CALIFORNIA SUPERBIKE SCHOOL
LEVEL 1 – Rockingham – 6th August 2002
I admit I was terrified. I was looking forward to the theory, but the idea of mixing it with other riders on the track made me want to run and hide.
I
needn’t have worried.
Registration was at 7am, kit and bikes were
scrutineered and everyone allocated into groups – 3 groups working in rotation,
16 people per group and 3 people per instructor.
I was lucky in that the session I attended had
Keith Code running the classroom (so they all overran!). He put points across really well and pressed
us all to think for ourselves, so the theory made a lot more sense. Despite being track based, the classroom
sessions put the bias on road riding, and almost immediately after each session
we went out to put theory into practice, probably the best way to learn
anything. For most of us the track was
simply a safe and convenient way of practising – enabling us to concentrate on
what we were doing without the need to watch out for pedestrians, police,
potholes or cage drivers. That said,
having cars going anticlockwise round the oval while we were going clockwise
round the infield was initially a little disconcerting.
Everyone goes at a pace that is comfortable
for them – you are specifically requested not to go ‘all out’ so that you have
room to learn. Racing is taboo, passing
is allowed, with a minimum of 6 feet clearance so as not to intimidate people.
As Fazerbabe already said, the infield at
Rockingham is technical rather than fast, and as such I thoroughly enjoyed
going round it. I have no idea what
speed I might have attained as my clocks had been taped up – as were my
rearviews, which I kept trying to look in….. One of the early drills involved
turn in points being placed on the track – which for a total novice like me was
invaluable – I’d spent the first session wandering round like a lost sheep
(good job Fazey wasn’t there!)
With Keith Code lecturing, Andy Ibbott was out
as an instructor and I was one of his three charges for our group. I found the on track tuition impressive,
having contact either by hand signal or a quick chat in the pits at least once
a session, plus a debrief at the end, so you knew what you were doing right as
well as what to concentrate on.
There were two off track drills. One steering drill on your own bike, which
took the form of a refined CBT figure of eight, allowed instructors to correct
body position. The no BS bike was also
available, and no, nobody got it to steer without using the bars (it was suspiciously
heavy however!…)
It’s a long day, 7am to 5pm with an hour for
lunch, but went ridiculously fast, I was exhausted by the end of the day but
had learnt a lot – which I practised on the way home – and enjoyed myself into
the bargain. We were kept busy (even
spectators weren’t allowed to get bored) in breaks we could peruse the demo
bikes (and a little YSR80!) read Keith Codes books, look at the merchandise, or
help ourselves to the endless supply of food and drink. Lunch was also provided and very good too.
Mechanics were on hand for any problems. Three people binned their bikes and in every
case they were repaired and went back out.
One Ducati had a starter solenoid problem and while the mechanics were
working on it, the owner was permitted to take the R6 demo bike out
instead. All the staff do their utmost
to make sure you get the most out of the day – no matter how bizarre a request
may seem.
I would recommend this form of tuition to
anyone. To put it very basically it’s
advanced training in a safe environment, allowing you to gain in confidence on
your bike ready for the trials of the road.
Contact details are: California Superbike
School
Unit 105 Leyland Trading Estate
Wellingborough
NORTHANTS
NN8
1RT
01933
224449
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