IAM: Worth it?

[Spinal]

Well, my DAS is tomorrow, and fingers crossed, I should have a full licence by soon enough!

I've been considering joining the IAM - not for insurance reasons (a 10% discount on £400 works out to £40 - joining the IAM is £85 + £15 per observed ride so its cheaper to just be insured) but for confidence reasons.

This will be my first big bike; I'm doing a leap from a 125cc to 750cc with 2 days worth of training on a 500cc Kawasaki...

Hence, my question is: do you think joining the IAM is worth it to get confidence and improve my skills or should I just practice on my own "around the block"? (or join another association altogether?)

Ideas?
Thanks,
Michele

 

[speedybiker]

Hi Michele,
Joining the IAM is well worth it.
You will be amazed as to how much you dont know about riding a motorcycle safely, and how much safer you will feel on the road.
The knowledge these guy's can offer is imense and will keep you safe .

Regards,

Alex.

 

[Ade B]

All rider training is a good idea (although I've never actually taken any since my DAS ).

Meant to get out on the S this afternoon but somehow a barbecue got in the
way...

Best of luck with the DAS and take it easy on those bends.

Ade

 

[Gunther]

Michele,
I have taken the IAM twice now, once in 1973; 2 years after passing my "ordinary" test, and again in 2004, I felt that the roads had changed a little in 31 years. But yes, take it. The test teaches you things about roads and road behaviour that you hadn't even anticipated or known before. It won't necessarily make you the best driver on the road, but it will contribute significantly to your own safer driving techniques and how to handle situations.

Good luck,
Gunther

 

[Spinal]

Thanks - Just waiting to leave (I need to be there at 9:00)...

I can't really find many people who have joined the IAM and recommend it! Most people I ask reccomend it, but have never really joined!

I'm thinking it might be better to take a long-weekend trip to Italy once it gets colder and do one of the advanced trainings there... (which usually include an icy/slippery course).

My other concern with IAM is that as I'm a novice and my bike isn't the easiest thing to handle; I don't want to drop it! I might just let it shine in the garage until I've taken a quick trip down!

Anyhoo - better get ready (My right shoulder muscle is killing me! I'm not used to spending 8-hours a day on a motorbike looking over my neck every 10 seconds! Lets hope ibuprofen doesn't make me drowsy )

Michele

 

[Gollom]

Thanks - Just waiting to leave (I need to be there at 9:00)...

I can't really find many people who have joined the IAM and recommend it! Most people I ask reccomend it, but have never really joined!

I'm thinking it might be better to take a long-weekend trip to Italy once it gets colder and do one of the advanced trainings there... (which usually include an icy/slippery course).

My other concern with IAM is that as I'm a novice and my bike isn't the easiest thing to handle; I don't want to drop it! I might just let it shine in the garage until I've taken a quick trip down!

Anyhoo - better get ready (My right shoulder muscle is killing me! I'm not used to spending 8-hours a day on a motorbike looking over my neck every 10 seconds! Lets hope ibuprofen doesn't make me drowsy )

Michele

Good luck!

 

[ceejaySL]

Hope your DAS went well.

I would reccomend IAM through personal experience. You will pick up great technique and also awareness. Insurance companies do not give discount without good reason. I passed my IAM 15 years ago and also keep up membership of the local advanced group. Good for organised rideouts and all sorts of bike activity.

Your local group - Middlesex Advanced - is great. They have some of the very best routes around and they are incrediably active. There are some good guys (and girls) there too.

Even within the group you will find different levels of riders. And you will be able to progress. Bear in mind its all about making safe progress. That doesnt mean pottering around in dayglo glothes.

I remember on my first ride with one of the observers I actually learnt more in 15 mins than I had in the previous 15 years on my own.

Why should being with IAM make you more likely to drop your bike? Quite the reverse. You will get the confidence that I guess you are lacking at the moment. Surely you have a bike to ride or you are just going to look at it?

 

[Will]

Good luck Michele, let us know how you get on!

Will

 

[Fandango]

Good Luck Michele!

 

[glojo]

Hi Michele,
I would like to point out that motor cycle deaths are increasing and a large number of these were caused by other road users.

You are a long time dead.

An advanced motor cycle course will not only teach you how to make safer progress, it will make you more situationally aware. It will teach defencive riding, where you will become more aware of hazards and how best to avoid them. I always used to talk about, 'Man and machine as one' and boy did I enjoy those courses and seeing the improvements in all the riders. Only a fool knows it all, and we can all take something from an advanced course. Don't just take the exam, take the course and take on board every last scrap of information.

Good luck,
John

 

[Sp!ke]

I'm with Glojo on this one. Do take some advanced form of instruction as it might just save your life one day. Not Necessarilly the IAM, there are a few others including often free or greatly reduced price instruction by the Police motorcycle riders under the 'Bikesafe' banner if you look about.

A key word here is vanishing points.

Kevin Williams' courses get good write ups. http://www.survivalskills.clara.net/index.htm

 

[glojo]

Not Necessarilly the IAM, there are a few others including often free or gratly reduced price instruction by the Police motorcycle riders under the 'Bikesafe' banner if you look about.

A key word here is vanishing points.

When my brother bought his Honda the dealer was offering a range of courses and my brother being a cheap-skate only took the free one. He had the time of his life. The instructor was a police motorcyclist, but they made 'progress' in every sense of the word. Don't worry about having a police instructor; some of them are human and at the end of the day..... bikers!

Any course is far better than no course

Regards
John

 

[ceejaySL]

When my brother bought his Honda the dealer was offering a range of courses and my brother being a cheap-skate only took the free one. He had the time of his life. ......................
Any course is far better than no course

Big difference on th MAC course of 2 days and the IAM is that it lasts for as long as you need it - and it changes awareness over a period of time. The "system" is an ongoing method that one can apply, learn, feedback, develop and apply again.....and by riding with other more skilled riders on rideouts and meetings continue to develop.

 

[Thmsshaun]

Best of luck with the DAS.

I am looking at doing the IAM at some point but its just a question of time. Think the more training you can do can only be a good thing though.

 

[glojo]

Big difference on th MAC course of 2 days and the IAM is that it lasts for as long as you need it -

I hope you and anyone else have not been confused by what I said? ANY course is better than no course, and an advanced motorcycle course should take as long as it takes. The only pressure on a rider is the pressure to want to do better. I only ever asked one person to leave one of my courses and I took that as a personal failure, although the rider was just not suited to diding a bike. In life we are all individuals and this person was never going to be a competent bike rider and at the end of the day we must be honest to each other. They begged me to keep them on the course but there comes a time when we must all accept our limitations. (I always made riding an enjoyable experience)

I'm sure there are some excellent instructors up your neck of the woods but ALWAYS try to go on personal recommendations. Times have changed and the course structure sllyabus etc will no doubt have improved and we can NEVER learn enough about bike riding.


John

 

[Thmsshaun]

I went to Bikesafe in Cheltenham earlier in the year where the police were offering a free ride assesment then helping to improve / point out your weak areas etc. Well worth it.

 

[Spinal]

OH YEAH! I can't begin to say how excited I am! Not only did I pass, but I had a policeman (on a giant BMW with the orange stickers - but no police markings on it) examining me.

I got one minor fault: for road position while normal riding (and I noticed it too! I was almost on the white divisor line after overtaking some cars - but I went back in soon enough)

It was the freakiest 40 minutes of my life! Every time I looked in the rearview mirror I saw what to me looked like the police following me

His comments were: "well done; you were in the wrong position at one point but quickly corrected that. Another comment is you move your head a bit too much" Which I was doing on purpose to SHOW that I was actally looking at my mirrors! (How else can they tell if you glace at your mirrors? I could see both mirrors without movng my head/helmet!)

I am VERY pleased with insurance too!

Ducati quoted me £1400+ (3rd party, fire and theft)
Comparison sites £360 third party fire and theft (h&r insurance)
Comparison sites £390 fully comp (500 excess) (h&r insurance)
Bennets £600 (3rd p,f&t) £1300(fc)
Devitt £600+(3pf,t)

Devitt then sent me an email today saying that as I hadn't bought from them, if I called them on their number and quoted a reference they would beat any quote I had.

Gave them a quick ring, I now have a Fully Comp with 300£ excess, legal cover, 90 days in Europe and helmet/leathers up to £1000 for £330. Score! (oh yeah, and I can carry a pillon and am insured 3rd party on any other bike I rent/borrow/beg/steal... well, maybe not the last...)

Oh yeah, its on a 750ss (fully faired) so it looks pretty amazing too!

As for riding vs. looking at it... For the moment I will look at it! It scares the soul out of me! (but don't tell anyone!) Just turning it on, the growl from the exhaust is inspiring; then you brush the accelerator and the growl quickly turns into a scream, the tacho reaches the 8/9k rpms and suddenly you feel like you value your life a whole lot more!

Eh, scr£w it! With the right religious affiliations, you can live more than once... I'm off for a ride!

Michele

 

[kikkthecat]

I would highly recommend that you look at RoSPA advanced riders as an alternative to IAM.
The main advantage over IAM is that to retain membership you have to retake the test every 3 years as well as pay the annual subscription. Passes are graded at Bronze, Silver and Gold and you will also get the opportunity, should you pass at a high enough standard, to become a tutor.
And as John says, you can never learn enough.

The initial test fee is £54 but all lessons and re-tests are usually free.

Details here.

 

[purplegoddess]

OH YEAH! I can't begin to say how excited I am! Not only did I pass, but I had a policeman (on a giant BMW with the orange stickers - but no police markings on it) examining me.

I got one minor fault: for road position while normal riding (and I noticed it too! I was almost on the white divisor line after overtaking some cars - but I went back in soon enough)

It was the freakiest 40 minutes of my life! Every time I looked in the rearview mirror I saw what to me looked like the police following me

His comments were: "well done; you were in the wrong position at one point but quickly corrected that. Another comment is you move your head a bit too much" Which I was doing on purpose to SHOW that I was actally looking at my mirrors! (How else can they tell if you glace at your mirrors? I could see both mirrors without movng my head/helmet!)

I am VERY pleased with insurance too!

Ducati quoted me £1400+ (3rd party, fire and theft)
Comparison sites £360 third party fire and theft (h&r insurance)
Comparison sites £390 fully comp (500 excess) (h&r insurance)
Bennets £600 (3rd p,f&t) £1300(fc)
Devitt £600+(3pf,t)

Devitt then sent me an email today saying that as I hadn't bought from them, if I called them on their number and quoted a reference they would beat any quote I had.

Gave them a quick ring, I now have a Fully Comp with 300£ excess, legal cover, 90 days in Europe and helmet/leathers up to £1000 for £330. Score! (oh yeah, and I can carry a pillon and am insured 3rd party on any other bike I rent/borrow/beg/steal... well, maybe not the last...)

Oh yeah, its on a 750ss (fully faired) so it looks pretty amazing too!

As for riding vs. looking at it... For the moment I will look at it! It scares the soul out of me! (but don't tell anyone!) Just turning it on, the growl from the exhaust is inspiring; then you brush the accelerator and the growl quickly turns into a scream, the tacho reaches the 8/9k rpms and suddenly you feel like you value your life a whole lot more!

Eh, scr£w it! With the right religious affiliations, you can live more than once... I'm off for a ride!

Michele

well done and congrats and we know you will enjoy

 

[Fandango]

Congrats Michele! Well done! :bannana: :bannana: :bannana: