Former police who "get it"

I learned to ride with Joe and his team (Martin did most of my lessons) about 8 years ago. At the time I was pretty young, and had to do my CBT, restricted access, then direct access, and finally my full test. I shot though them all in about 12 months. Throughout all my tests, I only picked up three "points", and passed one of them completely cleanly.

Joe's team really understand what drives bikers, and they know decent people when they meet them. They're cautious, and can tailor training for the 40-something back to biking chap who hasn't riden since mods and rockers were a thing.

My review is a little biased, as even years later (and even now that I have emigrated) whenever I'm back in England, I call into the bike school to show my face and catch up with everyone, and I've been connected to Joe and his wife on Facebook for as long as I can remember now.

I can't recommend them enough, especially given that just over the valley from Joe's place is another school sharing premises with a bike showroom, about whom I've heard nothing but doom given their scary tactics pushing people through tests, and passing people on CBTs who aren't fit to ride.

I don't keep on with modern costs for learning to ride, but even if VBS would cost double what other places are charging (and I'm pretty sure they don't!) it would still be worth it. With lesser training I would almost certainly have killed myself years ago. With VBSs training, I survived 80,000 miles on my bike, in all seasons commuting for four years, and have enjoyed finally having the money to run a car, and relegating my bike to "obnoxious weekend wheels".