Track Day School

[Wurn]

Ok so most of you will probably have seen by now that i am going to do a Track school day in the near future.

 

BUT, how will i know what they teach me is worth anything? I mean I am not convinced if someone says the are a racer that gives them the skill and ability to teach someone else.

 

I dont know about US, England, Australia or any other country, but over here people will take you for a ride (excuse the pun) just to make money out of you. Ive been to a Track school day to observe and ask question on what they teach and how they do it. Honestly i was not convinced at all. The instructor i spoke to was a nice guy and very approachable and answer all my questions. But still i dont know if i asked the correct questions.

 

What should i ask, and what should their answers be?

 

One thing i note was, when the medium class riders were out it just seemed nobody told them what their body positioning in corners should be. From what i have read and seen from instructional videos from MCN's Michael Neeves, these guys were doing it wrong.

 

Its made me worry abit. Its not that expensive to do a Track day, that does not bother me that much, its the fact that i might get given the wrong information which will hamper my riding ability.

[fire337]

Are you signing up to do CSS? If so don't worry about what to ask, they make sure all of their ride coaches know what is what when it comes to teaching and helping others learn. As far as track days go. Your best bet to know if you are doing it right is to buy and read the 3 Keith Code books. They will get your mind and body working in the right way with your motorcycle. You don't need the control riders at a track day to help you learn, all you need is the right knowledge and the desire to learn it properly. Start with the books and ask your questions here, both will get you headed in the right direction with your riding.

[Bones]

Totally agree with fire337.

 

Go to the CSS School as a student. Pay attention in the classroom; understand what the drill is. Apply it to your riding during the track session.

 

The only stupid question, is the one you didn't ask. Chances are, there are others thinking the same question.

 

As you would want to expect. This isn't an expensive trackday. It's a school. So don't cut laps. Take the opportunity with both hands, and work on the drill and your riding every lap. Ask questions.

 

And don't forget to relax and enjoy!

 

Cheers

[teg]

hello

totally agree with the other 2 comments above .

yes a track day will be good info but don,t know what level you are at so take some things with a pinch of salt as some people will already assume you know certain things which if you don,t doesn,t help much .

try and read twist 1 and 2 first , priceless info .

ideally get to a school , yes it does look expensive until you weigh up price a couple of stupid crashes doing basics , that could also put you off when its just something you hadn,t been told yet .

 

you,ll have no problems asking questions at a school the coaches have seen and heard em all ( most of em mine , ha ,ha ) b-4 i,ll bet .

and definitely if you don,t get it , get it broken down into so smaller steps until you do i,m past caring whether other students think i,m stupid because i ask , most of the " experts "smirking at you will be behind you next time they see you and usually fellow students just have slightly different q,s to ask .

also i was guilty of trying to do too much 1st time problem was me not the bike track etc .

[Wurn]

First off, thx for the replies what you guys saying makes perfect sense.

 

Basically what i would like to know from you guys are, what type of question should i ask and what answer should i expect.

 

I am from South Africa and there are no CSS here. Only local racers recruited by a bike shop to give classes, or so it seems. I would like to know when i am bs'd and when i can use what they tell me is correct.

 

Offcoarse there are more legit schools or institutions here that are very good but most of them are for racers in mind and or are way up north and too expensive for me to attend.

[Kevin Kane]

Basically what i would like to know from you guys are, what type of question should i ask and what answer should i expect.

Fire;

Since you have experienced a wide gap in the credibility of track side advice, I would recommend that you acquire the two Twist of the Wrist books written by Keith Code, the California Superbike School founder and owner. What most Forum regulars with tell you is that what Keith writes in these two books also serves as the basis of the curriculum used in the four levels of training offered at the School.

 

Many (most) of us re-read these books, especially Twist II over and over again because there is so much information in them that it is easy to miss some of the detail they offer. At a minimum they will provide you a clear filter to review the advice you will begin to receive as you spend more time on the track. Beyond wrenching advice on the motorcycle itself, I will offer that I cannot think of a single piece of advice anyone has offered me at a track day that was worth a damn or wasn't what I had already been taught/learned from these books or the School. YRMV.

 

Good luck and remember this Forum is available to you to fact check the advice you receive once you get there.

 

Kevin

[Wurn]

Thx Kevin, i will see if i can get those books here in South Africa and start reading. I have read through one of them long time ago but cant remember which of my friends had the book and which book it was.

 

Basically what i would like to know from you guys are, what type of question should i ask and what answer should i expect.

Fire;

Since you have experienced a wide gap in the credibility of track side advice, I would recommend that you acquire the two Twist of the Wrist books written by Keith Code, the California Superbike School founder and owner. What most Forum regulars with tell you is that what Keith writes in these two books also serves as the basis of the curriculum used in the four levels of training offered at the School.

 

Many (most) of us re-read these books, especially Twist II over and over again because there is so much information in them that it is easy to miss some of the detail they offer. At a minimum they will provide you a clear filter to review the advice you will begin to receive as you spend more time on the track. Beyond wrenching advice on the motorcycle itself, I will offer that I cannot think of a single piece of advice anyone has offered me at a track day that was worth a damn or wasn't what I had already been taught/learned from these books or the School. YRMV.

 

Good luck and remember this Forum is available to you to fact check the advice you receive once you get there.

 

Kevin

[Jaybird180]

Thx Kevin, i will see if i can get those books here in South Africa and start reading. I have read through one of them long time ago but cant remember which of my friends had the book and which book it was.

 

Basically what i would like to know from you guys are, what type of question should i ask and what answer should i expect.

Fire;

Since you have experienced a wide gap in the credibility of track side advice, I would recommend that you acquire the two Twist of the Wrist books written by Keith Code, the California Superbike School founder and owner. What most Forum regulars with tell you is that what Keith writes in these two books also serves as the basis of the curriculum used in the four levels of training offered at the School.

 

Many (most) of us re-read these books, especially Twist II over and over again because there is so much information in them that it is easy to miss some of the detail they offer. At a minimum they will provide you a clear filter to review the advice you will begin to receive as you spend more time on the track. Beyond wrenching advice on the motorcycle itself, I will offer that I cannot think of a single piece of advice anyone has offered me at a track day that was worth a damn or wasn't what I had already been taught/learned from these books or the School. YRMV.

 

Good luck and remember this Forum is available to you to fact check the advice you receive once you get there.

 

Kevin

 

What Kevin said in his lucid response what right on point, and I'd like to cosign but I think he's carried the motion on that one.

 

One thing i note was, when the medium class riders were out it just seemed nobody told them what their body positioning in corners should be. From what i have read and seen from instructional videos from MCN's Michael Neeves, these guys were doing it wrong.

 

However,

I would like to say that many people focus on BP so much that they forget that it is a tool designed to bring about a result. What's tricky about BP though, is that it also comes as a result of getting other things in order. Basically what I'm saying is that (and T1 makes this point) that it boils down to a matter of style and personal preference (choice) and is not a diagnosis of rider skill or ability.

[hubbard_28]

I know what you're asking, and am in the same boat. In Phoenix we have a couple options. One is a school that is geared toward beginner and superstreet riders, and one is a school taught by our local fast guy to our intermediate and advanced riders. His is $300 (a trackday is $200), and he teaches half the day, and the other half of the trackday is yours to practice.

I'm not really sure whether it's worth it or not, and I was actually about to post a question similar to yours. I watched him race, and he is in and out of corners quickly, which is what I want to work on, but don't know if he'll allow me to focus on that. If he's willing to, I would probably try it. It's $100, and if he doesn't really help me progress I'm sure he knows the word of mouth damage would be very damaging. That leads me to believe that he'll offer something to help me progress.

[appannag]

CSS does come here to South Africa from the European branch. There are 2 South African CSS Coaches. The event is organized by Track Daze (http://www.track-daze.co.za/). You can check up on their website for updates on CSS and their track days. They also sell the Twist books and Andy's book. The next CSS days are 7-8 October 2009 at Kyalami. I think they are already 1/3 full.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Take care,

 

Appanna

[Cobie Fair]

CSS does come here to South Africa from the European branch. There are 2 South African CSS Coaches. The event is organized by Track Daze (http://www.track-daze.co.za/). You can check up on their website for updates on CSS and their track days. They also sell the Twist books and Andy's book. The next CSS days are 7-8 October 2009 at Kyalami. I think they are already 1/3 full.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Take care,

 

Appanna

 

Thanks for getting that info up Appanna.

 

Firebeast--the books are worth their weight in gold for a rider. They are all different, and cover different material--in other words, don't skip Twist 1, thinking you will get it all in Twist 2 (same for Soft Science of Roadracing). Twist 2 will prepare you best for the class.

 

That being said, there is not much that will take the place of a full-on school. Even better than just one trained coach, is the full school, with all the staff, and the format that has gotten the best results. The days are run with one purpose only.

 

We have had individual coaches go and train a rider at someone else's track days, and honestly never gotten the same results as when our school days.

 

Recenlty we had a student that had done a number of schools (many), but really got himself going in the wrong direction with the training he was trying to do on his own.

 

If that doesn't end up working (doing a school) get the books and wear 'em out. The new Twist DVD should also be out soon.

 

Best,

CF

[Jaybird180]

The new Twist DVD should also be out soon.

 

Best,

CF

 

Don't tease me

[appannag]

Hi Cobie,

 

Absolutely right about the school and coaches doing their own thing. There is no replacement for the knowledge and training you get on a school day.

 

Firebeast- Book for the school early and you will not be disappointed. The whole coaching team will be coming from the UK except for the 2 SA coaches who have been put through their paces to become CSS coaches.

 

Take care,

 

Appanna