About us

South Wales Advanced Motorcyclists (S.W.A.M)

The group is run by volunteers with a committee voted for by the members at the AGM.

We are affiliated to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM RoadSmart).

Our IAM Group number is 1124.

We are a registered charity.

Our charity number is 1077703.

Group members will either be:

Associates – motorcyclists who are working towards obtaining their IAM Advanced Riding Certificate.

Members – motorcyclists who have obtained their IAM Advanced Riding Certificate.

Fellow - An enhanced membership tier that recognises and rewards your commitment to keeping your advanced skills up to date with a three year retest

Observers – IAM members who have been trained in helping others achieve full membership and are accredited by the Institute of the Motor Industry - IMI (www.theimi.org.uk)

How can the group help me?

Training towards the IAM Advanced Certificate will normally take place 1 to 1 with a Local Observer or on our training days.

We Also hold Mass Training Days at Thunder road, which include two classroom sessions and two on road observed rides.

please visit the Advanced Training section of our website for more information by clicking here: Mass Training Days.

Don’t worry if you cannot attend a training day (for example you are working or have a family commitment) an Observer will usually be able to make alternative arrangements with you on a 1-2-1 basis. 

1-2-1 arrangements can be made throughout the year. 

Joining the group as an associate, you will be invited to take part in an initial assessment.

On completion of the assessment, you will be allocated an observer who will prepare you for your advanced motorcycle test. 

Observed runs can typically cover distances of up to 40 miles, but of course, this may vary. 

Your Observer will advise you through observations made during the run on what you need to do to meet the standard required for the advanced test.

Observed runs are organised between you and your observer.

We recommend that a minimum of six two-hour sessions is allowed for associates to reach the required IAM RoadSmart standard.

Please see our Social activites and events pags for details of what is on and where.