Some thoughts on advanced riding skills

[Blackbird]

I've just passed my Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) full membership test. It took 4 hours and covered over 220km of city, urban and country riding with a serving motorcycle police officer checking my riding - talk about stress. The account of that ride is here:http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2011/...eme-pride.html. However, more importantly, I sat down to think about the whole process of upskilling as I'm pretty sure that up to now, my 40+ plus riding years have been the first 5 years repeated again and again as opposed to continuous progress. I reckon the first hurdle is actually getting riders to do some training under 3rd party supervision. Plenty of riders whinge about car drivers but boy, there's plenty of motorcyclists who's standards aren't too flash.

Anyway, I've posted my experiences of advanced roadcraft training here:http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2011/...ills-some.html if it's of any interest to anyone who has been thinking about raising their road skills to reduce the risk of coming to harm.

Cheers,

Geoff

[Gremlin]

Congrats Geoff!

I bought a couple of recommended books a short while ago, started reading them, but the bike returned, Grand Challenge, Capital Cruise etc... I guess it's procrastination, but I'll definitely be following your footsteps towards IAM in the next couple of years...

[Blackbird]

Congrats Geoff!

I bought a couple of recommended books a short while ago, started reading them, but the bike returned, Grand Challenge, Capital Cruise etc... I guess it's procrastination, but I'll definitely be following your footsteps towards IAM in the next couple of years...

Cheers Gremlin,
Unlike you (I'm assuming ), I'm retired and can do what I please to fill the day up so motorcycling and fishing figure large. Time to put something back into a pastime which has given me so much pleasure. Don't procrastinate for as long as me though - they're all out to get you!

[Gremlin]

Certainly not retired, especially at the tender age of 28 (barely out of nappies ). Of course, I wouldn't mind it, as it would mean I'm rich as, which would mean lots of bikes!!

I already feel the giving back element, and figure that if I'm handing out advice to newbies (like the L ride on the weekend to Cape Reinga), I should probably formalise some additional training, as I'm mostly self taught/learnt, and hand out (known) good advice.

[paturoa]

Plenty of riders whinge about car drivers but boy, there's plenty of motorcyclists who's standards aren't too flash.

What I complain about isn't theirs and our lack of standards, it is the decision to not use them. Tail gating (motorcyclists are the worst offenders), failure to indicate, lazy looking et al.

Shit driving is a choice for most, for the rest there is no hope.

[Blackbird]

What I complain about isn't theirs and our lack of standards, it is the decision to not use them. Tail gating (motorcyclists are the worst offenders), failure to indicate, lazy looking et al.

Shit driving is a choice for most, for the rest there is no hope.

Yep, and that probably starts at civil service bureaucrat and government level where expectations for driving are correspondingly low. Got to be, looking at the piss-easy testing compared with some countries in Europe. The Americans, with the exception of 3 states are worse than us.

[bluninja]

Congrats on your achievment.

[Blackbird]

Congrats on your achievment.

Cheers bluninja. Like anything worthwhile, it was bloody hard work!

[willytheekid]

Congrats Geoff

Love reading your Blogs about your adventures and views on motorcycling, keep up the great work

[Blackbird]

Congrats Geoff

Love reading your Blogs about your adventures and views on motorcycling, keep up the great work

Cheers Willy, that's very kind of you! Incidentally, for anyone interested in IAM training, the first assessment against police riding criteria is absolutely free and you get a written report. All you do is register your interest on their website (http://www.nz-iam.org.nz/iammotorcycle.asp) by using the Contact button. If you decide that you want to continue after that, it costs just $90 from memory which includes the cost of your full membership test. Good value for a life-saver eh? The check rides leading up to the full test are free as the Observers (Instructor/Examiners) donate their time. I know the Observer based in Rangiora and he's a top guy. There are Observer/Examiners in most of the main NZ centres.

As far as I know, NZ is the only country outside the UK where IAM is fully active.

[willytheekid]

Cheers Willy, that's very kind of you! Incidentally, for anyone interested in IAM training, the first assessment against police riding criteria is absolutely free and you get a written report. All you do is register your interest on their website (http://www.nz-iam.org.nz/iammotorcycle.asp) by using the Contact button. If you decide that you want to continue after that, it costs just $90 from memory which includes the cost of your full membership test. Good value for a life-saver eh? The check rides leading up to the full test are free as the Observers (Instructor/Examiners) donate their time. I know the Observer based in Rangiora and he's a top guy. There are Observer/Examiners in most of the main NZ centres.

As far as I know, NZ is the only country outside the UK where IAM is fully active.

...Soooo tempting!, I might just do that next year, I have actually been looking for a refresher course to do so I can ensure my previous training is still relevant and still being used correctly in my daily riding, thank you so much for the links (already favorited them for further investigation)
$90 to invest in another 30yrs safe riding...priceless!!

[Tricia1000]

I believe IAM is stull running in Ireland, and Hong Kong.

Cheers Willy, that's very kind of you! Incidentally, for anyone interested in IAM training, the first assessment against police riding criteria is absolutely free and you get a written report. All you do is register your interest on their website (http://www.nz-iam.org.nz/iammotorcycle.asp) by using the Contact button. If you decide that you want to continue after that, it costs just $90 from memory which includes the cost of your full membership test. Good value for a life-saver eh? The check rides leading up to the full test are free as the Observers (Instructor/Examiners) donate their time. I know the Observer based in Rangiora and he's a top guy. There are Observer/Examiners in most of the main NZ centres.

As far as I know, NZ is the only country outside the UK where IAM is fully active.

[Blackbird]

I believe IAM is stull running in Ireland, and Hong Kong.

Thanks for that Tricia, wasn't aware of Ireland. I'm given to believe that there are some probs with the HK operation through the friend of a friend. There's also an organisation of the same name in Tasmania but I don't think it has official links.

[Tricia1000]

I believe IAM is stull running in Ireland, and Hong Kong.

As Geoff probably mentions in his blog (haven't had a chance to read it), getting to IAM level will take some dedication, and work. It doesn't just fall into your lap.
I used to be the Chief Examiner for IAM (Motorcycle NZ), But am now just an ordinary examiner. Philip McDaid is the Chief examiner now.
We are always available to answer questions, or if you would like to do some training, I am currently negotiating subsidised training for those on restricted or full licence, which I hope to have in place soon. Just in time for the nice weather

As well as Geoff's blog,(will get a chance to read it soon) one of my students Roger Fleming did an excellent write up, post advanced lessons, which raised some excellent points for debate.
Advanced training, not only makes you a safer rider, but you will find, that once perfected, you make better progress than others, and you spend less on fuel and maintenance, and the other big factor is the SMILE factor.
If you are not doing anything on this Saturday 26th, come up to Orewa, bring your bike. My shop is celebrating being open a year (business going 5 years in NZ), and enjoy a sausage sizzle, until 2 pm, and then a short ride to finish off the day, with a stop off for afternoon tea. Destination will depend on the ability of those who arrive on the day.
Any questions: 021 269 3246 or check out http://www.facebook.com/events/215389675200245/

[Tricia1000]

I have just found a heap of private messages in my KB inbox. for some reason, I wasn't getting email noitifications that they were there.
If anyone has been waiting for a reply for me, please accept my apologies.
If you wish to resend your message, please do so.