New To The Forum

[Tim_Stanley_47]

Hi Guys and Gals,

 

I found this forum while checking on the CSS schedule. I have been riding for 35 years, but fairly new to Sport Bikes, been riding Kawasaki Ninja's just over 2 years. I started with an 06 500R. My current ride is a 2007 ZX10R which ROCKS!!! Looking forward to learning here and down the road to attending one of the CSS classes. Still debating whether to go to one of my favorite road courses, Watkins Glen, or to Mid-Ohio which seems to be one of the most popular tracks.

 

Tim

 

 

[2bigalow]

Hey Tim,

 

 

Thanks for posting on the forum. I haven't ridden Watkins Glen personally, but I can tell you Mid Ohio is a hoot!

Here's how I look at it. If you're familiar with Watkins Glem, then you will spend less time learning the track and more time learning the drills. However, riding a new track is fun too. So basicly I'm saying it is a personal preferrence. Maybe one of the other coachs, or former students , that have ridden both could chime it. Anyone?

[Kevin Kane]

Tim,

 

I have attended and corner worked numerous CSS schools at Watkins Glen and have been a CSS student at Mid-Ohio so my opinion to you assumes that drive distances and other logistics are reasonably similar. If they are, then Mid-Ohio would be my recommendation by a wide margin.

 

Mid-Ohio has so many different types of turns and cornering conditions, elevation changes and just about everything else you could ask for in a road course that it is hard to find any fault with Mid-Ohio as a learning venue. While both tracks accomodate cars, Watkins Glen is first and foremost a car track. That means long straights (3 of them) and their fast corners all have some degree of banking. They also have Armco close to some corners that is a little unsettling. T-11, a right hand turn that leads to the main straight comes to mind and it lines both sides of the Esses.

 

Having said that, one advantage that Watkins Glen offers is that layout allows you to learn the track pretty quickly and because of the long strights, you will have "time" between corners to process what you need to be doing so if it is a "first time" on the track, Watkins Glen is a good place to start. If however you have any track experience, Mid-Ohio will just Rock you.

 

Kevin