Ducati DRE Safety riding course review: The new motorbike safety course from Ducati that might just save your life
WE test the new Ducati DRE Safety course in Milan aimed at keeping riders alive
DUCATI has launched a new motorbike scheme to help riders stay safe - and we've tried it.
We sent bike journalist Joanna Benz to Milan to see how the new Ducati DRE Safety riding course stacks up.
It is a practical series of lessons and tests designed to help riders improve control and avoid potentially life-threatening situations on the road.
With two grades to choose from, Joanna signed on for level two, which includes cornering ABS and how to use electronic rider aids available on bikes such as the new Multistrada.
To kick off the day, a briefing covered the fundamentals such as body and road position and looking ahead. As they say, practise the basics.
But for those who have recently passed their test, it may feel too familiar.
Exercises range from slaloms to obstacle avoidance, much like the practical bike test.
Joanna was not keen on the low-speed slalom, as the 30 or so cones made for easy targets.
But after some helpful tips from her instructor, she was breezing through it. And that’s the whole idea – with each exercise, Joanna noticeably improved.
The part you probably won’t have covered in your test is making use of Ducati’s electronic aids. Like it or not, rider-safety aids are becoming commonplace, even mandatory in the case of ABS.
Thankfully, we rarely see them in action.
The instructors had Joanna hitting corners and braking hard to engage the cornering ABS. It takes a few tries to trust the machine and arguably it might encourage bad habits.
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But it is also impressive, knowing that if something jumps out at you mid-corner, you might avoid putting the bike down. Then the sprinklers came out and a hesitant Joanna was asked to grab a fistful of brake.
It is drilled into riders that wet road is bad road.
But after a few tries, the ABS allowed her to stop much shorter than previous attempts.
The course sways towards helping novices and those who might have spent some time away from the bike, rather than experienced riders. But for anyone who wants to build confidence, these safety courses are the way to go.
Level 2 costs €500, while Level 1 is €400.
To see how Joanna got on, see or search “Bike World” on YouTube.