in a car!

The course is suitable for all riders with a full licence who have previous riding experience but who haven't ridden for a few years. The course is equally suitable for full power & 33hp restricted motorcycles or automatic scooters.
 

Course Content

The Creaky Rider course is designed to bring your riding up to a level of performance that suits modern bikes and traffic conditions and get you up to speed with new training methods. Nevertheless, a free-form element of flexibility is retained to deal with any specific problems you know you have. This course corrects errors commonly seen in self taught riders or riders who took training pre-DAS, and ensures you have a thorough grasp of basic machine control skills, helping you adapt to your new bike.

The course uses a building block approach to reinforce basic skills, whilst specifically focusing on problem areas. The specific kind of riding and practice will be tailored to the wishes of the trainee: if you want to ride in town, then most training will take place on urban roads. If on the other hand, you wish to improve your recreational riding, then the majority of instruction will be on the open road.

The course is flexible enough that the depth and content can be adjusted to take into account the prior knowledge and ability of the trainee, whilst putting in place good basic riding techniques to allow the trainee to ride safely on the road, or to act as a foundation for the Survival Skills advanced course.
 

Format of the course

The session will usually commence at 10am, beginning with a briefing over a coffee (allowing you to revive after the ride to meet us) followed by a discussion about your riding history and what you think your problems are. We will then take a short assessment ride, before beginning working through increasingly complex exercises designed to improve your riding and cure any faults. Normally there will be a short off-road session to work on emergency braking and slow control. We pause for a short break for tea and a bite to eat mid course and end the day around 3pm with a debrief.

We will be honest about your progress and will advise if we feel you need to spend more time on training - courses are described as open-ended for that reason.

You will cover around 75-80 miles on the day on a mixture of open roads, fast routes and urban areas. Routes have been carefully researched to provide increasingly complex challenges as the course progresses.

Training is normally done on a 1:1 basis. If, however, you wish to take training with a friend or partner, we will be happy to arrange that and the second rider will qualify for a 50% discount.

Logistics and teaching

Survival Skills courses use professional quality Motorola bike to bike radios, allowing real-time coaching and correction.

Course content has been researched in depth, is exhaustively tested and subject to continual review and improvement. Courses are structured and employ proven teaching techniques. Outcome goals are set based on your riding needs. Using the "learning loop" of explanation, demonstration, practice and correction, you are set clearly understandable and achievable goals at all times.

You will be provided with a lesson plan and brief course notes, and if weather permits, video footage will be available for review at the end of the course. 

In short we aim to bring each trainee to the highest standard of riding he or she can achieve by offering you ideas to make you THINK about your riding, rather than forcing you to ride to a particular style or learning to do it parrot fashion to pass a test.

Quite simply YOU, the trainee, come first at Survival Skills!
So why settle for less? Book a Survival Skills course now for the very best in qualified, independent advanced training.

Suitability for returning riders:
This course is usually suitable for riders who have held a full motorcycle licence but haven't ridden for some years.

If you are a new rider looking to build up basic riding skills please take a look at the "Confidence Builder" course first.

If you are in any doubt, please contact us to discuss your needs.

Prices and latest availability

Not quite what you are looking for? Looking for a course that covers specific content?

Take a look at our new
Pick your Own courses

These courses are intended to be short "stand-alone" sessions as an inexpensive alternative to our full length courses, and often take place in the evening.
Short Courses

Fancy a trip abroad but nervous about riding on the wrong side of the road? Take a ride in France - one or two day Continental Riding courses in Northern France booking now!
France Riding Courses

This course majors on theory rather than riding, and explores techniques for improving your observation, anticipation and concentration skills.
Sport Psychology

Survival Skills will be running Group Training courses in Yorkshire, Mid Wales and Devon.
Group Training courses

If you want to know what these courses are all about, see what trainees themselves have to say...
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