Correct me if I am wrong. You can get 1 on 1 coaching with STT. I would talk to the director pre STT event to get it set up..... JDSA stand alone events can take you to new hieghts! I know people that have taken every school and like has been said: every rider has the potential to get more or less out of any school..
One thing I will add is that no matter what school you attend, please go in with an open mind and learn as much as you can. I see too many people that just refuse to listen to someone just because they think they know something already.
Sorry to dig this topic back up from the grave but I wanted to provide my feedback. I have taken Levels 1-4 with CSS. Every single time I have ridden with them I have made massive improvements in my technique and confidence on both the road and the track. It's worth every penny. I'm going back this year to take Level 4 again for two days in May. Laura, Coby,Mikey and Lyle are all great coaches and helped me tremendously. If anybody is curious about CSS, their teaching techniques or anything else riding related CSS runs a great forum. Most of their instructors frequent the forum and it's a great place to learn. Even if you lurk just to read Keith's articles it's worth the time. http://forums.superbikeschool.com/
I attended YCRS a year after a pretty bad crash that almost had me hanging up the leathers. I had been riding and coaching for a few years. I had solid fundamentals. I rode with and was trained by many instructors that trained with Nick and Ken when they working with Freddie Spencer. As such, I wondered if I would really get that much out of a school. I GOT MORE THEN I IMAGINED. It was immediately obvious that I knew a lot at the gross level. It was all the little details that I was missing! The YCRS crew was able to give me a pile of small tasks to work on. My riding was immediately refocused and I made HUGE gains in the following season. As others stated, it was the confidence of being in complete control of the bike and knowing that my personal limits, were the biggest limits I was facing. Not the bike. I've spoken with lots of Code school graduates who've also done YCRS. Based on their info, I'll do YCRS again and I'll do the DiSalvo schools. The difference is in the drills. The ability to focus on the drills is a huge difference. I've spoken with Jason DiSalvo a number of times and I've sat in on some his classroom sessions. Jason is a great communicator and can give relateable examples that drive his points home. I've also spoken with Nick and Ken at YCRS about Jason and what Jason did as he was developing his riding (too say I've spent some time learning and studying rider development is an understatement). I wanted learn where others had come from and how they got to where they are now. People spend tons of money on upgrades for their bikes. People should be spending just as much money upgrading themselves! The dividends are much greater when paid to the rider. The skills stick with you, no matter if you're riding on the street or the track and no matter what bike you buy or ride.
Completely agree with you here. It's like a suspension, engine and braking upgrade that stays with you from bike to bike forever! Learning good technique makes everything just work that much better.
I attended the 2-day CSS school as a sport bike novice and thought it was good. Then I attended the 2 day "Champ School" after I had more experience. YCRS is a better by a large margin. I wish I had done YCRS first. Would have saved money and avoided getting some demonstrably (scientifically) bad information. Both schools had wonderful non-instructor staff and facilities. At CSS I estimate I spent at least 25% of the day standing around with others. On the other hand, at YCRS it was in-class or on the track all day (and night) long. No standing around. YCRS had an evening dinner with terrific individual video and individual feedback/instruction for participants. Great group exchanges in this informal but informative setting. REALLY helpful. There was individual video the next day as well. All included in the tuition. On the other hand, CSS did not have video. Also, no recap instruction, no dinner, no post classroom group exchanges. The staff instructors at both schools were eager and friendly, but there is more individual attention at the YCRS. But -- particularly at the top -- CSS has a cultish reaction to any questioning of their methods. Very unscientific. On the other hand, the Yamaha Champions Riding School instructors were (and still are) always open to challenge and thoughtful back and forth. And YCRS is evidence-based teaching at its best. At YCRS I took advantage of the two-seater bike to really FEEL what the engine, gears, and brakes are doing during a proper lap by a real superbike racer. INVALUABLE. I was not offered such an opportunity at CSS. If they had this option, they did not offer it to me or anyone I know of. My informed recommendation: If you are a CSS student, try YCRS and compare. If you are a YCRS student, don't waste your time on CSS. The good is far outweighed by the bad information and in my opinion. Don't throw away your money. PS: if you ride with a passenger -- I usually don't, but recently did on one occasion -- the YCRS instruction was very helpful. The braking techniques I learned helped me immensely. Whichever you choose, good luck with your learning!