At a recent track day Darren Sweetman from California Superbike School commented that I had a terrible style, he put it a tad nicer but I knew what he meant! He showed me a couple of quick techniques and suggested I look into attending the Superbike School.
Im not a technical rider and I dont like to have too much information to think about, I just get on and try to ride fast so I had never really considered the School. It wasnt until I got a few tips and started to study some of the top GP riders techniques that I started to really see the benefits of what the school could do for me. I think after watching how the GP riders, ride then studying my own style I think the reason I have been able to get away with it is slightly due to the nature of the NZ tracks being more stop start.
So I have been booked in for all 4 levels and I have over the past 2 days just completed levels 1 and 2. The California Superbike School and the normal Hampton Downs track days have to be the best, most well run events held in Motorcycling in NZ. They are spot on time every time, all the staff know exactly where everyone is supposed to be at what time it just runs like clockwork.
Day 1 - Level 1
The day consists of 5 or 6 classroom sessions and 5 track sessions. Im not going to go into detail of what exactly each session was about as I will leave it for you to enjoy the surprise if you are fortunate to attend.
In the early classroom sessions I found my natural defence mechanisms wanting to disagree with the head instructor Steve Brougie just for my argumentative nature but I held me tounge as I was there to learn and I just thought to myself that if this guy is the first point of call for world class racers like Leon Camier then who the hell am I to question what he is saying. Even though I carefully listened to all the facts put forward to me I wasnt going to fully accept them as fact until I had tried and proved the techniques to myself.
After my first few sessions I felt that the information I had been given had raised more questions than it had answered and that as hard as I could try I couldnt seem to make the bike react how it had been explained. This is when it became abundantly clear that the way I have been riding the bike was not ideal.
Now level 1 and level 2 are not designed to change your riding style or body position, it is designed to make you aware of what you are already doing while riding the bike and show you how to do those things better. The problem is that I couldnt do the things better the way I was riding so my coach explained a few techniques for me to change my body position so I could actually use the riding tools they were trying to teach me.
In the very next session I adapted my riding position, it felt really un-natural for me and for me to change for good will take a lot of work but I could notice a difference like night and day to the controls inputs I was able to put into the bike.
Day 2 - Level 2
Day 2 follows the same script as day 1 but it goes down another path in teaching you another set of skills to use on the bike.
They do an amazing job in designing each session so you have to focus on just one aspect of riding in each session but I found myself trying to put all 10 things into practice at once and I was making a hash of it. The great thing is that you have a personal trainer between 2 riders who concentrate on only you 2 riders then after the session they give you a debrief and a chance to explain your problems and offer you advice. I was able to explain my problems and my trainer always had a solution.
By the end of the day I was able to use all my techniques and the riding style I had learnt and everything was becoming smooth.
There is no doubt in my mind that every rider will get something out of this School. I only wish I had been years ago so I didnt develop the bad techniques I already use. For me to get the most out of this training is going to take lots of work and I may find I will revert back to my old style in a race situation. Im really looking forward to level 3 and 4 when I can get the rest of the puzzle put together and convert the training into faster lap times.
This report of my experience at the school may have you a bit confused as I had to take in far more then was expected. If you do the the school how it was designed and try not get ahead of yourself, isolate each drill and concentrate on each technique, do all 4 levels and the whole programme will just flow and all gel for you.
I can guarantee this School will make you a safer and faster rider if you practice and master these techniques
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Originally Posted by Mental Trousers
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