1st Motorcycle Training - Birmingham

Cresta M.

18 years ago, I completed my first CBT with Simon in King's Heath, which was excellent. After about three years of asking myself, "Am I too old for this?". I decided to get back on the horse (bike 🤪). Ian was also a great teacher, very knowledgeable, and sharing. Always encouraging. He even mentioned a few things that related to the full licence.
I have now completed my Cbt and motorcycle theory. Looking forward to having a crack at full licence when they can fit me in. At 62 I reckon I may be their oldest (and happiest🤩) customer.
I very highly recommend these guys.

Woohoo! Chapter 2

Today is Monday 17/11/2024
I passed Mod 1 last Friday. Massive thanks to Simon. The training was excellent and fun. I am now looking forward to Mod 2. I'm particularly impressed with Simon's teaching style and the high focus on safety. I also enjoyed unlearning (is that a word?) some old bad habits.

I have been cussing at myself so much when I've made errors (many). My poor innocent helmet is gonna need disinfecting/blessing by the time I'm done 😂

These guys know their onions (and bikes 😆). I recommend them without hesitation.

Richard.

Chapter 3 to follow

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Chapter 3

Yippee!

The training centre had me booked in for Mod 2 last week. Snow forced cancellation. Taken and passed (1st time) today. Hopefully, the swearing inside helmet will ease down. Motorcycling is actually so enjoyable to me.

When I've finally chosen and bought my next bike (my first big bike), the hope is to take a motorway session with the training school.

My main weaknesses in training were shoulder checks and lifesavers. Finally, it became routine. There is, however, an unexpected side effect. I took my granddaughters for a walk in Birmingham on Sunday. Every time we were about to walk in a different direction, I was automatically doing shoulder checks and lifesavers 🥹🤭😆

Once again, Big Thanks to Simon and the crew. These guys can quickly spot where each learner needs to improve, plus deliver clear instructions. Top class guys 👍

I'm hoping my next chapter will be just as much fun.

Happy safe biking to all.

Richard

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Chapter 4

Today is Wednesday 11/12/2024

Woohoo! My original plan to buy my first big bike in the new year did not hold out 😜. The temptation was too great. I now have a beautiful BMW F800GT, which is set up for touring (she hasn't yet got a name 🤩). We go out every time I get a chance. I'm enjoying putting my training into practice regularly. My next target is to do a motorway session with Simon.

Sorry to those that don't like extra long reviews. I thought these guys were so good that they deserve the praise.

Happy riding to my fellow bikers.
Stay safe.
Richard.

Badr A.

I went into my CBT with not much experience or knowledge. Ian was extremely helpful and delivered an excellent day of training which passed quickly, ending the day with a pass but more importantly the knowledge and confidence needed to start riding on the road.

George P.

I passed my CBT at 1st Motorcycle Training, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Ian, my instructor, was brilliant and made me feel comfortable and confident during the session. His clear explanations made everything easy to understand which created a less nervous atmosphere. Can’t wait to be back for my DAS! Highly recommend!

Diana B.

I spent my windy and rainy day with Simon i think. He was very thorough, very patient, funny man. Gave me a couple of nudges that winded me but I like that he treated me like a guy and not a 5'3" girl. The motorbike that I learned on was fairly low and good for me. Passed the 20m licence plate reading with flying colours. I was lucky that I got to practice riding on another bike before and learned second gear change, so it came easy to change, even in a small-ish car park that they had. I will be honest, I didn't think I could change into 3rd gear in such a small distance AND perform an emergency stop but it is doable. If I can do it, everyone else can to. The threat of "If you can't perform this manoeuvre, we can't go on the road" pushed me to have confidence and practice the said manoeuvres until perfected, or good enough and off on the road we went. I am not sure if 2.5h on the road is a max or min time, but prepare for your thighs to hurt for 2 days after, if you are clenching for dear life like me. At times it was going well, at times I got annoyed with myself as we just practiced that stuff in a car park but as soon as I was on the road, I needed that assistance in my ear from the instructor, which Simon offered and put me at ease each time. It is hard to walk myself through the positions on the road when there is a one way talking system, but Simon was always there giving me the time I need and reassuring me when I stalled at junctions, took too long, held up someone, or going too fast or too slow. I think I will always hear "Speed up, speed up, speed up, pick up, pick up, pick up" in my ear when I'm riding now haha. All in all it was a very informative day, both practical and in theory. I didn't leave thinking what haven't I learned, or they didn't tell me about that, or that I did something wrong and was chastised for it. The other instructors dropped by during the day and it somehow gave me a boost, like I have to do well if they're there, so thank you for the pressure guys. Thank you for everything and looking forward to learning more with my partner as I will have my bike very soon.

Ps. My partner said he'll look forward to a cup of tea and biscuits as well when he does his full licence training, he will forget and forgive that that wasn't offered that the first time. 😝😄

Amrit S.

I completed my CBT at 1st Motorcycle Training, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Ian, my instructor, was exceptional throughout the day. His extensive knowledge and clear explanations made everything easy to understand, especially for someone like me who was feeling quite nervous at first. Ian’s patience stood out, he took the time to ensure everyone was comfortable with each stage before moving on. He provided constant support and reassurance, which really helped calm my nerves and boosted my confidence. Highly recommend!

Lewis M.

Ian was fantastic , completely tailored my learning to my understanding.Took patience and care while giving me different approaching until a technique or different approach to technique was needed. Absolutely class gave me confidence and put me at ease. If your thinking about riding a bike buy one and book a cbt with Ian at 1st motorcycle and you’ll never look back !!!! Would give ten stars if I could.👍

Tim H.

Very happy with the entire experience! Ian was fantastic. There was one other person in the course, and Ian made sure to cater to our different skill levels. While the other participant needed more time to master vehicle control, Ian recognized that I was ready for the roads and adjusted the training accordingly. I managed to pass in just one day, but keep in mind that passing the CBT isn’t guaranteed. If you’re opting for the 125cc manual, I’d recommend having some experience with a manual car—otherwise, you might find yourself spending extra time getting used to the gears on the bike.

Jason P.

Took my CBT at the weekend in what was horrendous weather. On arrival we received a warm welcome and was immediatley put at ease. Everything for the day ahead was explained really well and with a seerious but relaxed approach. From begining to the end it was such a brilliant learning experience. The instructor, Ian, is immensley knowledgable and his execution of the lessons was perfect. They take the safety extremely seriously and you can see they want you to understand every aspect of what you are doing. Everything was explained really clearly and Ian built confidence in us from the begining all the way through to the end. I highly recomment anyone wanting any form of motorcycle training to book in with 1st Motorcycle Training as you will receive 5 star training with extremely competent instructors. Thankyou for an amazing experience ..... I will be back for some futher lessons in the future (Grey Defender 90 🙂 )