Davies Duo Link Up With Top Road Safety Organisations To Encourage Safer Biking This Autumn

World Superbike racer Chaz Davies has teamed up with comedian Alan Davies to launch a new THINK! road safety campaign to encourage motorcyclists to take further training to improve their riding expertise and safety on the road.

The campaign is being delivered with the assistance of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and RoSPA who have helped THINK! develop the content and recruit the instructors who feature and train the riders in the campaign.

Despite huge success on two wheels, which includes becoming 2011 World Supersport Championship world champion, fifth overall in the 2013 World Superbike Championship for BMW Motorrad with three wins, and landing a seat this year at Team Ducati; Chaz has only this year passed his road bike test.

And wanting to improve his road biking skills while delivering a message to other motorcyclists that you can never have too much experience, Chaz allowed a team of assessors to judge his riding and be filmed for a series of short videos to be released on the internet over the course of the next few weeks.

Chaz, Alan and the other riders took part in a bespoke training course delivered by a number of instructors including Crispin d’Albertanson and Andy McManus. Crispin is an IAM Skills Day instructor, IAM National Observer and Nürburgring coach, while Andy is a Masters Mentor, IAM Examiner and retired Senior Collision Investigator.

The instructors assessed the group’s riding ability, equipping them with improved handling skills and introducing them to the principles and benefits of advanced riding.

Chaz urged other riders to undertaking further training, such as that offered by the IAM to improve their skills and safety on the road and ultimately reduce the number of motorcyclist casualties on our roads.

So how did Chaz, Alan and the other bikers do? The filming will be broadcast in a regular series of clips and promoted through the THINK BIKER Facebook page and a partnership with MCN over the next few couple of weeks. These will be shared on the IAM facebook page, athttps://www.facebook.com/InstituteofAdvancedMotorists

A preview of the campaign is already available on the THINK BIKER Facebook page which has been shared on the IAM’s facebook page, but the first of the main series of videos goes live this evening (19 September).

Chaz said: “You really are never too good to be a better rider - it’s as simple as that. I’ve been working for 15 years to try and be better on the track and that applies on the road as well. There are so many more variables on the road and I think people can get a little bit over confident, but you are never too good. You never know what’s around the corner.”

Added Peter Rodger, IAM Chief Examiner: “The fact a rider the calibre of Chaz Davies is happy to have his road riding assessed should show that no matter what your experience level is, every rider can benefit from extra tuition. We hope people will watch the films and be inspired to take their riding to the next level. Like Chaz, we can all be champions of the road.”

“We’d also like to thank Crispin and Andy for giving up their time to take part in this valuable exercise,” he added.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The IAM is the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, dedicated to improving standards and safety in driving, motorcycling and cycling. The commercial division of the IAM operates through its occupational driver training company IAM Drive & Survive. The IAM has more than 200 local volunteer groups and over 100,000 members in the UK and Ireland. It is best known for the advanced driving test and the advanced driving, motorcycling and cycling courses. Its policy and research division offers advice and expertise on road safety.

ENDS ALL

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