Are these prices reasonable?

[Guest]

Hello,

I'm in the process of saving up to do my theory and DAS so I can ride any size bike. With regards to DAS, this is what my local bike school quoted me:

3 day DAS course £550

4 day Das course £650

5 day DAS course £750

If I fail mod1, I have to pay £100 to retake it after 3 working days.

If I fail mod2, I have to pay £200 to retake after 10 working days.

Is this reasonable?

I have to admit, when I looked up the prices, I was gobsmacked. My understanding is, if I fail mod2, i'd have thrown away £200. That's a lot of money!

[BikerMooFromMars]

Hi there, seems really expensive but similar to one of the biking schools I looked at here (Camrider), and someone I knew said they had a lot more lessons than they thought they needed and was quite pricey.

Shop around - call/email to get yourself the best price.

Your profile isn't complete - do you have a CBT already? Where are you from?

I have a CBT and now over a year on it - I did a half day of extra training back in April with a different local biking school to Camrier that I did my CBT with: the website quotes a much bigger cost for half a day's tuition but I was only charged £120 for myself and my hubby to both have a half day of training (yeah, I'mma great wife hahaha!).

I'm gonna call them in a mo actually and find out how much they will charge me once I read up a bit more on here about the modules and such so I don't sound stupid when asking questions! I'll get back to you on what I'm quoted! Sometimes talking on the phone can help, people are a lot more open to bartering and I think flattery goes a long way too - I told the guy his company were highly recommended to me and had a good chat with him, then was charged a lot less for the training.

[al_stu]

seems a little expensive but depends where you are. Shop around and go down to the centre one weekend afternoon to see them doing training and have a chat face to face, see if you like them

[Stu]

sorry but that doesnt seem expensive at all!!!

when I did my test 9 years ago it cost me £450 there was no mod 1 and 2 back then it was cbt theory then test and that was only 2 and half days

now when you think of inflation and price of fuel etc £550 for 3 days all in is a good price

[Dav3y]

DAS course prices don't seem unreasonable to me. My 3 day DAS was £500 including bike hire / mod1 & mod2 test fees. In reality this was only 2 days of training really though as day 3 was mod 1 in the morning and mod 2 in the afternoon. I presume your DAS course price doesn't include CBT ? My school charged an extra £120+ an extra day to include CBT as well which i did beforehand on a weekend.

Retake prices seem a little high but then to be fair it's not just the test fees but probably extra training/bike hire so with that in mind not so bad after all if the retake prices include that. Cheapest way of course is not to fluff up either test

Myschool offered a guaranteed pass within reason so additional training was free had it been needed with just the test fees having to be paid for although i'm not sure about bike hire.

[Guest]

Your profile isn't complete - do you have a CBT already? Where are you from?

 

I already have a CBT, which I did with this company. I thought they were very good; I couldn't master the gears on a 125 (which the chap was patient about) so I ended up using a 50cc scooter. I also messed up majorly on the on road part (turns, keeping a constant speed, speed limit etc) but they let me pass. I had the feeling that I was one of the worst students they had encountered.

I'm from benfleet. I'm hoping to do my DAS on Canvey Island, since they have a dual carriageway that never has any traffic on it, and a small town centre. They're really the only places they can take you, so it will be easy for me to practice the route.

 

I think flattery goes a long way too - I told the guy his company were highly recommended to me and had a good chat with him, then was charged a lot less for the training.

 

I might do that too. If I can somehow get enough money in the months from now to February, I think i'd be in a strong position to ask for some money knocked off. That is, provided they're open during the winter months.

Here's my train of thought about why I want a licence (just to structure my own idea):

I currently pay £317 a year for insurance. If I keep getting a CBT every two years (at £120), insurance + CBT is costing me £377 a year.

In the eyes of the insurance company, i'm just some guy who has done CBT. I could be a really crappy rider since my riding skills have never been checked through a test. So, if I pass my licence, my insurance will fall.

This means that, even though I have to fork out a shedload of money to get my licence (i'm not confident that i'll pass both modules first time, but I should get them in the second. This means I estimate it will cost me £850 to get my licence, excluding theory) it will be cheaper in the long run.

For example, let's say I pass my test and get my licence. My insurance will fall by, say, £100. This means that i'll get my money back after 8.5 years. I don't think this is that long a time given that i'll probably be riding for the next 20 years or so.

[piercas2000]

Last year I've paid £499 for 4 day DAS course, 3day training and 1day mod1 and mod2

retest prices..., hmm can't even remeber, my aim was to pass didn't even thought what if i fail modules on exam.

So to me, your quotes seems a bit expencive but I gues it just depends where you live. Try to shop around see if prices mathc at other bike shools.

 

when I did my test 9 years ago it cost me £450

I remeber my first CBT I did , I paid £120 second, £100 and now they doing it for £99, so I don't know..., work that inflation out lol

And yes I did it twice just din't fell that I need a biger bike at that time

[Rebel Rach]

How old are you? What bike are you thinking of getting after you pass?

You might find your insurance may be higher once you've passed your test depending on the above things. Get a quote from a comparison site putting the details in as if you have passed your test and see.

[Bogof]

In the eyes of the insurance company, i'm just some guy who has done CBT. I could be a really crappy rider since my riding skills have never been checked through a test. So, if I pass my licence, my insurance will fall.

 

No it won't.

Statistically, newly qualified riders have a 10% chance of being dead or seriously injured in their first year. Insurance premiums reflect that additional risk in the short term.

Once qualified, you will want a bigger bike. More cc's equals more risk. Accordingly, your premium will reflect that additional risk.

Wanting to train and pass the test in order to become a better, safer rider is commendable. Just don't expect to save money by doing so.

[Dav3y]

In the eyes of the insurance company, i'm just some guy who has done CBT. I could be a really crappy rider since my riding skills have never been checked through a test. So, if I pass my licence, my insurance will fall.

Statistically, newly qualified riders have a 10% chance of being dead or seriously injured in their first year. Insurance premiums reflect that additional risk in the short term.

 

 

Would be interested to see those stats seeing as it's now possible for the young rider who jumps through all the hoops to be newly qualified 3 times on the path to a full A license. I've seen apalling riding from 16 year olds on mopeds with L plates and some kind of death wish as well as what i'd consider idiots without L plates high speed filtering through other traffic that's doing 70mph on a dual carriageway in the wet - just why ??

I do believe though that newly qualified drivers get hit a little harder to begin with as the insurance companies think most are going to ride like over confident muppets once they have the license.

Certainly the notion of taking up biking to save money is going to take many years or maybe prove impossible if running a car as well as a bike unless some pretty serious all weather commuting is involved. I took up biking again for the freedom and fun as well as to save a little money on fuel here and there and have an exploring machine for weekends where i wouldn't dream of burning fuel in a car to do the same thing. As it goes it's cost a small fortune so far but the investment seems worthwhile so far.

[BikerMooFromMars]

I'm gonna call them in a mo actually and find out how much they will charge me once I read up a bit more on here about the modules and such

Yeah, I had only just got back from Florida and had shite loads of other stuff to do and fell asleep....will put what I'm quoted on this thread when I get round to it

Edited October 4, 2013 by BikerMooFromMars

[BikerMooFromMars]

Statistically, newly qualified riders have a 10% chance of being dead or seriously injured in their first year. Insurance premiums reflect that additional risk in the short term.

Wtf, really?! *stays on CBT forever!*

[Bogof]

Would be interested to see those stats

 

Take a look at the DfT annual reports series, Road Casualties Great Britain, at

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/da ... ltiesgbar/

Information on motorcycling in Great Britain, including more analysis of motorcyclist casualties can be

found in the annual DfT Compendium of Motorcycling Statistics

[MCD]

Good grief is that what they are charging today.

During the mid 80s I was a part 1 examiner and part 2 (road) instructor and I made a good income.

So these instructors now must be making a fortune.

[Bogof]

Good grief is that what they are charging today.

During the mid 80s I was a part 1 examiner and part 2 (road) instructor and I made a good income.

So these instructors now must be making a fortune.

 

Depends on your definition of fortune...

 

What does it pay? - Well, we're not about to divulge our instructors' pay details. But as a rough guide, in this part of the country you might expect to earn between £60 and £120-a-day depending on level of qualification, experience, type of instructing and other factors such as whether you are using a school bike for instructing and who is paying for the fuel etc.

 

That's from a trainer company in Kent - http://www.dexteritytraining.co.uk/motorcycle_careers.htm#FAQs - not what I would call a fortune!

[Guest]

Wtf, really?! *stays on CBT forever!*

 

lol, it seems like i'm going that way.

 

I took up biking again for the freedom and fun as well as to save a little money on fuel here and there

 

I'd have to agree, especially on the fuel prices. My parents had a Daewoo Leganza which cost £60 to fill up at the pumps (approximately once a month). I filled up my little 125 Marauder, and it cost me £7. I'll be running on that petrol for a while.

 

Once qualified, you will want a bigger bike. More cc's equals more risk. Accordingly, your premium will reflect that additional risk.

 

How old are you? What bike are you thinking of getting after you pass?

 

I'm 24 with very little money. After i've done my cat A licence, i'll probably stick with my 125 for a while. I don't want to get a bigger bike straight away, since i'm riding around a built up area anyway. It'll be a waste of horsepower.

So, you might be wondering why I want to get my licence now. I'm currently doing a course on the OU which ends on the 7th October. My next course starts in February, so I have a while to get my licence. Unfortunately, this coincides with the winter weather, so it'll be a bit of a challenge.

I'm also thinking of doing a course at my local college so I can get an understanding of how to fix motorbikes.

With that in mind, my ideal motorbike is something like this. Unfortunately, Royal Enfields have been described as "a mechanics dream" or "a Royal Enfield rider's best friend is his mechanic". That's why i'd like to do a course in how to fix it if it ever broke.

So, that's my long term goal:

1). Get my licence

2). Learn how to fix motorbikes

3). Buy a Royal Enfield Classic 500

[GPC]

Just looking at those rates they aren't bad if you subtract the test fees the daily rate is not that high when you take into account bike hire etc.

When I wanted some refresher lessons earlier this year (after a long break) I paid £30 per hour and thought that was very good value.

[MCD]

Good grief is that what they are charging today.

During the mid 80s I was a part 1 examiner and part 2 (road) instructor and I made a good income.

So these instructors now must be making a fortune.

 

Depends on your definition of fortune...

 

What does it pay? - Well, we're not about to divulge our instructors' pay details. But as a rough guide, in this part of the country you might expect to earn between £60 and £120-a-day depending on level of qualification, experience, type of instructing and other factors such as whether you are using a school bike for instructing and who is paying for the fuel etc.

 

That's from a trainer company in Kent - http://www.dexteritytraining.co.uk/motorcycle_careers.htm#FAQs - not what I would call a fortune!

 

£120 a day not a fortune....you must be earning a fortune.

fwiw...fortune is a figure of speech, which implies earning a lot more than the person quoted earned...why stress the point over a small issue are you having a bad day.

[Dav3y]

The college course whilst looking quite good for someone with little to no knowledge of bike maintenance is also a third of the cost of doing DAS.

I'd certainly maybe (lol didn't sound too positive !) add that to the budget of buying the Enfield and concentrate my current monies on getting that licence. Have you contacted any schools yet to find out how flexible they are with training options ? If you've already got a 125 to practice roadsense on it should be a case of just getting used to handling the heavier machine and getting rid of bad habits for the tests themselves.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Dav3y

[Bogof]

fwiw...fortune is a figure of speech, which implies earning a lot more than the person quoted earned...why stress the point over a small issue are you having a bad day.

 

I apologise for posting

Oh the irony...

[fredc]

Also noticed you said you have CBT, but wasn't sure if it was a geared bike rather than a twist and go. I think you'll find if you did it on a twist and go, it will have an automatic restriction on it so may need to redo that as well ?

 

The twist and go CBT is still valid for a geared 125 bike

[Stu]

Good grief is that what they are charging today.

During the mid 80s I was a part 1 examiner and part 2 (road) instructor and I made a good income.

So these instructors now must be making a fortune.

 

Depends on your definition of fortune...

 

What does it pay? - Well, we're not about to divulge our instructors' pay details. But as a rough guide, in this part of the country you might expect to earn between £60 and £120-a-day depending on level of qualification, experience, type of instructing and other factors such as whether you are using a school bike for instructing and who is paying for the fuel etc.

 

That's from a trainer company in Kent - http://www.dexteritytraining.co.uk/motorcycle_careers.htm#FAQs - not what I would call a fortune!

 

£120 a day not a fortune....you must be earning a fortune.

fwiw...fortune is a figure of speech, which implies earning a lot more than the person quoted earned...why stress the point over a small issue are you having a bad day.

 

because he is a pain in the arse and a picky twat thats why he stressed over it

some people take life too seriously!!!

[Bogof]

because he is a pain in the arse and a picky twat thats why he stressed over it

some people take life too seriously!!!

 

It seems they do... ironically

[Stu]

back tracking again I see

[Guest]

Your insurance won't necessarily go up just because you have passed your test. If you stay on the same bike, there's no reason for the price to increase..

The thing that will save you the most money though it No Claims Bonus. Keep plugging away and the more years you have without a claim, the more money you save and the cheaper your insurance gets.

And yes, first time riders on bigger bikes are more likely to make a claim and therefore the prices are higher than people who have had their licence for a few years.

However, if you have no claims bonus then you will still get credit for riding your 50/125 without a claim. But you're still going to be penalised for riding a larger bike for the first time on your full licence.