California Superbike School

So… they tried to do the right thing and get me more track time, offering a substantial discount on a future track day. It turns out this year’s schedule didn’t quite work for me, but I give them props for trying to do right by their clients. Thanks to Coby for the efforts.

Very impressed with them. You will become a better rider even if you are darn good. Great equipment and impressive organizational skills. The whole business operates like a well-​oiled machine. I have done the first level and I will do all four.

Every rider should take this course, regardless of what bike you ride, where you want to ride, how you want to ride. The instructors were wonderful, knowledgeable, accurate, patient, safe, relaxed, and valuable information was explained in a way that everyone would retain.
I am newer on a sport bike only 500-​ish miles. I had a Harley iron 883 previously (put on apx 3500 miles) and now own a Daytona 675.
I learned so much! I want to go fast, even more so I want to be safe. Gear and maintenance will help keep you safe, but confidence and knowledge will keep you on two wheels! I gained more confidence and knowledge in this course then the 4000 mile of experience I have had.
The money is well worth it, I would pay even more. Every time we go riding, we are at risk. We put our bodies, our lives, our futures in danger. Get all the information you can, use it, ride with everything that is available. CSS does an excellent job helping you become a wonderful conscious rider.

I’m a believer… I thought I knew enough watching the TOTW II DVDs and the book over years… It turns out this was exactly the course I needed to bridge the gap. Already planning Level II for later this year. Highly recommended

All I can say is WOW!
I knew going in this was a world-​class school based on the famous Twist of the Wrist books and decades of teaching experience (i.e. I knew it would be good). What I didn’t know was just how good. In a matter of a weekend, I learned more than I did on the street in the 5 years prior (sounds cliché but true), appreciate and now dream about track riding and in general, elevated my love for riding.
You can definitely tell that the program’s daily schedule has been refined and perfected over the years. Between the professional staff, amenities supplied throughout the day, insightful instructors and super talented riding coaches, I can honestly say that this weekend was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life (on or off a bike).
I highly recommend this school to anyone and everyone wanting to improve their abilities on a motorcycle and can wholeheartedly say it’s worth the price tag. I’ll definitely be back for high-​level courses.
Thank you, Superbike School! I am so happy I choose your school and can honestly say it transformed me as a rider. While lap times alone don’t mean anything, I think it is safe to say when you are able to knock off more than 25% from your starting lap times, you are doing something right. :)
Tips:
Tip #1: Depending on the location, choose a time of the year with comfortable weather. Because I was doing mine in Las Vegas, I felt early in the year (March) would avoid doing the school in scorching hot weather.
Tip #2: Be aware that you will be VERY tired after each day of school. Because of this, stay somewhere close to the school and don’t plan to do too much that evening. There were people in my school that stayed at the Vegas strip (30 minutes away) and didn’t go out at night because they were so tired. That said, I would plan to come a day earlier (or stay a day later) if you really want to do something outside of the school. Note: The school does a good job at providing you with a list of nearby places to stay that offer a good rate.
Tip #3: Bring your own gear if possible. I felt this benefited me because it will allow me to transition the skills I learned more easily when I get on my own bike.
Tip #4: Bring a notepad to class and keep it with you all day. While they do provide booklets with a summary of the lessons, I felt by taking notes throughout the class sessions helped a lot. If not for the class sessions, but for the feedback provided by the riding coaches. In general, it helped retain a lot of the information I received that weekend. And yes, there is a LOT of information that will be thrown at you.
Tip #5: I recommend taking Level 1 and 2 on the same weekend. While it is a lot of information to take in, having the two days back-​to-​back really gives you an opportunity to get into a rhythm and further develop your riding skills more efficiently and effectively. The purpose of the school isn’t to have you walk away being able to perform the drills perfectly through all the corners in every lap. I believe the objective is to have you walk away with a set of tools to practice at future trackdays and/​or street riding.
Tip #6: Come with an open mind. This one sounds silly but you have to be willing to let go of your previous habits and tendencies and start over if that is what’s necessary. I started off very slow because I consciously didn’t want to do what I was used to doing. As difficult as it is sometimes to get feedback on things you can improve on, the instructors and coaches really are out for your best interest. Trust them and your newfound abilities will thank you.
Background Information: I have been riding for 5+ years and currently own a 2005 Suzuki GSX-​R750. Took Level 1 and 2 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 14 – 15, 2015.

I just finished up a 2 day camp at LVMS and although my bank account might not be happy, I am absolutely thrilled at my transformation. I have yet to apply my newly learned skills to the road but without a doubt, I have improved phenomenally as a rider. The staff and coaches are top notch; everyone is extremely professional, courteous and insightful. I can’t wait to come back to do level three and four!

I just attended the 2-​day camp (Level ½) at Streets of Willow with only a couple years of riding experience. I currently have a Ducati Monster but riding in the streets of LA has its limits so I wanted to learn track riding to get a more broad experience, and learn the correct techniques.
First of all, CSS has all levels of riders and backgrounds. I used to think it was only for really experienced riders but the students run the gamut, from newbies who just got their license 6 mos ago, to those who have 10+ years of experience. I never felt self conscious because the coaches are really great with everyone.
CSS runs a tight ship — there are two groups who alternate between classroom and track. There’s a lot of info to absorb each day, and you get plenty of riding time. The coaches ride with you, observing what you’re doing right and wrong, and debrief you afterwards. Two students are assigned to one coach.
My only regret with the school is that my 5’4″ height limited me from riding the brake bike, lean bike and camera bike. It would’ve been nice to truly get the full experience but I didn’t feel safe on those bikes with my toes barely touching the ground. Others with a similar height may not have an issue with this, based on their confidence. For the track, however, I used their special lowered bike (BMW F800) which was comfortable for me.
Great school in overall and I’m really glad I experienced it.

I went as a beginner for a 2 days bootcamp and it was an awesome experience. Teachers make every effort to explain riding skills on and off the track. You will make use of different tools to improve your performances: class lessons, video recordings, leaning bike, coach track monitoring and after-​session briefing. Most important the crew is committed to leverage your skills.

I went to CA Superbike School at Streets of Willow in April 2013. I attended the one-​day Level 1 class. I had been street/​canyon riding everyday for a couple of years, but this was my first time on any track. I’d heard a lot of great things about this school in particular and having read and watched the Twist of the Wrist (s), I was excited to learn from the school that Keith Code started.
EVERYONE involved, attendees included, were amazing. The instructor’s ability to diagnose, instruct, and their desire to follow through with you is nothing short of incredible. They ride so exquisitely that I they are like dancers — but on bikes. I’m sure that it is their attitude and reputation that attracts such a respectable crowd with a real desire to improve their skills. I didn’t see a single squid or bully.
When I got frustrated, they were patient and supportive and took time to explain to me what I was doing wrong and how to correct it. (My instructor was James) As a female rider, and new on track, I entered this expecting some level of prejudice or dismissive attitude, no matter how subtle. But I received nothing of the sort and I am thrilled.
In the end, I learned a lot of VERY helpful stuff. When I first signed up for the class, I felt like I had pretty good control over my bike and I definitely loved to ride. But afterwards … I knew I had reached a new level and my riding has definitely improved. I never thought it would have been possible, but now I love riding EVEN MORE! X— How’s that possible?!
This crew is a class act. I will definitely be attending the other levels!
PS. They do rent BMW 1000’s and gear. Being a petite female though, I just brought my own bike and gear, so I can’t comment on them. Also, the front office staff was very helpful and answered any and all of the questions that I had before my class day, no matter how trivial they may have been. THANK YOU CA SUPERBIKE SCHOOL!!!

Amazing. Fun, Informative. You will DEFINITELY become a better rider.

CSS and the Keith Code school were awesome, awesome, awesome. My only complaint was why the hell did I wait 20 years to do this!
Instruction was great, step-​by-​step and focused on one technique at a time. It’s a ground up rework of our style. The instructors were the best I’ve seen in any training and plenty of student attention. Keith’s energy was great and he’s definitely still involved hands-​on in teaching.
I did the 2 day camp at Laguna Seca. Between the school, Laguna, and the BMW S1000RR’s– I’d honestly say this was one of the best things I’ve ever done!
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EDIT: Just went back to do the Level 3 School at Infineon. Loved it…

I have been lucky enough to take levels 1 – 3 of CA Superbike school at NJMP Thunderbolt, VIR Main, and Laguna Seca and it is an experience you will never forget! Great staff and instructors, extremely disciplined Curriculum that progresses very nicely. The techniques are tangible and easily applied plus have some real world implications. This class is more focused on racing than street riding and it should be since you should not be going 150mph down the street but you may hit that on some of the straights.
Some think it is expensive but honesly it is not a lot more expensive than a regular track day if you really add things up, For me I would have to rent a trailer, buy new tires, gas (including the extra gas to tow something vs driving there without a trailer), then actually pay for the track day… by the time you are done a regular track day costs you $ 500+ wear on your own bike, and you do not get the instructors or the safety net of the insurance or the «Not my bike» worry free riding.
You will be a better rider, you will be faster, you will be smoother, you will be more confident and I cannot wait for next year with the new BMW 1000rr’s!
This is highly recommended for never on the track newbies all the way to privateer’s who want to step it up. You should probably have about 1 year of riding under your belt though as I would not recommend for brand new motorcyclists.

I just went to Keith Code’s CA Superbike School at Streets of Willow up at Palmdale/​Rosamond.
I am a novice. I went to Keith’s two day school on Oct 8 – 9 and it was incredible. I know it’s not cheap, but it is worth every penny. You ride their bikes (Kawa ZX6R – may 2006 or so) and they teach you from the basics. I thought I knew what I was doing when riding at Palomar, or just the twisties… Keith taught me otherwise. His focus on the basics was just amazing. You basically go through 20 min of classroom with Keith, his son Dylan, or possibly another instructor, then you ride for 20 min and are followed/​led by one of the on track instructors (one instructor assigned to two students) then you debrief for about 5 minutes with the instructor after the ride. Then it is back into the classroom for another 20 minutes of class on a new topic.
I was expecting the school to be «supervised» by Keith Code, but was extremely happy to see him actually teaching classes and closely interacting with the students.
On course instructors were top notch… they really know their stuff… and they are freakin fast too… just as you think that you are doing well, they fly past you to offer you some hand signal instruction.
They start you off with breakfast… real breakfast, then provide real lunch… and drinks in between. They have thought of everything.
After several track sessions (there are 7 each day) you ride their camera bike that has a camera mounted on a pole at the back so you can see what you’re doing, and also be evaluated by an instructor after the ride. They even put it on CD so you can take it with you. Here is mine from the first day:
… you have to skip to about 1:15 to see me actually riding.
I also had my own Go Hero Wide Angle camera that I mounted to the tank… here is a video from that perspective:
…
I can’t say enough about how happy I am with the school. Once I get a few track days and twisties days I will go back for their level 3 & 4 school. Each day is a new level beginning at level 1 on the first day.
On the second day I started working on body position and dragged my knee for the first time… I actually had it down on the ground 6 times! I was thrilled… but what was so great about it was that I was not even close to my limits on speed… since we are working more on technique rather than speed. I was so stable and confident when I got my knee down that it just felt natural.
On my videos you watch I am not out there working on technique, not speed… but even my best lap time was 1:46 which is respectable.
Sorry to ramble on so much, but I would have liked to have heard this stuff before going, just to feel more comfortable about spending so much $$.
Anyway…give it a try… I don’t think you will regret it!

I took Freddie Spencer’s three-​day cornering school before I checked out CSS. They have very different approaches to cornering. Freddie prefers trail breaking and Code prefer’s the opposite. While I prefer the trail breaking technique, I think there are merits to both styles and it’s always good to have different tools in your back pocket when your whipping your bike toward a corner at 100 MPH (on a track, of course).
I was a little concerned I would be bored by starting with the beginner two-​day course since I’ve been riding on the track for a couple of years. Considering we were learning a new style… it was a good place to start. There are four levels, each progressing into different territory. You start with cornering, then get into more technical things like using their slide bike to see just how far your can take your bike toward the ground without lowsiding… the way I look at it, Rossi gets his freaking shoulder on the ground… so I’ve got a long way to go.
You can use your own bike or use theirs. They rent out leathers, helmets, boots… whatever you need. They are very organized. lots of food and drinks supplied in a big trailer. They even have salt tablets to make sure you don’t pass out from the desert heat.
They offer the course all over the place. We took ours at Streets of Willow. I’m hoping to take the next level at Laguna. All the guys who are coaches know their stuff.
The only thing that bothered me a bit was that a couple of the guys were pretty critical of Freddie’s school when we told them we had gone there. Not too professional. Although Freddie’s school isn’t around anymore (lots of mitigating circumstances I hear), Freddie was a multi-​world champion in the MotoGP. The guy knows what the hell he’s doing.
Anyway. I recommend CSS for anyone… beginner to advanced. For the girls who are always telling me they want to ride… this is the way to get into it. There were a couple of ladies who had just gotten their bikes and were really tentative when they started. Both were amazed at how much more proficient they were at the end of the course…

This school is totally fantastic, in one day I became a better rider not just on the track but also on the freeway and city! I’m still using the lessons learned and hope to go back for the next level of training when the school is back in the SF Bay Area! Definitely go!