California Superbike School (Silverstone): 20 Apr 08 - Page 15

**nogaromill999** · 21 Apr 08, 08:54 AM

I'm glad you all enjoyed the day as well as finding it useful.......I'm only sorry I couldnt be there to see you transform Paivi.....you'll enjoy it so much more now that you enjoy the cornering ! I wonder how many of you will be joining us on the DD grid soon?

**sweetpea** · 21 Apr 08, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogaromill999

I wonder how many of you will be joining us on the DD grid soon?

Nogaromill just be pleased that Jolley is out of the country most of the year......... He was one of the best riders on the track even though he has only been had only done about two weeks worth of riding. Someone from the school had to come over to congratulate him as they could not believe how well he could ride with that amount of experience.

He was also very good at overtaking

**Jolley** · 21 Apr 08, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paivi

All in all, an absolutely fantastic day, and if you haven't already done one, what are you waiting for? Don't wait for long, though, as the places are booking up fast!

It is a spot-on day as Paivi has said. I wanted to start off my riding career with the correct skills to start with, and I imagine (as Paivi said) that no amount of playing around by myself (ooer!) would have got me to this level of riding. I can now go away and practice safe in the knowledge that I have the skills to get round the twisties safely, avoiding the panic (that I am sure most new bikers have) mid-bend that results in going home via the hedge!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve GD

Great pic, Singletrack.... Given his closeness to your rear wheell, I'd say your instructor had a great deal of confidence in your abilities by the time this pic was taken.

Also check out where the rear tyre is contacting the track... not one of us had much in the way of "chicken strips" by the end of the day, which is all the more impressive considering how cold and wet it was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpea

Nogaromill just be pleased that Jolley is out of the country most of the year......... He was one of the best riders on the track even though he has only been had only done about two weeks worth of riding. Someone from the school had to come over to congratulate him as they could not believe how well he could ride with that amount of experience.

He was also very good at overtaking

So it wasn't me doing the close passing then?!

(I did actually think it was me!... I don't remember anything bad, but I passed a lot of people and it is a job to say what could have upset some people... although then the Instructors came out and were swarming all over everyone). I would love to race DD and would have actually entered this year if I wasn't still in the middle of the Indian Ocean. However, I will be moving to more of a "Hub" next time, and may well consider coming back for the odd race.... how many meetings are there?.......

(Oh, and it was the bike, not me!! (all I could do as the rider is de-stabalise it... right!!)).

**singletrack** · 21 Apr 08, 08:47 PM

Jolley, I am sure it wasn't you doing the close passing - the one time you got close to me was because some idiot went past on the inside of the bend where there was no room, and scared everyone into moving over.

**Paivi** · 21 Apr 08, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpea

Hey they have included free pictures of Paivi on my CD!!

Just as well, as my CD's faulty.

It whirs and clicks a couple of times, then just goes dead. I'll need to call them tomorrow to ask for a new one.

**JerryXt** · 22 Apr 08, 12:27 PM

I just had a chat with Corrina at CSS about another thing and brought up the close passing thing again. I suggested that each classroom session (particularly L1) should reiterate that it's not a race day or a track day, but a training day that happens to be on a track.

She thought that Andy did say that, but I couldn't recall that message, apart from the 12ft gap when passing. Corrina is in charge of the pits and the track and apparently did black flag several riders (I saw one during the day). They do also send people home if they're dangerous.

**Cali SS** · 22 Apr 08, 05:28 PM

Hi All,

Glad to read that you all enjoyed yourselves and saw that, despite being taught on track, that the skills are just as applicable on the road! After a corner is a corner where ever it maybe...

I would just like to cover off that close passing was indeed mentioned in the classroom, in fact I remember asking everyone in the Yellow and Green groups to take much more care when over taking as Course Control had reported to me that everyone was starting to get lairy. The 12 foot rule is infact a 6 to 8 foot distance we like students to have when overtaking. In most cases the over take wasn't thought out well enough. As I said, if in doubt it's already to late. Give it up.

That said I thought that all the classroom sessions where great with lively and enthusiastic partipation!

Hope to see you again for your next levels.

All the best

Andy Ibbott
CSS School Director
(Europe, Middle East, South Africa)

**Cali SS** · 22 Apr 08, 05:34 PM

Jerry XT,

I think you may have been there on the Saturday if I'm correct.

Close passing is mentioned in the safety briefing at the beginning of the day and you will find the info also in your Level work books.

When I mentioned that I spoke to Yellow and Green groups, this was on Sunday when Paivi, Jolley and the other people from Ducatisti were there.

Course Control will keep records of who is black flagged and the action taken - Corinna is also correct that repeat offenders will get sent home.

Andy
Superbike School :: Discover the art of cornering

**955SP** · 22 Apr 08, 08:15 PM

I was there on Saturday and I remember Corrina coming in to our green group class and asking Andy to mention about close passing.

While on the topic, I must say I really enjoyed Andys classes, so much so I bought his book and am about 50 pages in already. Wish I had known about it earlier, it is a great read for anyone keen to further their knowledge and really get more serious about their riding.

Both myself and Jolley did Ron Haslam today and while I enjoyed it, CSS was far better IMHO.
On the plus side Ron Haslam is out on a track so you get to deal with positive and negative camber, hairpins, blind corners etc. Negative is that you are 2 to 1 with an instructor and you just get towed around (slowly in out case). Plus all of the instructors feedback is based on what he sees in his mirrors?

**Paivi** · 22 Apr 08, 08:18 PM

We were definitely reminded of the 6-8ft, or a classroom width, rule, as well as that it's not a race. I think, understandably, people started to get frustrated and passed as soon as they could, even if that took them too close.

**JerryXt** · 22 Apr 08, 08:42 PM

yup, I remember the close passing brief.

I got exactly what I've been looking for in training and booked for L2 within 24 hours of getting back from Silverstone. You've got great organisation, the right number of staff on hand - to me, the day was good value for money. I know you put a lot of effort to keep the groups even in terms of experience, but I think that the message that it's not a trackday wasn't as stong as it could have been. The idiot on the 'blade was the only downside of the day among many 'ups'

I'm glad I didn't do the day on my KTM tho - when you shut the throttle and countersteer to turn in, it doesn't half drop a long way

**Paivi** · 22 Apr 08, 08:49 PM

Which day are you on Level 2, Jerry?

Just realised, the remaining dates are weekdays, so that'd cost too much for me to do now, as I don't get paid if I don't work. May have to think of doing the Level 2 now. Bugger.

**JerryXt** · 22 Apr 08, 08:56 PM

b*llocks Paivi - just do it

I'm in the same boat and the day will cost me more than twice as much as the course, but the skills are worth it. Plus it's a day learning on a track and maybe it won't be 2 degrees and wet in July

**Paivi** · 22 Apr 08, 08:59 PM

So which one are you booked on, 22nd or 23rd? At least if it's at Brands, I don't have to worry about overnighting anywhere. 22nd seems to be full and 23rd only 7 places left, if it's up-to-date.

The problem is that I'm in financial services, and we're losing thousands of jobs this year, and one of those is quite possibly mine, as I'm just a lowly contractor, which my new boss made very clear to me yesterday...

**JerryXt** · 22 Apr 08, 09:09 PM

yup. me too - fund management at the moment, but everyone has to take a day off now and again. IMHO, companies lay off the people they want to bin first and keep the people they're happy with regardless of their emplyment status. Relax!

BTW, doing Brands on the 23rd - Corrina (aka SuperTrack Girl) told me today that 22nd is only for L1. Had to speak to her to get my certificate - couldn't find mine, but there was one left at the end of the day - some shady character called David Hicks???