im rubbish

Mate, riding a bike is a very pleasurable thing, go steady and ease yourself back in, Its 100% understandable that you have lost some of your confidence after your off !

Take it easy, a mile or corner at a time , Bikesafe would be a very good way of easing you back in...

The lads involved are First Class riders and would more than likely have been there as well !

Typically the BikeSafe scheme is heavily subsidised by your local authority (working on the principle the loss of a life on the road costs many hundreds of thousands of pounds) and should cost you in the region of £25 - £50 for the whole DAY

I spent a day with Bob Brown, former 25 years plus Durham Police Motorcycle Cop. I can tell you I have never ridden my bike as fast or had a s much fun ! He used a camera whilst following me to show me and the other lad how **** we were

As the day progresses you can see how better you are. I was exhausted by the end of the day but very enjoyable.... IMHO you cant go wrong and there's no more danger to you or anyone else than normal (I am thinking trackday Hero's here )

practice makes perfect.
2 much thinking can get u into a lot of trouble

I had a go at Rospa advanced training, when Sabre offered his services last year. I highly recommend it, after riding 20yrs with only a few lessons to pass your test its a real eye opener. I have started doing the Rospa course with a view taking the test sometime this year. Forget the whole pipe and slippers image of BMW's and Pan europeans it makes your riding faster, smoother and safer.......plus its a right laugh.

I'm thinking of doing the advanced training with YORK I.A.M. later this year when funds allow.

15 week course including test at the end £140 :doug

Once i would cane my bike everywhere i went if the road was empty. I obeyed 30's but everything else was fair game. Susprise suprise i began to get unstuck and putting myself in dangerous situations..running wide on corners...impatience on overtaking etc. I then realised that the risk was unnesesary and pointless. Someone said that bragging at riding fast was like bragging how far you could throw a ball. I never got to a crash but have come close and kicked myself for being a t**t. The wife and kids wouldn't be happy to say the least. Things changed when i did trackdays. I realised my riding was pants and there were plenty of people riding faster and safer than me. so i started thinking more closely about my riding. I've seen it said before but try riding without using your brakes (unless absolutly necessary) and using sensible throttle control instead. Lower your speed and don't bow to peer pressure. let others hurt themselves if they want too. Ride within your own limits and build up gradually. Ride like a fart if you want but you can ride quicker if you give it time and practice. California Superbike School will be a well spent few hundred quid, and trackdays, to find out for yourself your own limits in relative safety.

I personally think riders on the roads who try to emulate our TT heros are due an early grave. There are exceptions but the rider is not the only factor out there.

One last thing before you all go to sleep, get a copy of Keith Codes' 'twist of the wrist', read it and apply some science to your actions. Someone on here has a link to a PDF version.