#school

Being the resident sportbike guy at MO didn’t just happen overnight. I’ve been fortunate enough to have some good mentors in my early days of riding that prevented me from riding myself straight off a cliff. Then, through the perks that come with a job like this, I’ve been extremely lucky to receive the coaching of some of the best riders – and teachers – this sport has to offer.

Here at MO, we think training is important to keep our skills sharp; and training in other disciplines is one tool in our arsenal. So it goes without saying we are fans of anything that makes said training more affordable and accessible. As you probably know from our recent stories on participating in yet another 24 hour mini bike race and our very own Trizzle’s recent test of the turn-key ready-to-race 2019 Husqvarna FS 450 supermoto, we MOrons are big fans of taking advantage of the tighter confines and lower speeds of karting circuits as a way of refining one’s everyday ride craft – as well as race craft. Karting circuits are generally closer to home and the price of admission is significantly cheaper than full-size racetracks. As a matter of fact, almost any excuse to rip around a kart track on a turn-key supermoto is a legitimate one in our eyes.

Thanks to the recent launch of Live 100% Supermoto School, a supermoto rental, riding school, and race team for hire, we didn’t need to come up with any bogus excuses to take a day away from the palatial MO offices and get our butts back down to the kart track. Live 100% utilizes a fleet of wonderfully competent Husqvarna FS 450s, and I, your humble video producer/editor, got a chance to be in front of the camera for a change to give the new school a shot. In the process, I got schooled by a couple of fast MotoAmerica kids, but I also learned a lot, too. Check out the video to get the full experience.

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As you stare at your motorcycle at least once a day, as we’re sure most of you do, think about the best thing you ever did to it. If you haven’t done much, then take a second to think about the modifications you’d like to make to it. Now, add up what all those things would cost. You’re likely looking at a grand or two (exponentially more if you own something exotic) to get things where you want them to be.

What if I told you about a way to spend that money only once, while still positively impacting every motorcycle you ride or own after. The answer, of course, is a riding school. An often overlooked aspect of riding is investing in yourself rather than your motorcycle (yes, we’re guilty of it, too), and there’s no better way to do it than by improving your skills. Frankly, we don’t care what riding school you attend, but we’ve found schools to be the one area where you get your money’s worth every single time you ride. If you want some of the best teaching and training money can buy, look no further than the RiCKdiculous Racing School (yes, that’s how they spell it).

For many, the thought of going to school has never been very exciting – I know I spent a large chunk of my youth counting down the days until school was over. But really, the reason many of us couldn’t wait to get leave the classroom was because the subjects were pretty boring. While we were physically in the classroom, our minds kept wandering to the one thing we’d rather be doing – riding motorcycles!

With that in mind, stop for a second and imagine combining the two subjects: School and Motorcycles. For many the thought of taking a riding school is far down the list of priorities, if it’s even on the list at all. The more you think about it, the more you can understand how beneficial taking a riding school can be. Whether it’s a street school or a dirt program (or both if you’re into supermoto), taking a riding school is nothing like sitting in chemistry class. Schools range in price from a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand, and while that might seem steep, here are eight reasons why you need to get yourself back in the classroom.

The laws of physics haven’t changed, but its application to motorcycling can be hard to understand at times. To help educate local high school students, Ducati created the Fisica in Moto at the company headquarters in Bologna. Among its many features, the physics laboratory includes several interactive and hands-on displays to help understand the inner workings of Ducati motorcycles. Now the Fisica in Moto is open not just to students, but to the general public.

Developed with the help of teachers from the Malpighi High School of Bologna, the lab covers topics like desmodromic valve operation, the physics behind lean angle, and even the purpose of your helmet liner.

The laboratory will be opened on Saturdays and Sundays during the school year (October – June) and from Monday to Friday in Summer (June – September), closed on Wednesdays. Saturday-Sunday hours are 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:00pm and 4:00pm; Monday-Friday hours are 10:30am, 12:15pm and 3:00pm.

The Fisica in Moto tickets includes entry to the Ducati Museum (a must see, in my opinion), and tickets can be booked  here. Pricing structures are detailed below (in Euros):

Lately, I’ve been dissatisfied with my riding. I didn’t necessarily feel like I was doing anything wrong, but my mojo was definitely flagging. I felt like I was stagnating and needed to freshen up my technique. Perhaps some school was in order.

While considering this idea, I remembered what a profound effect Jason Pridmore’s STAR Motorcycle School had on my riding technique when I took a one-day class some 15 years ago. Pridmore’s 14-year professional racing career saw him become AMA 750 SuperSport Champion in 1997 and Formula Xtreme Champion in 2002. Internationally, he won the 2003 and 2012 FIM World Endurance championships. Being the son of the first AMA Superbike champion, Reg Pridmore, means most of his life has been immersed in the world of motorcycle racing. This background helped Jason to develop a strong curriculum for rider training that elevated my level of riding during my previous attendance at STAR.

Soon, I found myself impatiently awaiting March 13 and the beginning of a two-day STAR School event at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. Since the STAR School requires that you bring your own motorcycle, this event would also allow me to spend some quality time with my beloved 2003 Yamaha R6.

Track/Racing School Buyer’s Guide

Poll: MO Educated – Riding Schools

Like many riding/track schools, STAR School divides its time between classroom instruction and track sessions with riders placing themselves into either Street or Advanced groups. While the same information is taught in both levels, Pridmore delivers it in a way best suited for each grouping’s needs to improve their skills. The structure of these class periods is informal, with Pridmore sitting in front of the class asking leading questions which he uses as a springboard into the material he plans on covering.

Riding a motorcycle is relatively easy. Riding a motorcycle well is a little harder. And riding one well enough to bring home a trophy or two is another level entirely. Fortunately for us mere mortals looking to cut down our lap times, there are several schools around the country offering top-shelf instruction to help you ride faster. As a convenient byproduct, learning the proper techniques for faster riding also makes one a safer rider, too. Because remember, to finish first you first must finish. As we said before, there are several track schools out there. These are just a few examples.

Basic Rider Training

We all love a little trackday fun, but the truth is they can be expensive. It’s at least a C-note to get you in, plus the early wake-up call and long drive to the track. There’s gotta be a better way. Supermotard (Superbikers if you’re really old-school) is the answer. Essentially dirtbikes with street tires, they’re virtually bulletproof, and tires last way longer. Additionally, kart tracks – where their torque-happy engines are better suited – are closer to civilization and much cheaper to enter than full-size racetracks. It was the perfect solution for Tropical Fishtank editor, Tom Roderick, and myself to spend a day outta the office.