IAMs Bike test

[ollythefrog]

Just wondered how many if any have done the IAMs bike test and what they thought of it?
I have just passed the test and have found it excellent but feel there is a stigma attached to the whole ethos.
What do you think oh wise ones?

[sparky40]

Very true. A lot of folk think of stuck up high brow people on their BMs. Couldn't be further from the truth. I did mine over 20 years ago. I learnt a lot then as a young rider how to look and read bends. How to ride defensively and know my limits. Every day I'm out, I'm still learning

[Redmurty]

My local bunch are a great bunch of lads and lasses, true bike lovers who do some serious mileage. My test was done by an ex bobby who was seriously quick on his Goldwing


cheers Spud

[Diesel Pete]

I did mine 10 years ago and also learnt loads from it. Some people will laugh at it and judge it to be full of fat blokes on Beemers (which there a lot of admittedly ) but the point is they can all make progress rather well.

I was one of the sportsbike riders who would go everywhere at warp speed until I realised that every time we went out the first words out of someones mouth at a stop were nearly always "You were lucky" to one or another of us so this made me go to the IAM.

Now I certainly dont look fast on my Tiger but my journey times are usually shorter than they used to be, I get off the bike more relaxed and usually havent had a near death experience lol

The IAM teaches people to "make progress" safely, which by no means means slowly and I often catch and overtake the group of sportsbike riders who hurtled past me earlier when I judged it wise to slow down.

I am not trying to sound like I am some sort of super road rider because I most certainly am not but the IAM did wonders for my riding and enjoyment of it.

Damn, I just realised....... I have a bit of a beard and could do with losing a few pounds.... help :unsure:

[mrdelmonti]

I though about it, decided to go to a meet and I was essentially laughed off as a younger rider. I won't go into exactly what was said by one chap but it didn't give me a great impression.

I'll hopefully be doing a bike safe course this year.

[Redmurty]

I though about it, decided to go to a meet and I was essentially laughed off as a younger rider. I won't go into exactly what was said by one chap but it didn't give me a great impression.

I'll hopefully be doing a bike safe course this year.

It's sad that that happened try another group.

cheers Spud

[bigfoot]

Similar thing happened to us when I took the wife over to a meet of our local group when we where thinking of doing our IAM Training/Test.

At the time she had a GPZ500s and they where borderline abusive. They spent the entire 15 minute conversation saying how she needed a bigger bike before it was worth doing it and only talking to me and ignoring her. Their whole conversation was about speed, which I know is part of it, but not once did they mention safety or smooth progress.

Also, seeing them out and about, they ride like idiots. Every time you see them out riding one of them narrowly avoids a near miss.

In contrast, when we visit mates in Durham, their local group is excellent. They are inclusive, pleasant and much safer to ride with - just wish we lived closer so we could join them.

It really does seem to depend which group you are attached to as has been mentioned earlier.

[Richard Simpson]

I think you can learn quite a lot from their riding 'drill' about road positioning etc.

But you can learn the same thumbing through the police roadcraft book.

Any other benefit you get depends very much on the personalities in the local group...but the whole ethos of riding around in an 'advanced' group all trying to show one-another how 'advanced' they are is a bit wearing unless you like that kind of thing. It does tend to attract a certain 'type'.

You probably will gain something from the advice given after an observed ride...but personally I didn't enjoy the ethos of the group I tried, and a least one 'advanced' rider was a dangerous liability.

The last time I saw him, he was wheeling his bike off the central reservation of a roundabout...at least the car he pulled out in front of had good brakes and an alert driver...but probably was not a member of the IAM

[Diesel Pete]

Wow.. when I did mine I was on an old Yamaha 600 Diversion and was made very welcome at the NAM IAM group (Newcastle) and I know the Durham group is great too although I didnt really

I'm saddened to hear that the quality of groups is different elswhere and can only suggest that you dont let one bad experience spoil the appeal of IAM as there excellent groups out there.

[Crossrutted]

I joined the IAM many years go, (aged 21) primarily to get preferential insurance.

I still benefit via my insurance costs some 35 years later.

I have had only a little contact with my local IAM group because IMHO, as Richard said,
the IAM "club" seems to attract a "certain type".

However preparing for and passing the test, does teach/refresh important skills.

So my advice would be do the test and check out your local group - they can't ALL be know alls - can they?