msf or track day?

[mr phil]

hey all. i ride an 89 fzr600... got it last summer. took msf beginners 3 years ago. now i'm feeling fairly comfortably just riding around. want to improve my riding skills. so my question is: msf experienced course? or tony's track day? obviously, tony's will cost significantly more, but i guess money aint a thang... because that's what credit cards are for! so which would be a wiser decision if i could only choose one?? taking time off from work is hard. has anyone taken the msf experienced course? learn anything? worth it? thanks alot guys!!! see most of ya this weekend for motogp at game on.

phiL (with one 'L' )
89 fzr600

[Half Squid]

BOTH.

Start with the ERC coarse if you can! I highly recommend it. I plan on taking it again next season to refresh my skills yet again!

The track is also a fantastic place to learn your abilities and control for you and your bike specificly!

If you have enough miles under your belt and feel very comfortable on your bike, then sign on to a track day and stick with the red group. Be sure to get with an instructor as much as you can! They will help show you the lines of the track and give you feed back on if your doing well, or what you need to concentrate on improving!

Mike

[Rice-rocket1]

[Half Squid]

Originally posted by Rice-rocket1

Hey now I resemble that remark....

[MnM]

Good Advice

Try both - def can't hurt your skills

[OreoGaborio]

i asked the SAAAME EXACT QUESTION about this time last summer... i ended up just doin trackdays & don't regret it. i'm sure i could hone my slow-speed street skills through the ERC, but you can also work on that kinda stuff on your own w/ some literature & a parking lot.

but if you've got the money to do both, i say do both... if you've got the money to do one, i say save up for track days

ya got all the gear for it? that'll be the deciding factor... $$$ and gear. (and gear = $$$)

[bump909]

Oreo.. at what point did you start doing trackdays? How many months/years of riding did you have under your belt?

[Half Squid]

Originally posted by bump909
Oreo.. at what point did you start doing trackdays? How many months/years of riding did you have under your Skirt?

You've just been corrected..

Carry on...

[benVFR]

I was one of the people somewhat bashing MSF the last time this came up.

However I feel like taking the ERC again at the moment. No doubt the track day is more fun, but the slow speed skills are the first thing to disappear if you take a break for a while.

[legalspeed]

Take a track day Phil with one l.

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by Half Squid
You've just been corrected..

Carry on...

Bump, i took the BRC back in '01, rode a handfull of times since, got my bike near the end of May '04 and I did my first track day Aug 11th of '04... think i had a little over 2000 miles w/ my bike at that point and a few group rides w/ experienced riders givin me help etc. I was pretty well prepared & got alot of insight from my ole buddy TLRMan

I have no regrets going straight to track days and "skipping over" the ERC.

[mr phil]

thanks for the input. still undecided as of now. as for gear, i only got shoei helmet, teknic jacket, and held gloves. i want pants, so i'm thinking about getting the "joe rocket 2piece gpx"? and probably some sidi boots.

last year, i read the kenny roberts book "sport riding techniques"... reading it again right now! are twist of the wrist series good?

who else took the ERC? and have track days to compare it to?

also, what else is needed for track days? do i just bring my backpack with roll of tape, allen keys, and a few wrenches!?

yea yea yea, i know i ask a lot of questions, but that's what newbs are infamous for. thanks!

phil

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by mr phil
also, what else is needed for track days? do i just bring my backpack with roll of tape, allen keys, and a few wrenches!?

yup, that's about it... really don't need much. dont even need the JR 2-piece, just ought to get some motorcycle specific pants & over the ankle boots, but tony's rules may be changing for next year from the looks of it... but what you've got is good enough. bare minimums specify gloves, boots, leather jacket & helmet... two pairs of jeans & some kinda knee pads are good enough... but yes, leathers are definintely a good idea, as is a back protector.

[mr phil]

i would like to add some leather pants to my collection, that is why i'm looking at the jr 2pcs.

pete... as for back protectors... i saw you got the bohns... where did you get them? are they good? i like the tail bone protection, what other ones got that?

[hohum]

My 2c is to do the ERC first. Thats the way I went, and I will say that Oreo was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more advanced than the typical rider with 2000 miles when he did his trackday (I was there too, much slower than he was, and I had more than 18,000 miles under my belt at that time)

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by hohum
I will say that Oreo was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more advanced than the typical rider with 2000 miles when he did his trackday (I was there too, much slower than he was, and I had more than 18,000 miles under my belt at that time)

aww shucks, well thanks, man

(to be honest, i don't really like saying it... but sometimes i wonder if i was/am crazy & in over my head, or just ahead of the learining curve i've been lucky so far so i really think it's just all the great teachers i've had i've still got a long way to get to where i wanna be, but thanks for the compliment though )