Okay, so you’ve taken the first step and registered for an event with CLASS schools. Right about now you’re thinking, “what have I gotten myself into?” You are wondering what to expect, who else will be there, will you even find the track. And if you do will you survive the day?

Rest assured, you’ve already done the hard part – the rest is fun. You’ve chosen the country’s premier track based motorcycle school and we’ve fine-tuned the process to be sure your experience is first class. Still, a preview of the day might help to settle those nerves a bit. First and foremost remember this – the facility you’ve chosen to attend was designed as a racetrack BUT TODAY IT IS A CLASS ROOM. We're here to learn and have fun doing it!

You’ve prepared yourself, your gear and your bike as described in the materials you received from CLASS. You may have double-checked your preparation with Stacy's track day checklist. What’s next? Your day will look something like this:

Get there early!

You’ll arrive at the track in the morning and whether you’ve ridden to the track or driven with truck or trailer you will want to arrive early. Nothing starts the day off on the wrong foot like feeling lost and behind the curve. So be at the entry gate no later than seven o’clock with a full tank of gas. There will be no entry fee required but you will be required to sign the track's Release of Liability form. Some facilities have more than one track so if you are unsure of where to go, just ask track host where your friends from CLASS will be.

You arrive in the pit and paddock area and you will immediately see the CLASS tractor-trailer parked adjacent to a building we will be using as our classroom for the day. There will be a beehive of activity going on as the CLASS staff sets up for the day. You will also notice that your fellow students will be arriving in various forms of transportation – from motorbikes to motor homes. Some folks do this quite a bit and will be setting up camp – awnings, coolers, tool boxes, etc. Others are more streamlined and will arrive with little more than a tank bag. If you’ve ridden in find a place to park the bike close to the classroom and come on in. There is usually a place to store your stuff indoors, just try to put it under a table or out of the way.

Sign in and Tech Inspection

You’ll need to prep your bike for the tech inspection, which will only take a few minutes. About all you’ll have left to do is disable your mirrors and brake light by either removing them or taping over them and adjust your tire pressures to a recommended 32/32. Sign-in opens at 7:30 and we will announce the location, usually in the classroom or in the CLASS trailer. If all else fails find the line and get in it. You’ll need your paper work received from CLASS (your confirmation and signed liability release-yes another one!) and your driver’s license with motorcycle endorsement. SIGN IN FIRST AND THEN GO THROUGH TECH INSPECTION. At tech your bike and your gear will be checked to be sure that you and your fellow students have come prepared for a safe day at school. The instructor who tech’s your bike will put a sticker on the fairing or screen to show you’ve been through tech.

Now, come on in to the CLASS-room and make yourself comfortable. We will have set out a table with coffee and snacks and through out the day there will be fruit and water as well as soft drinks and Gatorade. Introduce yourself to as many people as you like and if you have any questions, look for someone wearing red and black CLASS attire. Then get ready to enjoy the day.

The Riders Meeting starts at 8:15 - sharp.

Reg will kick things off with an orientation and introduction of the instructors. He’ll describe the expectations for the day and how the day is organized. He’ll discuss arrangements for lunch and gas (lunch is usually from 1:00 to 2:00 and there's usually a lunch available for purchase, or you can bring a lunch with you if you wish). And he’ll answer questions – there will be no un-answered questions. So if you have a question, ask. The students will be divided into two groups based upon experience and ability. The B-group will be more conservative riders and those who are doing CLASS for the first time. The A-group will be faster paced, more experienced riders. But both groups are there to learn and become better riders.

Safety Crews

You may not see them but they are there – Paramedic ambulance crews. We will not be on the track if there is not at least one ambulance on site. And we never enter the track without the direction of an instructor. But all of this is discussed during Reg’s orientation talk. Your first trip out onto the track will be with Reg. He will take the B-group out to various corners to observe the A-group’s track orientation laps with the instructors. After 20 minutes we’ll all come in and the A-group will go to the classroom and B-group will do a follow-the-leader orientation with the instructors. The day’s activities are evenly split between track time and class time. In the afternoon there will even be on track video footage shot by Reg on the camera bike!

You did it!

At the end of the day we all get together again in the classroom and celebrate the day’s activities. There will be a Certificate of Accomplishment for the students and well-deserved applause for everyone. You’ll be reminded to put your bike back into a street legal condition and to watch your speed on the way home! And there will be one more opportunity to get your questions answered – remember - no un-answered questions.

So there you have it – a pre-view of the day. You are now ready for a first CLASS experience. See you there!