Speaking personally, CSS transformed my riding. But having completed all 4 levels of CSS training many years ago, I know where you’re coming from... I still have issues, and next step for me would be one to one tuition from a former or current racer who is also a good teacher... (not an easy combo to find) for the record, I wouldn’t bother with level 4 (which is supposedly one to one and tailored to you) based on my experience, it doesn’t push you enough. The value of the CSS training is really I think for track novices and those with ‘issues’ in the foundations/basics of their riding. To ‘unlearn’ bad habits, it helps to have a system and to drill it in. That’s where CSS training is strong: each track session drills just one element of cornering skill, and so you can un-do bad habits. The teaching system is very well thought through (my professional expertise is learning and development, though not in a sporting context it’s all the same), and though I haven’t been for yonks their standard of tuition was very consistent which means they are professionally run. However, a more advanced rider (I don’t want to say ‘a natural’ since we all think we’d have been Rossi if only we’d started early enough...) might benefit from different coaching. We all know at track days the best way to go faster is to follow someone who’s faster than you (within reason). I could do with help with body position for example, and just re-calibrating my sense of what is possible... I have friends who’ve trained with Ron Haslam’s School and rave about it. I think the key thing is not the system, ultimately, but the teacher. A good teacher can diagnose a rider’s weaknesses, and help them sort their head out. And do it safely, and make the process fun. CSS do this well.
I taught myself, using books, videos, YouTube and road riding (looking like a cock hanging off a bike) but worked a treat for me. But, if I’m brutally honest, it did make me easy to pass and would explain why I went around the outside of people when passing more than inside. I remember a guy telling me I was leaving black lines on the way into a turn, as I got on the gas straight after braking upright and was full out by the apex.
Like I said, I know what you mean. CSS are VERY strict (too strict?) about passing rules on track at their school days, so you end up timid with overtaking and perhaps rather OTT about leaving people room... Also they don’t teach you the race craft bit about overtaking etc... which a racer would be able to teach you. I’d love to learn more about overtaking... I don’t go on track as often as I used to, so I’m not as quick now. But I never had problems being overtaken other than on the straights due to power when I was riding 600s, and now with my 996. TBH - if I say so myself - I’ve gotten quite good on the brakes, and that is where I think CSS ‘graduates’ fall short. I didn’t learn trail braking at CSS, because they don’t teach it. I guess they worry about their reputation if too many people start going down. It was many years later that I learned the art of trail braking. It was in France, and I took up some coaching with one of the instructors - an old guy with a big belly on an old Fireblade, who was proper quick. Turned out he was a great coach. He followed me for a few laps to start with, and said I was extremely skilled (I was on my ZX6R 636 at the time) and he couldn’t keep up on the exit to turns. But he was catching me every time on the brakes, and said that was where I could really improve. So he taught me trail braking. I was braking too early, and didn’t like to touch the brakes when the bike was leaned over. I was sh!t scared at first... but boy was it great when I finally started building confidence in the brakes, front wheel squirming and moving around, letting go of the brake and dropping in before the turning point... it was exhilarating. So I reckon that’s the weakness of the CSS teaching system, their students get overtaken under braking into turns... They teach you to judge corner entry speed, and turn later. Unless someone has done all 3 levels of CSS training, this will mean their skills are incomplete. On day one, the first drill is corner entry speed. The second is counter steering. You are not allowed to use brakes or change gear. The idea is that you ride at 70% of your max speed, so that your brain is not overloaded and you have mental bandwidth to experiment and learn. You quickly get a feel for the optimum speed (for your skill level) for turn-in. But if you don’t do levels 2 and 3, then you might end up riding like this and just too slow going in... BUT, they are brilliant at teaching the bike control skills to corner fast. Which is their main claim in all their marketing: “the art of cornering.” After that, it’s just experience and learning where the edge of grip is and playing with lines etc...
The whole Keith Code thing is about being off the brakes early. That’s not a risk of people falling off thing: its his observation of racers from the 80’s and 90’s (maybe later...) Tyre technology has changed so much, as has chassis design. As I say, it helped turn me from being lapped to taking the occasional winners trophy in a year, so am an advocate. BUt the reason I never did CSS was simply I found the few times I went with their instructors at other track days, and I know loads who have done the 4 levels too, I didn’t like their style of question answering with a question. I get the process entirely, use it myself in a professional capacity, but for me I just want to be told what to do.
Funny (for me) story. When I did DUK a couple of years ago at Silverstone on a rented 899, never ridden one before and went out with an instructor after lunch. I immediately gelled with the bike, like I’d been riding it for years. Out in the fast group so expect a reasonable pace. Had a session with a very tall instructor (who insisted I gaffs my leathers first as the zip had gone a bit LOL) who said ‘go 70%’. So I did. I told him I was struggling with entry speed, which before had never been a problem, but now was. (He never gave me any tips other than turn faster...standard CSS comment #shakeshead We came in after the session, we had overtaken most stuff out there (other that the tri options guys and superleggerra that did me every session!). ‘Was that 70%?’ He said in that kind of telling off school teacher way. I managed to get a mate to time us and we are just under 2’30 so going well enough. Felt 70% though LOL
Ok got you now! Yes agree the system was developed for a different era of bike tech. Racers had to ride differently back in Rainey’s day and all that. And I didn’t gel with all the CSS instructors either. I’d still like to do the Ron Haslam school, almost just for the ride on the back of his bike. I reckon that would totally recalibrate my concept of “fast!” Good for you that you went racing... I’d imagine it’s a radically different experience from track days and very rewarding.
Yep. But the best example of zero to hero, having learned using CSS would be @Jolley . Real fast on track within a couple of years of taking his test as he built all the right habits from the start.
Yeah I remember a few of the instructors at CSS had large egos and a school-mastery manner. But most were great. From memory, some were racers but others were just trained up by CSS in their teaching methods. I remember thinking that the culture of CSS at the time (under Andy in those days) seemed competitive between instructors... ego again...
I think Bradley Smith was another of their’s. When I did my level 4 there was a ginger haired early teens kid on an Aprilia with support truck, that was bloody quick. Looked like him but not sure...
I think Bradley Smith was another of their’s. When I did my level 4 there was a ginger haired early teens kid on an Aprilia with support truck, that was bloody quick. Looked like him but not sure...
I did a day with Mike Dickenson. First session in he says ‘I’ve got to get you to STOP doing that CSS shit!!’ Lol.
Hilarious, I guess it just shows there’s no right way just what works. Shame Rossi doesn’t have a school, though I know he coaches and manages young racers. I’d buy his book! But then, I think too much... I should just clench the buttocks and go faster! I love following top level racing, it’s absolutely fascinating...
, but thanks! I did CSS and Ron Haslam within a week of my test/picking up my 848. A year later I qualified 6th or 7th at Donny at my first race, a year after I won my first championship race, and nearly won Desmodue Class B in my 2nd year (3rd year of riding). Forgotten most of it now, but I’ve never had a moment of panic in any bend since that first week. Definitely never been good on the brakes though, which I have been working on myself this past year. What I will say is that Most people can get round a corner at largely the same pace, and that is largely dependent on courage or past experience. It is the late braking and early throttle that seem to make the real difference in laptimes.
@Jolley Which, ironically, is the opposite of CSS, unless it counts that you get on the gas even before you've turned for the corner LOL
True, but CSS are quite clear they are teaching you to corner rather than race.... once that foundation is set you can experiment. However, even without teaching me that they still made me fast enough to win
Wow. Why did you stop? Yes makes sense that late braking and early throttle boost lap times, kind of obvious when you think about it!
