22 replies to this topic

[mad frankie]

Hi, Just a cautionary story for all those perspective riders out there.

Due to the overwhelming pressure of most of my team at work being bikers; One of the younger members of the team decided to start the long journey to bikerdom and get his CBT.

He booked for a manual bike CBT session so that he could then go out and buy a 125 with the reasonable expectation of being able to ride it.

He turned up, was told that everyone does the CBT on a 50cc scooter, He complained that he had asked for a manual course and was told "if you don't like it, you can have your money back and go home, whats the problem, you'll get your CBT anyway!"

He decided to do the Eight hour course which was completed in three hours (including an hours lunch) and was given his certificate.

As he had about 3 hours of the day left, he asked if there was any chance of riding the 125? answer no, you'll have to come back for a conversion course!

Funnily enough, he won't be going back!
He now feels unsure of what all the other bits do on a bike (clutch, rear brake, gear leaver, throttle) and how to use them safely in conjunction with each other.

I thought the idea of the CBT was to give you a very basic understanding of the vehicle that you intend to use.

If any of your friends / colleagues / family are thinking of going down the two wheeled righteous path, be aware that this is the experience from:

http://www.getbike.co.uk/

[TonyDevil]

they are blatantly breaking the law, probably worth reporting them to DVLA/DSA.
Stu will probably be able to provide more info on this as I think he is a instructor.

I had a bad experience on my CBT too(with a diff company that is RIPieces), I reported the guy who gave the course and he 'is no longer involved with training'.
he almost put the friend i was learning with off biking

[dapleb]

I thought my CBT training was great....until I did a direct access course a few years later at a different place and noticed the much much higher standard they were teaching the CBT students!

[TonyDevil]

I thought my CBT training was great....until I did a direct access course a few years later at a different place and noticed the much much higher standard they were teaching the CBT students!

hmmm, maybe we should start a recommended and avoid list of training places.

[cupasoop]

they are blatantly breaking the law, probably worth reporting them to DVLA/DSA.

I'd say report them to trading standards and the feds

[stu]

they are blatantly breaking the law, probably worth reporting them to DVLA/DSA.
Stu will probably be able to provide more info on this as I think he is a instructor.

I had a bad experience on my CBT too(with a diff company that is RIPieces), I reported the guy who gave the course and he 'is no longer involved with training'.
he almost put the friend i was learning with off biking

Ahem

DSA Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) Section
All learner motorcyclists and learner moped riders are required by law to hold a valid CBT certificate of completion.

CBT Section is responsible for:
advising members of the public by telephone of the availability of CBT courses in their area
answering general enquiries concerning motorcycle training and testing
administering and regulating the approved training bodies and certified instructors who provide the CBT course

Contact Details
Address:
Stanley House
56 Talbot Street
Nottingham
Postcode:NG1 5GU
Email: cbt@dsa.gsi.gov.uk
Phone: 0115 901 2595
Fax: 0115 901 2600

hth

[Stunts]

I work for a bike school in Hemel Hempstead as an instructor and the attitude of that company you mentioned really sucks! Granted, not an awful lot of riding schools do the eight hours - the DSA stipulation is a minimum of 3 hours off road and two hours on road to be exact. I tend to only do CBT's and I start at 8.30am and don't usually finish until around 3.30pm. It depends entirely on the skills of the student. This does not, however, excuse the attitude of the people mentioned above!

If he passes his CBT on a 50cc T and G then he can by rights (if over 17) step straight onto a geared bike of 125cc and ride it. He doesn't need to do a conversion course. Obviously if he hasn't been told where all the gears clutch etc. are he might have a rough time of it!

It doesn't say where abouts you are Frankie (I'm guessing West London somewhere) - but if I can help out with getting your colleague confident on a geared bike I am more than happy to help. Does he have his own bike yet? I'll do it on my own time (and most likely free depending if he wants to go on the road on one of our bikes or not!) at Bovingdon airfield and ask my boss if it's OK. I'm sure he'll let me help out if I'm needed. It'll more than likely be on a weekend. Let me know?
S

[mad frankie]

Thanks Stunts,

I actually live in Sevenoaks, My colleague in Islington, he brought a little cg125 off of another mate..

I spent most of Saturday with him in the local industrial estate with him riding up and down using the bits that he hadn't been shown before..

I think that he's now saving up for his Direct Access...

Thanks for the thought, I'll pass your offer on though.

Frankie

[viper_biker]

Direct Access, CBT, I had none of this. Couple of lessons then my test, there you go son, go buy a bigger bike but restrict it to 33bhp for 2 years (yeah, right) then find the bike with the biggest bhp you can find, scare the shit outta yourself then go back to 400's and an 850 for commuting on. Sounded good to me, so that's what I did.

[tdm850rider]

Note: For Americans it sounds like a good CBT course is similar to the MSF course (Motorcycle Safety Foundation).

I took the MSF course after I had already had a MC license for 20 years and I still learned a few things,
I recommend it for any US riders.

They also have the 'advanced' course where you ride your own bike (basic MSF provides the 175/250cc mounts).
All you need is a learner's permit and riding gear.

[Lunlunzai]

Exact same thing happened to my friend b4. He booked in a 125cc motorcycle CBT section at A'X'T at Southampton but when he turned up he was given a 125 scooter. 3 hrs later, he got his CBT cert. Anyways, He was a motor-taxi rider in Canton so a CBT cert is what he needs. Training is not important in his case.

[divvxj]

ride around the local" square" and when i step out from behind a tree,you will preform an emergency stop,That would be the tree with the clip board sticking out,and if it was near 1 oclock it was a guarenteed pass as it was near his lunch hour,in the park bar (1976)

[themusicbox]

Man, and the good ol' government wonders why there are so many bike crashes! My CBT was crap (I used a training school in Worthing). Used a different school for the Direct Access that was great - ART training (partnered with P&H Motorcycles in Crawley). I don't really like the shop but the training school is excellent.

[JollyGiant]

ride around the local" square" and when i step out from behind a tree,you will preform an emergency stop,That would be the tree with the clip board sticking out,and if it was near 1 oclock it was a guarenteed pass as it was near his lunch hour,in the park bar (1976)

Yeah me too but in 1987

[ChrisG]

ride around the local" square" and when i step out from behind a tree,you will preform an emergency stop,That would be the tree with the clip board sticking out,and if it was near 1 oclock it was a guarenteed pass as it was near his lunch hour,in the park bar (1976)

My first driving test was a bit like that too. Except it was a triangle not a square, it was 1989, and it was a 5.8 litre straight 6

Didn't do my bike test until 1997, just before the DAS came in.

Edited by ChrisG, 09 December 2008 - 11:38 pm.

[Spongey]

You can imagine how hard my test was in 1961!