Enhanced Rider Scheme

• 2hr assessment of current skills
• Written report
• Estimate of hours instruction needed to complete the Enhanced Rider Scheme

Standard hourly instruction rate: £30/hr

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA), in conjunction with the motorcycle industry, has devised a new package of training known as the Enhanced Rider Scheme (ERS). The scheme is intended to benefit all bike riders who have a full motorcycle licence, irrespective to the size of bike, or the experience level of the rider. You will not need to take a test or even any training if your skills are assessed as satisfactory. You will also earn discounts (between 10%-15%) on your insurance as a result.

Smart Rider is one of the First training organizations approved to offer this assessment and training.

Following an assessment ride, if no significant areas of weakness are found, Smart Rider issues a certificate to that effect. Any rider issued with a certificate is then in line for an insurance discount from one of the many insurers who have signed up to support the scheme.

If there are areas that would benefit from further training, the rider would qualify for their certificate after successfully completing the training as recommended by Smart Rider. By undertaking an assessment of your riding ability, Smart Rider can tailor a development programme to suit your individual needs via a combination of practical and theoretical learning. Many of the leading motorcycle insurers have signed up to this scheme and are prepared to offer discounts to riders who can show they can ride to the ERS standard. The insurers sponsoring the scheme are: AA Insurance, Bennett’s Insurance, Bikesure, Carole Nash, Chandler Direct, CIA insurance, Devitt, E Bike, MCE Insurance, Motorcycle Direct, Norwich Union Direct and Lexham. The Enhanced Rider Bonus is supported by the following underwriters: AIG, AXA, Chaucer Insurance, Equity Red Star, Groupama, Hastings Direct, Highway, KGM, Link/ Zenith, NIG, Norwich Union and Royal & Sun Alliance.

Worryingly, figures show that motorcyclists are by far the most vulnerable of all road users. In Britain alone, the death and serious injury rate is sixteen times higher if you ride a bike than if you drive a car. As a biker you are one and a half times more likely to be involved in a serious accident on a rural road, and this greater risk is reflected in high insurance premiums.

Accidents are not necessarily down to poor riding standards alone; inexperience or poor judgement are also factors in many crashes. But how many riders have taken any form of training or instruction since undergoing basic training to pass the motorcycle test? Perhaps you have just returned to riding after a number of years or are upgrading to a bigger bike or are feeling a bit rusty. Where do you go to get your skills refreshed? You owe it to yourself to ensure you are as prepared as possible for life on the roads with not just good kit, but also good skills.