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Unlike many people on the forum, I am fairly new to riding. I only started in 2018. In the UK, the process of getting a full licence is done incrementally in stages. I won't bore you with all the intricacies, however, I will say that the training you do for the full motorcycle test covers a lot of skills that you will use in day to day riding: emergency stop without skidding, u-turn without putting your foot down, slow speed control etc. And that is just the first module. The second module is not conducted at a test centre, but on road, to see how you cope with being around traffic, assess your decision making and generally making sure you are a safe road user.Is it important to get formal training for riding motorcycles? What kinds of training have you had and how did it help your overall riding?
I was riding my 125cc for 2 years and found the test for a my full licence a doddle. Probably because I rode everyday for 2 years, so was completely used to being on the road around traffic, making safe and sensible decisions.
Reading through some comments on the forum from riders who have been on bikes since the 60s/70s/80s it seems a lot of what is currently taught to get the licence is stuff they just figured out themselves. Personally, I like the fact that I had formal training and learned to control the throttle at low speeds to filter through London traffic or whatever.
The way I view it, you take lessons to drive a car, you get taught how to ride a bicycle, it should be mandatory to take lessons to learn how to ride a motorbike safely.