Website review
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What is Newcastle Rider Training?
Newcastle Rider Training was a motorcycle and scooter training school based in Newcastle. Its own site now says it closed in July 2023 after 32 years, having trained more than 13,500 customers. The listed phone line no longer takes calls, and its Facebook and Twitter links no longer work; email remains the stated contact route. The site also says the owner will not recommend an alternative school and instead suggests asking around, reading reviews and choosing for yourself.
The services described on the site were CBT (compulsory basic training), motorcycle test preparation, refresher training and advanced rider training — so it served both new riders starting out and experienced riders returning to riding or wanting to sharpen their skills.
What this means if you are looking for training now
You are looking at a closed business, not a bookable school. A practical next step is to search for currently operating CBT and test centres in your area, then check three things before paying a deposit:
- DVSA approval for CBT and for the test categories you need (AM, A1, A2 or A).
- Recent, specific reviews mentioning the instructors and the bikes used, not just star ratings.
- Clear pricing covering CBT, bike hire, protective gear and test fees, so you can compare like for like.
For official background on what CBT involves and what each licence category allows, the driver and vehicle standards agency's own guidance is the reliable starting point: GOV.UK. Rider organisations such as the Motorcycle Industry Association also publish getting-started guidance.
Is Newcastle Rider Training still open for booking CBT or motorcycle test training?
No. Newcastle Rider Training has closed. Its own site states that the school shut down in July 2023 after 32 years, and that the listed phone number no longer accepts calls. The Facebook and Twitter links are also described as no longer working; email remains the only contact route mentioned, and the site explicitly asks people not to request recommendations for alternative trainers.
What this means if you want to book CBT or test training
You cannot book CBT, motorcycle test training, refresher sessions or advanced rider training through this provider. Anyone searching for "Newcastle Rider Training" and finding the old page should treat it as a closed business, not a temporarily unavailable booking system.
For a replacement, the site itself suggests asking around, searching online and reading reviews before choosing. A practical approach for a new rider in the Newcastle area:
- Confirm current approval: check that the school is approved to deliver CBT and, if you later want full licence training, that it offers the right test preparation.
- Ask about bike and kit provision: clarify whether a bike, helmet and gloves are included, since this affects both convenience and overall cost.
- Check availability realistically: CBT places can fill up in spring and summer, so ask about waiting times before planning a test date.
- Visit or call before paying: a short conversation about group sizes, instructor ratios and cancellation terms tells you more than a glossy homepage.
For official background on licence stages and CBT rules, GOV.UK is the authoritative starting point; use it to check what a school claims before booking.
Where can I find an alternative motorcycle training provider in Newcastle now that this school has closed?
Newcastle Rider Training closed in July 2023 after 32 years, so it cannot take new bookings or recommend a replacement. Its own page suggests asking around, searching online and reading reviews before choosing a school. For a Newcastle learner, the practical route is to search for DVSA-approved CBT and test centres in your area, then check recent reviews and confirm what each course includes before paying a deposit.
What to check before booking
- DVSA approval: Confirm the school is approved to deliver CBT and the licence category you need (AM, A1, A2 or A).
- Course content: Ask whether the price covers bike hire, helmet and gloves, and the theory test or Mod 1/Mod 2 fees.
- Group size and instructor ratio: Smaller CBT groups usually mean more riding time.
- Location and transport: A school near a Metro or bus route matters if you have no bike yet.
- Recent reviews: Look for comments on punctuality, bike condition and how failures or retests are handled.
Useful starting points
- GOV.UK has the official search for approved training bodies and test centres; use it to shortlist schools rather than relying on ads.
- Bing or Google searches for "CBT Newcastle" will surface local schools; compare several before choosing.
- Trustpilot can help gauge recent customer experiences, though check dates because ownership and instructors change.
A sensible next step is to phone two or three shortlisted schools, ask what a complete beginner's CBT day involves and whether they can fit a test date soon after. If you already ride and want to return after a break, ask specifically about refresher sessions rather than a standard CBT.
Can I still contact Newcastle Rider Training by phone or email if I need records or a refund?
Email is the only contact route still described on the site; the phone number is not. The page states that Newcastle Rider Training closed in July 2023 after 32 years, that the listed phone number no longer accepts calls, and that the Facebook and Twitter links no longer work. Email to the address given on the page is the one channel it says remains usable.
For records or a refund, that distinction matters:
- Phone: Don't rely on it. The site says the line is dead, so a refund request made only by voicemail or callback expectation won't reach anyone.
- Email: Send a written request with your full name, the course or test date, and any booking reference or payment receipt you still hold. Ask explicitly for the records you need or the refund you are claiming, and keep the message and any reply.
- Refunds generally: A business that has stopped trading may have limited ability to process payments, and the site does not describe any refund process. Treat a reply as uncertain rather than guaranteed.
- Records: If you need proof of training for an insurer or a licence application, ask what documentation survives and in what form. The site does not say what records were retained or for how long.
One practical caveat from the page itself: it asks people not to request recommendations for alternative trainers. So email is for your own records or refund query, not for being pointed to another school. For a replacement course, the site's own advice is to ask around, search online and read reviews before choosing.
Next step: draft a short, factual email now rather than waiting, since the longer the gap since July 2023 the less likely records are still accessible. If you paid by card and the refund is disputed, your card provider's dispute process runs on its own deadlines, so check those in parallel rather than waiting on an email reply.
Is the motorcycletraining.net domain available to buy?
No. The site itself states that Newcastle Rider Training closed in July 2023 after 32 years, and the owner adds that "motorcycletraining.net is a highly desirable URL and I could be persuaded to sell if the right offer came along." So the domain is not listed as available; it is held by the former operator and may be sold privately at the owner's discretion.
What that means in practice
- It is a private sale, not a marketplace listing. There is no advertised price, no "buy now" option and no registrar transfer flow described on the page.
- You would be negotiating directly with the owner. The page gives a contact email for enquiries; any approach about the domain would go through that route and would be an ordinary commercial negotiation.
- Expect the owner to set the terms. A seller who calls the name desirable is unlikely to accept a low opening offer, and the value here rests on the name matching a real training niche rather than on any traffic the site still receives.
A useful next step
Before making contact, decide what the name is worth to you and why. If you run rider training in the Newcastle area, the exact-match name has obvious marketing value and a sensible ceiling based on how many students it could realistically bring in. If you want it for a national directory, blog or lead-generation site, weigh that against the cost of building an audience from scratch, since the previous business has stopped trading and its phone line and social profiles are no longer active.
For context on the local training market you would be entering, see GOV.UK for the official CBT and motorcycle licence rules, and compare providers through bodies such as the Motorcycle Industry Association or RoSPA if you are assessing rider-training standards.
What did Newcastle Rider Training offer before it closed in July 2023?
Before closing in July 2023, Newcastle Rider Training offered motorcycle and scooter rider training in the Newcastle area. Its listed services were CBT (Compulsory Basic Training), motorcycle test preparation, refresher training and advanced rider training. The school says it trained more than 13,500 customers over 32 years.
A practical next step if you are looking for similar training today: search for local approved training bodies, compare their CBT and test-prep options, and check recent rider reviews rather than relying on a single recommendation. The site itself explicitly asks visitors not to request alternative trainer recommendations, so treat its closure notice as a historical record, not a current booking service.
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