Lessons start simply and build on each other, making it easy to follow along.
Each course includes five lessons, and each lesson includes classroom time, a 20-minute track session, and a debrief with your coach.
my heightened experience. But disregarding all that, I noticed significant improvements in my confidence after each session and each corner. Every rider knows the difference between the feeling of a well-executed corner and a poorly executed one: The former gives a thrill and satisfaction that is hard to beat, while the latter can cause frustration or even panic. With each CSS course I’ ve taken, the first of those feelings becomes more common and more satisfying, whether during the course or on the road afterward. Even better, that second feeling becomes less common, resulting in more enjoyable rides every time I throw a leg over a motorcycle.
I’ ve taken one CSS course each year, for the last three years running. The program is structured so that every rider starts at Level I before progressing to Level II, then III, and so on. There’ s good reason for even advanced riders to start at Level I: Each lesson builds on the previous one, and the higher levels wouldn’ t make as much sense without having taken the lower ones.
It was a foggy, humid morning when I rolled onto the hilly grounds near Barber Motorsports Park on Memorial Day. For the past two courses I’ ve taken, I borrowed a bike from CSS. The school has a fleet of BMW S 1000 RRs for students who choose to rent
a bike, although some other models might be available upon request. I’ ve rented the BMW G 310 R and S 1000 R for the other levels. For Level III, however, I rode the Honda CBR500R test bike I had at the time. As I pulled into the paddock area, CSS staff directed me to pull up in line beside a trailer, where they made quick work of a preride inspection, lowered my tire pressure, taped up my lights and mirrors, and reminded me to come back to the trailer at the end of the day to get my tires back up to road-going pressure.
The morning starts with some downtime before the introductory meeting, but I still recommend getting
30 / NOVEMBER 2026 / RIDERMAGAZINE. COM