California Superbike School

vt6 · Spanner Monkey Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Karma :

Hi ladies / gents

Anyone been to this or know anyone that has? Is it worth the money for the benefit?

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Yes I've done it (Level 1) , and for me it did give a lot of benefit. G has also done it and was not so impressed (level 1)

Why do you want to do it? To improve on the road or track?
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

McGee · O RLY? Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Karma :

I hang out/ride with a guy that's an instructor at the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School thingy.

Apart from the fact it costs close to $1,800 I have heard and seen some god awful riders come off the course and be much better riders.

Still cheaper to get your own bike and take it to a track and learn like that Laughing

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Its pronounced Jixxer!

vt6 · Spanner Monkey Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Karma :

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

VT6 I figured it would be better to do a more complete reply here than to reply by PM so other people can read it. You start off with a briefing and there are six classroom sessions and five track sessions. You are allocated an instructor for the day who leads/follows on each of the track sessions and he gives you feelback on how you are doing on each drill.

The first thing they teach is Throttle control. They make you ride around the track in 4th gear, and open the throttle as you go through the corner. Its a bit basic perhaps but its the first building block that you use in the level 1 system. It sounds a bit too basic, but as I said it does work for me.

The second thing they teach is turn in points. They put some X's on the track with yellow tape to show you where you should be turning in. For me this was a LOT later than I was expecting and it was a bit weird. It makes you ride slower as you concentrate on where the turn marker is. They tell you to avoid using the brakes in this excercise.

The third lesson is quick turning, and they ask you to stick to two gears and not to brake beyond what is required for confidence. This is effectively a counter steering drill and is good. They take the yellow X's away so that you have to imagine where your turn in points are. Its a lot easier than it sounds.

The fourth session is on not upsetting the bike with too many rider inputs. Its really a smoothness drill. They ask you not to brake at all, and you have to remember where your turn in points are and use your hard countersteering to get the bike over. If you don't you end up running wide.

The fifth and final session is like an intro to level 2 and it teaches you to use all of the things you have learned so far, along with where you should be putting your eyes as you go through a corner.

As I said, if you listen to it described like that it sounds a little ropey, but they have to do it like that so everyone starts on the same level. You cannot do level 2 unless you've completed level 1 and so on, so theres' no point trying to book level 2 or above if you think you're a good rider. You have to go through the whole system and I can completely see why.

I hope this answers your question! Smile

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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

vt6 · Spanner Monkey Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Karma :

Cheers for in depth write up mate. From that it sounds like if you do track days it may be similarish stuff but as you say if you have to do it before progressing then it gives a complete instruction from the start sort of thing.

Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

I did mine at the Stowe Circuit at Silverstone. Tuition was definitely not one to one, most people shared their instructor with 2-4 other riders. I was special... Wink

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My other bike's a Monster... Wink

Wafer_Thin_Ham · Super Spammer Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Karma :

I wouldn't worry about it until you're struggling to go faster by yourself.

Just spend the money you would have spent on that on more trackdays IMO.
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