Australia’s Largest Motorcycle Training Organisation Expands into WA
Stay Upright launches operations in Perth to support state with largest proportion of riders per capita
Organisation keen to transition State’s training from box-ticking to practical, safety-first curriculum
Perth, Western Australia – Australia’s leading motorcycle training organisation, Stay Upright, is launching a dedicated motorcycle training centre in Western Australia. The centre, in Myaree, is a first for the state, catering to a growing need for safety-led training for new and existing motorcycle riders.
Founded in 1981, Stay Upright is Australia’s first and largest motorcycle training provider and operates official licensing training in four states and trains more than 45,000 riders annually across the country. While the organisation has offered advanced training in Western Australia in the past, recent figures released by the WA Road Safety Commission have highlighted an immediate need in the state for a greater focus on training for safety, rather than training designed simply to pass the licensing test.
“Sadly, nearly 20 per cent of the state’s road fatalities last year occurred on motorcycles,” said Annaliesse Cawood, Managing Director, Stay Upright. “This obviously needs to change, and it starts with training as a means to remain safe on the road.
“Currently motorcycle training across WA is one-on-one and undertaken in carparks. A person only needs to pass a theory test to obtain a Learner Permit, after which they can get on the road with no real road experience.
“There’s a huge difference between being licensed to ride a bike, and knowing how to actually ride a bike safely.”
Western Australia has the highest proportion of motorcycle registrations per capita of any state or territory in the country, with 123,245 registrations as of May this year.
“With so many riders on West Australian roads, and particularly in Perth, both beginners and more experienced riders need to acquaint themselves with modern safety training,” said Lee Kirby, WA Regional Manager for Stay Upright. “New riders in particular need more support before they get on our roads than just an hour or so of training in a carpark at a fast-food restaurant.”
PRACTICAL, GROUP LESSONS KEY TO DEVELOPING ON-ROAD SKILLS
The organisation’s first dedicated WA training centre will be located in Myaree, in a cul-de-sac with no nearby houses – ensuring there will be no additional noise pollution impact on Perth residents. The site is located only 11kms from the Perth CBD, and just 20 minutes’ drive from three of the nine Practical Driving Assessment (PDA) locations in Perth.
Stay Upright’s courses offer a combination of classroom theory and practical riding, with courses commencing first on the range before riders are guided out on to the road with an experienced instructor.
“Our experience in other states is that practical on-the-road lessons, with an expert instructor, teaches far more than a one-to-one lesson,” said Kirby. “Riders not only learn from an expert; they can learn from those around them as well while learning practical on-road skills you could never learn in a car park.”
ABOUT STAY UPRIGHT
Stay Upright is Australia’s first and largest motorcycle rider training and safety organisation. Founded in 1981 by Warwick Schuberg, the ex-Head of the NSW Police Rider Training Unit, the organisation was the first to offer rider training to the Australian public.
The company was founded in 1981 to help motorcycle riding become a safer activity and to deliver improved safety standards via excellent customer service. These two foundations of safety and customer service remain the guiding principles of the company today.
Stay Upright is an official registered training organisation which works with governmental motoring and licensing authorities in each state and territory to ensure riders are provided with the best safety guidance and training for new and experienced riders, both during the licensing process and beyond.
For more information, visit www.stayupright.com.au.
