Here at Inner Circle Training 2017 has started where 2016 left off, with yet more people taking and passing their motorcycle tests FIRST TIME!
Despite the recent rain and cold weather resulting in a couple of tests being cancelled, our first 2 module-2 tests of the year saw excellent first time passes for both Mark and Jamie.
First up was Mark, who’s been riding trials for a long time but hadn’t ridden on the road for a great many years – since back in the days before CBT when it was possible to ride a 250cc bike on L-plates! He soon got back in the groove, though, and despite a lot of rain during his training and his module-1 test (the following test was cancelled due to standing water!) sailed (!) through the exercises to obtain his module-1 test pass certificate at his first attempt. Unfortunately the weather then changed from rain to snow for his module-2 test on the Friday but we were able to squeeze him in the following week due to a last-minute cancellation. With the weather now the best it’s been all year (not saying much!), he rode very well to get his full motorcycle licence and of course, the coveted “DAS course completion” certificate!
A very happy Mark after passing both his motorcycle tests first time!
Following Mark in taking his module-2 test was Jamie. He’d previously undertaken some training with another training school and had a bad experience, so came to us to restore his confidence and improve his riding ready for the tests. He too sailed through both his module-1 and module-2 tests, getting a clean-sheet (zero faults) on his mod-1 and only picking up a couple of minor riding faults in the last 1/2 mile of his mod-2! With a Suzuki GSXR-600 waiting to be MOT’d at home, it’s not surprising that he was delighted with his experience with us!
A very happy Jamie after passing both his motorcycle tests first time!
Well done to both of them and let’s see how long we can maintain our 100% test pass record for the year!
It’s been quite a week at Inner Circle Training this week as we helped our 100th new rider obtain their full motorcycle licence by passing their motorcycle test!
We are very proud of this milestone as we only opened for business on 11th May 2014 and since then have been busy establishing our reputation for the highest quality motorcycle instruction. Our base in Stockport, Greater Manchester, has evolved over that period to include a smart and warm(er!) classroom within the large warehouse building we occupy. Our dedicated training yard is available exclusively to us 7 days a week for CBTs as well as practicing the module-1 exercises if necessary. Our Direct Access courses – which are responsible for our excellent motorcycle test pass rate – include use of the Motorcycle Manoeuvring Area (MMA) at Bredbury Test Centre, which is less than 5 miles from our base. It is this test centre that we use most, meaning riders are riding on the roads that they are likely to encounter during their module-2 test from the minute we head out on the road. It is therefore little surprise that we have seen so many pass with us first time (over 75% of our mod-1 and mod-2 tests are passed first time!).
But this week wasn’t just about breaking the ton, it was how this was achieved that’s interesting!
First up, and our 99th test pass, was Andreas.
All the way from Singapore to pass his motorcycle test!
His story is familiar in part – he’d contacted a number of training schools to try and obtain his full UK motorcycle licence but found their level of customer service lacking. That’s the only familiar part of his story, though, as he lives and works as an airline pilot in Singapore! What this meant is that his time in the UK for training and tests was restricted due to his roster and it was Tracy who stepped up to sort out the logistics – something anyone who’s dealt with her knows she excels at! So he flew in to Manchester Airport on Sunday, was out training for a couple of hours with Paul on Monday afternoon, took and passed his module-1 motorcycle test on Tuesday morning before some more road-based training and then took and passed his module-2 motorcycle test on Wednesday (another first time pass!). After a quick stop back at base for a brew and to be presented with his Inner Circle Training DAS course completion certificate (to go with his official DVSA Practical Test Pass Certificate that means he can now ride any bike!) it was off to the airport again to catch his flight to Hong-Kong!
Andreas with his certificate before heading to the airport to catch his flight to Hong Kong!
An early start for James as he passes his motorcycle test!
Next up was James, who doesn’t have quite as exotic a story! Whilst Andreas had had to deal with some very low temperatures and the threat of sleet and snow impacting on his tests (which fortunately they didn’t), James was greeted with slightly warmer temperatures for his early-morning module-2 test. An 8:20am test is the first of the day at the test centre and one we usually try to avoid as it means Paul has to get up very early to meet the candidate for their hour’s pre-test training ride! James didn’t seem phased by it, though, and sailed through the test with very few riding faults to become the 100th person to pass their motorcycle test with us!
James becomes our 100th Motorcycle Test Pass!
Rob completes the hat-trick as he also passes his motorcycle test!
But that wasn’t the last motorcycle test we had booked this week as today (Friday) was Rob’s turn! Following an hour’s ride before the test when Paul helped him get “in the zone” and focused on what he needed to do to pass, Rob went out and aced the test to complete this week’s hat-trick of motorcycle test passes!
Rob passes his motorcycle test to complete this week’s hat-trick of passes!
For more information on our Direct Access courses, please see http://www.innercircletraining.co.uk/getting-started/pass-motorcycle-practical-test-module-1-module-2/
Here at Inner Circle Training we are proud to be the official training partner for Blood Bikes Manchester, the charitable organisation that provides a highly-valuable service to the NHS, delivering blood, breast milk, tissue samples and other assorted medical things to NHS organisations across the Greater Manchester area (and beyond, in conjunction with other Blood Bikes goups).
We offer riders an Enhanced Rider Scheme course to ensure that their riding matches the high standards required of a Blood Bikes volunteer. This course, also available to the general public, is conducted by one of our qualified Advanced Riding Instructors (Paul or Nic), and includes a formal assessment on a wide variety of road conditions. Riders are required to attain an “A” grade in this assessment, indicating they are riding to a high standard – equivalent of an IAM or RoSPA Advanced Riding Test pass.
For each rider taking the ERS course in order to volunteer to ride for Blood Bikes Manchester, we donate £20 of the course fee to the charity and have just made our 2nd payment of £200 to help the charity continue their excellent work. This brings the total donated by Inner Circle to £400!
This November, I’m going to be sacrificing the beard that has been part of my life for over 10 years. I first grew it when trekking in Nepal in 2003 – it seemed appropriate to try and look rugged and manly whilst wheezing up Kala Patthar for a view of Mt Everest!
When I returned sporting my new face fungus Tracy didn’t recognise me at the airport and horrified insisted I shave it off that very day. Which, being an obedient sort of chap, I duly did. Then when we were travelling round Europe in 2005 I grew it back, only to be further surprised when she complained when I shaved it off again (she said she’d got used to it and ‘quite like it’).
So when I said I wanted to join the Movember movement this year to raise awareness of men’s health issues and to try and raise money to help tackle issues such as Prostrate Cancer (which affects far too many men I care about) – and that this would involve losing the beard, she was horrified. But as always, she’s supporting me and has agreed to me shaving it off and growing a mustache as is the rules of Movember. She just won’t be kissing me for a month.
So please support us as we put ourselves through this difficult challenge. You can donate to my page using the link below:
For those attending Inner Circle Training’s Bike Night on Halloween, you will get to see the beard removal operation as I will be removing it live that evening.
If you’d like to join me in raising money for, and awareness about, men’s health issues, then please get in touch!
It’s been a busy week (as is now the norm!) for Inner Circle Training as over the course of the last 3 days we had another rider obtain his Enhanced Rider Scheme band “A” grade to qualify him to ride for Blood Bikes Manchester, and 2 riders pass their motorcycle test to get their full licences!
First up was Alan, who has been riding for many years but hadn’t taken any training after he passed his test. He wanted to volunteer his spare time to help Blood Bikes Manchester in their quest to save the NHS a small fortune by offering a free out-of-hours delivery service for blood, breast milk and other essential supplies and so needed a qualification to prove he can ride to the high standard required. Alan took our 6-hour “ERS Training & Assessment” course and during the first 3-hours learnt a number of things that helped him further improve the smoothness of his riding prior to the final assessment. His comments at the end of the course that he’d learnt a lot more than he expected – and how much he’d enjoyed the experience – sentiments echoed by many who have taken advantage of this course!
Alan with his ERS Certficate after obtaining an “A” grade
Next up was Cory, who wins the award for the biggest smile after passing his module-2 motorcycle test which allowed him to remove the L-plates from his lovely Yamaha MT01! It also allows him to head to the dealer to buy his dream bike, a Yamaha MT07, which we look forward to seeing at a future bike night! A member of the “Hefty Hamptons Motorcycle Club” he is perhaps most delighted that the banter about his “L-ooser Plates” will now cease!
Cory with is “DAS course completion” certificate after passing his motorcycle test
Finally, today saw Peter “Brad” Bradley step up to the plate to take his motorcycle test. He performed very well indeed, obtaining a coveted “Double First” after passing this test at the first attempt to match his first-time module-1 test pass from last week. Another rider with his own 125, he is now on the hunt for something that can “pull the skin off a rice-pudding” as he put it! We look forward to seeing what he chooses!
Brad looking decidedly pleased with himself, as so he might having obtained a “double first” by passing both motorcycle tests first time!
Another of our customers, Neil, has joined the not-so-exclusive “Double-First” club by passing both his module-1 and module-2 motorcycle tests at the first attempt.
Neil came to us having completed his CBT with another local school, choosing to take our 2.5-day “Experienced Rider” course as he rides his Derby 125cc bike regularly, has a full car licence and was confident handling a larger bike having previously ridden one on private land. One of his main reasons for choosing us to help him get his full licence is our excellent record of first-time passes – and now he’s joined that group having passed both tests at the first attempt.
On Monday he passed his module-1 test with a clean sheet (zero faults), demonstrating excellent machine control throughout. This morning he had to deal with drizzle and Stockport traffic but rode well enough to secure another first time pass and gain his full bike licence.
Neil with his DAS course completion certificate after passing both his motorcycle tests first time
Congratulations to Mark who this afternoon passed his module-2 motorcycle test at the first attempt to match his first time module-1 motorcycle test pass from Tuesday!
Mark joined us for a CBT last Friday, which was his first real day riding a motorcycle after having played about on one as a child. He then took advantage of our 3.5 day Direct Access package, which included getting acquainted with our Suzuki SFV650 Gladius and then training on Sunday at the test centre to prepare for his module-1 test, then further training on Monday a day that was quite eventful as our instructor picked up a puncture in his front tyre whilst in Macclesfield on the lesson!
Tuesday was the day of his module-1 test, which he aced, passing with zero faults, before spending the remainder of the day working on his road-riding skills whilst riding some of the local test routes.
Then today was the big one, with an hour’s pre-test ride to put the final polish on his riding before he took the module-2 motorcycle test just after lunch. A very competent ride saw him collect just 2 minor faults and earn his place in our “Double-First” club for riders who have passed both test first time!
Congratulations, Mark!
Mark passed both parts of the motorcycle test first time. No wonder he looks happy!
Another double-first this time for Stuart, who may have had an advantage being a driving instructor, but that shouldn’t take away from his achievement!
Congratulations, Stuart!
Stuart with his DAS course completion certificate after passing his bike tests first time!
And he was kind enough to record a short video about his experiences, which you can see here.
Congratulations to Dean who today passed his module-2 motorcycle test to obtain his full Category A motorcycle licence!
With a Kawasaki Z750S secured by a deposit and waiting for him to pass the bike test, he’s all set to get out riding whilst the Summer weather continues to shine (although the forecast is for rain this weekend!). Time to trade in the Honda CBF125 he’s been riding and ditch the L-plates for good!
Well done, Dean!
Dean, all smiles after passing his motorcycle test!
Congratulations are due to John who this morning got his A2 bike licence after passed his module-2 motorcycle test FIRST TIME to match his first time module-1 test pass on Monday!
As he is just 19 years old, John took his training and tests on one of our restricted Suzuki SFV650 Gladius bikes. The bike is fitted with a category A2 ECU which limits power to below the 35Kw (46.6bhp) limit. Taking advantage of our 4.5-day Direct Access course gave John plenty of saddle time as well as 2 full days preparation for his module-1 test which included mock tests at Bredbury Test Centre over last weekend. On Monday he aced his module-1 test, completing all the manoeuvres without incurring a single fault. A further day’s road based training then prepared him to take his module-2 test, which he also excelled at, passing first time!
So now he has a full category A2 motorcycle licence and is looking to get his Kawasaki Er-6 on the road quickly, just as soon as the restrictor kit arrives!
Congratulations, John, and we look forward to seeing you shortly for our Bike Maintenance evening class!
Huge congratulations to John on achieving a “Double First” by passing both modules 1 & 2 of his A2 motorcycle test first time this week!
