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Kevin Williams is the founder of Survival Skills. With around 30 years professional riding experience, spending 16 years as a courier in London and the south east, since 1995 Kevin has worked full time as a motorcycle instructor.

Having ridden extensively in the UK, Europe and North America on a wide variety of machines and in all conditions, Kevin put his experience to good use and has trained not far off 1,000 students of all ages and abilities, at every level from 16 years olds taking Compulsory Basic Training on mopeds to police riders wanting a refresher.

Dealing with difficult weather conditions is part and parcel of riding and as a courier I've dealt with everything from ice to floods to gales. However, snow in early June 200 miles north of Las Vegas wasn't what I expected after stopping overnight at the High Desert Inn in June 97!! That's me with short hair - very unusual! - and the Phase One Endurance sweatshirt.

Between 1996 and 1998, Kevin spent three years with Cinque Ports Training Services, at the time one of the oldest and most respected motorcycle training schools in the country. Cinque Ports were at the forefront of learner training for fifteen years and whilst working there, Kevin was one of the first Department of Transport approved Direct Access instructors in the country.

After leaving Cinque Ports in 1998, and subsequently working for two other basic training schools in Kent, he helped set up B3 Rider Training where he worked as senior instructor until mid-2007, until family health problems meant the required time commitment was difficult, since when he's concentrated full time on advanced riding.

Always looking to improve rider safety, Kevin has offered qualified riders Survival Skills Advanced Training Courses to all full licence holders since 1996. In 2002 Kevin was awarded a BTEC in advanced and improver training, and though Kevin has lately resigned from the group due to pressure of work on weekends, between 2003 and 2009 he was qualified as a member of the National Motorcycle Escort Group, trained to near-police standards to escort events such as cycle races on the road.

Kevin also writes a motorcycle safety column for "The Road", the journal of the Motorcycle Action Group, and has authored a number of books on motorcycle safety and skills for advanced and beginner riders, that are available for sale through this site. There are also nearly 100 riding skill articles to be found on this site, and more are to be found in the Survival Skills blog at www.survivalskills.wordpress.com together with news and comment on riding and motorcycling in general.

In 2007, Kevin was contracted by ACEM, the european motorcycle manufacturer's association, to research and produce the story-line for what has become the Lucky 13 series of cartoons.

In 2009, Kevin joined a team of other experts in delivering a series of motorcycle safety days on behalf of Somerset Road Safety Partnership at Castle Coombe circuit in Wiltshire.

Having obtained an NVQ in e-Tutoring, Kevin also offers an e-Learning course, using the internet, email and conferencing to deliver a unique rider training experience. This can be found at http://survivalskills.backpackit.com/pub/688691 .

Kevin (as The Spin Doctor) also moderates the "Survival Skills" section on Visordown, and is a regular contributor on two other forums: The Rev Counter, and Kent and Sussex Bikers.

"That's probably more than anyone wants to know about me, but if you want more on my history and how Survival Skills came about, read on!"
 

Riding Career

Kevin has ridden and toured extensively in the UK, Europe and North America on a wide variety of machines and in all conditions, and has over 750,000 miles and nearly 30 years professional riding experience in London and the south east of England.

"I've been riding since I was eighteen. I passed the old "round-the-block" motorcycle test first time a year later whilst I was at university. I worked and lived as a courier in London and the South East for many years, and set up a courier training scheme up in town long before any of the other courier companies thought of it".
 

Basic Training History

Kevin has worked as a full time Department of Transport approved instructor since 1995.

"I did a bit of voluntary training whilst I was despatching and then decided to change direction and become an instructor full time. I had a little teaching experience after leaving university so it seemed a good way to use those skills and stay around bikes. I trained with a major company and to be fair to them, their instructor training was excellent - I learnt more in six days than in six months on a teacher training course. I just didn't get on with the system there and they hadn't really got the work - and no work = no income.

I was lucky enough to find a job with Cinque Ports Training Services in early 96, whe at the time were one of the oldest motorcycle training schools in the country, at the forefront of learner training for over fifteen years."

In three successful years at Cinque Ports Kevin introduced over 300 students of all ages and abilities to the fun of motorcycling, training to Compulsory Basic Training and DoT Riding test standard on machines from mopeds to 500cc Suzukis.

"We worked absolutely flat out through 96 as everyone tried to beat the new learner laws but the introduction of Direct Access in January 1997 was a bit of a nightmare. All instructors who wished to instruct to that level had to attend and pass a Driving Standards Agency assessment course at Cardington in Bedfordshire.

"The problem was that the DSA didn't provide a syllabus of what should be taught or how, just a badly typed two page list of exercises we might be assessed on. Clearly we couldn't carry over all the training methods we'd been using for the 125's - we had to devise a new series of off- and on-road training techniques to cope with the better acceleration and brakes, larger turning circle and the much greater weight of the Direct Access bikes. Everybody but the smallest of riders can tame a 125 by strength alone, but that clearly was not going to be the case with a 400lb 500cc bike.

I went back to basics myself and tried out different ideas so that I would know what could and couldn't be done with the training bikes, and researched the physics behind a moving motorcycle. I then had to work out ways to teach and explain to trainees what was going on without confusing them completely! Let's face it, if there is a less intuitive vehicle to control than a motorcycle, I'd like to see it!" Together with feedback from the other instructors we came up with a number of new or modified exercises that would allow trainees to practice their bike handling skills in safety off-road.

"The next problem was that whole new areas like high speed riding and overtaking technique had to be introduced.

"I'd already written a training manual for new instructors covering CBT, so over the winter of 1996 I sat down with the Motorcycling Manual, the Highway Code and Motorcycle Roadcraft and put together a comprehensive training manual for myself and the school's other instructors.

"It was clearly worth the effort because all our full-time instructors passed first time, mostly with excellent scores, in marked contrast to less well-prepared instructors sent by other training schools.

"In the event, we had great fun introducing Direct Access courses. It was soon clear that the training techniques I had put together worked! Not only was the pass rate on our courses high, but many of our students received compliments from the examiner on their riding. For me personally, one of the most gratifying things that was said was in a 'Thank You' card sent to the school in which the writer said:

"Kevin didn't teach me to pass the test, he taught me to ride"".

In the summer of 1998, Kevin left Cinque Ports to concentrate on the advanced courses, but soon ended up back in basic training with a new school.

"As the advanced courses got better known, I had an increasing number of requests for basic training. Having worked for a couple of other schools in the area after leaving Cinque Ports and been thoroughly dissatisfied with the standards of training from the other instructors, the machinery and the school's general commitment to the trainees, I got together with a former colleague and launched a new Approved Training School in Maidstone.

"I was with B3 Motorcycle Training until mid 2007 when family health problems meant I couldn't devote the time I wanted to the school. Up to that point, B3 had been very successful in converting new riders into licence holders - my own personal first time pass rate in 2006 was up over 90%.

Advanced Training History

Kevin had already put his extensive previous riding experience to good use, introducing structured Advanced Riding Courses for Cinque Ports students on their own machines in 1996 to replace the previous ad hoc arrangements.

"Whilst most of the trainees admitted that they had learned a lot about road use skills in general it was obvious that we couldn't spend enough time to really teach defensive riding techniques - most absolute beginners these days are car drivers and cocooned from the outside world.

"I'd already introduced a proper advanced syllabus based on the police riders manual "Motorcycle Roadcraft" in 1996 - up to then the school had just taken someone out and gave them a few tips - not very professional. Running advanced courses was clearly a good idea.

"However, writing and running these courses as well as teaching Direct Access confirmed my thinking that although you don't need to be a rocket scientist to ride a bike well, few motorcyclists actually know what is happening beneath them as they ride. Apart from the full licence holders doing the advanced courses, we got a lot of former 250 riders from the old L plate days coming back to take a test and you only had to ask how they turn a bike to discover they hadn't a clue. Most muttered something about leaning into the corner, and one or two mentioned countersteering. If a single person in a group of half a dozen could actually explain how countersteering worked it was surprise.

"Unfortunately, beyond some dubious advice about braking, nothing in any of the usual sources gives much help to anyone wanting to learn about the physics of riding a bike as they all concentrate on defensive riding. I thought I might have to start writing this information from scratch but after looking around I re-discovered Keith Code and "A Twist of the Wrist". I'd read his books some years earlier, and found them rather impenetrable. The guy clearly knows what he is talking about, but writing in clear english isn't his strength. Anyway, I persevered and eventually managed to distil some genuine gold nuggets from his ideas about machine control and worked them into my own advanced courses.

Touring (in the blue and white Nankai leathers) in the Italian Alps with members of the GO Ride forum on CompuServe May 97

"So during the winter of 1996, I completely rewrote and updated the advanced courses to include the Code material as well as defensive riding techniques from "Roadcraft" and a number of other sources including the American 'Motorcycle Safety Foundation'. I called the new courses "Survival Skills" and launched Survival Skills Rider Training in early 1997.

"Over the last decade and a bit, the feedback I have received from students has been excellent. I have trained all levels from riders who have only just passed the test and very nervous about their shiny new bike to very confident and experienced big bike owners, including police riders looking for some assessment of their riding that isn't "job-based".

"I'm thus able to work at all levels of instructing. I think it invaluable to do this - I learn a lot from dealing with the problems presented by the many and varied students you get through a basic training school, and I've enjoyed the challenge too.

Aside from the fact that I work in training full time and not just odd weekends, I think that instructors who restrict themselves to only taking advanced courses miss out on a valuable learning experience for themselves."

Writing, e-Books and Distance Learning

"Years ago, inspired by a couple of series of safety articles, I began to write my own guide to advanced riding, based on my time as a courier. When I started instructing, the project went on the back burner for a few years, but after leaving Cinque Ports and with a little more time on my hands, I rewrote the first drafts and produced the first in the series of Survival Skills e -books that are distributed on CD-ROM; "Survival Skills (Course Notes)". This book parallels the content and structure of the "Survival Skills" two day advanced course and is an excellent way of learning advanced techniques yourself.

"Since then two other e-books have followed; "Getting Started", a guide to Direct Access and the practical bike test for new riders, and "Tarmac Tactics", a 'situation-based' review of good riding techniques in many different situations a rider might find themselves in. These aren't lightweight pamphlets. If Tarmac Tactics were printed in paperback, it would run to around 300 pages.

"Having been active on the internet for 14 years, much of that time running a safety section on Visordown.com, I've amassed a huge library of answers to riding problems I've been asked, so I'm currently looking to produce a new range of shorter "Fix your Riding" e-books based on many of those problems."

Spain and the mountains of Cantabria, summer 2003. Hairpins are amongst my favourite riding situations, rewarding a measured approach, a well-planned line and good slow control; if you wondered why you did lots of U-turns on basic training, it's to tackle hairpins like these!

Kevin has also made answers to many of the more common problems freely available to riders via the Survival Skills website.

"Many of the questions come up time and again, so to save time, I put around 100 articles up on the website. This had a spin-off as I was asked by Ian Mutch of the 'Motorcycle Action Group' if I could write a safety column for "The Road". That series has now been running since 2004."

In addition to the MAG column, Kevin was asked by 'RiDE magazine' to author much of their "Little Book of Emergencies", a booklet on solutions to possible riding problems like avoiding mud and diesel, and towing another motorcycle, that came attached to the front of the magazine some years back. Survival Skills also contributed to an article on urban riding in "Two Wheels Only".

With a huge database of information about the problems that riders face and the solutions that work for them having been accumulated, along with considerable experience of delivering those solutions via online and electronic media, Kevin put that to good use with the latest venture for Survival Skills.

"e-Learning is particularly useful where the people who want to learn new skills are a long way from their tutor of choice. I wanted to reach more riders than I could physically train face to face. So the answer was obvious.

"e-Learning has recently taken off in a big way in the field of education generally and with the latest developments in interactive learning environments, it's now technically possible to support e-Learning in many practical subjects that many would have thought quite impossible to teach without face to face contact; for instance, open heart surgery and other medical techniques are now done routinely demonstrated via the internet.

Kevin has successfully completed a level 3 NVQ as an accredited e-tutor with Sheffield College.

"I'm not aware of any other instructors in the country with this level of experience of, or indeed formal qualification in, online coaching."
 

Recreation

What does Kevin do when not running Survival Skills courses? Ride, write abotu and talk about bikes of course!

"I suppose it might be a bit sad, but a fair chunk of my spare time is spent around bikes!

Leading a ride in Normandy, May 1999

"Back in 1995, I fitted a modem to my PC (yes, they were extra's back then!) and as I had a CompuServe CD to hand, I popped it in the drive and thirty minutes later I was wired to the WWW at a blistering 9,600kb and found a motorcycle forum on CompuServe.

"I found the bunch very friendly and approachable, and an absolute mine of information - Erik Buell was a member at the time! The place was a fantastic knowledge base and I was able to correspond with a number of US instructors, enabling us to pool our knowledge and discuss training techniques across the pond - something few other instructors have done."

"It took a little while to get over the US bias, but as more Brits and Europeans joined the place developed an amazing international flavour. In a short space of time I felt like a member of the community, and was there until the forum died in 2002/3. Six year later, I still in contact with some of the old regulars, many of whom I have met in person either in the UK or on my travels abroad.

Taking a break in the Mojave Desert, California, May 98

"From the CompuServe connection came a series of group rides. The first I attended was in 1996 in the UK and I went to another in Italy the following year. More because no one else wanted to do it than any other reason, I ended up planning some of the rides and leading them out on a couple of days. From that group came an invite to borrow a bike and ride from Las Vegas to Colorado in July '97. Vegas in 40C heat is not the best time to be on a bike but riding through the desert was an unbelievable experience, and the grandeur of the Rockies has to be seen.

A trip to the States for the US rally in California was a highlight of '98!

"At least in May, Death Valley was a very pleasant mid-20's, though snow on the way back to Las Vegas a few days later was a complete surprise!! In 1999 the major event took place in September in France. On most days I led out a group on some spectacular runs through the Alps and on one truly memorable day up and over Mount Ventoux! There have been several other Compuserve euro-trips with the last being in 2005 to Southern France and Spain.

Group Riding in the French Alps, September 98. The 1998 CompuServe Euro-Ride

"Other interests? For several years I was a member of SERV, a group who deliver blood to hospitals around Kent and East Sussex in emergencies.

I've done a number of rallies, both the National Rally and the Welsh National version, gaining gold awards on both. I even managed to finish second overall on the Welsh back in 2003.

Any TT fan will know where this is. I think it's Geoff Johnson riding in 1987, possibly on the Loctite Yamaha. One of the not-so-well known race circuits. This is the old road circuit at Chimay, in use till the late 90s, which was faster than the TT. The current circuit is much shorter and not quite so mad. One of the most famous grand prix circuits in Europe - this is Spa, looking down from the top of Eau Rouge back towards the pit straight, as the sun sets on the 24 hour endurance race.

"I watch a lot of racing, endurance racing in particular. I've been to Spa and the Bol d'Or numerous times since the late '70s and also Le Mans on a few occasions. I love the atmosphere at the Bol, but the track at Spa is my favourite - truly awesome. I also visit the World Superbike rounds in the UK when I have time and try to make as many club meetings as possible. I love watching racing in Belgium - Chimay and Oostende are just mad places to hold a race meeting. St Wendell in Germany is almost as bonkers - they close off the bypass round the town!

"I always fancied doing some endurance racing, but a couple of seasons in Moped Mayhem (a best of 4th place for Team Fiendish) convinced me I wasn't competitive enough, and it hurt too much when I crashed! So now I restrict myself to watching from the sidelines and the occasional fun ride in a kart.

Easter '99 Riding in the Harz Mountains with Ute Killer and Martin Hildebrandt. That's a rather less grey-looking me in the middle! Picture by Birte Schneider

Bikes

"These sort of things always end up with a list of "favourite" or "most embarrassing" items, so I suppose I'd better include mine. Over the years I've owned well over a dozen machines. After my starter Honda 125 and 250, I owned three Honda CB400Fs. I finally gave away the last 400F that was awaiting restoration in the garage as I was never going to get round to fixing it.

"In the early 80s I went through three or four CB250RSA's - great little bikes and my newest bike purchase was actually a mint 1982 model. I also ran an AR80 Kawasak for several years as a runabout, and had the obligatory despatch CX500 though I rarely used it for despatching! I rounded out the 80s with an XBR500.

"More recent bikes in the 90s include an FZ750, a GPz500, a Honda Dominator and a GSXR750WN. For the last couple of years despatching I ran a GS500, and have replaced that with three others at intervals. I loved the FZ750, but after a bearing failure, it's awaiting another rebuilt - the gearbox was fixed, but now the crankshaft is making bad noises.

"Along with those there are a bunch of other bikes I've ridden for short periods including CB250 and 400N, CB350, Jawa 350, TZR250, various ER-5s and CB500s, several XJ600 Diversions, a Fireblade, a VTR1000, a Transalp, a Monster 600 and a couple of Hayabusas.

"At the moment I ride a Honda Hornet 600. I hope I haven't insulted anyone's pride and joy too much and that you enjoyed the read!"

Kevin Williams

First bike CB125S - for 3 years it carried me everywhere! Current bikes GSXR750WN, GS500E, CB250RSA and CB600 Hornet. FZ750 Genesis (rebuild awaiting). Best bike Hmm, tricky. I wasn't actually all that keen on riding the 916, but it looked the business parked outside. A Husqvarna 610TE was probably the nuttiest on- or off-road. Vibrates like mad and revs even harder. 60-odd HP in a bike that weighs 130kg! I glanced down at the speedo and discovered I was doing 70... off road down a tiny little trail! On the road it rear wheel steers on the throttle! The 98 ZX6 and a T995i Triumph Daytona probably impressed me more than any other by being so much better than I expected. The Hayabusa - what can I say? Sentimental answer is the 400-F! It was my first real bike, and I toured all over Europe in it, despatched it, crashed it, rebuilt it and generally loved it to bits! I still have one (the restoration project - OK rusting heap!). Worst bike No question - the SRZ660 Super Single from Yamaha. Horrible motor with a usable rev range that started at 3000 and stopped a moment later when it hit the rev limiter. There was never a gear in the box which suited. Awful finish, the forks twisted under braking and bits dropped off. Not surprising as it vibrated like a pile driver! Not far behind is the BMW Funduro - no power, no flexibility, far too heavy and about a foot too tall! Why? The Ducati ST2 steered as if in porridge, the brakes were made of wood and the bodywork was fitted by MFI. Huge disappointment! Most embarrassing bike FS1E I borrowed whilst my 400-F was in the menders. Jawa 350 (even more embarrassing was the fact that I got a tuning manual out and ported it - what was I thinking?) What bike would I most like to own? Not really bothered - as long as it gets where I want to go and I have fun along the way! Still love the looks of a 916 which would be a nice toy. I wouldn't mind a dual-purpose bike having been very impressed with a Transalp and the GS Beemers. I'd like an old US spec Bonnie for sunny days though and a Honda 250-6 - just to listen to the exhaust note! What bike would I least like to own? The original Aprilia RSV Mille - cracking bike but it was styled by the man who's last job was 40 years earlier when he designed the Walls rocket ice lolly! Ugly or what? Only matched by the Ducati 999 which was a cosmetic disaster after the lovely 916 and its descendants. VFR800 - you start it, it goes. You arrive, you park! End of experience. Sorry, I know people love them to bits, but it just left me cold. Anything custom that's not crafted but simply bolt-on money! And the Deauville deserves an honourable mention - let's take a dull 650, cover it in plastic bodywork and detune it! Brilliant idea. The 700 hasn't sold much better either. Most confusing bike The Africa Twin. What's it for? After spending a couple of days in the saddle, I really didn't know! But I had a hoot riding it because it's it's fun and the owner loves it. Fastest I've been on a bike? 150+ on an Autobahn. Slowest I've been on a bike? 30 - riding the restricted AR50, before we, ahem, liberated it for moped racing! Scary, I really feel for 16 year old moped riders! Any crashes? Quite a few minor ones in the early years - nobody took training when I learned to ride. A few embarrassing ones too. I managed to park myself under a police horse at Shepherd's Bush when a pedestrian ran onto a crossing on front of me, and I launched my brother's brand new bike into a ditch in Norfolk - I ended up going in headfirst alongside it. I climbed out covered in dripping weed just as a Morris Minor with two little old ladies slowed down to look - they took one look and sped off! A couple of bad ones, entirely my own fault, one early on when I really hadn't any idea what I was doing and collided with a car turning right from the left hand lane of a one-way system, and another 10 years ago when I lost concentration, clipped a kerb at about 70 and high sided off! That hurt! And a really nasty over-the-handlebars job at about 30mph on the Team Fiendish Endurance Racing AR50 when someone crashed right in front of me! That hurt too! Best Biking moment Lots... passing the test, getting my knee down, my first trainee passing the test, riding through the Ardeche at dawn in the early autumn, lapping almost as fast as my brother on the racing moped (and he was quickest on the track!), finally getting the "double droit de Beausset" right at the (soon to be sadly missed) Paul Ricard circuit in France, riding down 20 miles of twisting road in the mountains of California with a friend, getting to the bottom and deciding to do it all again, a short but scenery packed trip to the Picos de Europa in Spain. Most embarrassing moment on a bike My first crash at 498 miles on the 125. I locked the rear up, hadn't a clue what had happened or what to do, so kept my foot on the brake till the squealing stopped - then fell over! Shortly after that I fell off overtaking an electric milk float! Leading a whole string of bikes straight into a gravel trap whilst riding at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France on my XBR500 - they must have thought I looked as though I knew were I was going - it was my first lap! Tripping over my own feet and falling face first into a hedge with the FZ on top of me wasn't cool and it took me about 10 minutes to disentangle myself, neither was nearly dropping one of the instructor bikes off the stand in front of the examiner and trainees, minutes after picking up and repairing one of the student bikes after the trainee hadn't put it on the stand properly! Failing to keep up with two lady riders on smaller bikes in the Alps in '99 on the GSXR... and having an on-bike video camera record it! I could blame the flat spot I suppose Best bit of biking kit Anything that's held together when I've fallen off! Special mentions to my incredibly practical Aerostich Roadcrafter riding suit which is now over 10 years old and still going, my lamented Gerbing heated waistcoat which did 10 winters, and my old Alpinestar boots (the last of the leather ones) - superbly comfortable! And finally how do I ride? Fast enough to have fun, and carefully enough to still be here, 900,000 miles and over 30 years later!