CLASS Motorcycle School - Advice Needed - Page 2

apexismaximus · 02-24-2005, 11:06 AM

With your intent in mind I'd say you could spend your money wiser with STAR or one of the other "Racer" schools as they will focus more on the topics you want to work on.

Not to say you won't benefit from or enjoy CLASS, it's just not focused on a rider who only rides track and wants to ride better there.

As for Reg Pridmores suggested line on the street (tight to the inside on entry) I actually disagree and prefer to enter from a more typical racers line. I feel the argument he uses that you don't have time to react if someone is coming the other way and in your lane is a weak argument. I'd prefer to have the much farther look through the corner that a wide entry point allows, especially in the canyons where so many corners are tight and blind. I feel much safer with the additional information rather than the extra space he prefers. I feel this way mostly because cars in your lane is only one of the MANY hazards we face when riding quickly and gravel, road kill, and other traction robbing situations concern me more often. Seeing further into the corner before commiting just makes me feel safer. Of course he's ridden longer and won racing championships and I'm just some knob on the net with an opinion and 5 minutes to waste so you be the judge. :thumbup

Kenzo · 02-24-2005, 11:54 AM

I was bringing up the difference in lines aspect just from a track riding perspective. FYI Jason Pridmore teaches a more moderate and closer to mid track entry at the STAR school also. The benefits of this line for track riding and racing are that you get a longer breaking area and less chance of someone coming up the inside and stuffing you.

Little light 2 strokes need to swoop and carry high corner speeds, bigger and more powerful things like liter bikes need to spend as much time straight up and down as possible to take advantage of their drive.

My philosophy is to learn all the different variations and styles, be able to use them all, and pick the best one for my current situation based on the variables at hand.

Andrew229 · 02-24-2005, 06:00 PM

Thanks everyone for all your advice. I think I will take the CLASS school this year and save $$ for the STAR school next year. It's just so hard to attend these schools with my schedule and CLASS happen to fit in this year. I am really looking forward to attending the school in May and if anyone else is interested, please let me know cause there is a Friends discount. :thumbup

Andy

GSXR-Freak · 02-24-2005, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apexismaximus

As for Reg Pridmores suggested line on the street (tight to the inside on entry) I actually disagree and prefer to enter from a more typical racers line. I feel the argument he uses that you don't have time to react if someone is coming the other way and in your lane is a weak argument. I'd prefer to have the much farther look through the corner that a wide entry point allows, especially in the canyons where so many corners are tight and blind. I feel much safer with the additional information rather than the extra space he prefers. I feel this way mostly because cars in your lane is only one of the MANY hazards we face when riding quickly and gravel, road kill, and other traction robbing situations concern me more often. Seeing further into the corner before commiting just makes me feel safer. Of course he's ridden longer and won racing championships and I'm just some knob on the net with an opinion and 5 minutes to waste so you be the judge. :thumbup

I do not agree here at all.. I feel Reg has the right idea, as even if you are on the extreme outside of your lane, you are only going to be able to see a few more feet of the turn.... But you risk running over something that is on the road (remember, most cars are not riding on the lines, and the crap ends up where cars dont drive), hitting sand/silt/dirt, or having someone come at you and hit you....

Remember, if you moving at 60MPH and the guy coming at you is going 40MPH, it is like coming up on something at 100MPH. There isnt much time to react to that...

I would rather keep away from the DY and stay safe, even if I have to move at a lower speed....

John

apexismaximus · 02-25-2005, 12:45 PM

apexismaximus · 02-25-2005, 12:48 PM

When you go, be sure to get as much one on one with the instructors on the track. There are plenty of seriously fast control/instructor riders there. Get the chance to follow them and have them follow you so you can get some good pointers. You'll get a lot out of that and the lectures too, even if you don't agree with everything they say. :thumbup

apexismaximus · 02-25-2005, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSXR-Freak

I do not agree here at all.. I feel Reg has the right idea, as even if you are on the extreme outside of your lane, you are only going to be able to see a few more feet of the turn....

On the roads I frequently ride I feel I can see MUCH more than just a couple feet with the wider entrance. Just my :2cents

And what if the person is completely in your lane, if you are on the extreme inside you not only see them coming much later but have fewer options for how to avoid them.

Again, I agree somewhat with the idea of getting more separation from oncoming cars but I don't think they are the biggest risk I face. I've had maybe 10 real close calls due to debris and never had a car far enough into my lane that I had ANY trouble avoiding a collision. And lets face it. if I can start braking just 10 feet sooner it can have a real impact on the outcome (no pun intended). In car and driver once they printed a letter from some guy who just didn't see the big deal with one car having a 10 or 20 foot shorter braking distance from a certain speed. The editors responded with some info that realy opened my eyes. They said that at the 10 or 20 foot distance (whichever it was??) the car with the worse brakes was still doing 25 mph!!!! Now I tell you what, stopping just a few feet sooner can make a BIG difference in the speed you hit or in saving the hit in the first place. I'll take the 10-30 feet I can see further by a wider entrance.

Not trying to start an argument, just getting my opinion out there fully.

Ride safe

Grant

Kenzo · 02-25-2005, 06:18 PM

I have to side with GSXRfreak on this one. Not because I like Pridmore and have his book sitting here on my coffe table (nice photo John) but because I've tried it both ways and found the tighter line safer. Go to an empty canyon road, stand on the double yellow at your entry point, and see how much you can see through the turn. Now move just 6ft in and do the same thing. There really isn't that much difference. Yes you can see a little farther down the road but you now have half the options should an emergency arrive and you're setting yourself up to clip someone driving the other direction should they share you theory of taking their half out of the middle.
I have had cars and trucks come around a turn in my lane. Even if I needed to I could not have reacted with enough time to save my ass had I been out on the DY. Another thing to think about is what if you come upon an obsticle in your path. If you're out on the DY you only have one choice; lean farther and try to cut the turn tighter. Had you been running a moderate line you have your choice of actions.

You may be more comfortable doing it but I wouldn't expect many experienced riders to agree with you that it's the safest practice.

02-24-2005, 06:00 PM	#13
Andrew229 Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 54 iTrader: (0) Rep Power: 4 (10)	Thanks everyone for all your advice. I think I will take the CLASS school this year and save $$ for the STAR school next year. It's just so hard to attend these schools with my schedule and CLASS happen to fit in this year. I am really looking forward to attending the school in May and if anyone else is interested, please let me know cause there is a Friends discount. :thumbup Andy __________________ My habits are Xtreme.....

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

02-24-2005, 11:06 AM	#11
apexismaximus Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Redlands Posts: 57 iTrader: (0) Rep Power: 4 (10)	With your intent in mind I'd say you could spend your money wiser with STAR or one of the other "Racer" schools as they will focus more on the topics you want to work on. Not to say you won't benefit from or enjoy CLASS, it's just not focused on a rider who only rides track and wants to ride better there. As for Reg Pridmores suggested line on the street (tight to the inside on entry) I actually disagree and prefer to enter from a more typical racers line. I feel the argument he uses that you don't have time to react if someone is coming the other way and in your lane is a weak argument. I'd prefer to have the much farther look through the corner that a wide entry point allows, especially in the canyons where so many corners are tight and blind. I feel much safer with the additional information rather than the extra space he prefers. I feel this way mostly because cars in your lane is only one of the MANY hazards we face when riding quickly and gravel, road kill, and other traction robbing situations concern me more often. Seeing further into the corner before commiting just makes me feel safer. Of course he's ridden longer and won racing championships and I'm just some knob on the net with an opinion and 5 minutes to waste so you be the judge. :thumbup

02-24-2005, 11:54 AM	#12
Kenzo Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 87 iTrader: (0) Rep Power: 4 (10)	I was bringing up the difference in lines aspect just from a track riding perspective. FYI Jason Pridmore teaches a more moderate and closer to mid track entry at the STAR school also. The benefits of this line for track riding and racing are that you get a longer breaking area and less chance of someone coming up the inside and stuffing you. Little light 2 strokes need to swoop and carry high corner speeds, bigger and more powerful things like liter bikes need to spend as much time straight up and down as possible to take advantage of their drive. My philosophy is to learn all the different variations and styles, be able to use them all, and pick the best one for my current situation based on the variables at hand.

02-25-2005, 12:45 PM	#15
apexismaximus Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Redlands Posts: 57 iTrader: (0) Rep Power: 4 (10)	edit

02-25-2005, 12:48 PM	#16
apexismaximus Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Redlands Posts: 57 iTrader: (0) Rep Power: 4 (10)	When you go, be sure to get as much one on one with the instructors on the track. There are plenty of seriously fast control/instructor riders there. Get the chance to follow them and have them follow you so you can get some good pointers. You'll get a lot out of that and the lectures too, even if you don't agree with everything they say. :thumbup

02-25-2005, 06:18 PM	#18
Kenzo Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 87 iTrader: (0) Rep Power: 4 (10)	I have to side with GSXRfreak on this one. Not because I like Pridmore and have his book sitting here on my coffe table (nice photo John) but because I've tried it both ways and found the tighter line safer. Go to an empty canyon road, stand on the double yellow at your entry point, and see how much you can see through the turn. Now move just 6ft in and do the same thing. There really isn't that much difference. Yes you can see a little farther down the road but you now have half the options should an emergency arrive and you're setting yourself up to clip someone driving the other direction should they share you theory of taking their half out of the middle. I have had cars and trucks come around a turn in my lane. Even if I needed to I could not have reacted with enough time to save my ass had I been out on the DY. Another thing to think about is what if you come upon an obsticle in your path. If you're out on the DY you only have one choice; lean farther and try to cut the turn tighter. Had you been running a moderate line you have your choice of actions. You may be more comfortable doing it but I wouldn't expect many experienced riders to agree with you that it's the safest practice.