There are certain things that blokes will always try to project as undeniable; that the remote control can only be operated by male thumbs, that it is a waste of time and paper putting instructions in electrical equipment and motorcycles are far too complex for anyone other that the alpha male. Well, in October this year at the MCN Skegness bash we at BSM did our bit to help dispel at least one of these rumors.

For years now BSM have operated a ‘Try a scooter’ feature at the International Motorcycle Show at the NEC in Birmingham. This year (2004) we were invited by MCN to offer a similar feature for visitors at their event, with one discernable difference; geared motorcycles. The idea behind this activity is to give people who may have never, but have always wanted to, have a go on a motorcycle or scooter. Motorcycle training has certain endemic myths when it is viewed in the context of girls receiving tuition to ride a bike. In our experience many attend having already been told, by partners, that there is no way that they will ever be able to reach the dizzy heights of the average bloke and it can be imagined that many have been put off by this pre-emptive conditioning. This feature, however, offered a golden opportunity to have a go on a bike with no cost and reduced peer/partner pressure. The outcomes for the weekend were both unexpected and extremely rewarding for all participants.

The results were, in our view, a great step to dispelling this training myth. In the two days that the feature was operated only thee blokes received tuition on the training area; the remaining time slots being taken by girls and ladies that had either always fancied a go and never had the opportunity, or been previously told that they would be incapable of riding a motorcycle or scooter successfully.

So, lets look at the outcome of these new rider sessions. Firstly, everyone that took one of the half hour slots managed to both move off and stop in full control on a Honda CG125 motorcycle. The most uplifting aspect of the whole weekend was the beaming smile that appeared on each and every rider’s face as they managed to move off unaided and ride to a controlled stop. At the other end of the area it was a slightly different story. Gathered around the feature access point were changing groups of partners all with faces and jaws dropping, coincidently, in direct relation to the developing grin at the other end of the car park. A CG may only deliver 12bhp, but it was 12bhp of pure girl power. In combination with the worried expression, was a realization that this quick go had wiped out years of bike- based derision and begun the exciting process of learning to ride a bike. This, and they would now need to shift enough junk to get two bikes in the garage.

I get the feeling that in many households across the country there has begun a process of ‘re-education’ by many husbands and boy-friends, who will be desperately telling their partners that their first riding experience was just a fluke. Hopefully many of the girls that got their leg over for the first time will go on to fulfilling their dreams and ambitions by taking their tests and we’re looking forward to seeing them again on their own bikes.

The uplifting conclusion to this MCN weekend has encouraged us to come back in force for the two events at Skegness next year and bring more bikes and extra staff to get even more girls and ladies on two wheels for the first time. So, if you have always wanted to have ago, but never had the chance, come and see us next April and October.

Chris Richards (Group Training Officer, BSM Rider Training)