Ducati Monster Forum

http://www.classrides.com/

the NOV 6th and 7th dates

I did it (once) and wish I hadn't. Dudes a blowhard.

Do CSS instead.

My $.02.

+1

there's lots of hot air on TOB about why i think reg's class is nearly irresponsible.  i'll repeat it here if you care.  +1 (duh) on CSS, or i hear great things about Jason Pridmore's STAR school.. ironically.  i want to do that one.

however.. why do you want to go?  i think CLASS is maybe a decent 'rider skills' course.. like one that you might otherwise get in a parking lot.  they just happen to do it on a track.  but they bill it as 'the premier motorcycle track school for street motorcyclists'.  it aint that.  it's half-assed.

One of the guys I met here in town, is friends with Reg, and pretty much goes to most of his classes. Not ever having done one, I thought it best I start with the basics.

I was invited to do one of thier "friends" days, but I think it best to start with a basic two day class.

I'm open to hearing good and bad things.  Keep in mind..... my goal in all this is to
A: build confidence (safer)
B: be smoother

not so much to go faster

do i even need to post? [roll] [cheeky]

<insert blah blah blah about being a sissy and having no confidence/gear/trackable bike, going to CSS, having a wonderful time being the slowest guy there, and developing a track habit>

;D

for starters, i think anyone that rides a motorcycle at all should do level 1 @ CSS.  if you never intend to set wheel on a track again maybe you don't need to go beyond that, but level 1 is a must in my book.

your A and B there is exactly what you will get out of CSS L1.  CSS is NOT a go fast track school, it's a cornering school.  there's no qualifier there about how fast you go around said corner.  if you're getting the material they don't care how fast you're going.

since any maroon can ride a bike in a straight line, it's basically just a school for how to ride.  L1 is *really* slow.. you spend a lot of time doing drills like 4th gear, no brakes.  but it positively will build your confidence and make you a much smoother rider.

as for the rest of CSS, yes, you'll probably start to go faster.  because you get better at cornering and that's inevitably what happens.  but seriously, they don't care how fast you go if you are learning the lessons.

lessons.. which brings us to reg pridmore.  there are, imo, two major problems with CLASS:

1) there is no, or there is only barely a, cirriculum.  they have a general idea of what they want you to do but you'll also hear, a LOT, "try this.  if it doesn't work for you, don't do it."  at least for how i learn, that's way too effing vague.  compared to CSS where they have a very set cirriculum, reg is wayyyy too whatever dude.  if i'm kinda nervous and want to know the right way to do something, their laissez-faire method makes me.. more nervous.

2) there are two ways to get through a corner: straighten it or shorten it.  CSS teaches the former, CLASS teaches the latter.  there's nothing 'wrong' with either approach... but there's a reason why you don't see any racers.. in any race.. hugging the inside of every corner.  so while the shorten the corner method might be effective when you are less experienced and slower, you are inevitably (via more instruction or just because you practice) going to start to go faster.  and this is where the 'nearly irresponsible' thing comes in.. imo the CLASS method should be saved for goldwing owners.