In typical Armstrongs fashion, we have been out there on the front foot promoting the incoming new Motorcycle Graduated Licensing System (M-GLS) all over the place, and boy, have there been some mixed reactions!
But love it or hate it, it’s on its way and wanna’be riders and new learners permit holders are going to have to pretty quickly wean themselves off “quickie” courses that last a couple of hours and cost less than a couple of hundred bucks.
Come March 19, all prospective riders and those on their learners permit and going to need to acquaint themselves with the three stages of licensing and some new ‘words and phrases’.
Stage 1 – Learners Permit.
In with: 2 Days, on-road, standardised, no other option if you want a learners permit, providers actually having to put the work in to make it fun and interesting, quality, confidence.
Out with: short courses, riding experience, getting your learners permit on your lunch break, riding off into the traffic for the first time like a lamb to the slaughter, panicking on your first solo ride.
Stage 2 – Check Ride
In with: well…”Check Ride” we guess! Also – on-road, compulsory, at least one, worthwhile, actually learning some road craft, going on some great rides out to the north of Armstrongs, going for a ride with another made biker (our trainers!), long lefts, long rights, assessments that are fun, real feedback that you can apply on your ride home.
Out with: Nothing. This is a brand new stage in the license training pathway and we reckon this is where our clients will have a lot of fun and learn a lot!
Stage 3 – Licensing
In with: one-on-one, on-road (there’s a theme here if you haven’t already guessed it), actually being a half decent rider by the time you’re finished.
Out with: more going around in a circle, riding off into the traffic for the second time like a lamb to the slaughter.
So if you’re thinking about getting your learners permit, or your licence, there is a lot to look forward to with the new M-GLS. Sure, not exactly everyone is thrilled with the projected price increase and the introduction of another cost in the form of a compulsory Check Ride but you’re going to get what you pay for – at least at Armstrongs. We are going out of way to make all stages of the new M-GLS the best rider training experience it can be and to make sure that when our clients think about our courses they think about the ‘value’ of their experience and not just the ‘cost’ of it.
You can find a breakdown of each of the stages and projected course fees here. We’d love to get some feedback from some of the first clients to undertake training and assessment under the new system, so if you’re up for something new then make sure you mention “…after March 19 please…” when you give us a call.