Falmouth riders get another shot at a police BikeSafe day

If you ride a motorbike anywhere near Falmouth, there is a date worth pencilling in. A course that booked up quickly has just reopened, and it puts you in a classroom and then out on the road with one of Cornwall’s advanced police riders watching how you handle your bike.

What BikeSafe actually is

BikeSafe is the UK’s police-led motorcycle safety and skills initiative, run under the line “Be Skilful. Be Safe. Be Seen.” It is not a formal test or a traditional lesson. It is a workshop run by bikers for bikers, where advanced police motorcyclists pass on what they have learned. Nationally it covers 38 police forces and more than 100 venues.

Think of it as a skills check-up. You start with the theory of advanced riding, things like reading the road, cornering, positioning, braking, hazard perception and rider attitude. Then you put it into practice on an observed ride, with a police biker following and pulling over to talk through what they saw, before a feedback session and some pointers on where to take your riding next.

The Falmouth day, and why extra places opened

The session lands at Ocean Motorrad, the BMW Motorrad showroom in Falmouth, on Saturday 22 August. The Devon and Cornwall Police Road Safety Team said the day has proved popular enough that they have opened a fresh batch of places, so there is now room for more riders to get on board.

Devon and Cornwall workshops are capped at 14 riders. The day starts at 9am and runs to 4.30pm, with an hour off for lunch. It opens with a cup of tea and an interactive classroom session led by an advanced police motorcyclist, built around the Roadcraft manual, where riders are encouraged to bring their own experiences and worries into the discussion. The observed rides follow in the afternoon.

Who can go, and what to bring

The workshops are open to anyone on a machine of 125cc and up who holds a full or restricted motorcycle licence. On the day you need your UK driving licence (both parts if it is a photocard), a valid MOT certificate where one is required, and your insurance certificate. Wear proper motorcycle gear, and bring glasses or contact lenses if you need them to ride.

Your bike has to be roadworthy too, so it is worth checking your tyres and number plate before you leave home. A machine judged un-roadworthy, or one that breaks down on the day, will not get a refund, and recovery is the rider’s own responsibility.

How to book

Places tend to go quickly, and you can book online through BikeSafe. The team behind the day signed off with a simple “Ride Safe.” And if 22 August does not suit, it is worth knowing that Devon and Cornwall keep running these sessions through the winter, on the view that riding all year round keeps skills sharp rather than saving them for the odd sunny Sunday.

📷Credit: Devon & Cornwall Police Road Safety Team