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"I've done some other training. I like the Survival Skills approach - it's amazing how you can learn more at sensible speeds and in a car park and on very challenging roads. I think the overall effect is if you learn to do it exactly right in those conditions you become more competent and ready to expand the 'safety/comfort envelope'."

Find out why:

 - Riders have travelled from as far afield as Cumbria, Wales, Teeside, Hull, Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands, as well as the more local counties of Kent , Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Oxford, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, and London, from France and even Canada and Senegal (YES, Senegal in Africa) to take a Survival Skills course

- I have travelled to Devon, North Yorkshire, Wales, the Lake District and many other locations in the UK, and to France and Portugal to offer training

Many, many thanks to everyone who, over the last decade-plus, has offered feedback on Survival Skills courses. It's reassuring to hear the good stuff, and of course also the occasional criticisms are welcome too - without those it would be harder to make improvements to the courses.

Below is a selection of extracts from thank you letters and e-mails received after my courses! These run from 1996 to mid-2007. You'll find more recent letters on the blog!

Longer Reports:

Enjoy Julie's write-up on the Thames Valley Virago Star Owners Club Discussion Evening and Group Training Day.

There's Steve Kelly on the adventure training trip to Wales May 2000 and also his unforgettable write-up on the trip to France that never was.

Read Tony's view of another trip to Wales

Here's Yvonne's write up of the training session on the Isle of Man for Manx MAG.
 

"Best rider this year"; from Stephen via Visordown, June 07

"I was at the Warren doing Bikesafe today. Have to say it was a great day (if a bit damp–but I can't blame the guys for that) and a great refresher for Kev's training. Wayne recommended I do IAM/ROSPA based on what he saw today, i.e. he was very pleased ("best rider this year") and I owe it to Kev - thanks, mate. Excellent value too, two cops to one of me (made me feel like I had a special escort hehe) and a lunch thrown in. Highly recommended!!!

Stephen did a Survival Skills 2 day course last year and clearly enjoyed his day with the Bikesafe team. Having done the day a few years back, it's a good day, with a lot of applicable content, and the ride out with the police rider is also useful.

It's also nice to get a 3rd party 'pat on the back' too… particularly as it's sometimes hinted that my "non-police/non IAM" methods of training can't be right!
 

From Bev Frank

Course: Confidence Builder plus Bends
June 07 (taken in Grassington, Yorks)

Thanks for the help, I had such a great ride home on Saturday, crystal clear head for riding, really working hard on positioning and counter-steering and definitely more positive and I thought pretty speedy. Then got a text from Rolo about 20 mins after getting back, and she was already home. Maybe not that speedy then, eh? But the riding felt better.

I spent the evening talking over all the things I'd been picking up I needed to do/practice/work on - you certainly covered a lot of ground, and have given me a lot to go at. It's going to take a bit of work (had a v poor ride yesterday, best admit it before Rolo dobs me in again - nothing dangerous from me but not applying what I should be doing.)

Anyway, you've given me a good sense of what I can do to improve, rather than just hoping I will with practise. Thanks, Kevin, you're a star.
 

From David Bryant

Course Survival Skills 2 day
June 07

Thank you for the last 2 days - I certainly feel that you have made a significant diffierence to my ability to observe, anticipate and respond during my riding on the road with better skills. The tailoring of the training to the sort of riding I normally do was helpful - appreciate I have a lot to learn to understand 'motorcycling' as well as I do driving - but will now feel far more confident when practicing.

Really enjoyed the training style - only constructive feedback I would give related to the radio* - appreciate you advised would not be clear over about 40mph - but the one B3 used on the DAS did seem to work at any speed - greater input on the faster stretches would have been very useful.

That said - really good to get this detailed written feedback - will help with the homework.

* The radio link is about to be upgraded with a Starcom Advance system
 

From 'Melons', via Visordown June 07

"I've done Bikesafe & dabbled with the IAM, but the most practical & genuinely lifesaving training experience I've had was via 'Spin the HippySapian'. Not exciting, quite tiring, and at the time I felt the geography of the training made his methods slightly redundant for a London rider, but time proved that reservation to be totally wrong, the course was short and intense but implanted deep subliminal awareness.

"Post training the bugger's still in your head & a lot of his 'preachings' whilst seemingly irrelevant when first uttered, provided instant solutions to many situations I hadn't even predicted at the time."

'Melons' did his Survival Skills course with me in Kent several years back, I can't even remember when it was without going back into the files, so it's nice to get a post-course recommendation so long after the event to prove that not only did the training stick, but that the training was relevant and anticipated problems that would crop up!
 

From Barbara Alam

Course: Refresher April 06
(taken in France)

""Ordinary" training? Well the days in France are Extraordinary Training – it's a lovely day out, apart from an opportunity to practice skills on the "wrong" – sorry, right – side of the road. (And, yes, I did get it wrong once when pulling away after a stop, gaily riding off on the left until I noticed Spin waving frantically at me to "get outta there!")

Kevin's put together a comprehensive and easy-reading briefing sheet for newbies to "le continent" which he sends to trainees in advance to help them with, for example, what to bring on the day and what to expect that's different to the UK. It's very good preparation.

Those roads are amazing! Kevin takes you on a good selection of different types of road – the motorway, round slip roads, lots of roundabouts (some with cobblestones), thru little towns and villages, round hairpins, and all within 25k of Calais. I'd agree that the surfaces are smooth and well-surfaced, probably because they're so little-used, but I found there was a lot more loose gravel, mud and slippery "agricultural" bits than I'm used to. [Barbara lives in London - compared with Kentish roads, those roads in France are perfect!!]
 

Kevin's also found an almost deserted LeClerc carpark for practising those slow manoeuvres, and then you can reward yourself afterwards with a nice lunch and a trip round the shop. If you only stocked up on printer cartridges and flash cards, you'd save yourself enough to pay for your trip! No excuse not to go.

The scenery is lovely – in particular the wonderful coast road from Wimereux back to the tunnel, which winds its way along the top of the cliffs. Whenever I've been along it the sun has always been shining and the sea sparkling and blue, and it's a really exhilarating, yet relaxing, way to finish off the day. We fairly whizzed along, great fun!

Honestly, folks, do one of these courses – take your panniers and stock up with goodies and you'll get extra added value from your day, too!"

From Colin Anderson

Course: Continental Riding April 06
(taken in France)

I did the course on Saturday. I've never driven abroad, let alone ridden so I was a bit nervous. The whole priorite a droit thing took a bit of getting used to. After a while though, I'd gotten used to being on the wrong side and had relaxed a little bit.

My main fear about the course was having to do u-turns. As it turned out, although we did a bit of slow control work in the LeClerc parking lot, I never had to do a single u-turn. Still, something I probably ought to practice.

The briefings were very helpful. Kevin sends you out a couple of pages on riding in France and to back this up on the train out, he has a PDA thing with a presentation on it with some footage of a ride in France, a few screens of what the French signs look like and mean in English and some other stuff that has popped out of my head. This was a great way to prepare for the ride and to pass the time on the, albeit short, crossing. The on the road briefings were very useful, nice to have it broken down into small chunks. Not sure how well I implemented his advice though :-)

The training was top notch. On the ride back home on Sunday I tried to implement counter-steering, looking ahead etc.

I can't say as much about the route [when leading] as I'd like to as I was concentrating on what Spin was saying and what I was doing. When I took a back seat tho, the roads were great. Quiet, with lots of good scenery.

The last part of the trip back to the tunnel was excellent, with a couple of hairpin bends perfect for cornering practice. It would be nice to go back sometime when I can relax and enjoy the ride more rather than having to concentrate on my training.

I'd highly recommend both the course and doing it in France to anyone and I'm looking forward to the 2-day Survival Skills course in Yorkshire in June.

From Sara Marshall

Course: Confidence Builder April 03

"Just wanted to say thanks again for a great day yesterday.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I really felt I learnt a lot. Been practicing already! Thanks again... gotta go... sun's shining and I'm sure I can find a really long way home if I try :-)"

Peter has been out with several training schools including one particularly well-publicised and highly rated school operated by ex-police instructors, so it was particularly gratifying to receive this response from him:

From Peter Ford

Course: Survival Skills April 04

"I've done some other training. I like the Survival Skills approach - it's amazing how you can learn more at sensible speeds and in a car park and on very challenging roads. I think the overall effect is if you learn to do it exactly right in those conditions you become more competent and ready to expand the 'safety/comfort envelope'." 

From David Fickling

Course Survival Skills February 2002

"Kevin takes a pragmatic approach to advanced rider training. He's not trying to turn out IAM approved riders, but to teach techniques that help real motorcyclists deal with real situations in a practical way... He doesn't preach, doesn't lay down dogmatic rules about 'the way' to do it, but just shows you a variety of different techniques to defend yourself on the road and to improve your cornering, overtaking, and observation. His approach to riding is methodical but not mechanical."  

From Sue Carnell

Course Confidence Builder March 2004

"I am totally exhausted and it was worth every penny."
 

From Julie Fitchett

Course: Confidence Builder April 2003

"...thanks again for a great day's training. I thoroughly enjoyed my ride home - I had so much more confidence in both myself and my bike. It's amazing what a difference a day can make!"

From Murray Sheppard
 

Course: Creaky Rider / London Riding June 2001

I didn't know Kevin (from Survival Skills) until he met me at 'On Yer Bike' when I picked up my new bike, so he's not an old mate, and this is a genuine recommendation. I contacted him through his website, details of which I'd found at another website - www.motorcycle.co.uk (a really informative website) I hadn't ridden for over 12 years and never in the UK. (I'm an Aussie) Kevin started the lesson in the carpark with familiarisation of my new machine. Then we went for a bit of a ride along the A41 to see if there were any glaring faults.

Happily, my old skills weren't buried too deeply and he didn't need to pick me up on any basic riding techniques, so we went into the country lanes for a very enjoyable ride. The main thing I got from the lesson was defensive riding techniques, risk assessment, road position and changing road conditions. There was a lot to take in and remember, but not too much to overburden my little brain. Already, much of what he warned me about has manifested itself in London traffic - I can't believe how stupid some drivers are!

If nothing else, it was comforting to have an experienced rider along for my first ride who knew the roads we were on and was in constant contact through the in-helmet radio. (Hint, if you've got comfortable walkman type in-ear headphones, bring them along so you don't have to suffer Kevin's implements of torture.) He even ended the lesson in London so I didn't have far to ride home on my own, and I don't think that he meant for the lesson to last for over 5 hours instead of 4.

I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and racked up over 170 miles. My wrists and neck muscles hurt like hell afterwards - especially my clutch hand, but I had a huge smile on my face all afternoon.

I can't comment on his teaching ability of riding techniques as we didn't really cover any of that. I don't think I needed that aspect of rider training, as, in his words - "it's obvious you know how to ride a bike". What was driven home to me during the lesson is that there's much more to riding a big bike than just being able to ride it.

5 hours of life-saving fun is cheap entertainment.

Go for it.
 

From Conrad Webb
Course: 2 x 5 hours Survival Skills April 2001

I just wanted to thank you for the two days spent in Oxford on your Advanced Survival Skills course. It was very beneficial and whilst some of what we did revived my memory and confirmed skills I had previously incorporated into my past riding techniques, much was new and very, very beneficial. I thoroughly enjoyed your company and I must say that your instruction methods are brilliant.

The accent on assessing each situation based on a set of flexibly defined variables is without doubt the key to safer and more enjoyable riding. Treating each road and circumstance individually gives the necessary flexibility to cope with all situations and minimises the potential for difficulties. As you rightly say, riding every stretch of road to a pre-defined rigid set of rules assumes that there is only one way to ride and does not allow for that inherent human characteristic of irrationality when faced with other road users and varying road conditions.

I have already put much of what you taught me into practice. Once again thak you very much and all the best with the opening of your school in Maidstone.

Conrad Webb
London
Triumph T955i
 

From Julie Bishop
Course: 5 hour Confidence Building August 2000

I did my CBT last July and pottered about on a 125 until May this year when I took my Direct Access test. I bought my GS500 at the end of May and had done about 700 miles on it by the time I did the course.

I had a real confidence problem going round corners, and was finding that cars were getting really close on corners as I was going too slow. Kevin was really helpful and the training was geared towards me and my specific problems and getting more confidence on the capabilities of my bike.

Kevin explained, demonstrated and got me to practise such things as counter weighting, counter steering and heavy braking. The training was done at my pace and Kevin took me down some really good roads. By the end of the session I was cornering with a lot more confidence and therefore a bit faster, I was happier with what my bike could do and I had used a bit more of my tyres. I had a huge grin on my face all the way home.

I still need to practise some more but the things Kevin showed me has made me a much smoother rider. My boyfriend certainly noticed the difference in my riding after the course.

I hope this is of help to you but if you want to know more, please drop me a line. The course is definitely worth doing.

Julie Bishop
Suzuki GS500E

From Ian Davies
Course: 2 x 5 hours Survival Skills September 2000

Ian brakes & lines up a corner in leafy Oxfordshire

Thanks for your time over the past two days. I have found the skills already coming into practice, especially the observation (over hedges etc.) and of course the slow riding and counter weighting.

Most people are quick to criticize but not so quick to give praise, the following comments are heartfelt and honest, and you have my permission to use them on any advertising or marketing you may wish to in the future. I found the two days excellent, the balance of riding and theory was, to my mind, perfect. I know that we spent more time than usual talking, but that was MY preference as I like to understand what is happening and why, prior to trying it out practically. The skills taught during the two days have already shown an improvememt in my riding, just today I was riding down a country lane which closes up into a single lane road. In the past it has been more guess work and luck as to what was coming around the next bend, today I knew there was a white van coming as I had seen it over the hedge in the distance. My view has risen from just in front on the bike to the horizon, and across the fields etc. and I have found myself spotting pedestrians and such like in town that I would probably have missed in the past.

Later during the day, I travelled down a road I used to avoid because of the bends, they are particularly dangerous in that most of them are blind, and some are very deceptive, I managed this road with confidence, smoothly (which was most noticeable to me) and my overall journey time was down considerably even though my average speed was slightly slower. On top of all this I got home without any stress from the journey!

I cannot thank you enough for the slow riding skills, especially the counterweighting, how I wish someone had taught me this twenty years ago!!! I have (when I remember) used this skill more than any of the others to handle my bike more confidently in tight corners, junctions, and all the mini roundabouts the council love to scatter around the county. To be quite honest I don't really know how I managed without it, and I notice straight away when I have forgotten to use this new skill. Lets hope it soon becomes second nature.

Once again, thank you. I don't know how much of the course I can ingrain into my riding, and how many of my bad habits I can break, but I have benefitted from the course, and do feel much more comfortable riding especially around town, and at slow speeds. I will let you know how I get on in a few weeks time.

Ian Davies
Coventry
Suzuki GS750

From Barbara Alam
Course: 5 hours Confidence Building
July 2001

Thanks for a very enjoyable day yesterday. The bit about counterweight and countersteering was most useful - had a little practice slaloming down the road near where I live. It's so easy!! I wish I'd done your course a year ago. The braking advice also helpful, no more bouncing back front forks (practised that on the way in this morning). I am so much more confident about handling the weight of the bike now.

My slow speed manoeuvring is a helluva lot better than it was, thanks to the mysteries of counterweighting, etc, and using the back brake having been explained by you. I have also been practising gripping with my knees and taking the weight off the handlebars to let the bike steer itself a bit more - it works! I feel a lot happier, more like the bike is a bit of me and not some big heavy thing I'm sitting on. Also taking the dominant position in the road (and not the submissive, girlie one!) - I think it makes me appear more confident to other riders, too, as I'm not being constantly overtaken by other bikes any more. AND I did 80 mph on the motorway on the way home - you'd have been proud of me!!

So, I'm not going to set the world alight, but, hey, I just want to get home from work without bruising / breaking / denting anything, especially myself, and you helped with that objective immensely.

Barbara Alam
City Riders Action Group
Bromley
Suzuki GS500E

From Brian Scattergood
Course: 2 x 5 hours Survival Skills
October 1998
  Brian lines up a bend in Kent

Thanks for an excellent couple of days down in Kent. It was a pleasure to cover the material with someone who clearly knows it so well, and who also cares about the subject. As well as catching some of my bad habits before they became ingrained, the course managed to pack an awful lot of advanced material into eight hours. I'll be working on applying the lessons for a long time. You'll be at the top of the list when I want a refresher course, or if someone asks for a recommendation. Again, thanks."

Bryan Scattergood
Oxfordshire
Kawasaki GPz500D

From Tim Featherstone-Griffin
Course: 2 x 5 hours Survival Skills
August 1998

 
Tim at Mont St Michel, France

"Sitting back after a couple of beers and deliberating on the last couple of days... felt inspired to record how valuable I found it. Some of the things that stick out:

I didn't particularly think I had a problem with low-speed manoeuvering, so the improvement I achieved after 10 minutes was something of a revelation. On reflection, I've relied a lot on a good sense of balance and never really thought too much about how to make the bike work well at low speeds. Taking a bit more time approaching bends - braking earlier, being a bit clearer about the line - feels miles better. Quicker, but safer. Hanging back in traffic an extra car's length or so made my journey home today seem easy. And the confidence I've gained translated to the motorway journeys which were uncharted territory for me and this bike before this week. Yesterday morning I was quite tentative on the way to Maidstone, seeking long gaps in the inside lane unless it really hampered me. On the way home tonight I used all three lanes extensively, had a much better idea of what was happening around me, felt considerably less vulnerable and knocked 15 minutes off yesterday's journey time.

Much of the value for me has been in having the judgement of an objective expert on what I do well and what I do badly. No-one has cast as assessing eye over my riding since I passed the test, and I guess that that's quite common for those who've recently come back to bikes after many years off one.

Oh, and it was great fun. It would be very hard to avoid enjoying two days blatting around some terrific Kent roads in glorious sunshine on a weekday afternoon, but you certainly did nothing to detract from it. You know when you lost me at the roundabout by the Little Chef? I recognised it as the roundabout we looped round yesterday, and was enjoying it so much that I went right round and tore back up the hill.

I'm more than happy to endorse the course - everyone should do one.

Tim Featherstone-Griffin
London
Suzuki GSX750F

From Karen Bennett
Course: 5 hour Refresher
2 x 5 hours Confidence Building
February - March 1999

Karen with her brand new Bandit

Just wanted to say a big "thank you" for the training last week - you somehow managed to take me from the "nervous wreck" to the "maybe I can do this after all" stage! 3 days riding with my brother Graeme (300 miles) at the beginning of the week got me to the "hey, this is fun" stage - he kept saying - "now, what did Kevin tell you about x" whenever I was doing dubious things, and, amazingly, I knew, so it must have gone into my memory this time! Your teaching style really works for me: when I've done a few more miles and feel that I control the bike rather than vice versa, I will certainly be in touch again to arrange some more training."

(after a second session)

"Thanks for another really good training day on Wednesday. Despite being totally exhausted at the end, I felt much more confident and in control on the way home - I think it's finally beginning to sink in and come together.

Thanks again."

Karen Bennett
Romford
GSF600F Bandit

From Peter Brown
Course: 2 x 5 hour Survival Skills
November 1998
 

"Apart from a Bronze Rider course before I bought my first ever bike, this would be the only other tuition I've ever had for a motorcycle. So the question you might ask was it worth it? 

Well I would say yes now, where as this time last month I would have said no.

To start with, out of the advice given, I would say there were only a few key issues that were new to me. Some of the things Kevin mentioned I knew about, some I had stopped doing, and others I hadn't thought of  "that" rationale for doing them. This would be related to my developing my own style over the years and changing habits. But I agreed to try all he suggested before I went, and although I will say I was having to think very hard about not doing it my way but his, it made the day enjoyable all the same. He actually helps you to relax after a while, and gives a lot of positive feedback. 

However, even when you do have a style of riding it's actually reassuring to hear someone else thinking along the same lines as you, even if their style is slightly different.  It's also a bit of a strain for the first ride out, well this is my personal feeling as you know he's assessing you. Still he isn't judgmental, he just offers you different ideas, lets you try them out, and then quite rightly suggests that you use what you think suits you and makes you a safer rider. The course has something for the expert, even if it's just a refresher, and definitely there's something for the novice.

As I think we both fundamentally agree, real motorcycling isn't about getting from A to B fast. It's about getting from A to B period!!!! Kevin will help you do this without a doubt."

Peter Brown
Essex
Kawasaki GPz900D

From Martin Sydenham
Course: 5 Hours Creaky Rider
September 2001

Kevin, Many thanks for the course on Saturday..... both enjoyable and useful..... gave me confidence that a lot of what I was doing was OK, but also some good ideas on what weaknesses to work on.  Found the low speed stuff and the observation bits particularly useful.

Martin Sydenham
BMW K100RS

From Marina Mayes
Course: 1 x 5 Hours Confidence Builder
May 2000

Hi Kevin, thanks so much for the course today. I learned such a lot. I have only just had time to sit down and make some notes. If there is more than the following on my "to-do" list, please let me know:
Relax my arm (Funky Chickens and grip the tank with my knees
Counterweighting (this is going to be very useful I think)
More revs when starting off
clutch and brake control
pick up my feet sooner

I'll work on these and then maybe I could have another session?

Marina Mayes
Reading
GPz500S
 

From Peter Sylvester

2 x 5 hours Confidence Builder/London Traffic courses
June 2001

The tuition last weekend has indeed been very useful, it's allowed me to concentrate this week on improvement rather than on short cut to bad habits of some other riders. My clutch control is a lot better now and I'm able to pull off from the front at will and to order (launch control from traffic lights!).

I still need to refine my ability to let the clutch slip round corners and then power on, and balance, but hopefully this will come shortly with more practise. I'm looking forward to the next rain down pour with some trepidation but hopefully to get to grips with wet handling.

In summary, last weekend has reaffirmed my knowledge and it's been a great method to sanity check one's roadcraft and riding skills, as I'm sure they lapse once one's too over confident over time. Thanks again.

Peter Sylvester
Medway

Angus McLelland
Course: Survival Skills
July 1996

"Kevin

thanks very much for all your time and hard work, and especially your patience when I seemed to have "lost it". I'm not sure what I expected when we started but the results speak for themselves. A fantastic improvement in all aspects of my riding, I feel far more in control and much safer.

Thanks again"

Angus McClelland
London
Ducati 600SS

From Simon Carswell
Course: 5 hours Pre Riding Test Tune Up October 2000

I passed the test today. Just 3 minor errors, so a slight improvement on Sunday! It all went pretty smoothly. It felt good to be able to ditch the L plates and feel like a fully-fledged motorcyclist.

Thanks very much for your very helpful coaching and advice on Sunday. I have no doubt that it made a difference. I was very tired at the end of Sunday, so it had obviously been more intensive than I'd realised at the time.

I'd be happy to give you a 'plug' if that would be helpful. Or feel free just to quote this! Best regards

Simon Carswell
London
Gilera Runner
 

From Tim Bicknelle
Course: Survival Skills 2 x 5 hours
March 1999

"I arrived at our meeting point on a Sunny Friday @ 11.00 . A nice civilised time to start. After a coffee and introduction out came Kevin's magic book of notes and we got down to business. He tailors the course to your requirements but follows a guide so it stays well structured. I was hooked up with the latest intercom system (which was crystal clear and worked really well unlike some I have tried) and we headed off down the M20 and soon dived off down twisting A roads.

We started with defensive riding, using the correct lines in traffic and getting maximum observation, keeping within the speed limits where necessary for safety of ourselves and other road users. We then stopped after a while for a quick chat before heading for the county B-roads. for more positioning techniques, watching ahead for possible problems, and getting the maximum from the road. Kevin had lots of helpful tips for working out what was happening ahead and keeping me concentrating on the road without talking too much and being distracting. Here his advanced riding experience and years as a courier showed through.

After lunch and a further briefing it was off through some smart "secret" Kent B-roads and great twisties for some great corner action, apexing correctly and using that vanishing point to have max fun from corners - but always SAFELY ! Lets face it, there's no point a great corner being your last! After another quick stop, more twisties building up corner speed through braking correctly and other tips. Kevin's book comes out at regular intervals, as he has it packed full of photo's and useful diagrams to illustrate points graphically.

Some four hours later we were finished and all for £60! An excellent day's riding, which gave me things to think about and even better to practice before taking the second session. Well worth it for all levels from beginner to knee-down. If you are after some more knowledge or even finding some excellent twisties give Kevin's web site a visit the link at www.bicknelle.com

Cheers"

Tim Bicknelle
Chichester
Yamaha YZF R1