Trackday instruction / schools

[rocket]

I'm thinking of booking either tuition or a school for next year. I doing a few more trackday's and i an sometimes finding my self getting a bit frustrated with my riding, So Im thinking of doing a school or training of some kind. Have any of you had any experience of any schools. I want more from it than brake a bit harder hear and get on the gas earlier i want to understand more about of making the bike going faster and understanding when and were the limit is.

Ive looked at css and it looks very structured im worried that im not going to get a lot out of it for the money. There is master class at silver stone and i had a good chat with the instructors but its not structured they follow you round and work with you to get you what you want to achieve. This sounds good but i guess it depends on the instructor what you get out of it.

[Blade]

Very much dependent on the instructor you get imo.

Most schools just have people who are fast.

What you actually need in a good instructor, is some one who is fast, knows why their fast, knows how to go fast safely, has the ability to identify your weak points and MOST importantly of all the ability to communicate all the above in a way you can understand absorb and respond too. Annoyingly most schools have one or two instructors of this calibre and then just a bunch of fast guys who say go fast, brake later etc...

Personal experience at Ron Haslam and Chris Walker race schools were a waste of my time. I learnt nothing. It was just a case of go quicker and brake later as the only advice given with no specific feedback or guidance on how to improve as for me as an individual.

I think you have to pay good money to get good instruction. If it was me I would look at CSS, or possibly 1 to 1 tution with someone like Spike Edwards or one of the instructors from Simon Crafar's Motovudu. Not cheap but like everything in life you get what you pay for.

[D41]

I think you pretty much nailed it with your last sentence, and at the end of the day you're not going to learn a new 'language' from someone who doesn't speak YOUR language.

I'm also thinking of sommit the wife said to me when she was getting lessons.....she felt one instructor was talking AT her, another was talking TO her.....huge difference!

For myself, I ended up paying for an instructor's TD and some one-on-one....half the day for me, and half for himself to feck around.
My overall speed went up a notch....my confidence went up several

[Kwacky]

CSS is very A to B to C to D.

You're pretty quick anyway so I reckon you would be better off with a 1 on 1 day. There are a few instructors who offer that service you'll do at a trackday, so the possible disadvantage is you end up doing a track day with muppets and there are loads of flags so you don't get the time on track you've paid for.

http://www.msvtrackdays.com/bike/produc ... k-academy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Is another option. You can have one on one with Chris Walker for a decent price. I've seen other instructors charge a lot more.

[rocket]

Has anyone on here done css ??

[Kwacky]

I did level 1 years ago.

[rocket]

I did level 1 years ago.

What did you think to it did it improve your riding ?? did you come away thinking ive learnt some thing new or was it pretty mediocre

[Monty]

Well, he didn't do level 2!

[D41]

[duke63]

For the cost of CSS, you could do a day with Spike Edwards or Simon Crafar.

Try emailing Spike Edwards and having a chat with him. I looked at it a few years ago and effectively you pay for his trackday AND his time but he follows you round, videos you and works with you on what he feels are your weak points.

I would say that you would not get enough out of a race school as you are faster than many already and need one to one to take it to the next level.

I would also add that what Simon Crafar teaches is actually at odds with what CSS teach at times. You also have to do CSS in the 1,2,3,4 stages they do. You cannot skip any so its 4 separate days tuition.

This is Simon Crafar's Motovudu website. http://www.motovudu.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I've spoken to him a few times at the Motogp and he seems very knowledgable and easy to understand.

This is Mike Spike Edwards website. http://www.v121pro.com/coaching.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kwacky]

I did book Level 2 but my daughter was ill so I couldn't make it. CSS didn't want to know even with a doctors note so I never went back

Level 1 is basic. It's just cornering. They tell you to stick the bike in the same gear around the track and work on when and where to corner and accelerate.

CSS do do one on one training. I'm not sure if you have to do the course first.

[rocket]

I would also add that what Simon Crafar teaches is actually at odds with what CSS teach at times. You also have to do CSS in the 1,2,3,4 stages they do. You cannot skip any so its 4 separate days tuition.

So what he teaches is similar to css ?? just had a look at his website and you can book different instructors and the cost does not look to bad

[duke63]

It's not dissimilar but there are times where he will totally disagree with CSS. Much of what CSS teach appears to be about mental barriers rather than practical tips.

[Frankie]

I Like Simon Crafar's aproach, I have his vid, I wish I could actually put it into practice!.
As for your riding mate you are quick and smooth, I followed you a few times at Cartagena and have some footage, I think this is when you were on Pauls blade. You can see you how smooth you are.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6To4QAd6PQ&t=181s[/video]

[Cavetroll87]

Not tried it myself but heard good things about the James Whitham days, small numbers and all the riders are ex or current bsb lads so know why they are quick, not a bad price either from what I recall

[rocket]

A bunch of lads from the 2 stroke forum went on the Jamie Whitham day and said it was good but when i probed they said its more like a quite track day than training / coaching

[Scuff]

It's no good Rocket , you'll just have to sell a kidney and with the money go racing

[Blade]

Not tried it myself but heard good things about the James Whitham days, small numbers and all the riders are ex or current bsb lads so know why they are quick, not a bad price either from what I recall

To be honest I did the Chris walker school and me and Duke got paired with Taylor Mackenzie and yes he was fast but useless at instruction. I think his feedback was just ride quicker which I could have told myself for free.

[duke63]

And when i was starting to catch him, he pressed the eject button on my bike.