Category Archives: CBT

Information regarding the Compulsory Basic Training motorcycle test.

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

Motorcycle Training in Newport

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Don’t be misled by our full Business Name.  1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff. We still carry out Motorcycle Training in Newport and Swansea.

Whilst our office and approved CBT site is based in Cardiff we carry out much of our training for Direct Access Courses in Newport and Swansea.

With Module 1 of the new test taking place at the Multi Purpose Test Centres in Swansea or Newport much of our time is spent in these areas.,  I must still stress that we don’t simply rehearse the test route like some other training schools but we spend this time teaching you to ride in a variety of road conditions often well away from the test routes.

Also some other training schools have re-located their main training base into these areas but this requires you to travel and to make your own way often a considerable distance to the training base, but with us we include the journey to the testing areas as part of your training.  Our bikes are kept in Cardiff so the journey to the test centres is done with you in control and in the saddle.

So you spend more time in the saddle, and clock up more miles as we use the travelling to enhance the teaching experience.

So if you want 1st Class Rider Training in Newport give us a call.

If you want 1st Class Rider Training in Swansea give us a call.

If you want 1st Class Rider Training anywhere in between !  Give us a call.

It matters not where you live, you can still become a 1st Class Rider today.

Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles

How many students on a cbt?

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We often get asked “How many people will I be training with when I do my cbt”.

The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) impose restrictions on training schools and state that 1 Instructor can traIn up to four students for the off road elements of the cbt, and the ratio for on road tuition is 1 Instructor to no more than two trainees.

So you could find yourself in a group of four students – but not at 1st Class Rider Training you won’t.

I restrict the off road sessions to no more than two students to one Instructor.

This means that you get better tuition with closer supervision.

It makes it easier for you and the Instructor, who is then better able to give ‘weaker’ students the attention they need, without getting lost in a bigger group. ( this is a concern that is often mentioned to us by students who have done, or tried a cbt eleswhere).

It also means that you get to keep the same Instructor throughout your session (a group of 4 would be split between two instructors for the road session).

From these levels of tuition and closer supervision it is obvious that we are producing better quality students who are safer riders and more readilly able to move on to the big bike for direct access training.

So this shows that at 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff simply making money by cramming in the numbers is not our main concern but producing and encouraging safe confident riders to take their place on today’s busy roads with ease is our priority.

For motorcycle training in Cardiff, Newport and surrounding area there is only one choice.

Become a 1st Class Rider today.

Call us now.

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

Emergency Stop in the Wet

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The syllabus set out for completing a CBT contains the Emergency Stop manouevre.

The ‘book’ says ‘explain wet weather braking’.

At 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff we think that it is better to experience wet weather braking and not simply have it explained.

Paying particular attention to skid control, prevention and rectification this builds confidence in our students and shows that whilst we should respect the wet, we shouldn’t fear it.

It only takes a couple of buckets of water and is well worth the effort to see the positive results and the boost in confidence of our 1st Class Riders.

If you want to try it in a safe and controlled environment then why not sign up for our ‘Slow Manouevering & Emergency Braking Day’. 31st July.

Call now for details.

Pictured here are our CBT students practising emergency stops in the wet. Under the watchful eye and close supervision of Instructor Steve.

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

Motorcycle Training Cardiff

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When it comes to choosing a Motorcycle Training School in Cardiff 1st Class Rider Training is your only choice.

Pictured here, our students have the full use of the excellant facilities at our Cardiff based training site, and are able to practice on a full sized roundabout, realistic junctions with authentic road markings, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights. This prepares our students safely and builds confidence before taking to the road.

Pictured below, Instructor Steve teaches the riding system used for carrying out left and right turns. Using our road layouts first we walk through the procedure and we are able to discuss each stage without the risks from traffic found on a real road.

We can fully cover turning left and right both from a Major Road into a Minor Road and from a Minor Road into a Major Road.

This is better than doing this in a classroom on a chart or board and much better than doing this on a car park with junctions made out of cones or markers.

This way we can highlight the correct timing of mirror checks and lifesavers, pausing at each stage without risk.

So whether you are taking CBT (compulsory basic training), Direct Access or Advanced Training, this really is 1st Class Rider Training.

Don’t delay, become a 1st Class Rider today.

Call us now. If our lines are busy please call back, or leave a message and we will call you.

Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles

CBT in Cardiff

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Our CBT courses are held at our training site at Maindy Stadium Road Safety Centre. We are allowed to train up to four students at a time on a CBT session but I restrict it to just two myself. We find that this gives closer supervision and better training. It means that any weaker students are not lost in a bigger group.
We find it is easier for the students and Instructors alike and we find we are getting better quality riders as an end result.

Our Training Site, seen in the background here, has lifesized junctions, bends, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and a roundabout. Perfect for preparing our students for the road before venturing out through the gates.

Pictured is our Instructor talking through the vehicle controls with two students (just one of the elements of the Compulsory Basic Training).

This really is ‘1st Class Rider Training’.

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

CHOOSING a Cardiff Motorcycle School

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When it comes to choosing a Cardiff Motorcycle School there are some major factors to consider.

Don’t always make your decision on the face value of the prices alone. See how these prices are broken down and see what you actually get for your money.  Some Training Schools will give a cheap opening price but then add on a cost for bike hire etc.

1st Class Rider Training is a Cardiff Motorcycle School that gives ‘inclusive’ prices, with no hidden charges.

Prices for our Cardiff Direct Access Training cover training from 9.15am until approximately 4.30pm each day.  We believe that others may charge the same as us but will only give you a five hour training day.  This adds up over the duration of your course to a lot of training that you may be paying for (with others) and not getting!

Cardiff Motorcycle School for example train from 8am until 1pm OR from 1pm until 6pm But not both together,  (I know…I used to work for them)  And please don’t be mistaken but the proprietor of Cardiff Motorcycle School and I, are still good friends both personally and professionally. We just offer and operate different training packages.

Remember it is your money that you are spending so get the best value for it pound for pound.

Also ask what facilities each school utilise in their training sites.  1st Class Rider Training has a purpose built training site with a large dexterity area, and a full size ‘mock’ road system with traffic lights, junctions, bends and a full size roundabout.  All for your use before you get out on road.

Other training schools that I have previously worked at (Cardiff Motorcycle School, or  United Motorcycle Training to name just two) are the two closest in distance to 1st Class Rider Training.

Cardiff Motorcycle School are situated to the West of the City, United Motorcycle Training are situated to the North. 1st Class Rider Training is centrally located on the Main A470 North Road in the Maindy area of the City.

We believe that our purpose built site, with realistic road features, better prepares you for riding on the road.

So by all means shop around but if you want 1st Class Rider Training in the Cardiff area then give me a call.

If our lines are busy please call back, or leave a message and I will call you.  Become a 1st Class Rider today.

Advice, Cardiff, CBT, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles

How do I get the best Motorbike Lessons in Cardiff?

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This is a difficult decision for you to make because until you pay your money and take a chance with a training school you don’t know if you’ve made the right choice or not. So let us put your mind at ease.

You can get valuable information from the Company Reviews left by previous clients, and these reviews show up on the  ‘google’ search results.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) also carry out periodic assessments of Instructors at CBT sessions and then report back to the company.

One of our ‘1st Class’ Instructors was recently assessed and this is the summary of the DSA Examiner’s findings.

“This was a very well conducted CBT. Steve gave excellent demonstrations throughout and kept both trainees involved at all times.  Steve has a very pleasant manner and uses his own experiences well to explain things. Steve obviously has a lot of motorcycle experience and used this well both on and off road to warn of potential hazards and problems but still allowed the trainees plenty of opportunity to demonstrate their own abilities.  Steve’s use of Q & A made learning both easy and enjoyable for the trainees who both commented through the day how much they were learning and how enjoyable Steve made it for them”.

So spend your money wisely.  Give 1st Class Rider Training a call to book your training.

Call us now on 0845 467 0165.

If our lines are busy please leave a message and we will call you back.

Cardiff, CBT, Motorcycle Training, Motorcycles, News

How many Motorbike Training Schools are there in South Wales?

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For a City the size of Cardiff there are surprisingly few Motorcycle Training Schools serving the population.

The longest running is Cardiff Motorcycle School who are based at Bevans Motorcycle Dealership at Hadfield Road in the West of the City, using the Cardiff City Stadium Car Park as their main CBT training site.

Centrally based, 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff have been running since 2003, originally linked to the Cardiff BMW Motorcycle Dealership, (Rydale BMW – who have since changed hands and no longer sell BMW Bikes).  1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff use Cardiff County Council Road Safety Centre at Maindy Stadium, just off North Road as the main training site.  There we have the use of a purpose built training site with Road junctions, Traffic Lights and a full sized roundabout.

Just Ride Away is a newly formed Training Body based at Willows High School in the South of the City.

United Motorcycle Training based at Llanishen Trading Estate to the North of the City also have branches at South Wales Superbikes in Newport and also make use of a training area at Llandow in the Vale of Glamorgan.

These are the main Authorised Training Bodies in the City but the surrounding area is served by Schools at Aberdare, Bridgend, Bedwas, Pontypridd, Merythyr Tydfil and Cwmbran.

A recent closure of a training school in the Vale of Glamorgan has seen a Bristol based company try and fill the Llantwit Major gap left by the closure.

So when it comes to spending your money you want the best value for your cash so it is worth shopping around….and after you’ve shopped around and spoken to the others 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff will be happy to book you in!

If our lines are busy, please call back.  Or leave a message and we will be happy to call you.

0845 467 0165

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

Real Radio Bring a £ to Work Auction

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Charity Auction – Motorcycle Training with 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff.

Real Radio– Wales Based in Cardiff are raising Money to build a playground at the Children’s Hospice, Ty Hafan. Ty Hafan, which is based in Sully, South Wales cares for children with life shortening illnesses, and their families, and gives invaluable support at times of great stress within these families.

As part of this fund raising, the Radio Station is running a Charity Auction.

1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff has donated a Motorcycle Training Day as a prize.  You can bid for either a Full Day Basic Training for a CBT (value £125) or for a Full Day Advanced Training with a Police Class 1 Motorcyclist (Value £180).

For the CBT we provide the use of a Yamaha 125cc bike, all the fuel, insurance, helmet, jacket, gloves and waterproofs whilst you are training. So this is a great way to get started.

For the Advanced Day, it is better for you to use your own bike but we can provide a fuel injected Honda CBF 600cc.

Our training base for the CBT is at the Cardiff County Council Road Safety Centre, Maindy Stadium, Cardiff, and for the Advanced Day, you will find yourself riding the challenging mountain roads of Wales.

So, come on support this worthy cause and place a bid.  Visit the Real Radio Wales website and click on ‘Auction’  for full details.  The auction ends in 5 days.

Thank You.