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Easy Rider

(Bike Buyers Guide, May 2004)

Arriving (on a Dart) in the empty park'n'ride car park in Greystones to meet David Lyons, and seeing his shiny BMW R1200GS reminded me why I was there. I want to graduate to a bigger bike.

In most motorbike learning schools you use your own motorbike - mine is a Vespa PX 125. There's no point in learning on a Vespa if I want to get something bigger and faster on the road; it would be like learning to fly a plane using a kite. Today I would be riding a Honda CB250 - a comfortable learning bike and more powerful than anything I'd spent time on before. David and only three other trainers are insured to train you on their training bikes. This means you can pass your test before shelling out for a bike. I can't get a decent insurance quote without a full licence and so can't buy my bike until I am licensed. Easy Rider Training solves this chicken or egg situation without making any omlettes.

Passing your driving test in a car is easy. You learn with a mate, take a couple of lessons and remember everything for one half hour session of full driving concentration. You get a pink licence and all the bad habits creep back as soon as the test is done. I was happy to do that, but not so for my motorbike licence. I want to be a good driver. I want all the thrills and none of the spills.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has, reassuringly enough, certified David Lyons. He says "Although you can learn on your own, trial and error can be a tough teacher. Having an accident is both an expensive and painful experience." He also pointed out that only 30% of the 47,000 Irish Motorcydlists have a full licence. That leaves a lot of unlicensed riders on the road, and with the waiting list currently at 14 month's, this will not be changing for a while.

David introduced me to the bike first, showing me the functions and even teaching me to "hear" when the revs are right so that I could keep my attention on the road ahead. He was sussing me and my abilities out early. A sure sign of a professional trainer.

The park in Greystones is ideal: practically empty and well marked out with plenty of turns and junctions to practice on. First I learned how to stop, and how to stop safely in different si tuations. Then on to turning safely; shoulder check-indicate-drop a gear, followed by the hardest part - turning off my indicators. (If you can fail a test for leaving on indicators, I am in trouble.)

We then ventured onto a winding road leading to Greystones Golf Club. A few practice turns and some traffic made it ideal for an introduction to the open road before braving Greystones village. "Be safe, be seen" said David, though whether it was my safety or a good photo opportunity he was concerned with, remains to be seen.

Here there were plenty of hints that I would never have thought of. David had many safety tips such as looking at the line of wheels before passing stopped cars, any of them pointing outwards, signalling a car driver about to pull out of line. And, sure enough, David's advice was accurate. After a couple of trips around the town I had seen enough of cars not seeing me, to know how careful I'd need to be on a bike.

Open road next, and we navigated our way from Greystones, through Rathcoole, Rathnew and into Wicklow Town. This was a great experience. Not of great excitement to an accomplished rider, perhaps, but for me, it was a first taste of anything over 125. The AUTOCOM one-way radio helps immensely, with David dispensing sound advise and regularly reminding me to turn off my indicators. I followed David on the way out, he followed me on the return trip and if you can feel safe surrounded by Wicklow drivers on winding roads, anywhere else should be easy.

Stopping for a quick tea break on the way, we met one of David's customers: a mature man who has been taking lessons on his new BMW K1200LT (Luxury Touring) bike. Easy Riders pupils include some mature riders coming back on two wheels after a few years stuck in traffic - a growing bike market in Ireland, and perfect candidates for a refresher course. The ageing tourist was planning a long European tour and, having not ridden bikes for 30 years, was brushing up his skills. A weekend tour of the Welsh mountains will help him practice touring on good roads over a couple of days. David runs these tours from Dublin for as little as € per rider for a weekend.

Later, David and I discussed aspects of the test. David knew the difference in waiting times and pass rates between all the test centres in Ireland and seemed to be a man very much in the know. Although David is one of only four instructors in Ireland insured to teach pupils on his training bike, he also gives lessons on those with their own machines. He recommends a pre-test lesson, even for those comfortable on bikes. It helps to pass first time.

Easy Rider Training provided me with a customised course to meet my needs, and, by the end of the day, I met them well. For as little as €260 per rider I had learned about bikes, riding safely and was comfortable riding at the right speeds in towns and on the open road. Confidence wasn't the only thing I learned from the day, as my skills on a bike and overall awareness were improved besides.

Importantly, I can take one more lesson, pass my test and then buy the bike I want. Beginners and accomplished riders alike will benefit from an Easy Rider Training course whether it's an introduction, a refresher or a pre-test lesson. The road would be a safer place if all bikers had to go through at least a day with David.