Recommendation for a Sport Bike Riding School

Sailariel · February 23rd, 2009, 05:55 PM

I need a recommendation for a Sport Bike Riding School on the East coast. I am not interested in becoming a racer--definitely too old, but would like to be able to get some professional input so that I can enjoy this fine bike more. If anybody knows of such a school, the info would be much appreciated. I know this forum can do it. To quote some of our younger members, "This forum kicks butt"

CC Cowboy · February 23rd, 2009, 06:20 PM

Jerry Wood runs the Penguin School (and Woodcraft). Jerry taught me back in the early 80s. I raced all though the 80s (then I had kids). I endurance raced with Jerry at Daytona (he crashed and I finished the last 3 hours by myself, except for Dale Quarterley doing a 20 minute stint, and we finished 6th). His sons are great riders. You can take the school at Loudon and various other tracks. Jerry can provide everything you need (including a bike) or you can use your own stuff. We are never too old.

http://www.penguinracing.com/index.cfm

kkim · February 23rd, 2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

We are never too old.

kazam58 · February 23rd, 2009, 09:08 PM

I'm actually very interested in this too...maybe instead of an advanced MSF course? Either way I think it'd be a blast, and informative to a young and reckless noob like myself.

Alex, Perhaps we could sign up together and represent the 250 class??

ninjabrewer · February 23rd, 2009, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

nb

komohana · February 23rd, 2009, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjabrewer

Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

nb

good one....my ex always askd when will i grow up

Sailariel · February 24th, 2009, 05:45 PM

Andy, That sounds like it would be fun. We should definetly explore that. Oscar, Thank you for the link. Laudon is not terribly far. Raced there with my Lotus way back.

kazam58 · February 24th, 2009, 06:13 PM

It sure would, all I'm missing is a set of leathers (all my other stuff is textile). I sure wish I had a Lotus to race right now....

CC Cowboy · February 25th, 2009, 08:22 AM

Loudon is no longer the same track you probably remember. If you raced the Lotus on the old track with the banked turns, beautiful hill (which made you wheelie all the way down), and swamp in the middle of the track, you are in for a NASCAR surprise. The track is more state of the art (NASCAR style) and isn't as motorcycle friendly, but still fun and much smoother. Have fun and tell me when you guys are going. If I'm up in New England at that time I will try to get up there to either watch or maybe participate.

talldrink · February 25th, 2009, 09:29 AM

I've been looking for the same thing in my area also (Philly).

Or that I could afford to pay (and convince) KKim to come out to school me for a good week.

I really would like to enjoy my 250 but I feel that the MSF course and practicing on my own is insufficient to achieve my goals.

kkim · February 25th, 2009, 11:16 AM

Deb -

I'd be happy to come out and school you for a week, but then we would never make it to the track.

Seriously, I've never been to a track in my life and I would love to attend some sort of school. In fact, I'm looking at possibly flying up to Cali in April to do just that, if my work schedule can be cleared.

If I were in your position, and had access to a track school, I would go without a second thought. Ride as fast as you feel comfortable, learn as much as you can and screw (well, not really

) the other guys. You pays your money, you gets what you need to get out of it. If you have to crash in your life, I can't think of a better place for it to happen than on a track... hopefully that won't happen.

So, go to the school, sharpen your skills and then you can come here and school me!!!

CC Cowboy · February 25th, 2009, 01:22 PM

Two tracks are located near Phili., Pocono and the new track in south Jersey. You will find that besides the schools many track days have instructors. A few minutes on google will give you all the info needed to have a rewarding track experience.

talldrink · February 27th, 2009, 10:06 AM

thanks CC! I didn't know there was a track in SJ; I will check it out.

toku · February 27th, 2009, 02:13 PM

I went to the Kevin Schwantz school at Road Atlanta. It was a 2 day event with lots of track and classroom time. The information presented there was really valuable, I still find myself thinking about it while just cruising out on the streets. The program is set up so it's about 3 people per instructor on the track and they have a few bikes just running around filming so basically you can get as much or as little feedback as you want. The program helped me strengthen the feeling of the bike being an extension of the self. Another benefit is that it gave me a discount on insurance, for my age bracket that's a huge plus.

empire00 · February 27th, 2009, 03:22 PM

anyone know of a good one southern IL? gateway intl is the closest track i know of and i haven't seen a school that operates there.

CC Cowboy · February 27th, 2009, 06:39 PM

Here is a short list of schools;

Racing Schools: When, Where, How Much?
The paper Roadracing magazines (see 6.1 have listings of dates for
most of the track schools. You can also check racingschools.com. It
also cover car schools, but just grit your teeth and skip past them.

Penguin RoadRacing School
347B Pratt Street, Mansfield, MA 02048. 508-339-4673 Phone manned
9am-1pm Mon-Thur by Eric Wood. Held at Loudon, New Hampshire and
Bridgehampton, Long Island, on the Friday before every NE CCS race
weekend. $150 tuition. You can rent an EX500 ($225) and leathers
($40). Qualifies you for a CCS license (for $75) and racing the same
weekend. http://users.aol.com/penguinpro/penguin1.htm

MARRC Roadracing School
c/o Stephen Harris, 112 Woodland Dr, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, (301)
990-6408 (before 9pm). Taught at Summit Point Raceway in West
Virginia, on CCS race weekends. $140, with a $20 discount for
pre-entry. Qualifies you for a CCS license (for another $50) and
racing the same weekend.

Team Suzuki Endurance Advanced Riders School
Travels the country. Instruction from former GP rider David Aldana and
current members of the national endurance championship team. Can be
taken on a street bike (and most people do), but qualifies you for CSS
and WERA licenses.

Frank Kinsey
(407-267-4787) teaches the rider's school at Moroso Motorsports Park
in West Palm Beach, Florida. He also provides advanced instruction at
Roebling Road on the Friday preceding every CCS event (cost $125) and
organizes all-day beginning to advanced classes on other days ($200).
He will also provide individual or small group rider's school
classroom sessions on request.

Ed Bargy's Real Race School
770-745-7809, ebrs@mindspring.com, at various tracks in the Southeast.
$165. Lots of track time and high quality instruction from Ed.
Qualifies you for WERA and CCS licenses and you get a $50 gift
certificate for Michelins. http://www.mindspring.com/~ebrs

The Southeast Sportbike Associations's School
The SSA rents tracks in the southeast for racers and street riders to
get on the track. track time is $75-$125 for the day, and the class is
an additional $25. Qualifies you for a WERA and CCS license.
Concentrates on the flagging and starting procedures and isn't a
go-fast type class.

Keith Code's California Superbike School
818-246-0717, 800-530-3350, FAX: 818-246-3307 PO Box 9294, Glendale
CA, 91226. http://www.superbikeschool.com Some of Keith's classes are
taught on rental Honda RS125 GP bikes, provided by Moto-Liberty, the
Texas racing guys. You should take one of these, in order to find out
how a racing bike is supposed to handle. It's good to have a
benchmark.

FasTrack Riders
310-699-2305. Willow Springs, Rosamond, CA. Classes given at Willow
Springs. Tom Sera is now the guy in charge; Lance Holst is an
instructor, and he also gives private lessons (818-666-0112).

Willow springs new racer school
805-256-1234

WERA New Racer Rider's School
770-924-8404. Summit Point, WV. Qualifies you for a WERA license.

AFM race school
510-537-8208. Given by AFM, the California racing organization. Mostly
Classroom race theory; very little track time. You must safety wire
your bike.

Fasttrax Performance Riding School
Run at Nelson Ledges Road Course in Ohio. Amazingly enough, I don't
have a phone number or snail address for them, but I do have a Web
Page. This Internet thing has gone too far.
http://members.aol.com/Fasttrax40/fasttrax.html

dp Safety School
805-772-8301. A street-bike class given at the various Northern
California tracks.

Learning Curves Roadrace School (LCR).
Closest raceschool to Road America. 7881 West Beckett Ave, Milwaukee,
WI 53218, 414-461-0116 or 414-327-0140, http://www.execpc.com/~rcrrik/

FAST Riding School
Runs at Shannonville and Mosport, Ontario, St-Eustache, Quebec, Race
City, Calgary, and Grattan, Michigan. They rent bikes (GSXR600, YZF600
or ZX6) and leathers. RR#1, Carrying Place, Ontario, KOK 1L0. Phone:
(613) 966-9464, Fax: (613) 968-2681, http://www.reach.net/~fast

Sloppy2nds · March 3rd, 2009, 06:45 PM

Might be a lil too far for some of you, but this may help someone else.

http://cornerspeed.net/ <===VIR

http://www.teampromotion.com/tpm.php <==pocono,VIR, NJMP

CC Cowboy · March 9th, 2009, 07:38 AM

I went to Bike Week. Got two tatoos, 7 hangovers, one t-shirt, a sunburn (it might be a windburn), and watched a terrible 200 and a great supercross.

While I was there NESBA had a display that stated they are giving free track rides on R1 and R6s. They are only 15 minutes rides but who cares it will be fun. They are also giving specials on trackdays.

kazam58 · May 23rd, 2009, 01:26 PM

well, I've been looking at the dates for a one day class at loudon, and I won't be anywhere near the northeast during any of them. A two day class is too expensive for me. So Alex, I must apologize but I won't be able to make it to that track this summer. Once I start going to Rochester I'll be pretty close to Watkins Glen, hopefully I can find something there. Though I haven't had any luck in turning up a motorcycle racing school there...just cars....

February 25th, 2009, 09:29 AM	#10
talldrink ninjette.org guru Name: Deb Location: Philly Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '09 ninja 250 (blue) Posts: 295	I've been looking for the same thing in my area also (Philly). Or that I could afford to pay (and convince) KKim to come out to school me for a good week. I really would like to enjoy my 250 but I feel that the MSF course and practicing on my own is insufficient to achieve my goals. __________________________________________________ A woman is like a teabag; you never know how strong she is until she's in hot water!

February 27th, 2009, 10:06 AM	#13
talldrink ninjette.org guru Name: Deb Location: Philly Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '09 ninja 250 (blue) Posts: 295	thanks CC! I didn't know there was a track in SJ; I will check it out. __________________________________________________ A woman is like a teabag; you never know how strong she is until she's in hot water!

February 27th, 2009, 02:13 PM	#14
toku ninjette.org member Name: Yuri Location: Happey Valley Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): 08 Ninja 250 Posts: 57	I went to the Kevin Schwantz school at Road Atlanta. It was a 2 day event with lots of track and classroom time. The information presented there was really valuable, I still find myself thinking about it while just cruising out on the streets. The program is set up so it's about 3 people per instructor on the track and they have a few bikes just running around filming so basically you can get as much or as little feedback as you want. The program helped me strengthen the feeling of the bike being an extension of the self. Another benefit is that it gave me a discount on insurance, for my age bracket that's a huge plus. __________________________________________________ Yoshimura CF Full System, Dynojet Jet Kit, Kleen Air System Removed, Woodcraft Clip-Ons, Sato Rear Sets, Galfer SS Brake Lines, 15/44 Sprocket Combo, Home Made Fender Eliminator

March 9th, 2009, 07:38 AM	#18
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	I went to Bike Week. Got two tatoos, 7 hangovers, one t-shirt, a sunburn (it might be a windburn), and watched a terrible 200 and a great supercross. While I was there NESBA had a display that stated they are giving free track rides on R1 and R6s. They are only 15 minutes rides but who cares it will be fun. They are also giving specials on trackdays. __________________________________________________ If everything seems under control; you're just not going fast enough!

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February 23rd, 2009, 05:55 PM	#1
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Recommendation for a Sport Bike Riding School I need a recommendation for a Sport Bike Riding School on the East coast. I am not interested in becoming a racer--definitely too old, but would like to be able to get some professional input so that I can enjoy this fine bike more. If anybody knows of such a school, the info would be much appreciated. I know this forum can do it. To quote some of our younger members, "This forum kicks butt"

February 23rd, 2009, 06:20 PM	#2
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	Jerry Wood runs the Penguin School (and Woodcraft). Jerry taught me back in the early 80s. I raced all though the 80s (then I had kids). I endurance raced with Jerry at Daytona (he crashed and I finished the last 3 hours by myself, except for Dale Quarterley doing a 20 minute stint, and we finished 6th). His sons are great riders. You can take the school at Loudon and various other tracks. Jerry can provide everything you need (including a bike) or you can use your own stuff. We are never too old. http://www.penguinracing.com/index.cfm

February 23rd, 2009, 09:08 PM	#4
kazam58 Sarcasm: Yea that'll work Name: Andy Location: Essex Jct, VT Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R Posts: 330	I'm actually very interested in this too...maybe instead of an advanced MSF course? Either way I think it'd be a blast, and informative to a young and reckless noob like myself. Alex, Perhaps we could sign up together and represent the 250 class??

February 24th, 2009, 05:45 PM	#7
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Andy, That sounds like it would be fun. We should definetly explore that. Oscar, Thank you for the link. Laudon is not terribly far. Raced there with my Lotus way back.

February 24th, 2009, 06:13 PM	#8
kazam58 Sarcasm: Yea that'll work Name: Andy Location: Essex Jct, VT Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R Posts: 330	It sure would, all I'm missing is a set of leathers (all my other stuff is textile). I sure wish I had a Lotus to race right now....

February 25th, 2009, 08:22 AM	#9
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	Loudon is no longer the same track you probably remember. If you raced the Lotus on the old track with the banked turns, beautiful hill (which made you wheelie all the way down), and swamp in the middle of the track, you are in for a NASCAR surprise. The track is more state of the art (NASCAR style) and isn't as motorcycle friendly, but still fun and much smoother. Have fun and tell me when you guys are going. If I'm up in New England at that time I will try to get up there to either watch or maybe participate.

February 25th, 2009, 11:16 AM	#11
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Deb - I'd be happy to come out and school you for a week, but then we would never make it to the track. Seriously, I've never been to a track in my life and I would love to attend some sort of school. In fact, I'm looking at possibly flying up to Cali in April to do just that, if my work schedule can be cleared. If I were in your position, and had access to a track school, I would go without a second thought. Ride as fast as you feel comfortable, learn as much as you can and screw (well, not really ) the other guys. You pays your money, you gets what you need to get out of it. If you have to crash in your life, I can't think of a better place for it to happen than on a track... hopefully that won't happen. So, go to the school, sharpen your skills and then you can come here and school me!!!

February 25th, 2009, 01:22 PM	#12
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	Two tracks are located near Phili., Pocono and the new track in south Jersey. You will find that besides the schools many track days have instructors. A few minutes on google will give you all the info needed to have a rewarding track experience.

February 27th, 2009, 03:22 PM	#15
empire00 ninjette.org member Name: Sean Location: Southern IL Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 250r SE, 2015 FJ-09 Posts: 171	anyone know of a good one southern IL? gateway intl is the closest track i know of and i haven't seen a school that operates there.

February 27th, 2009, 06:39 PM	#16
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	Here is a short list of schools; Racing Schools: When, Where, How Much? The paper Roadracing magazines (see 6.1 have listings of dates for most of the track schools. You can also check racingschools.com. It also cover car schools, but just grit your teeth and skip past them. Penguin RoadRacing School 347B Pratt Street, Mansfield, MA 02048. 508-339-4673 Phone manned 9am-1pm Mon-Thur by Eric Wood. Held at Loudon, New Hampshire and Bridgehampton, Long Island, on the Friday before every NE CCS race weekend. $150 tuition. You can rent an EX500 ($225) and leathers ($40). Qualifies you for a CCS license (for $75) and racing the same weekend. http://users.aol.com/penguinpro/penguin1.htm MARRC Roadracing School c/o Stephen Harris, 112 Woodland Dr, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, (301) 990-6408 (before 9pm). Taught at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia, on CCS race weekends. $140, with a $20 discount for pre-entry. Qualifies you for a CCS license (for another $50) and racing the same weekend. Team Suzuki Endurance Advanced Riders School Travels the country. Instruction from former GP rider David Aldana and current members of the national endurance championship team. Can be taken on a street bike (and most people do), but qualifies you for CSS and WERA licenses. Frank Kinsey (407-267-4787) teaches the rider's school at Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach, Florida. He also provides advanced instruction at Roebling Road on the Friday preceding every CCS event (cost $125) and organizes all-day beginning to advanced classes on other days ($200). He will also provide individual or small group rider's school classroom sessions on request. Ed Bargy's Real Race School 770-745-7809, ebrs@mindspring.com, at various tracks in the Southeast. $165. Lots of track time and high quality instruction from Ed. Qualifies you for WERA and CCS licenses and you get a $50 gift certificate for Michelins. http://www.mindspring.com/~ebrs The Southeast Sportbike Associations's School The SSA rents tracks in the southeast for racers and street riders to get on the track. track time is $75-$125 for the day, and the class is an additional $25. Qualifies you for a WERA and CCS license. Concentrates on the flagging and starting procedures and isn't a go-fast type class. Keith Code's California Superbike School 818-246-0717, 800-530-3350, FAX: 818-246-3307 PO Box 9294, Glendale CA, 91226. http://www.superbikeschool.com Some of Keith's classes are taught on rental Honda RS125 GP bikes, provided by Moto-Liberty, the Texas racing guys. You should take one of these, in order to find out how a racing bike is supposed to handle. It's good to have a benchmark. FasTrack Riders 310-699-2305. Willow Springs, Rosamond, CA. Classes given at Willow Springs. Tom Sera is now the guy in charge; Lance Holst is an instructor, and he also gives private lessons (818-666-0112). Willow springs new racer school 805-256-1234 WERA New Racer Rider's School 770-924-8404. Summit Point, WV. Qualifies you for a WERA license. AFM race school 510-537-8208. Given by AFM, the California racing organization. Mostly Classroom race theory; very little track time. You must safety wire your bike. Fasttrax Performance Riding School Run at Nelson Ledges Road Course in Ohio. Amazingly enough, I don't have a phone number or snail address for them, but I do have a Web Page. This Internet thing has gone too far. http://members.aol.com/Fasttrax40/fasttrax.html dp Safety School 805-772-8301. A street-bike class given at the various Northern California tracks. Learning Curves Roadrace School (LCR). Closest raceschool to Road America. 7881 West Beckett Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53218, 414-461-0116 or 414-327-0140, http://www.execpc.com/~rcrrik/ FAST Riding School Runs at Shannonville and Mosport, Ontario, St-Eustache, Quebec, Race City, Calgary, and Grattan, Michigan. They rent bikes (GSXR600, YZF600 or ZX6) and leathers. RR#1, Carrying Place, Ontario, KOK 1L0. Phone: (613) 966-9464, Fax: (613) 968-2681, http://www.reach.net/~fast

March 3rd, 2009, 06:45 PM	#17
Sloppy2nds just a n00b Name: Reeeeee Location: Tampa,FL Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): '06 R6/'08 250R Posts: 55	Might be a lil too far for some of you, but this may help someone else. http://cornerspeed.net/ <===VIR http://www.teampromotion.com/tpm.php <==pocono,VIR, NJMP

May 23rd, 2009, 01:26 PM	#19
kazam58 Sarcasm: Yea that'll work Name: Andy Location: Essex Jct, VT Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R Posts: 330	well, I've been looking at the dates for a one day class at loudon, and I won't be anywhere near the northeast during any of them. A two day class is too expensive for me. So Alex, I must apologize but I won't be able to make it to that track this summer. Once I start going to Rochester I'll be pretty close to Watkins Glen, hopefully I can find something there. Though I haven't had any luck in turning up a motorcycle racing school there...just cars....