About us

We are a registered charity affiliated to the Institute of Advanced Motorists and we passionately believe that our roads can be made safer by improving the skills and understanding of the people who use them.

Car Section

The ‘Advanced Driver’ course and the advanced driving test isn’t exclusively about safety  – it encourages the driver to feel confident on the road, make good progress and to get greater enjoyment from their driving experience.

Bike Section

Thousands of motorcyclists complete the IAM Advanced Rider course every year. Bikers’ feedback is impressive – the experience is enjoyable, the coaching is excellent, and bikers often say the course was one of the best things they have ever done.

If you’re passionate about biking, want to stay safer on two wheels, be more confident with a new set of skills, then we can help give your riding a boost. Advanced riding will improve your technique, increase your ability and confidence, and ultimately get most out of the whole riding experience.

What We Do in the Bike Section

When you join BARDs as a new Associate, first we will contact you to understand your biking history, what you would like to get from the course and your availability.  Then we'll introduce you to your lead Observer (riding coach) who will oversee your journey to becoming an Advanced Rider. You’ll ride with your Observer as many times as you need and at what times suit you, until you’re ready for the IAM Test.  You’ll also get the opportunity to ride with other Observers, who you may not have ridden with before.

But there’s more!  We’re not just an IAM pass production line; we also have a strong social element. There’s a social ride-out once a month (sometimes more) for full members, when you can ride with like-minded people who take their riding seriously and like to ride some of that indefinable thing called “sparkle”.