Around 100 Norfolk bikers have recently benefited from ‘impressive training’ provided by the i2i Motorcycle Academy.
Norfolk County Council arranged for i2i Motorcycle Academy to deliver five courses to an enthusiastic group of riders of all different types of machine.
The training is provided by Tom Killeen and his team of instructors, who are based in Yorkshire but deliver courses around the country.
The four ‘Machine Control’ courses are designed to let participants experience the inherent stability of motorcycles, understand and reduce the impact of instinctive reactions and most importantly change their behaviour.
Tom Killeen, i2i director, says: “We do three things: explain techniques in a way that makes sense, understand and reduce instinctive reactions making negative impacts on our bikes, and change behaviour which has a lasting and transforming effect.”
The MC1 and MC3 courses, which ran in Norfolk, are both done on participants’ road bikes and deal with braking, changing direction, stability, perception, slow control and cornering. All that was required was a stretch of reasonable tarmac.
Iain Temperton, team manager for casualty reduction in Norfolk, said: "As an instructor of 25 years’ experience I approached Tom’s training with a slightly blinkered view, not expecting to learn too much.
“How wrong I was; after a day of MC1 my riding has improved immensely. I now control the bike better than I ever thought I could and wet roads or side winds are no longer an issue. MC3 built upon that to enhance my skills even more.
“Having experienced the quality of the training it was obvious that we had to bring it to Norfolk, as a large proportion of our KSIs involve loss of control of the bike. This training significantly reduces the risk of that happening – and makes your riding much more enjoyable.
”I would urge every local authority to consider this training. It will improve the skills level of your riders without them overestimating their abilities. Missing out on this opportunity would, to borrow a phrase from the training, be ‘full of wrongness’."
i2i is aware of the funding issues in local government and are working with Norfolk County Council to provide the courses next year at no cost to the authority.
For more information contact i2i on 07968 837974 or 01430 330170, or visit: www.i2imca.com
Alternatively, contact Iain Temperton for his views about the training on 07748 933955.
Done i2i mc2 & mc1. Top class training, top class skills. Told us, showed us, we did it. I was nervous after an accident.. now I know who caused it…
It wasn’t the bike, diesel, road surface…
Steve Benson, Bradford
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Sounds like interesting training and taking a different approach to that which is usually considered . Also sounds like fun.
Let’s hope it catches on and we can all share in its efforts to reduce accidents and increase our understanding and control of our machines.
bob craven Lancs
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