South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

Hi guys,

Been riding for about 5 years now and can't think of a better way to top up my biking allowance than to work evenings and weekends teaching people to ride.

I live in swindon, wilts and was wondering if anyone can point me the right direction of where to start, the cost of training etc

Cheers
Garvey

I was an instructor for 5 years and stopped about twelve months ago.

The best way to train, is to join an existing company and get what is called down-trained, this is where the company can train you up to CBT training standard.

If and when they think you are good enough, they will apply for a Instructors Badge for you.

You will be watched every now and then by someone from DVLA or a local test centre, to make sure you are up to the required standard and stay there.

A word of warning thou, teaching CBT's is like painting by numbers, exactly the same thing day in day out, just a different snot nosed 16 year old who know everything anyways and who probebly wont take any notice of you.

If you want to go on a teach DAS, you then have to pass Cardington (Pass rate is 15%) of those who attend.

You have to go to Cardington twice, once for CBT's and then again (normally 6 months later) for the DAS section. The CBT section is a 2 day course and the DAS section is an afternoon

Again a little word to the wise, if you fail Cardington and you already have your downtrained badge, You will lose it, until such time as you can prove once again your good enough to teach CBT by the DVLA or test centre.

If you want all the cardington lectures i did, give me a shout as I have them all on Disc from Microsoft Presentation.

Good luck.

what's the money like in motorcycle instructors

AndyS4 wrote:what's the money like in motorcycle instructors

I was being paid £7 an hour, but out of this comes all the fuel you use, tyres, repairs, etc etc etc, so not that great

But you get to ride

Garvey2003 wrote:But you get to ride

From what speedy has just written, you'd have to REALLY love riding to want to do it.
It's probably a great job in the summer when the sun's shining, but I'm not sure I'd be so enthusiastic in the depths of winter when it's blowing a north easterly (usually the coldest wind ) & p*ssing down.

Oh & BTW, if you do go for it, good luck.

(I wish this forum had an edit button )

I ride all year round. as long as you got good kit then its no different

One of the conditions where I work when they are looking for an instructor is below.....

Someone with a keen interest in motorcycles. Who is over 21yrs old, holds a full UK motorcycle licence (3 years or more) and has no more than 3pts.

Garvey2003 wrote:I ride all year round. as long as you got good kit then its no different

The riding all year wasn't necesarily what I was getting at, more that for such little monetary reward (which lets face it, is what we go to work for) there'd have to be one hell of a reward of some other kind to make you want to do it. ie; you'd have to really love riding, or get a buzz from watching the student grow from wobbly newbie to be able to control the machine properly & pass their test.
If the enjoyment of riding & seeing the look on the students faces when they pass far outweighs the financial reward, then fair play to you, I wish you good luck. With such an attitude you'll probably be an excellent instructor & ambassador for motorcyling.

VTR wrote:

Garvey2003 wrote:I ride all year round. as long as you got good kit then its no different

The riding all year wasn't necesarily what I was getting at, more that for such little monetary reward (which lets face it, is what we go to work for) there'd have to be one hell of a reward of some other kind to make you want to do it. ie; you'd have to really love riding, or get a buzz from watching the student grow from wobbly newbie to be able to control the machine properly & pass their test.
If the enjoyment of riding & seeing the look on the students faces when they pass far outweighs the financial reward, then fair play to you, I wish you good luck. With such an attitude you'll probably be an excellent instructor & ambassador for motorcyling.

I would not go that far. i just love riding

Garvey2003 wrote:I would not go that far. i just love riding

thats cool but if your picking a career, maybe you can fuel your love of riding better by chosing a non bike based career that offers better financial reward.

Bikes arent cheap, bike passtimes even less so, the best things to do on bikes cost lots of money...european tours and trackdays, weekend stints to WSB and BSB rounds etc. With more money you can do more.

Id say Speedy's view on the subject is well worth taking to heart.

Not picking a career. Got a good one in IT just something on the side

Gets me out of the house.

Thank for all your imput guys! Still not put me off lol

ah something on the side ok, sorry missed that in the original post......instruct away!

but wont this then get in the way of evening pub visits

Garvey2003 wrote:Not picking a career. Got a good one in IT just something on the side

Gets me out of the house.

Thank for all your imput guys! Still not put me off lol

Just a thought, but have you considered joining a local group of the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists)? Once you've passed the advanced test you can then go on to do the observer test & possibly become an examiner. You could then teach riders advanced riding. You'd get to ride (which you enjoy), the students are mostly experienced riders & the riding would be more interesting than newbie instruction.