Good race school

[hurricanejohn]

I want to attend a solid race school or two this year. Just signed up for the Bargy school in late January down in Jennings, FL. to start my WERA trek. Spent about 16 days on track in 2012 (stock Aprilia RSVR's) and will put in more time/effort this year. Overall feedback is I have a good line, no freaking out in tight situations, but not braking late enough in turns, and can't seem to get my arse off the saddle enough. I understand the concept but just can't force myself to commit. I think I'm hanging off when riding but pics say a much different story. Picked up a good amount of lap time and running a solid race line, not upsetting the bike as much ending the year as when I started. This year I'm shedding a ton of weight from the bikes, getting suspensions professionally installed/tuned, race skins all around, sprocket/chain conversions, but none of this is worth diddlysquat if I can't translate what I know to do sitting in the pits to actually doing it on the bike.

Suggestions? :dunno::banghead:

HJ

 

[D-Zum]

hurricanejohn;262418 wrote: I want to attend a solid race school or two this year. Just signed up for the Bargy school in late January down in Jennings, FL. to start my WERA trek. Spent about 16 days on track in 2012 (stock Aprilia RSVR's) and will put in more time/effort this year. Overall feedback is I have a good line, no freaking out in tight situations, but not braking late enough in turns, and can't seem to get my arse off the saddle enough. I understand the concept but just can't force myself to commit. I think I'm hanging off when riding but pics say a much different story. Picked up a good amount of lap time and running a solid race line, not upsetting the bike as much ending the year as when I started. This year I'm shedding a ton of weight from the bikes, getting suspensions professionally installed/tuned, race skins all around, sprocket/chain conversions, but none of this is worth diddlysquat if I can't translate what I know to do sitting in the pits to actually doing it on the bike.

Suggestions? :dunno::banghead:

HJ

YCRS. That's all there is to say.

 

[vice]

I've been wanting to take cornerspeed. no reviews but have heard good things

 

[Ex. 39]

get thru the Bargy school. Then see how you feel. Ive been working with Ed since 2005, IMO, at your skill level, spending $1000 or more on a school would be a waste of money.

 

[denbsteph]

D-Zum;262420 wrote: YCRS. That's all there is to say.

I did YCRS, I have been drinking their Kool-Aid for the past year. I'm no where close to raceing and I did not see YCRS teaching the method of "Racing". What they do teach is the foundation to get you to the next level. If that means Racing in your book, then that may help you in your quest.

Ken states at the beginning of the first day, first hour of the first class. "If anyone here does not want to learn how to go faster, pick up your stuff and leave now, I'll give you a full refund before you leave. Of course no one left and we continued on. Not sure if that helps, that's my personal experience on the YCRS thing.

Oh ya, you will have to go to Nevada to take the school. They opted out coming back to NJMP. The e-mail I got for "Shorty" was you had to get your money to them with-in a weeks time of a "proposed date" that was not on the schedule but they were trying to get something together. That never happened.

 

[noobinacan]

You need to go into trackdays with a PLAN. If you don't have a plan, you're wasting time.
Then don't line up front& left at anytime...let everyone go, and work on your plan for the day.

Do more weekends, because that's when you improve. Saturday morning is warmup, afternoon is getting your brain up to speed.Sunday morning first session is warmup again.

nothing happens overnight in this sport, so relax and try to enjoy and improve with that mindset.
don't chase...this sport never works if you chase.

To me, Race School's are like GYM's, you pay and because you pay you force yourself to go and workout.
vs
working out at home on your own.
you can get in shape either way

edit: to answer your braking late question for example, start with making sure you have brake markers for every braking zone. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Write them down on a map if you need to. then start moving them back little by little. do this for the whole weekend.

 

[Ex. 39]

noobinacan;262428 wrote: You need to go into trackdays with a PLAN. If you don't have a plan, you're wasting time.
Then don't line up front& left at anytime...let everyone go, and work on your plan for the day.

Do more weekends, because that's when you improve. Saturday morning is warmup, afternoon is getting your brain up to speed.Sunday morning first session is warmup again.

nothing happens overnight in this sport, so relax and try to enjoy and improve with that mindset.
don't chase...this sport never works if you chase.

To me, Race School's are like GYM's, you pay and because you pay you force yourself to go and workout.
vs
working out at home on your own.
you can get in shape either way

edit: to answer your braking late question for example, start with making sure you have brake markers for every braking zone. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Write them down on a map if you need to. then start moving them back little by little. do this for the whole weekend.

which is just ONE of the things that Bargy stresses in his school.

 

[HondaGalToo]

denbsteph;262424 wrote:

Oh ya, you will have to go to Nevada to take the school. They opted out coming back to NJMP. The e-mail I got for "Shorty" was you had to get your money to them with-in a weeks time of a "proposed date" that was not on the schedule but they were trying to get something together. That never happened.

I knew they were planning on trying to come back to NJMP, and were supposed to be working with NESBA. I never heard of a "proposed date". Guess that information didn't get out. A shame. It was great having them out east while it lasted. I thought I was on the list to receive information, but I didn't hear anything at all. I'll bet if the "proposed date" was actually communicated to anyone, they'd have gotten enough people signed up to come out east. When Bob said to email him if you were interested in receiving information on schools in the east, I sent an email, never heard anything. Oh well, couldn't have afforded it this year anyway...

 

[denbsteph]

HondaGalToo;262437 wrote: I knew they were planning on trying to come back to NJMP, and were supposed to be working with NESBA. I never heard of a "proposed date". Guess that information didn't get out. A shame. It was great having them out east while it lasted. I thought I was on the list to receive information, but I didn't hear anything at all. I'll bet if the "proposed date" was actually communicated to anyone, they'd have gotten enough people signed up to come out east. When Bob said to email him if you were interested in receiving information on schools in the east, I sent an email, never heard anything. Oh well, couldn't have afforded it this year anyway...

Slowpoke was the main orgainzer for the past several years (you know that Judy ) I got the e-mail from Shorty about 2 months ago. It was an abrupt too kinda thing. They never had NJMP on there list as returning when the list was out. When I was there last year, Ken said they had plenty of people in line if someone canceled out. I drank the YCRS Kool-Aid and I'm over it now. I did learn from the instructors, I'll absorb what I did learn and take it from there. As far as shelling out that kind of dough again................... I'll pass. I'll save that Money and get more organized for IOMTT races next year. Didn't get my act together early enough for this year. Latest check of prices for plane tickets are at 1800 duckies.

Good luck searching schools. I would get hooked up with a CR that will carry thru what you need to know. HIT DIFFERENT TRACKS!! Riding your favorite track will not get it done.................IMO.

 

[HondaGalToo]

denbsteph;262441 wrote:
Good luck searching schools. I would get hooked up with a CR that will carry thru what you need to know. HIT DIFFERENT TRACKS!! Riding your favorite track will not get it done.................IMO.

Oh, I'm not searching for schools this year. But I am always looking to continue improving my skills. In the past 17 seasons, I've ridden at at least a dozen different tracks, no worries there!

 

[denbsteph]

HondaGalToo;262444 wrote: Oh, I'm not searching for schools this year. But I am always looking to continue improving my skills. In the past 17 seasons, I've ridden at at least a dozen different tracks, no worries there!

I meant that comment for HJ, my bust.

 

[HondaGalToo]

denbsteph;262445 wrote: I meant that comment for HJ, my bust.

:doh: It's past my bedtime.

 

[barry38]

No school will turn you into the next Rossi. I did the Freddy Spencer School (which is baciscally now YCRS) and in two days I learned more about how to ride a motorcycle than I had in 30+ years of riding. I did the Mike Himmelsbach school when he was doing them. I also did the first YCRS when Jaime James and his crew started it. By the end of that school I'd taken 3 seconds off my best lap times at Barber.

I believe what you get out of any school is determined by your ability to take what is being taught, and apply it. If you can't apply the concepts being taught, you won't get any better. If you don't have the confidence and skill to apply the brakes later, and harder, your corner entries won't get better. This applies to any skill used to ride a motorcycle fast. Any school should help you with gaining in skill and confidence.

If after taking a school, you did not reach your objectives, maybe you need to look at yourself and determine if its a matter of you just not having the skill and confidence to ride faster.

 

[beac83]

Go ahead and take the school. Whether or not you improve will depend on you.

If you learn the concepts and apply them, you will improve.
If you learn the concepts and don't have the confidence in you and your bike to use them, you will not improve.

I took one school, learned a lot but did not become better (faster and less crashing) because I did not gain any additional confidence so I could trust myself to put what I learned into practice.

I took a second school, and took 12 seconds off my average lap times at the 5 tracks I had ridden at. (And I haven't crashed since, which likely means I'm still not pushing enough.) The difference is the second school not only taught skills, but enabled me to be more confident and trusting of my bike and myself.

The second school was YCRS. It's good.

 

[TLR67]

There are several choices out there in the SE.....

I did the DiSalvo Speed Academy last year and it was very very good... Brian Stokes and Jason DiSalvo run a tight ship and will be with you 1-1 all day... Video footage of you and your bike after each session as well.. This way they can show you what your doing wrong and where...

As others said dont choose your favorite track.... Challenge yourself and your bike and get to the next level...

 

[z064life]

I disagree with the post saying a school won't help at your level. I was an "upper B group" rider at the beginning of '12 and attended the Keith Code (California Superbike School) at Barber. What they teach in level 1 and 2 (of 4 levels) is very basic when I look back on it, but the VERY next track weekend I was bumped to I and then got my A bump on the 2nd weekend after that. Judy was there for it . I highly doubt it was coincidence.

I'd highly recommend the Keith Code school. I personally thought it was good to do it on a track you have been to and on your own bike but I guess that will just depend on you.

 

[hurricanejohn]

TLR67;262458 wrote: There are several choices out there in the SE.....

I did the DiSalvo Speed Academy last year and it was very very good... Brian Stokes and Jason DiSalvo run a tight ship and will be with you 1-1 all day... Video footage of you and your bike after each session as well.. This way they can show you what your doing wrong and where...

As others said dont choose your favorite track.... Challenge yourself and your bike and get to the next level...

Folks, I am in awe of the feedback - thanks to each of you for your perspective and honest comments.:adore:

I'm not going to give you that "I've been riding for 100 years" quip, but I've been riding dirt and pavement for a while. I'm 54 so closing in on my final days of "riding fast" - feeling the effect of several broken bones, a few surgeries, and God forbid age too. I know what holds me back - knowing the consequences if something bad happens. I have good skills, not "skeered" of any situation, enjoy running in a pack, just getting older and harder to mend. I ran 16 track days in 2012 (all Intermediate w/ X-Act & NESBA), Barber (four days), Road Atlanta (six days), and Little Tally (six days). Crashed once at RA in 10A (easy low side) - no other issues at all. Signed up for the NESBA20 this year - 20 days of my choice at any track they run. Going to add CMP, VIR, Jennings, and NOLA to the standard Barber, Tally, & RA tracks - seven different tracks in 2013. Went ahead and signed up for Bargy school at Jennings end of this month so that will be a good start I think.

I'm well past the "racer" dream, but I still want to go out and give it 1000% effort while I still can. I am teachable - just have to find that teacher that I can connect with. It's 2am and I've been out in the shop turning wrenches and talking to my scoot since about 8. It may just be a dream, but it's what I absolutely love above all else (except the good Lord).

Thanks again,

HJ

 

[HondaGalToo]

Good on you for looking into a school. Many of us, well, me anyway, are doing this for fun. I'll never race. The best thing to do to improve your riding is to take a school, no matter what your skill level. The earlier in your riding career the better, IMO, as you'll learn the correct techniques from the beginning and therefore avoid having to unlearn bad habits. I've taken a few schools and learned something useful at all of them. My first school, and first time on the track, was Reg Pridmore CLASS. I was new to sportbikes and the track, so it was just what I needed. If you've been on the track, however, I think you'd find it too street-oriented. I took the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School and the Yamaha Champion Riders School. YCRS is the one that really changed the way I ride.

I've heard great things about Cornerspeed, Bargy, Penguin, and Jason Pridmore's STAR school. I'd like to take those sometime. The only one I won't take is Keith Code, as no matter how long you've been riding, you must start in Level 1. No thank you.

Last year, Jason Pridmore was at VIR. He mostly has schools out west, but seems to come to VIR once.

The best thing to improve your riding is to spend money on a school. Then apply what you've learned and continue to work on the skills and with the CRs. As they taught at YCRS, go out every time with a plan of something to work on. Otherwise you're just riding around.

As an aside - one other thing that helps a ton, especially for those of us in your age group is to work out. If you don't already, start now. Cardio and weights. If I didn't work out 5-6 days a week, there's no way I'd have the stamina and strength to ride all day and be able to move around on the bike.

 

[z064life]

HondaGalToo;262536 wrote: Good on you for looking into a school. Many of us, well, me anyway, are doing this for fun. I'll never race. The best thing to do to improve your riding is to take a school, no matter what your skill level. The earlier in your riding career the better, IMO, as you'll learn the correct techniques from the beginning and therefore avoid having to unlearn bad habits. I've taken a few schools and learned something useful at all of them. My first school, and first time on the track, was Reg Pridmore CLASS. I was new to sportbikes and the track, so it was just what I needed. If you've been on the track, however, I think you'd find it too street-oriented. I took the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School and the Yamaha Champion Riders School. YCRS is the one that really changed the way I ride.

I've heard great things about Cornerspeed, Bargy, Penguin, and Jason Pridmore's STAR school. I'd like to take those sometime. The only one I won't take is Keith Code, as no matter how long you've been riding, you must start in Level 1. No thank you.

Last year, Jason Pridmore was at VIR. He mostly has schools out west, but seems to come to VIR once.

The best thing to improve your riding is to spend money on a school. Then apply what you've learned and continue to work on the skills and with the CRs. As they taught at YCRS, go out every time with a plan of something to work on. Otherwise you're just riding around.

As an aside - one other thing that helps a ton, especially for those of us in your age group is to work out. If you don't already, start now. Cardio and weights. If I didn't work out 5-6 days a week, there's no way I'd have the stamina and strength to ride all day and be able to move around on the bike.

Judy, There is an AMA racer that attended level 1 and 2 with Keith Code with me at Barber. Let me reach out to him and I'll find out what he thought of it from his perspective. I was a B rider so it wasn't an issue for me :lol

 

[bradvanhorn]

I've done California Superbike School multiple times. I think very highly of their program. I don't understand the attitude people have toward starting in Level 1 and I've observed in some cases (obviously not all) people actually have no idea what this means but still remain adamantly opposed to the notion. Anyway, this is just another reason it is good to have choice in the matter.

I did Jason Primore's STAR school last summer and it was the most hazardous experience I'd had on the track. I quit with two sessions remaining. I do suspect this was an unfortunate exception to how things normally would run but at this point I'm stuck with only that one experience.