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Women Riders

February 18 2020

Top 10 Tips for Women Riders

Laura Smith Uncategorized CBT, DAS, DVSA, Female instructor, Mod 1, Mod 2, Motorcycle Training, Top 10 Tips, Women Riders

Top 10 tips for women learning to ride

Top 10 Tips for women riders thinking of learning to ride…

Try before you buy

Lots of training schools now offer 1 hour taster sessions, designed to give you a flavour of riding a motorbike. This is a great way to experience riding for the first time, with the help of a qualified instructor, who can then advise you on your next steps and it can also give you an idea of how you’ll progress to the next steps. If you would like to try a taster session with Laura, drop her a message info@womenonlytraining.co.uk

Research

Alway shop around when looking for a training school. There is a lot of choice out there, so don’t feel restricted to the one that’s most local to you or assume that the one your boyfriend or partner went to will be suitable for you too. A training school website, social media reviews and recommendation from friends can help, but I would also give them a call and have a chat with them too.

Learning at your own pace

Learning a new skill takes time and riding a motorbike is no different. A CBT is often advertised as a one day course, but this doesn’t always mean you will complete it in one day. It is not an attendance course, you’ll need to reach the minimum safe standard to be issued with your certificate. It is important to feel safe and confident when riding unaccompanied, so always remember that if you haven’t got your certificate in the day, it will be for your own safety. Women Only Motorcycle Training offer a 2 day CBT for £300. Click here to find out more.

Intensive courses can also seem like a great way to get your full bike licence quickly, but added time pressures can actually hinder your training. Laying the foundations of basic motorcycle control can have a huge impact on your future riding, well beyond passing your test. Find a school that offers pay-as-you-go training where you can take training at your own pace.

Preparation

Your chosen training school should tell you what documentation you will need to bring with you on the day of your CBT, this includes your driving licence, glasses if you need them for driving or riding, a packed lunch (unless there are facilities on site) and adequate clothing, sturdy jeans (no Topshop skinnies or ripped at the knee) and a pair of boots with ankle protection (but not toetectors). If you haven’t ridden a motorbike before, I would also suggest riding a push bike first, if you don’t have good balance (a skill that we instructors can’t teach you) then you will really struggle riding a motorbike.

Choosing your instructor

Finding the right instructor for you can make a world of difference. There are lots of personalities out there and it’s important that you get on with your instructor and that they set you at ease. Find an instructor that is going to make you feel comfortable and that can explain things in a way that you understand. Don’t be afraid to change instructors or ask for a specific instructor if it’s going to help you.

Rider’s kit

Most training schools will provide you with the basic kit. However, the sizes are usually based on the average sized man, so if you’re blessed with small hands, then investing in a pair of well fitted gloves can also make a big difference to your training day. The levers can be adjusted if you’re reach is smaller, but if your gloves are an inch too big then they will just get in the way. Try looking on Laybiker.co.uk for a great selection of women’s motorbike gloves and other kit, their sizing goes up to a size 34!

Helmets also have an important ‘fit’ factor for obvious reasons, but if you know you’ve got an extra small or large head, an ill fitted helmet can lead to headaches, impaired vision and if it’s too big, not staying on in an incident. If you do decide to invest in a helmet, go and try on as many different ones as you can and don’t buy blindly from the internet. Helmets have a tendency to stretch, so whilst it might feel comfortable at first, after a few wears, it may become too loose. Helmets start from as a little as £45, so there’s choice for everyone’s price band.

Petite riders

If you’re under 5’4” then some motorbikes (even the 125s) can be too tall, making it feel like an uphill struggle. Even if you can touch the floor (on your tiptoes) it can still be extremely unnerving. Make sure that the training school you choose has the right bike for you, ask them if you can try sitting on it first before you book your first session. If you choose your school wisely they will also adapt the training programme to help you with, gear changing, slow riding, junctions and adverse cambers; all potential barriers with having a smaller frame.

Advice from loved ones

So you may have friends that already ride or even your significant other who has loads of riding experience. However, they’re not always going to give you the most up to date and suitable advice, especially whilst your still learning to ride. They may have never even completed a CBT, Mod 1 or Mod 2 test, especially if they passed their test a long time ago, so remember your instructor will be best qualified to pitch the training to your skill and ability level.

Adverse weather

At the moment most bikers aren’t riding as the weather is cold and windy. Losing concentration and the feeling in your fingers and toes is all too easy. Staying warm in the winter or cool in the summer is vital to your safety. During the winter, make sure to invest in base layers and a neck tube, especially when you’re training (and out all day). Whilst riding through the summer, ensure you drink plenty of water and keep vents open. Whilst training I’d also suggest taking a spare set of clothes in case you get wet! If you’re having trouble finding base layers or neck tubes, I usually look on Amazon , Go Outdoors or SportsBikeShop.com

VideoBiker

If you haven’t already heard about VideoBiker and you are planning on booking your CBT or DAS (Direct Access Scheme), why not take a look? I have seen the benefits of my own students using it, even I used it when I was training to become an instructor. It can help set the skills for future training and beyond. Check out their website here www.videobiker.co.uk

February 17 2020

Top 5 Module One (Mod 1) Tips

Laura Smith Direct Access Scheme (DAS) Avoidance exercise, Female Motorcycle Instructor, Learner riders, Swerve test, Top 5 Mod 1 Tips, Women Riders

Top 5 Mod 1 Tips

When I think back to when I first started learning to ride, my biggest fear was doing the Module 1 (Mod 1) Test. The Module 2 Test just seemed a whole lot simpler. Let’s face it the Mod 1 has all the scary bits in, such as the U-Turn, the Figure of Eight or “hate” (as some students have affectionately named it) and even Pushing and Wheeling the bike can seem like a ridiculous task when even holding the bike up is hard work. So if I could go back and give myself some tips and advice, what would it be?

Find a school that offers practice sessions on your local DVSA Test Centre site

Practice time on the test pad is invaluable and can leave you more relaxed and comfortable being in such an unusual environment. Not all schools offer this practice time, but all ATBs (Accredited Training Bodies) have access to booking free slots on the DVSA test sites at weekends, so my advice is to do your research and find a school that does offer it. The surface of the MMA (Motorcycle Maneuver Area) at the DVSA test centre is extremely grippy and more porous than most roads, so it can also give you more confidence when practicing the emergency stop exercise and the avoidance exercise. Whilst most of the exercises can be practiced on other training area’s, I think familiarisation plays a big part in how relaxed you feel on test day. If you haven’t seen an MMA in real life yet, you’ll be surprised at how big they are and how quickly you can become ‘cone blind’. Once panic has set in, it’s really difficult to calm those nerves.

Invest in VideoBiker

VideoBiker is a great addition to your DAS training. Even whilst becoming an instructor, I found the information given on the VB website outstanding. We can only retain about 30% of the information we receive whilst training, so what a great way to revisit what you have learned whilst training with your instructor. The best thing about watching videos in your own time, is that you can play them back as many times as you wish, in the comfort of your own home. These video’s includes the students perspective, with head cam, the examiner’s perspective as well as animated aerial views, so you know exactly what’s expected of you.

If you buy an academy on VideoBiker as a direct result of reading this article you can receive a discount on purchase. Please email info@womenonlytraining to obtain your unique reference code. www.videobiker.co.uk

Take your time

The allocated test time for your Mod 1 test is 30 minutes. You’ll complete it in around 15 minutes. My advice to all students is that the 30 minute slot is yours – you’ve paid for the examiner to watch you, so don’t feel rushed, you’re paying them, not the other way around. Before each exercise take a moment to compose yourself, take a few breaths, even if you really just want to get it out the way and over and done with. It’s even more important to do this if you feel you made a hash of the last exercise. If you did, you need to remember that if you take that mistake with you to your next exercise, it will weigh you down, making the next exercise more difficult. I found the most stressful part of the whole test was pushing and wheeling the bike, which is really silly, as it doesn’t require a lot of skill, but I found it was the most physically awkward. My instructor made it look like a doddle, which of course, made me feel even more awkward. However, knowing that instructors like myself now do that exercise day in day out has also made me realise that it doesn’t have to be smooth, or pretty, it just needs to be pushed from one bay to the next, without knocking any cones over. Your instructor will show you the easiest way to do this.

Look at the diagram

Along with taking your time, if you are not sure what the examiner has asked you to do verbally, you can always ask them to repeat it (remember it’s your time) and even get them to show you on the diagram they have on their clipboard. On my test, the examiner offered to show me what he wanted me to do, but I had practiced and watch the videos that my training school provided, that many times I really didn’t need to see it. However sometimes, it can just help to clarify what you need to do. Again, giving you a bit more time to focus on the task ahead.

If you have never seen the diagram you can download it here

Documents

Make sure you have all your documents ready in plenty of time. You’ll need

a valid CBT certificate
a valid theory test certificate
driving licence
plus glasses if you wear them for riding (although an eye-sight test is not done on your Mod 1)

Make sure that your CBT has plenty of time left on it so that you’re not rushing to get your test done, this of course can add to the test pressure. If your theory test pass runs out in between taking your Mod 1 and Mod 2, unfortunately your Mod 1 test will need to be taken again. This doesn’t happen very often, but it can so easily be avoided with better planning. Want more advice? Get in touch with Laura here.

Women Riders

Top 10 Tips for Women Riders

Top 10 tips for women learning to ride

Top 5 Module One (Mod 1) Tips

Top 5 Mod 1 Tips

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