Harry Mottram used to ride motorbikes but hadn't been on one for years. He took a back to biking training session with BSM to experience how things have changed.

Don't be a dead back-to-biking-biker. The number of middle-aged men who have been killed after taking to two wheels after a gap of decades is alarming. Numerous floral roadside memorials to accidents are a reminder that biking can be dangerous.

Put simply, many men in their 40s, 50s and 60s have bitten the dust on motorbikes because bikes and biking have changed. They are faster and more powerful, plus there's more traffic on the road than there was in the 1970s and 1980s.

If (like me) you used to ride a motorbike and have decided to return to biking in your September years, then a refresher training course is vital. Younger bikers and those new to biking will have training as a matter of course – in contrast to years ago when you simply jumped on a bike and off you rode.

Having not ridden for 10 years I felt a little rusty, so I went along to the BSM training centre in Bristol next door to Fowlers Motorcycles by Bath Bridge near Temple Meads. My instructor was John Woodgate, who put me through my paces with a supportive, patient and yet firm approach. What John was to give me was essentially a shorter version of BSM's Compulsory Basic Training (CBT). The course must be completed by virtually anyone who wants to ride any two-wheeled vehicle on the road, and anyone riding for the first time should complete the course. It consists of five main elements which need to be passed to gain a certificate of competence.

The five parts consist of a discussion about basic safety and clothing; a briefing on bike controls and basic maintenance; off-road exercises on a bike; a pre on-road briefing on elements of the Highway Code; and finally a minimum two-hour on-road ride accompanied by a qualified instructor in radio contact.

Motorcycle clothing has been transformed in recent years with a new selection of fabrics that ensure that you will stay warm and dry in most weather conditions. There's built-in armour padding that can be extracted if you do fall off, water-proof gauntlets and full-face helmets are surprisingly light to wear.

The two bikes that I rode at BSM were basic Honda models and were comfortingly unchanged in most ways from the bikes I used to ride. In the open car park area at BSM I was put through a series of basic exercises including weaving in and out of cones at low speed and essential safety checks. These included what John called "a life-saver". It's a quick look over both shoulders at the blind spot not picked up by the mirrors. By adopting this reflex action many a life is saved every year. Full face helmets are great but they do cut down visibility, so the life-saver is literally that.

There are also several excellent books on motorcycling safety which are worth investing in – perhaps a good Christmas present idea. Like many motorists who took a test decades ago I found the Highway Code has changed radically with new crossings, signs and graphics. To be honest I didn't really know what many of them were so the briefing was useful.

Finally it was time to take to road. In my case I was riding a Honda CB400. Through a radio link I could hear John's calm voice instructing me in which direction to head and whether I was making any errors. The supportive nature of his tone boosted my confidence so that after a couple of hours I felt quite competent in my riding.

As we rode around Brislington, Hartcliffe, Knowle and Bedminster I remembered just how exciting and enjoyable riding a bike is compared to a car. It's the freedom, the space and the feeling you're on an adventure and not on a boring journey.

It all seemed such a long way away from those far off days in the 1970s when I first took my test. Then you simply jumped on a bike, rode to the test centre with L-plates and went round the block a few times in view of an examiner with a clipboard. Now there is a two-part test and the riders complete their training like learner drivers: equipped to drive on ordinary roads in safety.

What I did notice was the amount of traffic compared to years ago and that motorists simply don't give you space. There was another aspect, and that is if you open the throttle the power and acceleration seemed more powerful than I remembered – especially compared to a car.

If you are returning to motorcycling after a lengthy spell as a motorist do take a rider assessment session with a motorcycling training school. It could literally save your life.

* For further details of BSM Motorcycle Training call 0870 9021700 or visit bsm.co.uk Alternatively there are a number of motorcycle training schools throughout the area. Check in the Yellow Pages under Motorcycle Training for details.