About us

Every great journey starts somewhere... 

Ours began humbly, just over thirty years ago, in a small shop (for those old enough to remember) near the Beehive at Gatwick Airport, near Manor Royal. Originally founded to support a local multi-franchise motorcycle dealership, Advanced Riding Techniques (ART) was built on one simple objective: to offer safe, professional, student-focused motorcycle training.

Since then, the business has grown steadily in size, strength, and expertise. Having outgrown several previous sites, we’re very proud to call our solely owned, purpose-built, secure off-road training facility in Crawley our home.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team we have here at ART. As bikers through and through, their passion, enthusiasm, and dedication shine through in the work they do every day.

Customers often comment on how warm, welcoming, and patient the team is—alongside their excellent tea-making skills! We’re a small team, and having good people around you creates a happy, enjoyable environment—something our customers value just as much as we do.” - Steve Manning 

If you live in the RH postcode, we are the original motorcycle training school from Crawley, based in Crawley since 1996!

Our online booking

Our safe, secure on-line booking runs 24 hours a day, enabaling you to look up dates and times for CBT courses, 1:1 lessons & more.

Book direct with ART in Crawley. Deal directly with the guys & girls who are actually going to teach you.

Our Values

At ART, everything we do is built around professionalism, safety, patience, and genuine care for riders. We believe great training comes from experience, empathy, and a supportive learning environment – and that's something our team delivers every single day. 

Our staff

Advanced Riding Techniques are an enthusiastic, excellent team who are all trained to give you the best possible tuition and advice the industry has to offer. All our motorcycle instructors work exclusively for ART guaranteeing you both continuity and peace of mind.

All of our staff are not just D.V.S.A. approved instructors, but are highly skilled, qualified, professionals who are passionate about what they do, their qualifications include CBT,  CBT1, DAS, ERS, R.o.S.P.A. diploma, B.T.E.C Diploma & F.B.O.S (first aid). Our advanced instructors are on the D.V.S.A.'s Register of Post licence Motorcycle Trainers (R.P.M.T) and are able to deliver E.R.S (Enhanced Rider Scheme)

Our Instructor team have between them over 120 years of riding experience and nearly 70 years of teaching expertise, so you can rely on us to give you the best possible help and advice on all things motorcycle related. We are road user education specialists who are passionate about riding motorbikes.

Are you passionate about bikes? Do you like the idea of working with us here at ART? Then please take a look to see if we are currently recruiting.

Steve M

Leading the team is Steve Manning, described fondly by an industry professional as “one of the best motorcycle trainers in the UK.”

Steve has been tearing around on two wheels since learning to ride at 11 years old. Naturally, he progressed to road riding at sixteen, ensuring he was road and bike-wise when he took and passed his Pt.1 bike test on his 17th birthday in 1984 (Yes, we had a two part test in the 80's)

With over 40 years riding on a full licence & nearly 30 years of teaching experience, he brings decades of hands-on experience to ART. He remains as passionate about riding all types of bikes now as he was at seventeen - regardless of the weather. 

Dave S
Dave passed his test in 1976 on a BSA A10 “Golden Flash” 650cc, complete with a fully enclosed double-adult sidecar—how times have changed.

Just two months later, with the sidecar removed, he rode the same bike to the Isle of Man TT. Through his teens and early twenties, his passion centred around classic British bikes, which he warmly refers to as “high maintenance, but full of soul.”

Today, with 21 years’ instructor experience under his belt, his main focus is on helping all road users ride safely and confidently, promoting harmony and awareness on shared roads. Dave has been instructing since 2005 and also serves as a tutor and examiner for RoSPA’s advanced riding and driving courses. 

Andy W
Feeling the draw of the open road at a young age, Andy passed his motorcycle test in 1987. He has enjoyed 39 years on the road, seven of which have been as a qualified instructor with ART.

He has owned several unique, and sometimes noisy bikes, such as the Kawasaki KH250 Triple and Suzuki GS850G. 

When he’s not teaching, he can be found tinkering around with motorcycles, sometimes with his son, who also inherited the biking bug and enjoys a father-son day out when the weather is nice. 

John J
John started riding at just 14 years old on a “borrowed” Honda C90S around Croydon Airport and has now enjoyed over 48 years on two wheels.

Over the years, he’s tried his hand at quad, car, and motocross racing, including the Weston-Super-Mare Beach Race —more for the fun than the trophies—but now his ‘joie de vivre’ includes Green laning, touring across Europe and beyond. His riding has taken him to destinations all over the world - including Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

For John, bikes aren’t just a hobby—they’re a way of life, and he has been sharing his knowledge and passion as an instructor since 2018. 

Dave W
Dave’s passion for riding started early—he first got on a bike at just six years old. He progressed through junior motocross from ages eight to 16, continuing into senior level until he turned 22, when he stepped back due to the physical demands of the sport. Quoting “the older you are, the easier you bruise.”

After passing his road test in 1994, he turned his passion into a profession by qualifying as an instructor in 2019. While he rides less recreationally these days, he still enjoys touring with his wife—although his biggest challenge is keeping her awake, as she’s so relaxed, she falls asleep.  

Ian A

Ian passed his motorcycle test in 1983, initially riding a 250 Yamaha to commute into London’s West End. What began as a practical mode of transport quickly became a lifelong passion. 

Over the years, he has owned 24 bikes and now, four years into instructing, describes it as the most enjoyable “work” he’s ever done. His current fleet includes a Triumph Sprint GT, a restored 1983 Yamaha XZ550, and a 1961 Ariel Leader - described as “a delightful British two-stroke, with the brakes and gears the wrong way round’.

Ian still enjoys touring, often heading off on solo trips such as Assen, drawn by the strong sense of community—because, as he says, “you’re never on your own as a biker.”

Since qualifying in 2021, Ian’s focus has been on sharing his passion and experience in helping new riders start their journey with confidence, as he knows just how much enjoyment lies ahead. 

Jason W
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a nicer or more qualified instructor than Jason. After passing his test in 2000, he went on to complete the police advanced motorcycle training in 2010. He then served as a police rider for 14 years, retiring in 2024.

Qualifying as an instructor in 2024, Jason also works as a tutor and examiner for RoSPA’s advanced riding and driving courses. He also regularly dedicates his spare time serving as a voluntary ‘Blood Biker’.

A true enthusiast, he enjoys the freedom of two wheels—whether that’s filtering through traffic or touring across Europe and beyond, including India, Thailand, and Cambodia. 

Ian H
Ian is the newest addition to our team. Having qualified in 2024, he made the conscious decision to ‘down train’ as an instructor so that he could deliver CBTs and give back to the biking community something that has brought him so much joy over the years. 

Our bikes

Safety is at the heart of everything we do at ART — and that starts with the bikes you train on. 

We ensure all of our riders learn on modern, well-maintained motorcycles and scooters that are reliable, responsive and confidence-inspiring. Unlike some training schools that may rely on older machines or lower-quality imports, we invest heavily in our fleet — replacing most bikes every two to four years, and our Hondas annually.

This commitment means you benefit from up-to-date technology, smooth handling and equipment you can trust from your very first lesson.

We follow a strict maintenance policy across all our bikes. In addition to thorough daily checks, every motorcycle undergoes a comprehensive monthly safety inspection, with all servicing carried out using genuine manufacturer parts and premium tyres from trusted brands such as Metzeler, Pirelli and Bridgestone. We simply don’t cut corners when it comes to safety, performance or reliability.

Our current training fleet includes:

Yamaha MT-07

Honda CB500F, CBF125F, Vision 50 & Vision 110

Kawasaki Z650, Z125 & KLX125ok

Your Course Today

You’re always welcome to come and view our bikes and equipment before booking — we believe you should feel completely confident in your training provider from the very start.

Modern bikes. Meticulous maintenance. Training you can trust.

Included in the price of all our motorcycle lessons is a fully comprehensive safety kit, of new helmets, armoured motorcycle jackets, armoured motorcycle trousers, gloves and motorcycle boots.

We supply boots, size 6 - 12, gloves, jacket and trousers XS - XXL. Helmets sizes from XS to XXL, If you are unsure of size you must please visit our school prior to your training course taking place so we may size you correctly.
We include fuel on all of our courses, you will not be taken to a petrol station and told you have to fill it up every day! 
We offer special deals as often as we are able, to help and inspire the next generation who want to ride.

We provide all levels of rider training from the complete novice through to full bike licence's & then on to  advanced rider training.