California Superbike School, Vegas

[Racingredhead]

Headed to Vegas Feb 15/16 to do Level 4 with CSS. I had heard mixed reviews on the school not to mention the price! But also found I learned way more there than at a lot of other schools. Anyone else been to it?

[CC Cowboy]

I think Misti has been to a few but, hey, if they were going to pay me I'd go to a few also.

[Racingredhead]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

I think Misti has been to a few but, hey, if they were going to pay me I'd go to a few also.

Yeah she teaches there. Or at least did. I met her last summer at one a CSS school at the Ridge.

[Misti]

Originally Posted by Racingredhead

Yeah she teaches there. Or at least did. I met her last summer at one a CSS school at the Ridge.

I've been coaching with the school for over 10 years now I can answer any questions you might have! Is there anything you want clarified? Questions about the track? The format of the school? Fire away!

[Racingredhead]

Originally Posted by Misti

I've been coaching with the school for over 10 years now I can answer any questions you might have! Is there anything you want clarified? Questions about the track? The format of the school? Fire away!

Hey Misti!! How are you? Are you going to be instructing again this year? Yeah I did levels 2&3 at Vegas in Nov and doing 4 at Vegas again next month. Lots of fun :-)

One question for you ... what can you tell me about the CODE Race program?

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Misti

I've been coaching with the school for over 10 years now I can answer any questions you might have! Is there anything you want clarified? Questions about the track? The format of the school? Fire away!

How much do you get paid and why can't I teach (or do you actually have to be good at it)?

[AuroraMinx]

Hi Misti!
Do you work on drills at the CSC? Or is it more like other schools where you follow the leader around the track?

[rasta]

Is it a stretch to put track novices on Beemer liter bikes? Especially for someone that's been riding on a Ninjette with its monstrous 30ish hp?

[CycleCam303]

You'll be fine. The first level of CSS you most likely won't even get over 80mph. Most of the drills involve you plopping it in 3rd and focusing on lines and throttle roll ons in the corners.

Ducati Dave used to help out to get cheap/free track time. Many of the riders just came out of the msf. It's all in the wrist man. Have you been on a BARF group ride before? Plenty of incredibly slow and talentless riders on bikes that can get to 180mph pretty damn fast.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by rasta

Is it a stretch to put track novices on Beemer liter bikes? Especially for someone that's been riding on a Ninjette with its monstrous 30ish hp?

Not really, bmw's have different power modes with all kinds of electronic goodies and most likely it will be in the rain or sport mode. Will you still need to take care? You betcha, will it be a terrible problem that ends your day there? Most likely not.

[Racingredhead]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Not really, bmw's have different power modes with all kinds of electronic goodies and most likely it will be in the rain or sport mode. Will you still need to take care? You betcha, will it be a terrible problem that ends your day there? Most likely not.

Yeah for the first level they leave it in rain mode most of the day. I didn't care. It was fast enough! And yes for level one they do a bunch of slow drills but for the most part let you go as fast as you want as long as you don't put anyone at risk ie do safe passes.

[rasta]

Good feedback guys. I've definitely considered it, it's just sooooo damn expensive

[Misti]

Originally Posted by Racingredhead

Hey Misti!! How are you? Are you going to be instructing again this year? Yeah I did levels 2&3 at Vegas in Nov and doing 4 at Vegas again next month. Lots of fun :-)

One question for you ... what can you tell me about the CODE Race program?

Hi I should be coaching at the Ridge this year and maybe one or two other schools if I can swing time away from my little ones! I won't be at Vegas though

The race program is super fun! It is definitely geared towards those that are already racing or that want to race and is usually full of pretty fast guys. It is less structured compared to the CSS regular schools in that there aren't 20minute seminars followed by a session of track riding where you work on that one thing but more like and open riding session where your coach follows you and picks out one or two specific things that you need to work on. There are shorter seminars on things like racing lines and then we do lots of race related drills like radar lines, where we use a radar to test your exit speed on different lines, braking and downshifting exercises, starts and of course a mock race. There aren't any close passing rules. It's a lot of riding!

I got to take the race school one year as a student and wow, it was pretty awesome It helps to have a solid foundation in the CSS techniques that are taught in the regular classes though you don't have to have attended CSS in order to participate.

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

How much do you get paid and why can't I teach (or do you actually have to be good at it)?

We get paid alright for the schools though when you factor in the hours we put in it's definitely not about the money but more about the fact that we get paid to ride and it is a wicked awesome job!! It takes a hell of a lot of training and hard work to be accepted into the school as a coach and even after 10 years with the school I'm still handing in training homework and writing training tests. Whether you take the school in Australia, Greece, USA or Britain, the coaching will be the same and everyone has had to learn the exact same material and pass the same tests.

Originally Posted by AuroraMinx

Hi Misti!
Do you work on drills at the CSC? Or is it more like other schools where you follow the leader around the track?

Both. At the school you will attend a seminar where you will be taught a specific skill like throttle control or quick turning or something, from there you will head to the track for a riding session where you will practice that specific technique while your on track coach follows you and leads you on track and then debriefs you at the end of the session. The student to coach ration is 3:1 at the single day schools and 2:1 for the two day camps. You continue with this format throughout the day and do 5 seminars and 5 riding sessions in single school days and 5 seminars and 7 riding sessions on two day camp days.

Originally Posted by rasta

Is it a stretch to put track novices on Beemer liter bikes? Especially for someone that's been riding on a Ninjette with its monstrous 30ish hp?

No. Actually the school has seen a drop in crashes since they started using the BMW's and everyone raves about the bikes. They are super user friendly and are always started in rain mode which is very confidence inspiring and safe.