Seeking Recommendations for Riding Schools

[bpreynolds]

Another thread made me again think of this.  For years I've been threatening to attend a really good advanced riding school.  I'm taking recommendations here.  Anyone have a specific school/program attended that was greatly benefiicial?  I'm curious about the one where they make you ride in dirt - dirt riding for street skills.  Nothing upon nothing made more of a difference in my riding skills as all those years in motocross.  But, I dunno if that'd necessarily be my first choice.  Maybe it should be.  Anyhow.  Nothing but ears here.   

[oldbike54]

 Edited a bit for clarity , one drives a car and a golf ball , one rides a horse and a motorcycle 

 Dusty

[bpreynolds]

Edited a bit for clarity , one drives a car and a golf ball , one rides a horse and a motorcycle 

 Dusty

Pfffft.  Shrug.  Ol' Billy Shakespeare here is not so offended, I guess 

[bpreynolds]

Don't think ol' Billy knew anything about golf , cars , horses , OR motorbikes 

 Dusty

Never turned a curve but many a phrase
 

[kingoffleece]

Ha ha.  That was cleaver.

I've been twice thru Stayin' Safe.  I learned a LOT about street riding.  And no, it wasn't slow and boring and did not suck the fun out of riding.  In fact, in New England, Ken Condon is the lead instructor, and he ain't slow by any measure.  He's also the lead instructor at Tony's Track Days.

Lots of my friends take classes at VIR and they have become extremely skilled riders.  I know the Jersey boys can point you to good stuff there as well.

You can always try Keith Code Superbike school or Yamaha Champions School.  I know others will pipe in with more soon.

[LowRyter]

I'd start with the local MSF and work from there.  I don't think one school is so much better  than another when you start out.  You have to work your way up and practice a lot in between.  I wouldn't looks for a silver bullet riding school more than looking at mail order PhD.

I've done three MSF schools and a couple of local track days at the sheriff's training facilities.  Yeah, I'd like to go to Jason Pridmore's someday but so it goes.  I expect to go to a one day road race school at Hallett in my Corvette.  I'd like to do the Hallett motorcycle school but I've never got motivated to prep and trailer my Bandit (or V11 Sport).

my two cents as asked. 

[bpreynolds]

I'd start with the local MSF and work from there.  I don't think one school is so much better  than another when you start out.  You have to work your way up and practice a lot in between.  I wouldn't looks for a silver bullet riding school more than looking at mail order PhD.

I've done three MSF schools and a couple of local track days at the sheriff's training facilities.  Yeah, I'd like to go to Jason Pridmore's someday but so it goes.  I expect to go to a one day road race school at Hallett in my Corvette.  I'd like to do the Hallett motorcycle school but I've never got motivated to prep and trailer my Bandit (or V11 Sport).

my two cents as asked.

Hey I appreciate the input from you, King, and Dusty.  I should have noted I've had the basic MSF course from way back in the day.  I wanted to take an advanced rider MSF course but they are taught sparingly in KY - or at least that I can tell from previous searches.  I'll look again as Spring might have more course offerings than when I looked before. 

[Johncolleary]

Street masters is a good school but not dirt training .  SOCal supermoto has some great dirt and pavement riding on a go cart track

[drawnverybadly]

http://www.totalcontroltraining.net/

Does anyone have experience with Total Control? They do classes all over the country and seems like a good step in between the MSF and something like Yamaha Champions School.

[rocker59]

The Jason Pridmore STAR schools I attended were of great benefit to me.

American Supercamp does sound fin!

[wrbix]

Of the courses I've done:
- MSF Advanced - yawn.

- Total Control - probably a good riding around a parking lot course, but we were not really impressed we learned anything other than some instructors are not suited to be instructors.

- Reg Pridmore's CLASS - we did it at VIR and Barber. A GREAT learning experience. Came away a much better rider at speed, trusting one's tires and the bike's ability to ride better than I can. Jump on this if/while you still can - Reg has been trying to sell the course for awhile now.

Stayin' Safe - the BEST course for the street rider IMHO. Lots of street time, excellent instructor, a truly worthwhile experience....


Hope this helps...YMMV, of course.

[redrider90]

The Jason Pridmore STAR schools I attended were of great benefit to me.

American Supercamp does sound fin!

I took the Pridmore school around 2003 when Jason was on crutches from a crash. Reg his father taught much of the course back then at Road Atlanta.
We never went on dirt, just on the big track. It made me a much better driver of MCs. My wife even commented on the difference when she road 2 up with me.

[LowRyter]

http://www.totalcontroltraining.net/

Does anyone have experience with Total Control? They do classes all over the country and seems like a good step in between the MSF and something like Yamaha Champions School.

I think my instruction at the Sheriff's track was based on Total Control.  I think my instructors were associated with TC but called their training "What's Next".  The are an Air Force couple (husband and wife) that provided MSF and track training. 

It's basically training for advanced street riders on a closed course as opposed to out and out track/race riding training. 

[krglorioso]

Brian:  Let's consider your needs and obvious priorities.  You insist on keeping that '98 Triumph T-bird, which consumes your every waking hour not spent at the library (He's not a slacker--he WORKS there).  You need to attend a mechanics' school, not a riders' school, since you get very little seat time and a lot  of wrench time.

Ralph

[oldbike54]

 That's brutal Ralph 

 Dusty

[bpreynolds]

Brian:  Let's consider your needs and obvious priorities.  You insist on keeping that '98 Triumph T-bird, which consumes your every waking hour not spent at the library (He's not a slacker--he WORKS there).  You need to attend a mechanics' school, not a riders' school, since you get very little seat time and a lot  of wrench time.

Ralph

That's brutal Ralph 

 Dusty

Clearly, they are serving beer in the peanut gallery today.   

Actually you two comedians, when finished with the Turdbird I will be opening my own mechanic school specifically for charming older Triumph triples.  It will be a four week course with one day spent on wrenching and the other 30 days covering these older triples' "interesting" design features.  Luigi has put in for advance registration but only to gain ideas he previously could not even fathom.  He seemed most amused at my recent discovery of needing to jack the bike and remove a portion of the suspension linkage and exhaust just to drop the oil pan.  File under "Can't make this stuff up."

[oldbike54]

 

 Brian , you think that modern Trip is a fussy beast , go buy a Meriden or Small Heath Trip (actually both built at Small Heath) . They will give you a completely different perspective re fussy 

 Dusty

[bpreynolds]

 

 Brian , you think that modern Trip is a fussy beast , go buy a Meriden or Small Heath Trip (actually both built at Small Heath) . They will give you a completely different perspective re fussy 

 Dusty

Tempting, Dusty. Very tempting.  But given I'd like to keep the few hairs I haven't pulled out yet, I'll pass 

[CLZ]

I've been to the Pridmore STAR School and American Supercamp.  I would highly recommend taking them both if you can. 

The other thing I would recommend is to go when you can take a 2 day class.  You end up "drinking from the firehose" and it helps to sleep on the info presented and then get back out on a track the 2nd day to further incorporate what you've learned. 

[Dilliw]

The 1 day Stayin' Safe by MotoMark1 really does sound interesting.  Thanks for this thread.