Rider Training
Our rider training is open to any qualified rider over the age of 18 and is based on the information and techniques described in
Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider’s Handbook and
The Highway Code. We would urge you to prove to yourself how far you have come by then taking the RoSPA Advanced Riding Test but if you are just seeking to refine your existing skills, learn new skills or build confidence then we are happy to help you with that.
How do I start?
The first thing to do is to
join us. Once your membership has been processed you will be sent an email asking you to contact our Bike Tutor Co-ordinator who will then try to assign a Tutor who lives nearby. Sometimes you may be offered a Tutor who is further away so you can chose to start your training earlier or you can wait until a closer Tutor becomes available.
All of our Tutors are all volunteers who give their time freely but we do ask that you offer a contribution towards their fuel costs. The Tutors are covered by insurance provided by RoSPA but this, inevitably, comes with requirements so you will be expected to produce your licence along with evidence of tax, insurance and, if required, MoT for the bike you are riding. There is also a disclaimer form which we need you to read carefully and then sign which your Tutor will keep until you have finished your training when your Tutor will return it to you or destroy it. The form is self-explanatory and requires you to maintain the bike in a safe and legal way. Your Tutor will also check your eyesight.
What happens during the training?
You and your Tutor will agree a mutually convenient time and place to meet and then you will ride your bike with your Tutor following behind on theirs. Generally your Tutor will just do an assessment ride for your first meeting so that can then plan how best to help you in the following sessions. You will stop periodically to discuss what you are doing and what you could do to improve.
It generally takes about 10-15 sessions to become ready for test but this can vary depending on previous riding experience and your ability and determination to practise. Each session lasts for approximately an hour and your Tutor will provide feedback at the end about what went well and what things they would like you to practise before the next session.
When your Tutor believes that you are at test standard you will be offered a check ride with a different Tutor. This is partly to give you experience of being observed by somebody different as will happen when your RoSPA Examiner is with you and partly to pick up anything that your Tutor may have missed.
If everything goes well you will be encouraged to take the RoSPA Advanced Riding Test but this is only for your own satisfaction to prove how good you are. The test does involve a fee although it does include your first year’s membership of RoSPA. The test booking form and costs can be found at
https://www.rospa.com/shop/products/advanced-driving-riding-test.What happens during the test?
The test should be very much like the check ride, you will have a different person following you giving you instructions on where to go for about an hour. The big difference is that at the end of the ride the Examiner will tell you whether you have obtained a Bronze, Silver or, hopefully, Gold pass.
What next?
To help you maintain the riding standard you have achieved we would encourage you to maintain your membership of RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders Cambridgeshire and take part in the meetings and events that we provide. If you would like to become more involved then you could consider becoming part of the Committee to help run the Group. We occasionally have vacancies for Tutors so you could also help by becoming a Tutor when one arises.
If you also maintain your RoSPA membership then your 3-yearly re-tests are free and we will help you prepare with a couple of check rides beforehand.
