BMW has expanded its rider training network with the opening of two new centres, in Darlington and Edinburgh. The new facilities join the existing sites in Stoke-on-Trent and Royston, Cambridgeshire. All centres offer a full range of training facilities, from direct access courses for brand new riders through to RoSPA Advanced Rider standard training for experienced motorcyclists.
Running the Darlington BMW Rider Training North East centre, situated next to Durham Tees Valley Airport, will be lead-instructor Iain Corser, while his counterpart in Scotland is Marcin Kopacz. The Edinburgh facility can be found in Bonnyrigg, on the outskirts of the city, and both centres offer a wide range of BMW motorcycles for their training courses, with the trusty G 310 R available for absolute beginners.
Ian Biederman, UK Rider Training Chief Instructor, explained: “We believe that offering our customers a true ‘BMW experience’ from the earliest point in their motorcycling lives is vital to establish the greatest confidence, safety standards, and road skills of any rider. Each of the BMW Rider Training centres provides new and experienced riders with a premium experience rather than the sub-standard ‘under-the-arches’ training some riders suffer.”
Uniquely, BMW offers its ‘Rookie to Rider’ programme, which includes all training and safety gear in a finance package with a new motorcycle. The package, which costs from £109 per month (plus deposit), includes CBT, a seven-day direct access course, helmet, gloves, boots and a riding suit, as well as a BMW G 310 R.
Speaking of the launch of the new courses, Scott Grimsdall, BMW Motorrad UK’s Marketing and PR Manager added: “The addition of BMW Rider Training centres in Darlington and Edinburgh will enable thousands more new and experienced motorcyclists to experience the best bikes with the best instructors, while benefitting from the highest standards of tuition and safety. We are immensely proud that since opening our first BMW Motorrad training centre in 2006, we have helped more than 10,000 people to learn to ride and grow their skills.”
In addition to the courses aimed at new riders, they will also provide three levels of road skills courses for qualified riders, which ultimately prepare participants for their advanced riding test with an independent RoSPA examiner.
