Category Archives: Direct Access

Information regarding the Direct Access motorcycle training course.

Cardiff, Direct Access, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles

Direct Access Training

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I have had a few enquiries lately asking me exactly what the Direct Access Training Scheme is.

Direct Access Scheme, or more commonly called, DAS is part of the tiered testing system that exists in the UK.

The Direct Access Scheme enables candidates who are over 21 years of age to train on a ‘big bike’ to obtain a ‘Direct’ route to obtaining a full motorcycle licence.

The engine size of the bike is not the deciding factor, but it’s power output (measured in Brake Horse Power -BHP).  But this usually is carried out on bikes of 500cc and over.

1st Class Rider Training- Cardiff have a choice of 500cc and 600cc ‘Direct Access Bikes’.

For riders who are under 21 or for those who choose to train and take the test on a 125cc bike, certain restrictions will apply.

Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Changes, Direct Access, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles, News

A.I.S Ace Instructor Services set to close?

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Unlucky 13th for some maybe.

A crisis meeting has been called for owners and staff of AIS, Ace Instructor Services, a motorcycle training school based in Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan.  At the meeting scheduled for the 13th of October, instructors will discover the fate of the company who apparently are feeling the effects of the recession.  My source says, it is believed that falling student numbers and the high cost of Insurance for the school, set for renewal in November, has found the school struggling to survive.  It is anticipated that the insurance will not be renewed unless a buyer can be found amongst its loyal staff.

The training school is based in Llantwit Major and shares a training site with United Motorcycle Training, Cardiff on the old Llandow Airfield.

This will be another sad loss to the Motorcycle Training Industry in recent times, as we all struggle to face up to the increasing andchanging demands of the training and testing system.

AIS has been responsible for putting many motorcyclists through their tests and many riding now owe their new found freedom to Ace Motorcycle Training School.

We wish their instructors well in finding new positions.

Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Changes, Direct Access, Events, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles, News

Launch of our Site for Motorcycle Training in Cardiff

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1st Class Rider Training are pleased to announce the date for the official launch of our New Site for Motorcycle Training in Cardiff.

Thursday the 29th of October will see the Lord Mayor of Cardiff officially open the New Cardiff County Council Road Safety Centre at Maindy Stadium, Crown Way, Cardiff.

Since 1st Class Rider Training was established we have been fortunate to work closely with the staff at the Road Safety Centre and we have enjoyed their hospitality using Briardene Road Safety Centre as our Training Base in Cardiff.

The move to Maindy stadium will see the opening of a luxury suite of offices and training rooms with computer simulators and lecture facilities.  We are also able to make use of SID, the portable Speed Indicator to fully prepare our students for the speed related elements of the Part 1 Motorcycle Test.

The new training area is made up of a large ‘Dexterity Area, and mini road system with authentic signed junctions, bends and a full sized roundabout.

Secure on site storage for our motorcycles allows us immediate access to these new facilities and for when we have finished work……there is a swimming pool and a fully equipped Fitness Suite!

1st Class Rider Training on First Class Machines on a First Class Training Site…. 1st Class !

Advanced Training, Cardiff, CBT, Direct Access, Events, Motorcycle Training, News

Motorcycle Training Cardiff

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The face of Motorcycle Training in Cardiff is about to change.  1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff are pleased to announce our imminent move to our new training site.

Since 1st Class Rider was formed delivering high quality motorcycle training in Cardiff we have enjoyed a very special relationship with Cardiff County Council Road Safety team.  Our existing training site at The Road Safety Centre, Briardene, North Road, Cardiff is soon to move to our new home.

A new purpose built site is now open at the Road Safety Centre, which has relocated to Maindy Stadium.

The training areas, which has been described by the DSA Examining Officer, as a perfect CBT training site, has a dexterity area together with a private road system consisting of bends, junctions, pedestrian crossings and a roundabout.  All with authentic road markings and road signs.

Still enjoying on site toilet facilities and refreshment vending machines.

So you don’t have to train on some featureless industrial estate car park when you can train with the best n this purpose built training site.

The new face of Motorcycle Training in Cardiff is here and waiting for you.

Advanced Training, Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Changes, Direct Access, Events, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles, News, Police Class 1

1st Class Rider Tours

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1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff are pleased to announce the launch of their new web site.  www.1stclassridertours.co.uk

The launch recognises the success of our European and War Graves Tours so far this year.  The new web page is being constructed but will hold a full calendar of trips for 2010.  The Somme, Normandy, Battle of The Bulge, Bruges and Ypres to name but a few.

These are biking trips professionally lead by Police Class 1 Riders to points of interest along some of the best biking roads on offer in Northern Europe. Conveniently packaged into just a long weekend.

The web site will also hold links to our main training page and our popular Newsletter Blog where you can sign up for automatic updates on Advanced Training, Special Events and Monthly Social Ride Outs.

These are exciting times for us here at 1st Class Rider Training as we expand our successful training company.  We will still be offering ‘Learner’ & Advanced Training and we will still be available for the many corporate classroom training sessions that we currently present, but these tours are a natural progression as we look forward to changes in the biking industry in the UK.

Come and join us.  Watch out for news on the completion of www.1stclassridertours.co.uk

Advice, Cardiff, Changes, Direct Access, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles, News

Motorcycle Training South Wales

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The face of Motorcycle Training in South Wales has certainly changed recently.  With the implementation of the new, split practical motorcycle test.

With just 2 Multi Purpose Test Centres serving South Wales it means greater pressure is being put on the testing system as motorcycle training schools from as far afield as Hereford and Mid Wales, converge on South Wales to take the new test.

Motorcycle Training Schools in South Wales have the choice of just 2 new test centres for the Part 1 test.  They are situated at Newport and Swansea.

Previously the motorcycle test could be taken at test centres at;

Cardiff

Bridgend

Merthyr Tydfil

Neath

Swansea

Newport

Abergavenny

Cwmbran

Monmouth

Llandrindodd Wells

So you can see how losing these numerous test centres has put pressure on the test booking and testing systems in the 2 South Wales sites.

We at 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff are pleased to say that even with the added test booking demand we have been able to obtain tests for our students and we have the use of an excellent training area where we can simulate the new test centre layout.

We are more than satisfied that we have been able to meet the new demands for Motorcycle Training in South Wales, head on and we have been able to continue to enjoy a very high pass rate for the new 2 part motorcycle test.

So if you are looking for Motorcycle Training in South Wales please give us a call and we will be happy to advise you on the best course for you.

Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Direct Access, Motorcycles, News

New Motorcycle Test

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Well it is in and what a start.  I’m pleased to say that 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff has had a success with our first student going forward for the New Part 1 of the 2 Part Test, passing with a fault free ride.

Others were not so fortunate and reports in the press showed four crashes and one broken arm on the first day of the new safety manoeuvres part of the test.

With no motorcycle test centre in Cardiff we have to travel to Swansea or Newport for the Part 1 of the test.  We then get a choice for the Part 2 (on road practical riding) and the choice is Swansea, Newport or Merthyr.  Yes, again, No Cardiff motorcycle tests.

What this means is that the demand for motorcycle tests has far out stripped the availability.

Tests which could have been taken in Cardiff, Abergavenny, Bridgend, Cwmbran and many other regional, ‘local’ test centres can now only be taken at the limited number the DSA have provided for us.

The DSA are proud of what they have achieved!  But now you try getting at test for students.  At Newport last week there were training schools from Monmouth and as far as Hereford with students for tests.  Newport is now their ‘local’ test centre.

So take away the misfortune of the crashing test candidates on day one, it is the ‘crashing’ of the testing and booking system, buckling under the strain of there not being enough test centres that will carry the lasting damage.

The industry is struggling, and the DSA think they have met their targets.

Advanced Training, Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Direct Access, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles, News

World of BMW Motorcycle Training

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The next series of Blog News pages gives a summary of how 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff came to be formed.

As a result of my close association with Peter Cramp, the Sales Manager at Rydale BMW Motorcycle Dealership, Cardiff I was able to become involved in the World of BMW Motorcycle Training School, based at Ystradgynlais.

Run by Kevin and Julia Saunders I was invited to join them and train BMW clients at all levels from CBT right through to their Advanced and Refresher Courses at the Swansea Valley site.

I am still licensed to train for them but concentrate my time now on 1st Class Rider Training in Cardiff.

As with the other organisations mentioned here and below, I am grateful for the opportunity to work with them, sharing ideas and helping them grow.

Advanced Training, Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Direct Access, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles, Police Class 1, RoSPA

Harley Davidson Rider’s Edge

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Just another chapter, in the 1st class Rider Training-Cardiff formation history.

When Harley Davidson was looking to set up a Europe branch of their Rider’s Edge Motorcycle Training scheme, I wasn’t far away.

The Director’s of the training school based in Builth Wells, Mid Wales needed Direct Access qualified Instructors and in the early stages of the development of Rider’s Edge I was able to assist in setting up an Advanced Motorcycle Training and Testing scheme. (Based on the RoSPA Gold Silver and Bronze grading system), and carrying out training at all levels from CBT right up to the Rider’s Edge Gold standard.

Working closely with Pat, the Motorcycling Director at the time I gained much useful experience and this was another stepping stone towards the formation of 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff.

Advanced Training, Cardiff, Direct Access, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles, News

United Motorcycle Training

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This, together with the Blog page below, is part of the 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff, story.

I was asked by Peter Cramp, the Sales Manager of Rydale BMW Cardiff, at the time, if I knew a training school that wasn’t tied to a dealership to pass on any refferals for CBT or Direct Access Training that came into the BMW salesroom.

I approached United Motorcycle Training and it was agreed that I would be issued with an Instructor’s Certificate with them.

Any enquiries that I recieved through the BMW dealership I passed to United, but later found that I wasn’t always given the work that arose ftrom those enquiries.

After a short time, it was decided, in conjunction with Peter Cramp that I would form my own training school, and so 1st Class Rider Training was born.

So, as with Cardiff Motorcycle School, my time with United Motorcycle Training forms a stepping stone in the development of 1st Class Rider Training.