new002 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Hi all,Are das courses better suited for people who have just passed their cbt done no riding between or for people who have passed their cbt and done some riding on their own 125 in between or does it not matter ?Ive looked locally in my area for motorcycle training schools that do a das course and the prices varies something like + or - 100-150 quid.What should i be looking at price wise for such a course how do i know if im being ripped off,any tips ?Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klingelton Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I'm at the same stage. There's divided opinion about what your choices are.Some say that going for das straight after CBT means that you don't have any bad habits. However there are those that say practice is essential.Personally, im going right the way through without owning a 125 in between. i did buy a 125 with the intention of doing it up a bit, but ended up selling because i just want to ride!there are some that say they can't give you a clear price on a das course because they don't know your skill (and therefore don't know how many lessons you will need) then there are those that are charging around £800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Rach Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I paid £550 for my das which covered everything except my theory test ans cbt. It was a intensive 5 day course but I managed to pass both my mod 1 and mod 2 on the 4th day. I would say das is the way forward if what you want is a big bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 DAS was designed to take a complete novice (never riden a bike) through to full licence. That's why day 1 is a CBT.It's not the course, but your willingness to learn and the quality of your instructor that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klingelton Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I paid £550 for my das which covered everything except my theory test ans cbt. It was a intensive 5 day course but I managed to pass both my mod 1 and mod 2 on the 4th day. I would say das is the way forward if what you want is a big bike. seems reasonable. where and when was this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Rach Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 It was May last year. In Peterborough with wheels motorcycle training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klingelton Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 maybe i should be looking a little harder for a das course then. i nearly spent £300 more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susieque Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I would just like to point out that DAS (direct access scheme) is simply the name given to a route to getting an unrestricted bike licence - not necessarily an intensive course.You can take as long as you like & have as many lessons as you like to complete it, as long as you do it before your CBT runs out! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new002 Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 Thx all for the advice so far.Few other things:How many hours on average of on road experience would you say a new rider needs after completing cbt before sitting mod1,mod2 taking in consideration they have no experience on 2 wheels other than cbt but has been driving a car for 5 years ?Would you say traveling 50 miles to a motorcycle training school for the sake of it being a little cheaper than local one would be a good idea or not considering am very unfamiliar with the roads in that area will this likely make things harder for mod2 ?What important questions should i ask a motorcycle training school before handing over cash ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Rach Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Mine was about 7 hours on the road then mod 1 and 2 on the dame day. I travelled about 60 miles for mine and think not knowing the roads helps as you find yourself paying more attention to road markings and signage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 It's not easy to say how many road hours you would need, because some people will take to it easily without having ever ridden before, but others will need a lot more experience to feel confident.I'd been driving a car since 1976 when I did my CBT in 2010, but it took me a while to get confident on two wheels so for me the best way was to ride around on my 125 for 6 months practising. I had a lot of road awareness but it's a different thing on a bike, as well as learning to control it (particularly at slow speeds) you have to be on the lookout for so many things and much more alert than behind the wheel of a car. When I felt confident enough to go for the tests I got myself a couple of lessons beforehand to highlight any bad habits and passed both first time (which I wasn't expecting!). I did try out a 500 to see about going for my DAS but it was too heavy for me and I couldn't flat foot it, so I took the test on what I was comfortable with.I would say travelling 50 miles on roads you aren't familiar with would be good training for you.You could ask the training school what their pass rate is, and what the average timescale is for riders to pass. I've no idea of costs as I didn't go down that route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lette Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I paid £650 for 6 day intensive, incl bike hire, CBT, theory & test fees, in Farnborough, Hants. The intention was to do on 500, but like Remy it was too heavy for me, just couldn't manage the figure of 8s Therefore opted for the 125 all the way through. Never ridden a bike before in my life but passed both 1 and 2 first time. Now riding restricted XJ6 diversion but the way I see it, gives me 2 years to get used to the weight/feel of the bike. So far so good, only dropped it once Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattB Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 How many hours on average of on road experience would you say a new rider needs after completing cbt before sitting mod1,mod2? How long is a piece of string - it depends on your ability to absorb the info and learn to ride. A 5 day DAS course will give you all the instruction you need, whether you put this into practice during the tests is up to you! Would you say traveling 50 miles to a motorcycle training school for the sake of it being a little cheaper than local one would be a good idea or not considering am very unfamiliar with the roads in that area will this likely make things harder for mod2 ? Bad idea. Intensive DAS courses are knackering. 100 mile round trips each day will leave you too tired to concentrate properly = dangerous. What important questions should i ask a motorcycle training school before handing over cash ? What is their pass rate?Do they lay out the MOD1 circuit fully (with correct coloured cones) for you to practice on before the test? You are paying for them to get you through the test - if they don't lay out a full circuit then walk away.Can you come and have a look one day, check out the bikes, instructors etc? If they say no, walk away. Mine was about 7 hours on the road then mod 1 and 2 on the dame day. Often done but be careful of this. Many schools split the 5 day DAS with the MOD2 taken on the following week. It gives you an opportunity to retake MOD1 if you fail and not lose your money for the MOD2 test slot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new002 Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Ok so far the critical list of things i got to ask a training school about is :What are the costs ?How many hours on road experience do you get ?Do you do mod1 practice with cones ?Whats the pass rate ?Have i missed anything ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhJay Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 All schools have to have a pass rate above a certain level or DSA start to look closer at them Go along and ask every question you have and can think of. It's in their interests to answer them properly for you. If they get short with your asking questions then how patient will they be with you trying to learn how to ride?Whereabouts near Reading are you? Local recommendations can help with choosing bike schools as well. I'm just south of Reading and would recommend the place I went to, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new002 Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 All schools have to have a pass rate above a certain level or DSA start to look closer at them Go along and ask every question you have and can think of. It's in their interests to answer them properly for you. If they get short with your asking questions then how patient will they be with you trying to learn how to ride?Whereabouts near Reading are you? Local recommendations can help with choosing bike schools as well. I'm just south of Reading and would recommend the place I went to, for example.Im about 5 miles west of Reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhJay Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Pangbourne way? Bracknell's probably a bit tricky then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new002 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Pangbourne way? Bracknell's probably a bit tricky then?Yeah, around Pangbourne any recommendations for local training schools ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhJay Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Not out that way so much, I'm out Wokingham side of Reading.I did my Get On and CBT with Motag who work out of a shipping container in Makro's car park. Absolutely no complaints whatsoever, Shaun's a nice guy but I didn't fancy trolling into the centre of Reading to do my full test and got recommended another place.I did my DAS with Pinewood just outside Bracknell who were absolutely amazing and I would recommend to anybody. Because I'd done my CBT elsewhere they insisted I went on an assessment ride with their head instructor to see what standard I was and make a suggestion from there. They recommended I went at a lesson a week and used the week to practice. I spent the first few lessons on the 125 until I got the basics right and then they asked if I wanted to do DAS or do tests on the 125. I chose DAS so had a couple of lessons getting used to the 500 and then test ready from there. The Mrs chose to do her tests on the 125. Both passed all tests first time. Such a great atmosphere. They actively encourage old students to wander down for lunch on Saturdays, they organise ride outs and track days and all sorts and it's a really fun bike club afterwards as opposed to other places that are "test, goodbye" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Rach Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Should have said my.mod 2 was a cancellation and only booked after I had passed my mod 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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