written by Ayden25 on 28/06/2022
Avoid these like the plague,I was there yesterday to do my cbt training,they teach in 3's but I was struggling a bit with control of bike,instead of extra tuition I was sent to practice on my own for over 2 hours,while the tutor taught the other two, not good.i came off the bike twice,since found I have an ear problem,so I came home and asked for a refund as I did not complete training,and was told I could book another day to complete at a extra cost of £110.00,so their fee for cbt is £170.00,so a total of £280.00 for a cbt, but of course they don't tell you this when you book.i also know of a mate who booked a block of lessons + test fees,failed his mod 1 test first time,so they charged him again to re book tests. MONEY GRABBING
written by christoph.lawrence on 14/08/2015
This school was a total waste of money for me. After spending nearly a thousand pounds arranging the trip to the school and accommodation, I was not permitted to take my test on bike large enough to pass my DAS, due to the fact that I made some mistakes on the road. Although they did offer me some “off road” training on a medium-sized bike, if I didn’t take my theory test (it was booked on a training day due to a problem with my licence). That still would have left me in a position where it would have been impossible to achieve my goal of passing DAS. I found the instructor I had rather aggressive, unsympathetic and often got very frustrated when I wasn’t immediately able to do everything he wanted. “why are you not getting this??” I got asked at the end of my rides. Which as you can imagine, destroyed my confidence. He nearly broke me down to tears once on the side of the road. I personally feel that even thought they claim they can take someone with nothing and get them through their DAS. That it’s simply not true. I found most people on the DAS are drivers, or have extensive road experience already, and the school might well be able to accommodate them better. The accommodation was ok, but I grew really tired of the opinions of the B&B owner. It all became a bit of a nightmare! After frustratingly wasting my money here, I went to another school in Devon, and despite the test area being more difficult, passed my DAS first time! I now ride my 1100cc cruiser and I’m enjoying life. If you ask me, if you have to trust a school with your money, make sure it’s not this one!
written by on 31/03/2012
Started off well and I was nervous but looking forward to learning how to ride a bike. I happened to mention whilst being instructed on clutch control that I hadn't had a bycycle as a child (I had been on a few of my friends bikes but was not given time to explain). After this I was informed by the owner that I would go no further than clutch control due to this fact and that I should go and learn to ride a bycycle round the park instead! I was extremely insulted and subsequently left after wasting £100, I had been on the bike for about 20mins and was waiting due to mopeds and instructors taking up space. The attitude of the owner and what he said almost put me off but I will go back to another place where hopefully they will not kill my confidence before the morning is out. Advertise on your site Penine that bycycle riding before hand is compulsory!
Written on: 05/04/2012
Its not safe to learn balance on a powered motorcycle when the learner has virtually never even ridden a bicycle. The trainee was asked to get up her basic balance on a bicycle on a park and then come back and we would continue the course. As explained at the time with no further charge . This is safe and sensible, the review takes no account of what may have happened had she been allowed to continue and what injuries may have occured.
Written on: 01/01/2014
It was this company that put me off riding a motorcycle with thier rudeness, insulting disrespect for the trainee.
Written on: 18/04/2012
It gets me how people who i regard as novice learners complain due to their own lack of experience, these people know what it takes to put people through a cbt which is so easy. You do need to know you have balance from riding a bike so they are being sensible, i feel some bad reviews are down to the fact that people havent got confidence to say hang on i need to explain, in this guys case that he had dabbled with bicycles but not his own.if they feel your not going to have control over the bike they cant issue a cbt.
Written on: 18/04/2013
They complain becaue they have come to tak lessons to learn and be tought, at west pennine you need to know everything furst and then yiu wiuld still be wrong as all they want is your MONEY!!!!!
Written on: 23/04/2013
Funny that as we advised you to do a two hour pre CBT @ £40 not a CBT @ £99 considering all we want is money
Written on: 10/04/2012
We have a duty of care to you as a trainee, if we had let you continue on a powered motorcycle knowing full well that you had no balance even on a bicycle then we would be negligent if you had an accident. As was stated on the day if you got some experience on a bicycle and then came back we would continue the course from that point, without additional charge. This is a safe and sensible approach, I am sorry if you don't see it that way.
written by on 13/05/2011
The staff was not at all nice made me very uncomfortable as he kept shouting at me while i was on the road. that was after waiting 3 hours to use a scooter. Cost 95.00 to do corse and another 25.00 for follow up and then said if i wanted to do it again would have to pay another 95.00. Wish i had checked out vipers in chorley was 85.00 for full day no waiting to use a bike The staff were really nice and passed with flying colours
written by on 16/04/2010
We booked the 5 day DAS course on the 3 for 2 offer with WPM training, and for some reason the price was higher than it should have been and when asked they said the B&B element was not included, which was not mentioned before we paid. Lack of organisation on the course, not even the instructors knew what was happenning the following day, had a different instructor every day who were giving different instructions for the same manouvers. No debrief at the end of the day so you did not know how you were doing. Instructors were a mixed bunch but generaly good, if you go with them try to get Kris, he was in my opinion the better of the instructors, he was patient and understanding but assertive when needed to keep you safe on the open road.
Bikes are very tired and in need of some work and the training site has no facilities. A builders portaloo, so ladies beware.
Website tells you that they will get you through the test, but read the detail as they will have you back when you fail but will insist that you book another 3 day course on top of the 5 days you have already paid for.
During our week several people came back to re-do the module 1 part of the test as they had failed, 3 of us went and we all failed - that should give you an idea of what to expect.
Sadly let down, They do NOT do what it says on the tin.
Must say as pa positive that the B&B whilst basic was very clean and the breakast was good, the landlord Tony is a big Irish fella with a great sense of humour. Really nice man.
written by on 09/02/2010
Great instructors - badly operated by an owner intent on extracting as much money as possible. Avoid.
written by on 13/01/2009
If you have a grievance they don't listen, also they will challenge you in regards to the test trying to force a restricted license upon you as opposed to a DAS, paying little heed to personal preference.
Mostly good instructors but beware of the pit falls.
written by edwardatherton on 16/09/2008
West Pennine CBT seemed a bit disorganised. The test is on the last day of the course, so I only got an hour of training on that day.
They don't have 500cc bikes available for shorter riders, so you have to take a restricted test.
Don't bother trying to complain - they don't listen.
They will take your money, not give you enough tuition, and then make you do a restricted bike test on a 125cc because they don't have enough equipment (bikes/clothing or instructors).
Written on: 23/04/2013
No one forces a restricted licence on anyone, however you must have the competence to cope with the more powerful unrestricted bike. This is for your safety, the safety of other road users. Bike test times are defined by DSA not us if you would like the examiners to start work at noon and run more pm tests approach them.
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As rated by our community of reviewers
Ultima's Response to christoph.lawrence's Review
Written on: 20/08/2015
You turned up without licence, this caused a major compromise on the course, you lost a day going for an out of area theory.
To quote our response to your email...
'Hi
Its still going to be very hairy with your licence not turned up yet and with the best of intentions things may not all go to plan, if you paid in full for the course (plus one already booked theory) we would move it to a later date without loss of deposit. Or are you committed with other things like flights?'
Hence We offered to move course to solve the problem.
Our response to you at time.
(Nearly a year ago).
Hi
Would prefer to talk rather than email, office is open till 8pm on phones.
I can’t override you instructors decision, potentially that would be negligent, the considerations are firstly your safety, then the safety of others (other road users, fellow trainees,instructors etc) and finally the risk of damage to property (including our bikes).
However he did say that you where just about at a standard to try off road on an intermediate bike (500). You are coming at the training from a very inexperienced level and as a non UK resident some addition traffic comprehension issues, so you need to look at how far you have got rather than what is still to do.
Your theory is booked for tomorrow but, as we said it may be, it is quite out of area, you will need to catch a train, one goes out from Blackburn at 9am I believe.
If you go for your theory it will take up most of tomorrow mainly in travel time so little time would be left if any for training. Alternatively you could train tomorrow see where you get to and put the theory in next time you are over with no issues re lost licences. I enclose details of the theory and a train timetable / booking site link you will need to be at the theory station as per the time and you must take both parts of your licence with you.
Order Number:
Person Taking Test
Licence Number:
Booking Number:
Test Booked: Motorcycle
Date: 16 October 2014
Start Time: 11:30 AM
Test Centre Location: PEARSON CENTRE - CARLISLE
Train time table booking web site
Personally in this situation I would advise doing the training and sort the theory at a future date.
Let me know if you are training or going for theory.
regards
Christoph.lawrence's reply to Ultima's Comment
Written on: 20/08/2015
So, after sharing my experience, which is totally true by the way, you think the most professional thing to do is to release my driving licence details and copies of private emails? I've taken a screen shot, and I will be reporting this to the police. This is very illegal.