Miller vs. Barber or other...

[wiggeywackyo]

So I lucked upon the opportunity to attend CSS and now I am trying to figure out which track to go to. My first choice would have been Laguna but none of the dates this year fit with my work schedule so the Corkscrew and Andretti Hairpin will have to be tamed another day.

I guess what I am looking for is input on which one is the best or most fun. Miller and Barber are at the top based on what I've heard but I am open to input.

[butcher bergs]

VIR North

[Rambunctous]

They all look so good. Bob who is my garage mate has been to all of them. Looking at the websites Barber looks so cool what with it's museum and VIR with great pavement and Miller with the backdrop of mountains.

[wiggeywackyo]

You are not making it easier for me.

[a13x]

Hrm. Good question.

I've ridden Laguna once and have about 5-6 days riding at Barber under the old belt. Never have ridden Miller but have been there multiple times for AMA and WSBK so know the track and area well enough..

Hrm....

I'd say Barber. Why because the entire experience is simply sublime. Everytime I pull into Barber I feel like I'm transported to the most amazing place on Earth. It just oozes style, class, and motorcycles. The grounds are immaculate, the Museum is worth booking a extra day for, the track is very very fun, and Birmingham is a decent little city with some fun spots to hang out.

Miller isn't a bad choice either.. by any means. The track is more open and faster overall. The track itself is A+ but the area all around the track sucks a huge egg. It's like being surrounded by desert... it's dusty, windblown and nothing special to look at. Well other than the epic mountain that surround it, but you aren't mountain climbing area you? No, you're at the track Otherwise than the track Miller is pretty boring. Salt Lake City is about 30 minutes away and while you *can* find a decent bar or two it's overall kind of a lame city.

In regards to taking the Code Superbike School I'd pick Barber hands down. From what I've heard about CSS you can't really open the bike up anyway (very guided, very structured, again, what I've heard..) so that sort of nixes the main advantage of Miller right there (the more wide open fast stuff). Not like you'll be lacking for fast stuff at Barber anyhow, the back section has two S-turns that you go thru pretty tapped, especially compared to Loudon.

Can't go wrong either way. Have fun!

(here's a wee video of Barber to get your blood pumping)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UV5zARoEd8

[wiggeywackyo]

Good info a13x. bergs, sell me on VIR.

[butcher bergs]

VIR will always have a place in my heart. The grounds in general are not Barber by comparison nor is there a museum. However, the Ariel Atoms are built onsite and are quite amazing to see in person as well as when they are being tested. The entire facility has a bit of that VA historic feel. For example, nothing is groomed to perfection nor does everything look freshly painted. For lunch, you eat outside at a picnic table and if you're lucky, you score a table underneath the awning on the rainy days. Housing is acceptable as is the onsite restaurant (tho the name of it escapes me). The entire facility is well kept but has a "used as designed" weathered look to it. Rustic almost and I think that's part of my attraction to it. Everything is proper yet understated. Not the most popular place to ride but that's exactly why I enjoy it so much.

I guess if I were to compare VIR to certain other tracks, I'd say it's the difference between choosing a vacation in Yellowstone Nat'l Park or choosing a vacation at Disney World. For some, Yellowstone's simplicity is all they need, for others, the creature comforts of a top-notch, modern facility is where it's at. Everyone will have their preferences.

[wiggeywackyo]

Damn, I should have went with my gut feeling. That does sound cool. I had no idea the Ariel Atoms were built there. Anyone with opinions on the Streets of Willow?

Maybe I should just attend them all...........

There is something about the different atmospheres at different tracks.

[klepsta]

Barber, and take me with you.

[a13x]

Oh I didn't know VIR was actually a option...

Damn back for more. I've ridden Streets of Willow (once) and VIR North 4 times, along with going to the last 4 years of AMA races there.

Streets sucks. Do not go. If you live in Socal then yea, you ride Streets, otherwise waste of your time. It literally is in the middle of the desert, it's small, tight, and super bumpy. Be fun on a motard and that's about it. It's not near anything and I think I got Hep C from the 'motel' I had to stay in.

VIR is good. Like bergs said, it's a bit rustic compared to Miller and Barber. In all honesty the track is starting to show it's age and could use a repave. It's not bad, but it's not like it was 4-5 years ago. The facilities aren't bad, the track is good. Really fun track. It's in the middle of nowhere but there are some decent lil roadhouse restaurants in Alton VA (where you stay) to get food and a beer.


Out of the 5 places you've listed (I've ridden 4 and been to all 5) I'd still go with Barber. By far the most bang for your motorcycle trip buck.

Miller, VIR, Laguna, Barber - All great choices thou.

[wiggeywackyo]

Well, maybe this I should have made a poll with all of the available tracks for this thread.

Streets of Willow Springs
Thunderbolt Raceway
Virginia International Raceway
Barber Motorsports Park
Miller Motorsports Park
Sears Point
Laguna Seca - Can't go because of work, stupid work........

At the moment though all signs point to Barber and that was my original choice.

[wiggeywackyo]

I decided to do Barber and none too soon, they only had one spot left. June cannot come soon enough.

[a13x]

Well, maybe this I should have made a poll with all of the available tracks for this thread.

Streets of Willow Springs
Thunderbolt Raceway
Virginia International Raceway
Barber Motorsports Park
Miller Motorsports Park
Sears Point
Laguna Seca - Can't go because of work, stupid work........

Out of that list I think I'd go with Sear's in the 2 spot. Another really fun track, lot of elevation, nestled in wine country (gorgeous), about 45 minutes from San Francisco (which is a amazing city), good facilities, etc.

Not that it matters now, cause you picked Barber. Have fun. Look forward to reading the ride report

[butcher bergs]

I decided to do Barber...

Excellent.

8953218907459780 hi-res pics of the Britten, pls.

Thank you.

[wiggeywackyo]

Barber + S1000RR = Awesome. Pics and ride report to come.

[wiggeywackyo]

Hi, my name is Jack and I am a trackhead.

Ride report

Arriving at Barber is an amazing experience. The road in is a fun sweepy road and the whole place is just immaculate. The grounds are kept up to country club standards. In fact, this place is basically a motorsports country club.

The track is billiard table smooth except for the section after Turn 4 where I might have felt some ripples although that might have been my less than superhuman skills upsetting the bike.

Turn 1 is a relatively quick downhill left after a long straight. You exit with just enough time to set up for the uphill entrance into Turn 2 which is a long right-hander that starts uphill but drops out quickly. The exit shoots you down the hill where you are still leaned over and drifting to the left side of the track. At this point, still leaned over, you commit to a point in the sky on the right where you think the Turn 3 curbing is and shoot for it. If you do it right, you find your self fighting a wheelie, still leaned over a bit in 3rd going over the crest and find yourself suddenly on the left side of the track and headed FAST for the entrance to Turn 4, "The Hairpin". Get back to the right and fire it into 4 late to have a good drive through 5 for the Museum corner. The Museum corner is really a set of corners in tight succession at the end of a pretty fast sweeper/straight. It begins with a quick flick right, running over the curbing on the left and then a right that drops right out from under you. It is freaky the first few times. This shoots you onto the back where the bike really gets opened up. You set up for 8/9 on the right and fire it over to the left and immediately back to the right in third gear. During the school, they had an ambulance posted here and for some reason it really stood out in my head. Coming out of 9, you are on the left side of the track still accelerating hard at 10/11 which is similar so you bring the bike back to the right side. Slow a bit, and toss the bike left and then right and aim for the end of the curbing. 11 spits you out at the top of 12 on the left and 12 drops out to the right. Fire into 12 1 bike length after the curbing but stay to the left and start bleeding off speed as this is a decreasing radius sweeper uphill that sends you into 13. Bang into 13 and aim for the right side curbing for the entrance to 14. Keep steady on the throttle and bring it into 14, a down hill left and ignore the grass coming fast on the right and shoot back onto the front straight. Blink and repeat.

BMW's S1000RR. What else can be said. It was the first liter bike I've ever ridden and the school limits it to rain mode for the first session. Even with only 150HP in rain mode, the bike is a land missile. In sport mode it's just crazy. What I found interesting is the way the traction control works. It limits the amount of power as a function of lean angle. It threw me off for a while as I wasn't getting the drive I was expecting out of a corner until I started picking the bike up. It certainly kept a lot of people, me included, from binning. Coming out of Turn 2 and into Turn 3 over the crest was absolutely nuts on this bike. Thank god for wheelie control. Face melting power all over.

For my first track day, California Superbike School put on a great event. The program was extremely well structured and it was amazing watching everyone improve through out the day. The On-track Coaches were awesome and were filled with insight and knowledge (not to mention fast). I learned a ton and was deeply humbled. I will be going back for Levels 2, 3, and 4. Now, who needs a kidney?

Pics to follow later.

[-jro-]

ssiiiiiicck! I want to see Barber so bad.....lucky SOB. More reporting and pics s'il vous plait!

[PPS26]

barber is amazing, ahrma in october!!

[butcher bergs]

Pics to follow later.

AHEM!!

[Garandman]

I've signed up for the CS two day camp held at Thunderbolt (NJ) in May. It is ridden on BMW S1000RR's. I understand you start off in rain mode and they are not particularly intimidating as liter bikes go.

I'm curious from those of you who have taken it what you think.

Also, my left knee is pretty beat up. It's pretty cramped and uncomfortable after a day on my SV650S (which has rear-sets and clamp-ons, but now has a gel seat about 2" higher). How much "room" is there on the BMW in comparison? I'm 6'2, have a 32" inseam and long torso.

TIA

[wiggeywackyo]

Well, I can't say much about the bike as I'm a little guy so everything I get on is roomy. That being said, there were some larger guys on them all day and they seemed comfortable with it. Maybe an owner will chime in. That bike certainly rips though.

The school is awesome. It is extremely structured. You start off the day with no brakes and only fourth gear to use and build from that.

I learned a ton being as it was my first time at a track, but I also met a bunch of people that go back every year. The two day camp is probably an even better experience because you can take what you learned the first day and really build on it the second. Reading his books before helps but it's not necessary.

Enjoy.

[wiggeywackyo]

Oh and bergs:

[Rada]

Thanks for the Britten Porn.