Sean,

Wow, what a week it has been. I started the week with a worthless CBT certificate from another training school and with your help and the superb training of your instructors I managed to pass the first hurdles of becoming a Biker.

The training was paced brilliantly and the flexibility to mix MOD 2 road riding with free MOD 1 practice was instrumental in my success. Combined with the ability to train on-circuit made the often dreaded high speed manoeuvres incredibly easy.

The whole experience has been fun and entertaining without detracting from the seriousness of risk involved with biking, I have already and will continue to recommend your services to anyone and everyone that is looking to take their bike test as I do not believe they could find anywhere better! Its been a long time since I got such value for my money.

Thanks again and I cant wait to see you again on the advanced cornering course as soon as time and money permits.

See you soon,

Gary


On 25 June 2010 12:55

Do you know..

To steer a bike around a left-hand corner, you turn the bars to the right?
The crucial difference between power and drive?
How weight transfer affects braking?
How to use the vanishing-point to tell exactly how fast to take a bend?

No? Neither did I! Yet after a 4-day DAS course at Circuit based Training not only have I learned this and much more besides, I’m also the proud owner of a full bike licence after passing Module 1 and Module 2 at the first attempt.
My week started focusing on slow speed control after an informative classroom session. Mastering the clutch underpins all other areas of riding, and it is fair to say initially I was rubbish! Day 2 saw us move onto the racetrack for circuit-based work both at high-speed and in preparation for Module 1. Day 3 continually revisited slow riding and once we were all happy with our ability we ventured out onto the roads where the tuition continued via radio towards CBT and Module 2. Throughout the week we had the chance to try riding many different motorbikes and there was a huge range of gear to borrow if we needed it.
From the very beginning, the focus was very much on developing a thorough understanding of machine control and riding safely. What some would call ‘advanced’ techniques (or ‘essential’ in my book!) were introduced right from the off and we soon became familiar with counter-steering, contact patches, weight-transfer, lean angles, entry apex and exit points on corners, and a whole host of other concepts that I know from speaking to mates simply aren’t touched upon on other courses. There’s no doubt biking is hugely dangerous, and Circuit Based Training’s ethos is summed up perfectly in the well-used phrase ‘Mortality-rate not Pass-rate’.
The use of Mallory Park race circuit should be reason alone to choose to train with Circuit Based Training. I struggle to imagine how it would be possible to properly develop skills without it. A ‘road’ to practice on without traffic, street lamps, kerbs and articulated lorries allowed us to build confidence and practice higher-speed riding while being able to focus solely on our bike control. Swerve-manoeuvres and emergency stops were all practiced at speeds that simply wouldn’t be possible to achieve safely on the road, and by comparison make the test feel easy. We were also instructed on areas like taking the correct line through bends and proper entry and exit speeds – things which do not necessarily feature in the test, but are of massive value for the rest of your biking life!
I hugely begrudge swelling the heads of our instructors, but it has to be said that they were both simply fantastic! Between them they have decades (and decades..) of riding and racing experience, have influential involvement in the biking community and with numerous biking organisations, and contribute to biking publications such as Ride and Bike magazine. Much of what I have written so far may sound slightly serious and staid, but in reality the course is an absolute hoot! Dave and Sean have a clear love of biking and a huge passion for the enjoyment of riding. They are genuinely top blokes and ensure that the laughter and mickey-taking is never far away. They are sensitive (despite the language used!) to the subtle needs of different riders and constantly adapt the course to the fit the individual. At no point did we feel we were being left behind and the emphasis was clearly placed on practicing an aspect of riding until we were happy with our progress. Sincere thanks to you both.
I’m convinced that there is no better start to motorcycling. There are cheaper courses available of that there is no doubt and if you really want to save a couple of hundred quid in order to blunder around a pub car park for half a day before heading down the road then don’t let me stop you! If however you feel that there is only one chance to get the basics right and want to experience an exhausting, eye-opening, satisfying and fun week learning to master motorcycling - I cannot recommend Circuit Based Training more thoroughly.

Dan Genders
Feb 2010

Sean/Dave,

I just want to thank you both (especially Dave) for the training I received this week.
It’s a testament to the quality of the training and facilities at Mallory Park that after 23 years since I last rode a motorbike I confidently passed my test after three and a half days training. The self-assurance gained from being taught to ride on the track with high speed cornering and emergency stops cannot be underestimated.
Dave’s down to earth manner and instructions on the track and classroom made everything make perfect sense when we moved onto the road. We had a lot of poor weather (snow, ice, fog and rain) but Dave was happy to switch start and finish times to ensure I got maximum benefit from every day.
I will definitely be back for the advanced cornering course when in the summer and look forward to seeing you both then.

Many Thanks
Pat

Patrick Chard

Murrays the Printers Ltd
T: 01908 326561
F: 01908 326567
www.murrays-printers.co.uk

Hi Sean,

Just thought I'd drop you a quick line to say a huge thank you to Dave, Pete and yourself, for getting me through my Direct Access course last week. I can honestly say that it really was worth every penny.... not necessarily something that you get to say a lot these days!

I had looked at several places for doing my Direct Access course and am hugely glad that I chose to train with you guys. It was clear from the beginning of Day 1 that you are not just about getting people through their test, you are clearly above all committed to producing a rider who is safe. I was immensely impressed with your safety ethos throughout the course, and the facilities that you have for learning to ride help in no small way with this.

I still struggle to imagine how a 'normal' school would be able to teach you to ride in such a safe manner. All the other schools I looked at seemed to take initial training in either school tennis courts or car parks. Quite how you are supposed to get up to any meaningful speed or practice cornering before going out on the road when stuck in the confines of such a small area I'll never know. With you guys though, none of this was ever going to be a problem. The vast paddock training area that you have at Mallory is fantastic for the job of learning the basics and getting up to a reasonable speed. The gradients and differing surfaces available all mean that you get to experience these before ever venturing near a public road..... something I really wouldn't have felt comfortable with if I'd only been riding round school tennis courts.

The track time was also absolutely invaluable before venturing out on the road. The fact that you teach emergency stops from realistic 60 to 70 mph speeds, and make sure that we are able to get a big bike round a corner properly using counter-steering is I believe a massive boost to safety. I really cannot fathom how a school can in good conscience let you out on the road on a big bike without having taught these skills, to my mind it's just not safe. I very quickly realised that counter-steering isn't an 'advanced' subject, it's an absolute necessity from Day 1 when doing much over 30mph on anything much bigger than a push bike!

The fact that we were able to ride with different instructors was also hugely beneficial. Yourself, Dave and Pete all have slightly different styles which provided us with access to more years of knowledge and experience than one rider could hope to get in a lifetime. I'd also like to say thanks for the patience that you all showed during the course, each taking time to explain the finer points of riding technique, and make sure that we were completely happy with what we were doing before moving on. You didn't even take the piss too much when I was hunting round for where I'd put my helmet, only to have Dave point out that it was on my head already. I honestly thought he was going to have a hernia he was laughing so much!.... who'd have known a helmet could be so comfortable that you'd forget you had it on (....it was a long day!!).

I have to admit to being a little nervous before I started the course, but you guys ensured that quickly passed as the course progressed. When it came time to move out onto the public roads, thanks to the skills you'd instilled in us, I was able to do so confident in my ability to control the bike properly and safely. I still can't quite believe that I turned up on the Monday having never ridden a motorbike and then confidently passed my test on the Thursday, just 4 days later. I'll definitely be back for the advanced cornering course! In the mean time, be assured, if I find anyone who is looking to learn to ride I will certainly be pointing them in your direction.

Once again many thanks for such a great course.

Best wishes, and safe riding,