Improving your skill on a motorcycle is a mix of additional training and simple experience. As with building any other skill, nothing replaces practice and familiarity. But it’s also good to boost your knowledge when you find yourself plateauing by taking advanced rider skills training suited to your individual needs. It’s also important to recognise that experience doesn’t always bring improvements to your riding. As you become more familiar with riding a motorcycle, bad habits can creep in. An advanced motorcycling course can help you spot any poor habits you may have picked up and replace them with better riding skills. To get better at motorcycle riding, follow our advice below.

The motorcycle licencing process

Nearly all motorcycle riders begin with learning the basic skills in a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course. After riding on a DL106 certificate, motorcyclists need to complete further training and testing in order to gain their full licence – be it an A1, A2 or full, unrestricted A-level licence. The UK motorcycle licencing process helps people continue improving their skills as they move up the power-to-weight ratio of motorcycles.

After you’ve achieved your motorcycle licence

Once you’ve received your motorcycle licence and can legally ride on all UK roads on your own, you’ll naturally become better at riding as you gain experience in real-life situations. Every ride will provide the opportunity to learn more about being safe on two wheels. Try to get out on the road regularly to keep practising all of the skills you mastered to get your licence. Motorcycle turning techniques, braking and acceleration take time to properly master.

Motorcycle track days are another way you can improve your motorcycle control techniques with guidance. When you feel that you’re skills are beginning to level off, it’s time to consider enrolling for some advanced rider training near you.

The next logical step for getting better at motorcycle riding after you’ve achieved your full licence is to take an Enhanced Rider Scheme course. ERS courses are one of the first levels of advanced skills courses for motorcyclists. They can only be taught by registered DVSA instructors. From an insurance perspective, these courses may drop your premiums by as much as 10%. ERS courses start with a skills assessment. You’ll work on the areas that need improving and then end with a second assessment. That ensures you’ve reached the certification level.

Some schools offer advanced rider courses that only focus on specific skills such as filtering or carrying pillion passengers. At Phoenix, our rider training covers specific skills through to ERS courses and onto advanced courses that are suitable for riders who’ve held a motorcycle licence for years.

Improving your motorcycle skills further

Once you’ve become ERS certified, you may wish to further improve your skill. You can do this in many different ways. Bike Safe courses with the Police aren’t advanced training days per se. However, you will walk away with a new perspective on your riding and helpful pointers from some of the UK’s best motorcyclists. Biker Down courses are first aid days held by the emergency services. They focus on what to do in the event of an accident.

If it’s purely improving your motorcycle skills that you want, consider an assessment that will give you impartial feedback. Our assessments include a detailed report that will help you understand your strengths and areas you can improve in. You can confidently book an advanced rider course with this information. Our advanced rider courses focus on the specific areas for improvement. With this information, you can decide if Blue Riband training, a DIAmond Elite course or RoSPA training is the best path to take.

At each of the Phoenix Motorcycle Training centres, our instructors are regularly assessed internally and by the DVSA . This ensures their standard of training is at the required level. Our advanced training instructors are both regularly assessed and re-certified. Continual improvement of your motorcycling skills is an excellent way to ensure you are as safe as possible when out on the roads.

Phoenix Motorcycle Training prices for advanced training start at around £180. All of our prices include everything you need to have a great day honing your motorcycling skills to perfection. That means they include motorcycles, safety gear, petrol and insurance. The only thing that’s missing is you!