When I bought the CBR last year, Honda were offering a deal where by you could have a Honda Motorcycle Appreciation Course for 100ukp.

This is two days with a class 1 instructor and a maximum of two students per instructor. The course is highly rated by everyone I've ever spoken to so I found myself really looking forward to it. I'd taken two days off work to do the course and, as it turned out, I was the only student on these two days which meant one on one tuition.

I met my instructor, Dave Hobbs, at the local Tescos where we started with a cup of tea and a chat. He, like all the MAC instructors, is a former police motorcyclist in his mid to late fifties. He rides a Standard issue Honda ST1100 Pan European albeit in the Honda MAC black and red livery.

Dave explained that although he was a former janitor he would like to teach in the real world of motorcycling. Keep to the 30s, 40s and 50s but once the unrestricted sign appears, anything below 100mph is acceptable :-) oh, and don't get nicked.

Dave first wanted to assess how I rode (like a twat, of course) so we set off with him following me using radio contact to determine the route. When we stopped after a few miles he commented that I was quite a quick rider. This surprised me as I've never thought of myself as quick. Must be all the chasing AnthonyE (fnarr!) that I've been doing. His main criticism was that I dived in to the corners way too soon therefore compromising my safety. Basically I was taking the correct line to enter the corner but leaving this line before I have taken enough time to assess the road ahead.

Armed with this instruction we set off again, this time with Dave leading, demonstrating what he meant. It was like watching bike ballet IYSWIM. He made it look so easy. As I followed I was able to copy his lines. My learning style is very much "you show me and I'll copy" so this was perfect. He gave a running commentary as he went which helped me understand what he was doing. He held his line so much longer than I did. This gave him time to assess any danger ahead and also the direction of the next bend.

During one of our little chats he said that he was happy to bet any money that no matter what bike I had there was no way that I could catch him through the twisties. His money was very, very safe.

Next it was my turn. I kept the speed down so that I could practice the techniques and little by little it came together. Basically the less he said over the radio the better I was doing it. Dave took me all over North Essex, Suffolk and South Norfolk and we ended up at no end of great little cafes for a cuppa or a bacon sarnie. If only I could remember all these routes.

By the end of the day I was knackered. A sports bike is fine for a morning scratch / blat / hoon but you don't want to spend all day on the bugger. In addition to this, my little brain was full and I was beginning to make mistakes. The Pan European on the otherhand is perfect for an all day session. Tomorrow I'll find out all about the Pan cos Dave said that I can have a go :-))))))))) although he did say that it would have to be a little go as, due to his arthritis, he can't spend too long on the CBR.

On to Day 2