Will a new campaign to encourage younger riders save motorcycling? Maybe not!
Will a new campaign to encourage younger riders save motorcycling? Maybe not!
If you saw Elevenses on Sunday August 24, you may recall I was talking about how both the age of motorcycles and their riders is rising steadily, but also mentioned that the number of riders who pass the bike test is too low to replace the older riders who come to the end of their own riding career.
Right on cue,l Phoenix Motorcycle Training working with National Young Rider Forum (NYRF) have launched a new Try Ride initiative – an inclusive, stress-free motorcycle experience that young people can enjoy before committing to do a CBT.
Said to be designed for 16-24 year-olds just about to get into motorcycling, Try Rides aims to give budding riders their first experience of motorcycling, making it less scary and stressful to move onto CBTs and beyond.
Try Rides include both online and practical elements: the learners will first complete two online modules. The first online module, View from the Saddle, is a brand-new resource developed by the NYRF, thanks to funding from the Road Safety Trust. It’s a set of 18 short hazard perception films, depicting 20 new hazards for would-be motorcyclists to spot. These are real hazards, filmed from the perspective of a young motorcyclist, that can lead to dangerous situations.
The second module completed online, Ridefree, is a course for moped and motorcycle riders developed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and National Highways. It covers topics such as the Highway Code, protective kit, bike maintenance and other useful topics for those new to biking. Once the learner has registered, the module can be completed in sections, enabling riders to come back and finish it in a timescale that suits their needs.
Then follows the practical riding experience.
The full Try Ride experience typically costs £40 but…
…why charge at all? This strikes me as the sort of initiative that the MCIA should be supporting - that's the organisation the promotes the interests of the motorcycle manufacturers and retailers here in the UK. If they want to keep selling bikes should they be doing something to promote motorcycling and the youngest riders are often the most-cash strapped - even £40 can be a significant amount to find when you're on the minimum wage.
…why isn't the scheme available to EVERY CBT school in the UK? With all respect to Phoenix for getting behind the scheme, there's no obvious reason it couldn't be available to any trainee, anywhere, who wants a helping hand.
…why stop at 24? There are plenty of older people - particularly women - who are interested in getting onto two wheels and there's a good chance they'd be even more receptive to the content. Young riders are not the only group over-represented in the crash stats - so are novice riders at any age.
SoS Sep 6 Degrees of Freedom, choices & CanGo? WillGo!
FoF Sep 5 Review of Science Of Being Seen from 2013
SOBS Sep 4 What is Akinetopsia & is it common?
Elevenses 560 Wed 3 Sep - motorcycle news, tips & views
ToT Sep 2 Fifth Gear: Mastery through Adaptability
COMMENT Sep 1 'Try Ride' - fresh initiative to encourage young riders
Elevenses 5597 Sun 31 Aug - motorcycle news, tips & views
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