Hello All
I thought that I would put up my last post to give you the benefit of my research and people let me just say....
1) Its winter therefore no riding
2) Reality TV has been non stop meaning my wife has driven me insane with crap TV
3) I have had time off work with little to do over Christmas
So it is far to say that my research has been some what intense
So sorry for the length of this post
Ron Haslam Race School
Great if you are brand new to track days and will give you the confidence to get on track and know what you are doing. You are paying your money for the class room time and the use of their bikes and their equipment so you can just rock up and they will provide helmet, leathers, gloves, boots and Honda CBR bikes. However if you have done some track days and are looking to improve your skills and you have a bike and all of the equipment then you only get 45 minutes on track and its only half a days training for £295 (premium). So for me this one is out just on a value for money (it should be noted that a neighbour of mine did this and loved it so as long as your happy with the track time for the money seriously consider this). The only down side that I have been told about is that you have the 1000cc Fireblades (Elite) on track at the same time as the 600cc, with the number of people that are on track at the same time you can get put off and seem a bit cramped. If you’re a new rider this is not really what you want or need.
California Race School
This is the daddy and without any shadow of a doubt if you want to learn how to do it properly then this is the one for you. You are using your own bike and your own kit and each level is an all day event. You are on "big boy" race circuits. The main issue with this is that if you really want to get this right and make the most of it then you are looking at 4 different levels. Each level is a day in its own right and you can not proceed to the next level until you have done the one before it. Each day is going to cost you as a minimum £400. If you want to add into this any form of insurance or bike hire you will be over £1000 per day before you know it. So for me this is to rich for my blood as I would want to at least do level 1, 2 & 3 to get the most out of what they teach and I can’t afford the £1200 bill to do that. But if you have the cash THIS IS THE ONE TO DO! I would note that on You Tube they did a TV series about the school and there are 6 episodes that you can watch 30 minutes each that give you a good insight to the school and some good tips for free. If you want to improve your riding these are well worth a watch.
Chris Walker Race School
If you are a racer / track day fast group rider and you are looking to get that bit better then this is the one for you. The training is done very much in the style of a race weekend with free practice and qualifying seasons etc. Also like Ron Haslem they provide your bike and your on Kawasaki' ZX6's. However my research has suggested a big word of warning, about 50% of you tube clips show people falling off whilst trying to follow instructors. Also multiple forum feedback have suggested that the day is very rushed, you don’t get much time to speak to your instructors between rides and class room seasons. Also I found several write ups that said that they were struggling to put into practice what they had been taught in the class room and as you always follow the instructor they are only watching you through wing mirrors and regularly disappear into the distance with the mantra "come on keep up" therefore not being able to offer a lot of feedback on what your doing as they cant really see you. If you have been to this school and have a different experience then I apologise and please do write about your experience but from my research this is not a school for me.
British Superbike School
This one is my odd ball one, but a good choice. This is worth considering. The price is right at £289. You are on your own bike and using your own kit. You are getting a good standard of tuition as the number of pupils per day is limited to ensure that you get the correct tuition from your instructor. This is an all day event from 7:30 to 5:30 you are on track 5 times with feedback and class room seasons throughout. You Tube clips show tracks with wide open space and little other riders on track that will get in your way. They show instructors in front pointing to turn in points and riding behind you to watch how you are getting on. I did not see a single clip of somebody falling off. I found very little about this on the forums which suggest that either there is not a lot of people that go or that it is neither brilliant or crap. The main reason that I counted this out is where it is located as it is in Gainsborough DN21 3PE which for anybody that is a member of this site it is a good 4 hour drive just to get there. You are going to need an over night stay before and after the day considering the start and finish times and to be honest it put me off a bit. I know that this is a silly thing also but the web site looks pants!! and gives the impression that it is not a professional outfit and if I am honest when I am spending hundreds of pounds I am looking for some confidence that I am going to somebody professional.... a little thing but it was enough to put me off.
Which leads me to the one that I will be booking
Motor Sport Vision or MSVT
This one was the biggest surprise of the lot..... by far....
I am a big BSB fan and if you asked me who organised it I would have quote MCE British Superbike. However and I quote:-
MotorSport Vision, owners of Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Snetterton and Cadwell Park, have acquired the promotional and organisational rights of BSB, and the championship will be operated by MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR) under the leadership of Series Director Stuart Higgs
Yes these are the guys that organise BSB!!!!!!!
Go and check out the MSVT web site and you will find a very very slick web site with lots of information. They deal in both Car and Bike track days and also support race licensing and can do your race licence test. Primarily what they are good at is arranging track days on our best lived BSB tracks that you and I can rock up and have fun on. If you look at the cost of the track days these are really not expensive. Obviously we are off season at the moment as weather is crap but you can book track days in Cadwell Park for £65 for 21st March. I am sure that the price will go up over the £100 for main tracks once we are into the season but even so prices for the premium tracks so far do not seem high.
Now add into this that they have both a Race and Track Academy as well as a single season training option and this become really interesting. A full days Track Academy (of which there is a level 1 and level 2) will set you back £250 + the cost of the track day. I am looking to do Brands Hatch and it would seem that I will be paying around the £350 mark based on my communication with them so far. Level 1 is more for beginner getting you on track and then teaching you the track basics. If you have done a couple of track days and are looking to learn how to do it properly (i.e. lines, visibility, throttle control, body position etc) then level 2 is what they would recommend (that would be me).
It is an all day event and you get 6 X 20 minutes track day seasons. You are on track with the normal track day people (So if you are looking to go with a friend that is planning to just do the track day then you can pass each other on track.) you get your instructor to a maximum of 3 people and he/she will spend time with you watch you then give you direction then move on to the other person whilst you practice then come back to you. The forum feedback suggest this is a great way of doing it as you get watched you get your feedback they check that you have got it then you get a chance to practice with out somebody over your shoulder the whole time before you get taught the next bit.
If the full days Academy is not for you then you also have the option for £25 to have an instructor give you help and feedback for a single 20 minute season. Also when you are booking track days with them you also get the opportunity to book to have garages on tracks where they are available.
The feedback on the web sites and the forums that I have found all looks positive although I will say that I found very little on You Tube. If you look on the web sites there are also links to magazine right ups that give feedback on the track days and the Academy and they all read very well.
Oh and by the way did I mention that in previous years instructors have included Tommy Hill and Shane Burne!!!!
People if your still reading I hope this was helpful. Please go and check it out I will be booking with them this year perhaps I will see one of you their with me.
;)
