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Wales 8 Motorcycle Tour, Confirmation Please.

Hi to all who have expressed an interest in joining us on The Wales 8 Motorcycle Tour, coming up at the end of the month.

As I need to finalise the details of the accommodation with Rik at the Moto BnB please could you contact me to confirm your place on the trip.

Also, if you haven’t previously contacted me but want to add yourself to the list then please contact me as soon as you can.

I met a few at the Cardiff Motorcycle Show on Sunday who were interested so please could you also contact me.

For further details of the trip please see the previous post.  Don’t delay!

Come on….. you know you want to……

May 15th, 2012 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Out & About in May. Stuff and Things.

Looking forward to an end to the rain….  We will be out and about in May.  Here are details of our next ride out and in more detail the Wales 8 Tour, in conjunction with Moto BnB Llangurig, and the Cardiff Bike Show.

All Wales 8 Tour. 30th May – 1st June Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

Using the Moto BnB as our base we will run a two night/three day Tour of Wales in a figure of 8.

We will be taking in Tintern in the South East, Tenby in the South West, Anglesey in the North West and Llangollen over in the North East.  Using some of the best biking roads that Wales has to offer.  This will be a guided tour and would be open to all abilities.  Using the same, ‘Drop Off’ navigation system that has proven to be so successful on our Cross Channel Tours.  Spaces are limited and the cost of this 1st Class Tour is just £160 per person (a supplement will apply for a pillion) for shared accommodation on a Bed & Breakfast basis.  The tour is guided but you will be provided with maps and an information pack.

Rik, the owner of the BnB will fascinate you with his tales of his round The World biking trips!

If you’ve ever fancied one of our tours but didn’t want to try the ‘wrong side of the road’ in France or Belgium, then this is the one for you.

To book your place contact me on 07545567273.

Next Ride Out. Sunday 27th of May. The Silver Fox Cafe.

To the Silver Fox Cafe, on the Banks of the River Severn at Broad Oak near Gloucester.  The Silver Fox is a well established road side cafe that has seen stars like The Beatles, Richard Burton and Shirley Bassey and many more stop off there on their way back and fore to London to perform.  This off course was before the opening of the Severn Bridge and was a favoured ‘greasy spoon’ for many travelers.

The 27th of May see the cafe taken over by the Severn Group of the Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists (I know, I know… I’m a RoSPA Man).  The IAM will be on hand to offer advice and assessed rides plus the cafe does a fantastic breakfast or Sunday lunch.

Meeting at Caerphilly Mountain Snack Bar at 9.30am for a 9.45 departure.  The route can cater for L plates, avoiding the Motorway so why not join us.

The Cardiff Motorcycle Show. Whitchurch High School Sunday 13th May.

Don’t forget the impressive Cardiff Bike Show, now in its third year at Whitchurch High School, Manor Way, Cardiff. Organised by the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club there is loads on offer, with some truly outstanding bikes on display.

Come and visit us as 1st Class Rider Training will have a stand at the show.  Come and say hello….. I might have sweeties…..

The show is open from 10 am until 5pm and cost just a fiver at the gate.

Out & About in May……. come on you know you want to…..

 

May 10th, 2012 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Next Ride Out (29th April) & A Wales 8 Trip

We’ve had some bizarre weather lately but hopefully the weekend will be warm and dry for the next Ride Out.  We had snow on a recent training run up to Llandrindod and our students were soaked through today on a cbt. So we certainly get it all on a bike.But on a much brighter note, we have recently teamed up with Rik who has opened a Biker Friendly BnB in Llangurig and we are planing a forthcoming Wales Tour to be based at his Charming and expertly restored farmhouse.

So the plan for the next Ride Out is to have a run up to pay him a visit.

The next Ride Out will be Sunday the 29th of April.  Meeting at Caerphilly Mountain Snack Bar on the A469 Caerphilly Mountain for a 9.30am Departure.

We will travel up the A470 via Rhayader continuing to the picturesque location of the BnB where Rik will serve (for a small fee) refreshments and sandwiches.  So we will need to know numbers in advance so that Rik can get buttering the bread in plenty of time!

The Next 1st Class Tour. 30th & 31st of May 2012.

This is being planned to be a Wales 8.  Starting at the Moto BnB in Llangurig which is perfectly located to give access to all of the best biking roads that Wales has to offer. This will be a three day/two night trip Wednesday night, Thursday night returning home on Friday, on a Bed & Breakfast Basis. The restored farmhouse has secure and off road bike parking, a covered maintenance area and drying facilities.  Owned by keen ’round The World’ biker Rik who will keep you enthralled with his tales of biking in foreign lands.

Numbers will be limited and the cost is yet to be finalised but will be approximately £150- but no more than £200.

The Wales 8 Route is something that we have put together to ride a figure 8 route of Wales using Llangurig as our centre point and taking in from Chepstow in the South East to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch in the North. And many places in between.

You’ve not seen the true beauty of Wales until you’ve seen it through a Motorcycle Visor.  So take this chance to book your place on this unique experience.  Our experienced tour guide, leading the group to find the best variety of roads.

No Motorways, just glorious mountains, seaside towns, rivers and lakes.

See it all with us.

So if you fancy a place on the tour, why not join us on the ride out and come and see what’s on offer.

Come on…… you know you want to…….

Coming Soon- Dates for the Next Advanced Course.

April 9th, 2012 | | 20 comments | Continued
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Just a quick Blog Post for now.  With more details to come shortly.

We are back from Belgium and ready for the next trip.  We found some fantastic roads.  Great company and great scenery.  If you missed this trip, then don’t miss the next one.  Details will be posted here shortly. Hopefully a date will be set for a return trip to the Ancient City of Rouen in Normandy in June.

This time we stayed in the picturesque riverside town of Bouillon in the heart of the Ardennes Forest.

I haven’t arranged a ride out this month as tomorrow is the Ride of Respect to Wootton Basset.  This is the charity Mother’s Day ride following on from the previous ride outs to pay respect to the fallen soldiers who were repatriated through the town.  I know many of you have attended this one in the past but I won’t be going this year.  If you are going along then stay safe and have a good day.

The dates for the next Advanced Course have been changed.  It was to start next Saturday the 24th of March but the start has been postponed and a new date will be published soon.  So if you didn’t get you name down for it this time, there will still be a chance.  Spaces are limited to just 10 riders per course.  We are looking to arrange dates in May.

We are still going strong with the Basic and Learner training and with changes to the bike licences coming into force in January 2013 riders will see more age related restrictions to their biking options from next year.    There are also changes to legislation for bikers in France, with compulsory Hi Viz coming soon.  From the Summer you will also need to carry your own Breathalyser whilst riding in France, so you will need to add that to your list of essential equipment if you intend crossing the Channel.

So that’s it for now for this one.  Just a quickie like I said but I hope you can join us on a Euro Trip or a Ride Out soon.

 

Come on……… you know you want to……….

 

 

 

March 17th, 2012 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Dates for Your Biking Calendar. Trips & Training & Tours

 Here are some dates for your Biking Calendar to cover what is going on over the next couple of months.  We are looking forward to the end of the ice and snow and are waiting for warmer days to come.

So hopefully you can join us on one or more of these events that are being organised for your riding pleasure!

Belgium Tour.  Brugges & The Ardennes. 9th – 11th March

There is still some space left on the forthcoming Tour to Brugges and The Ardennes Forest in Belgium. The cost has been set at just £290 (allowing for any loyalty discount that applies if you have traveled or trained with us before).  This is for a return ferry crossing and two nights Bed & Breakfast in a marvelous River Side Hotel overlooking the Semois River in the Heart of the Forest Region. Plus the guided services of our tour leader who will find some of the best biking roads in he region for you to ride.  Please let me know as soon as you can if you wish to confirm a place on this trip.

Four Day Advanced Riding Course. 24th & 25th March.

The next (long awaited for some – sorry) Four Day Advanced Riding Course is set to begin on Saturday the 24th & 25th of March 2012.

This is a four day course, spread over a number of weeks to suit your commitments and is all based on The Police System of Motorcycle Control – Roadcraft.  Using Police Class 1 Instructors,  also Examiners  or Advanced Tutors for RoSPA for the Advanced Motorcycle Test, this is training to the highest level.

It is likely to be the nearest thing to a Police style training course that you will find.  For those candidates who wish to, there will be an opportunity at the end of the course to undergo the RoSPA Advanced Motorcycle Test.

Previous courses have resulted in a 100% pass rate for RoSPA Test Candidates.

The Course comprises of classroom based theory, periods of self study and practice and on road training under radio contact taking in some of the most challenging roads Wales has to offer.

We will help you get the best from your bike, before it gets the better of you….

The cost of this course is set at just £550 for four days 1st Class Training. (This is less than the daily rate for a CBT!!!).  For those wishing to take the RoSPA Test an additional fee is payable which includes your RoSPA membership.
Post Test Confidence Course. Friday 2nd March.

For those who have recently passed your tests this is an ideal course to build your confidence with your new bike.  A full day for just £90, covering over 100 – 150 miles in the day and covering in more detail aspects of your riding which are a concern for most new riders.  We will concentrate on Cornering (Reading the road and assessing the limit point) and Overtaking and Observation skills.

These are areas where many riders have problems and we are now able to include information that is based on the Roadcraft System of Riding and not aimed at passing the ‘L’ test.

So take advantage of training with some of our ‘Advanced’ tutors who are well able to use their extensive experience to take you and your riding to the next level.

Monthly Ride Outs.

Watch out for more Newsletter Blog updates for forthcoming ride out information or check out our Facebook page at ’1st Class Rider Training’ for more news.

 

Come on……. you know you want to………

February 12th, 2012 | | 0 comments | Continued