​Evel Knievel had a lot to answer for, as MATT HOLMES’ bank manager will testify. Motorbike-mad Matt took the most testing of tests – and passed with flying colours

MAYBE it was the iconic Evel Knievel Stunt Bike which flew out from under the Christmas tree in 1976 which sparked my passion for motorbikes.

The plastic wind-up super bike and rider from toymaker Ideal was as sought after as the Space Hopper or Tin Can Alley – and I was hooked.

OK, as a five-year-old I dreamt of hooking up a rocket to the back of my Raleigh Boxer and flying over the Grand Canyon or 120 buses – just like the real life Evel Knievel.

When I later watched Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda head off on the highway on their custom choppers in Easy Rider the dream was crystalised – I had to ride a motorbike.

For reasons known only to my bank manager, wife and children I decided to leave the real riding until my mid-life crisis and finally got on a 125 Suzuki Marauder at the age of 37.

After two years hard commute on the Golden Valley and the days ticking away on my CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) certificate, the time had come to finally take the plunge or pack away my leathers forever (I say leathers, they’re a very sensible waterproof combo in fact.)

 So what does it take to graduate on to a big bike?

I called the team of instructors at Westside Riders in Gloucester  who put me through my CBT two years ago and the gauntlet was well and truly thrown down. Over the past three years, Marc Symonds, Laurence Windo and Lian Warmington have been building a solid reputation at Westside Riders as one of the best.

“We get calls from people who are simply sick of sitting in queues of traffic to those who see a fabulous motorbike on a sunny day and think  ‘I want to do that’,” says Laurence.

“And we get a stream of 16-year-olds wanting to do their CBT,” he adds.

It’s a big responsibility to take a novice and teach them, over the course of a few days, how to ride a bike which could technically do 180mph on a racing circuit.

That is why it’s so hard to pass the “big bike” test – as I found out.

Gone are the days when an examiner would follow you around for half- an-hour on an observed ride and issue you a licence.

The new entry route for motorcycle riding is labyrinthine in structure – physically and mentally exhausting.

 Step one is to complete the CBT which is an intensive training course over a day. It covers road sense, basic bike maintenance and theory. You can take it on a bike with gears or without. A lot of people have a fear of how to change gear on a bike. In reality, with the right instruction, it’s  easy.

After a day of theory and practical riding, over- 17s get the CBT and can ride anything up to a 125. Now the real work begins – five days of intense tuition from the Westside team covering the three aspects of the full motorbike licence: theory, module one and module two.

 Westside uses gleaming, beautifully- maintained 500cc Honda CBFs which roar into life at the flick of a switch.

 You are fitted with an ear intercom to receive instruction and a high-vis jacket. It’s all about tailored, individual training at Westside with a focus on safe, progressive riding. Not ‘this is how to pass your test’.

“We teach people to ride safely, proficiently and to the best of their individual abilities,” says Marc.

 Training costs £100 a day so it’s packed with detail, theory, instruction and practical experience.

The theory test is similar to the one for cars, but it also includes specific motorbike questions – there are 833, so you need to know your stuff.

It is taken at a Driving Standards Agency centre and includes a selection of 50 random questions and a video hazard perception test. To pass, you must get  43 points out of 50 in the multiple choice and 44 out of 75 in the hazard perception test.

Module one takes place in the purpose-built motorcycle test area in Quedgeley. Before entering the “arena”, Westside drills the various aspects over and over again until they all become second nature – manoeuvring your bike from one parking bay to another; slow slalom ride around five cones; two figure-of- eights around two cones; a u-turn across an area of 7.5m (this is the hoodoo for many aspiring riders but with the right tuition it’s a breeze).

Then there’s a slow ride behind the examiner who walks in front of the bike, a 50kph emergency stop, and a  controversial, swerve avoidance test.

 It’s tough. Put one foot down and it’s a fail; miss one “lifesaver” glance over the shoulder, it’s a fail; touch one cone and yep, it’s a fail.

The final part, Module 2, involves an observed ride. During the test you’ll be examined on all aspects of riding safely and progressively on the road, including making the right observations, maintaining the correct speed and position behind the vehicle in front, a hill start and  a start from behind a parked vehicle.

There’s a new  independent riding section where the examiner asks the rider to follow road signs to a destination. It’s 40 minutes of pure adrenaline and, as a 39-year-old desk jockey, I found it incredibly challenging but ultimately rewarding.

Without the intense  coaching from Lian, Marc and Laurence it would have been impossible. With their superb training methods, it was just a case of getting the job done.

Having passed, I’m now part of a warm, engaging, exclusive and friendly club. You’ll never be stuck in a traffic jam again and a warm sunny day offers a thousands new destinations to ride to. Mid-life crisis? What crisis?

n Westside Riders:  www.westsiderider.co.uk 01452 550377 or 07891 834303 

n Driving Standards Agency: www.dft.gov.uk/dsa 0300 200 1122