Fewer than 30 Irish riders have achieved the gold standard, reports John Wheeler
Motorcycling doesn't figure in the Olympics but you can still "go for a gold". Just take the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Advanced test. Gold represents the highest level of achievement. Just below, as in the Olympics, is silver - and then bronze.
In everyday terms a gold would represent a superb ride. Bronze means you're on the way but could do better. Silver, the more common initial result, covers a wider range of ability and represents a much-above-average rider.
Today in Ireland about 200 riders have gained silver and fewer than 30 have gold . . . which puts silver and gold riders in about the top 0.8 per cent.
Not every rider is prepared to put their riding on the line in such a test. For those who do the motives are as different as the individuals. We spoke to four riders, all of whom have now achieved the RoSPA gold.
"It's a bit like climbing a mountain," says headmaster Tom Dowling, who rides a BMW R 1100 RT. "It's great to get half-way up. The view can be fabulous. But, deep down, there's the desire to beat the challenge and survey the view from the top.
"If you get to the top you know your technique must be absolutely right - and you know there will be a great sense of achievement and that the hours of practice and self-criticism will have been worth it."
The test itself is a measure of riding ability, says Dowling, and of your ability to keep your composure over an hour and a half, in all kinds of conditions.
Publican Timmy O'Dowd, from Tipperary, says he thought he was a good rider - "until I met fellows that seemed to have no brakelights - they weren't speeding, mind you, just making good, steady progress."
Then he heard about "the system - because of this systematic approach to riding, the roads would be safer. If only more riders took up the challenge."
Retired engineer Eddy O'Shea from Cork explains his motivation to do the test in terms of his profound interest in the technical aspects of doing things right. "I found the whole thing both interesting and challenging. It's not something that can simply be taught to you as a result of a training session, though that helps.
"It requires a significant amount of practice and self-criticism. Not easy!
"Yes, it's worth it. It helped me to understand the difference between 'good enough' and 'excellent'.
Bike shop owner Tony Meenaghan, of Ballina, Co Mayo, first gained the silver, then gold in the test. "I was determined to achieve gold," he says. "At the end of the day it boils down to positive attitude, concentration, observation, anticipation - and then some more.
"It was a great experience - very professional examiners, no discrimination about who you are or what you ride. If you don't get the result you expect, you'll be well aware of where you went wrong. It's given me 100 per cent confidence in my ability.
"Was it worth it? Without a doubt! It makes me a happier, safer rider. I've worked hard to get gold and it'll help me enjoy motorcycling for years to come."
All four had undergone training with qualified instructors at the outset. All were emphatic that, just as with Olympic athletes, constant practice, practice and more practice, every day, every ride, is essential.
Interestingly, not one mentioned the financial aspect. The RoSPA advanced test is recognised by all insurers as being the acid test of rider skill. Carole Nash gives an extra 10 per cent discount, Hibernian allow 15 per cent and AON Bike Care / AXA now give 30 per cent for all riders who achieve the RoSPA silver.
Sadly the harder to achieve gold, perhaps because, as yet, there are so few does not get a larger discount.
"What we're looking for is a polished, systematic rider," RoSPA examiner Martin Reilly told us, "someone with that final polish, that flair, that complete understanding of 'roadcraft'. It is riding that 'flows', where everything is second nature, where when something happens and the rider has to make snap decisions it's instinctive and the analysis is absolutely correct."
Unlike the Olympics where a gold medal is a lifetime achievement, the RoSPA invites you to re-test every three years to keep your gold award valid. That, more than anything else encourages you always to be the best you can be.