Bikesafe with the Gardai

itchymarky

Hey guys,

Anyone on here done the Bikesafe thing with the Gardai? I'm booked in for mine tomorrow.

Interceptor

No, but I'm interested to hear your opinion. I spoke with Dave Evans of (confusingly enough) Bikesafe.ie and he runs all kinds of training courses but is not connected with the Garda scheme of the same name. I'm looking around for a course which will teach advanced driving techniques - from what I've heard, the Garda thing is more about assessing your skills/ability and giving feedback, and less about teaching you new skills.

http://www.motorbiketraining.net/

'cptr

Idleater

Interceptor wrote:

I'm looking around for a course which will teach advanced driving techniques - from what I've heard, the Garda thing is more about assessing your skills/ability and giving feedback, and less about teaching you new skills.

I did the MSA(-Ireland) course and RoSPA advanced test and would recommend it. The Garda Bikesafe is exactly as you describe - an assessment and commentary on the skills that you demonstrate over your hour long drive being closely pursued by a garda motorcycle*.

I will do the Bikesafe thing I think when I am halfway through my (3 year) RoSPA term, just to check up on my driving.

Let us know how you get on OP.

L.

* Which reminds me - when you are doing the assessment, have someone positioned at the roadside (I think they go out the N4) to take a picture of you being pursued by the Gardai.
You can then brag and say that you were able to out run them for an hour and even got a cert to let you off.

itchymarky

Ok...did the Bikesafe assessment and it was great. A true and honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses given by a motorcylce cop with lots of practical experience as well as high certified proficiency.

Interceptor...Dave Lyons of Easy Rider Training (bikesafe.ie) is very highly recommended. I know guys who trained with him before doing their Rospa and they got Silver minimum in the Rospa. I was in touch with him just today, as I want to do the same thing.

Incidentally....his Advanced Driving course is a 6.5 hour day whihc is €240 or €170 each for 2 riders. Let me know if you're interested in doing it too. We could go together and save ourselves some money also.

delanest

Are there any Insurance implications with courses/licences?

itchymarky

delanest wrote:

Are there any Insurance implications with courses/licences?

Not quite sure what you're asking...the Bikesafe is simply an assessment. However attaining a Silver/Gold in the Rospa test will give significant insurance reductions (30% with AON for Silver according to a guy I know who did it)

Idleater

itchymarky wrote:

Not quite sure what you're asking...

Likewise.

If you are wondering if you have to inform your insurance company that you are doing an advanced course then I think you have the wrong idea of what the advanced course is. You might be thinking of having to inform your insurer if you are doing a Trackday perhaps?

As regards Liability when doing lessons/advanced course, you must have your own licence, insurance, tax and sign a declaration that you are doing this of your own free will blah blah blah and you will not hold your instructor accountable in the event of an accident blah blah blah.

If on the other hand you mean does passing the Advanced test have benifits on your insurance premium then like itchymarky says it does. Aon is the best, and in fact only one that gives a reduction for having an advanced test qualification.

I think it is something like 5% for Aon's grade 4, 10% for grade 3, 20% for grade 2 or RoSPA Bronze and 30% for RoSPA silver and Gold.

L.

Hotblack Desiato

nereid wrote:

You might be thinking of having to inform your insurer if you are doing a Trackday perhaps?

As an aside - you don't need to inform your insurer about doing a trackday, as your insurance doesn't cover you on the track anyway, so they don't care.

Aon is the best, and in fact only one that gives a reduction for having an advanced test qualification.

Carole Nash give a 10% reduction for Rospa which is better than nothing. What really matters is the base premium. For some people (like me) CN always work out way cheaper, others way dearer, others about the same.

Idleater

ninja900 wrote:

Carole Nash give a 10% reduction for Rospa which is better than nothing.

When I was talking to them a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned my RoSPA and they said "hmm well yeah, I think we can give you the 10% Motorcycle group Affiliation discount with that".

So it seems that passing the RoSPA advanced test counts for nothing but the £50 (or whatever it is) membership (which you can do anyway) gets you the discount. Saying that, the MAG membership is only about €20 and presumably gets you the same 10% discount.

L.

Idleater

FYI the Bikesafe course has started back up again.

I did it there on Saturday and found it excellent.

L.

Does anyone know if that Garda scheme iruns in Cork, also can anyone recomend a good instructor in the Cork area,I've been putting the test off for ages and want to get it out of the way, thanks.

Idleater

I don't know where they run it. I'm sure if you email or ring them they will tell you.

The Guard giving the presentation at the start of the course mentioned they had people applying from "all over the country" but I don't know if that was to do the course there or in other places too.

L.

galwaytt

I signed up for Bikesafe last year, but got a letter saying they were way over-subscribed.

This year, about 6 weeks ago, I got another letter for the Garda asking if I was still interested, so I'm hoping that I get to go this time around.......

Blitzkrieger

Deleted User wrote:

Does anyone know if that Garda scheme iruns in Cork, also can anyone recomend a good instructor in the Cork area,I've been putting the test off for ages and want to get it out of the way, thanks.

Try Eddie at Bikecraft. 0872578225. Has a website too if you want to google it. He knows how to charge but he's properly certified. There's some course you can do with him that gets you a discount on your insurance too.