Advanced training

dubtom

I drove a bike for 10 years as a courier, two years ago I started riding again on an 1100 shadow and have recently moved up to a 1500. It's a long time since I did my test and I'm sure I could improve with some advanced training. Any recommendations in the Dublin area.

Idleater

how advanced is your meaning of advanced.

if it is a refresher course, then I have had great success with IRTA (irish rider training association) who basically have members in different areas of the country who you can get lessons from.

I did my RoSPA (actual advanced driving course) with MSA-Ireland who I would also recommend because the RoSPA standard is accepted world wide where as the ISM advanced course is only accepted in Ireland.

L.

dubtom

MSA Ireland looks the biz,thanks for that nereid.

Idleater

I was very pleased with the course. It was "expensive" * but it paid for itself in 1 insurance renewal (thanks to the 30% discount for the RoSPA Silver from AON).

*the monetary expense of training should probably not really be counted because the €500 you spend by ensuring you learn how to be safer on the roads and to spot the early warning signs and be aware of other road user's actions is invaluable and will probably save your life on more than one occasion.

If you want an idea of the course you can read the book Motorcycle Roadcraft the police riders handbook, which is basically what they teach you on the course. The book is a recommended read anyway, but I felt I benefited from the practical aspect of the course anyway.

Hotblack Desiato

nereid wrote:

if it is a refresher course, then I have had great success with IRTA (irish rider training association) who basically have members in different areas of the country who you can get lessons from.

Ah I see that MSA's slick marketing has taken you in

IRTA will do RoSPA preparation for you too. They have a list of instructors on www.irishridertraining.com with their details and level of qualification, they're all qualified to teach beginners but they must meet a higher level of qualification to teach to advanced level. I know several of these guys personally and their standard of riding and teaching is very high.

David Lyons is also very highly recommended but I've never used him myself.

MSA - I tried to find out what their instructors qualifications were on their website but couldn't. Some guys working with them are IRTA certified as well so at least you know those ones are qualified. I think they should be upfront about qualifications for all their instructors.

Avoid ISM as some of their instructors are not qualified at all.

Idleater

ninja900 wrote:

MSA - I tried to find out what their instructors qualifications were on their website but couldn't. Some guys working with them are IRTA certified as well so at least you know those ones are qualified. I think they should be upfront about qualifications for all their instructors.

I questioned them too when I was comparing them to the ISM and they said that all their instructors are RoSPA Gold holders.

And I was not "taken in by any slick marketing", I made an informed choice having spoken to IRTA, ISM and MSA about the different offerings for advanced courses and I chose MSA. I used an IRTA instructor for my DoE test and was more than satisfied with them, and would also have no problem in recommending them.

L.

MrPudding

I am starting with RoSPA in October here in the UK. It work on the mentor approach rather thn formal paid instruction. Is that not available in Ireland?

MrP

Hotblack Desiato

nereid wrote:

I questioned them too when I was comparing them to the ISM and they said that all their instructors are RoSPA Gold holders.

Not good enough, at least not on its own. RoSPA Gold is a riding qualification, not a teaching qualification. All IRTA instructors have been assessed on their teaching skills not just their riding.

And I was not "taken in by any slick marketing", I made an informed choice

Well, your post above implied that IRTA don't do RoSPA preparation (perhaps accidentally), and MSA are trumpeting their riding qualifications, but not their teaching ones... as far as I'm concerned they're a triumph of marketing over substance.

Hotblack Desiato

MrPudding wrote:

I am starting with RoSPA in October here in the UK. It work on the mentor approach rather than formal paid instruction.

In other words, with a local group.

Is that not available in Ireland?

No.

agent_smith

Aidan sheehan is an independant instructor. Extremely qualified guy (literally speaking). Worth getting in touch with. He is official instructor for quite a few well known garages in the dub region. Comes highly recommended.

Idleater

ninja900 wrote:

Well, your post above implied that IRTA don't do RoSPA preparation (perhaps accidentally), and MSA are trumpeting their riding qualifications, but not their teaching ones... as far as I'm concerned they're a triumph of marketing over substance.

I'm going for a "meh" on this one, because even if what you say is true about the slick marketing, then on a purely economic factor, the IRTA person that I was speaking to did not sell their services as well as they should have.

At the end of the day, I got the training I wanted, from a company that sold me a product that appeared to suit and benifit me more than 2 competitors of theirs.

I passed the RoSPA, I recieved my insurance discount, I recommend the services provided to me because I found them benificial, and found their services more clearly explained than 2 of their competitors.

I am (again) not saying that IRTA would not have been able to get me through the RoSPA, I am not saying that IRTA are bad (as I have used them in the past), I am merely saying that I made a concious decision to spend my money elsewhere.

L.

Hotblack Desiato

Fair enough. Indeed it's a pity that IRTA don't market themselves better, they brought rider training in this country out of the stone age. The Irish Times always mention only MSA when talking about training... their former bike correspondent is one of the people who set up the company :rolleyes: