Tag Archives: ChampSchool

Yamaha Champions Riding School Announces New ‘Champ U: Traffic Survival’

In addition to the Yamaha Champions Riding School’s on-bike, in-person training classes, which include ChampSchool, ChampStreet, and ChampGrad, the riding school also offers digital curriculums for riders. Online courses include “Champ U: Core Curriculum,” “Champ U: New Rider,” and “ChampBody.” Recently, Yamaha Champions Riding School announced their fourth online course: “Champ U: Traffic Survival,” which includes over 40 videos, quizzes, and drills for street riding. For more information, read the press release below.


Yamaha Champions Riding School Champ U Traffic Survival
Yamaha Champions Riding School Chief Instructor/CEO Nick Ienatsch gives guidance of safe street riding techniques.

Yamaha Champions Riding School, the premier motorcycle riding school in North America, is proud to announce a new Champions University digital curriculum: Traffic Survival. This is the fourth curriculum and arguably the most important Champ U online course to date.

Related: A Cruiser Guy Goes to Yamaha ChampSchool

Riding on the street is often considered dangerous and unpredictable. Distracted drivers, traffic, dilapidated roads, and insufficient training have become the norm. In fact, motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to lose their lives in a fatal accident than other drivers.

The best way to stay safe on the street is to master motorcycle vehicle dynamics, understand the unique dangers of the road, and learn how the best riders in the world avoid them. As our skills and safety increase, so does the fun – and at the end of the day, that’s why we all love this sport! Traffic Survival is designed to give any rider, on any bike, the skills and strategies needed to enjoy every street ride and have more fun on two wheels for many years to come.

Yamaha Champions Riding School Champ U Traffic Survival

Derived from multi-time World Champion Freddie Spencer’s curriculum, ChampSchool has been in business since 2014 and has trained some of the best riders in the world with multi-day curriculums for street riders, racers, police officers, motorcycle manufactures, and the US Marine Corps. Yamaha Champions Riding School is at the forefront of motorcycle vehicle dynamics training.

We gathered subject matter experts with diverse backgrounds that include police motor officers, veteran street riders, international motojournalists, and national road racing champions with one goal: create a complete curriculum on how to thrive and survive on the street.

Traffic Survival combines over 40 videos, quizzes, and drills to form the definitive guide for street riding techniques and strategies, derived from data driven best practices, not internet-based theory.

Unlike our $2500-plus exclusive multi-day training events, Champ U: Traffic Survival is available to any rider with an internet connection and at a price any motorcyclist can afford. New riders and veteran street riders will learn the best techniques and approaches to handle a wide variety of situations, especially those that account for the majority of street crashes.

Yamaha Champions Riding School Champ U Traffic Survival
Yamaha Champions Riding School Chief Instructor/CEO Nick Ienatsch and Jen Dunstan

Traffic Survival will retail for $99.95 but is available until the end of the year for a very special introductory price of $79.95.

The weather may be getting colder, and your motorcycle might be going into storage for a while. Don’t miss this opportunity to improve your skills on your preferred device. When warmer days arrive, you will be ready!

Learn more about Champ U: Traffic Survival and our other online and in-person courses at the Champ U courses page.

Related: Nick Ienatsch | Ep. 59 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast

About Yamaha Champions Riding School

Yamaha Champions Riding School (ChampSchool) is the nation’s premier motorcycle training program. ChampSchool is the evolution of the Freddie Spencer High-Performance Riding School and is led by racer, author, and former right-hand man of Spencer, Nick Ienatsch. ChampSchool uses “Champions Habits” to teach all riders the skills and techniques used by the top riders in the world to go faster safer, while concentrating on the way in which modern motorcycles are designed to be ridden. ChampSchool is dedicated to making all motorcycle riders safer and more in control of their riding, no matter what type of riding they do. For more information visit the ChampSchool website.

The post Yamaha Champions Riding School Announces New ‘Champ U: Traffic Survival’ appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

Nick Ienatsch | Ep. 59 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast

Ep59 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast Nick Ienatsch Yamaha Champions Riding School

Our guest on Episode 59 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Nick Ienatsch, CEO and Chief Instructor at the Yamaha Champions Riding School. Ienatsch was a founding editor of Sport Rider magazine, and he’s written extensively for Motorcyclist and Cycle World magazines. Ienatsch competed in various AMA, WERA, and other roadracing series in the late ’80s and ’90s, and he’s the author of the 2003 book Sport Riding Techniques. After serving as lead instructor at the Freddie Spencer Riding School for more than a decade, Ienatsch started the Yamaha Champions Riding School, which provides on-track and street-based training around the U.S. Rider’s associate editor Paul Dail recently completed a two-day YCRS ChampSchool course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His review of the school can be found on RiderMagazine.com and in the June 2023 issue of Rider. In this episode, Paul and Nick take a deep dive into ChampSchool. To learn more about Yamaha Champions Riding School, including the Champ U online program, visit RideLikeAChampion.com.

You can listen to Episode 59 on iTunesSpotify, and Podbean, or via the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast webpage. Please subscribe, leave us a 5-star rating, and tell your friends! Scroll down for a list of previous episodes.

Visit the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast webpage to check out previous episodes:

The post Nick Ienatsch | Ep. 59 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

A Cruiser Guy Goes to Yamaha ChampSchool

The item at the top of associate editor Paul Dail’s resolutions list for 2023 was to get some track experience by attending the two-day ChampSchool offered by Yamaha Champions Riding School. Yamaha was kind enough to loan us an MT-09 SP, and YCRS Chief Instructor and CEO Nick Ienatsch was kind enough to extend Paul an invitation for the Jan. 27-28 ChampSchool at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which featured “Fast” Freddie Spencer as a guest instructor. –Ed. 


Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
ChampSchool Lead Instructor and President Chris Peris works with a student at the ChampSchool in Las Vegas.

Not much about me screams either “sportbike” or “trackday.” With a shaved head and beard nearly as long as my face is tall, to look at me, you’d probably guess I ride a Harley. And you wouldn’t be wrong. My main bike currently is a 2004 Heritage Softail Classic. I’m a cruiser guy. But the length of my beard might belie the length of time I’ve been riding – at least this most recent stint. According to a website I found with a glossary of both common and obscure motorcycling terms, I’m a “BAB,” or Born Again Biker, which is “someone who has recently returned to riding after a period of absence…and really ought to get some advanced training.” 

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool Yamaha MT-09 SP
Taking a breather between track sessions. Is it obvious that I’m not used to track leathers?

I’ve taken a couple MSF parking-lot classes that were informative, but when the opportunity arose to pick up a Yamaha MT-09 SP test bike in Southern California and take it to the Yamaha Champions Riding School’s two-day ChampSchool in Las Vegas, I jumped at it. I may be a cruiser guy about to turn 50, but I still have a pulse, and the idea of learning from some of the best racers in the country got that pulse, well, racing.

Related: Yamaha Announces 2023 Updated and Returning Models

Preparing to ‘Ride Like a Champion’ 

Prior to the school, I was sent the online Champ U “Champion’s Habits: Core Curriculum.” I talk more about this in the sidebar below, but in the immediate, it was very helpful to watch the courses before attending the class. Much of the information was repeated within the first couple hours at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but this method of instruction made perfect sense to me. It’s the same reason I usually have my 10-year-old son read through all the instructions before jumping into a project. That way, once you actually get down to business, you understand the big picture – where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. I was pleased that most things the instructors at ChampSchool said in those first hours were lessons I remembered from Champ U.    

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
Nick Ienatsch demonstrates how lean angle affects the 100 points of grip concept, which is one of the ChampSchool Four Core Habits.

That’s not to say that I wasn’t still nervous. After all, even if you’ve read the instructions, sometimes you break the little pieces when you’re building a model. I wasn’t particularly interested in breaking the $12,000 motorcycle that didn’t belong to me…or the little pieces that make up my body.  

Related: 2023 Yamaha MT-10 SP | First Ride Review

But my mind was put to ease by one of the first things ChampSchool Chief Instructor and CEO Nick Ienatsch instructed us to do: Turn to the person standing next to us and say, “I don’t care what you think about my riding.” I’m guessing that even after that, most attendees at the class probably actually did care, myself included, but that was just me dealing with my own insecurities, and starting the two days with that directive was a good reminder. More importantly, even though I was one of the slower riders, I was never made to feel that way by the instructors. 

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
Freddie Spencer (left) and Nick Ienatsch (right) instruct students between track sessions.

It also helped that the approximately 25 students were divided into two groups depending on track and general riding experience (and then further divided into an approximate 4:1 student-instructor ratio). The two groups would alternate sessions on the track and sessions in the classroom reviewing the time they had just spent on the track and reinforcing other concepts. The only time all of us were on the track together was toward the end of the second day – at which point it wasn’t so nerve wracking being passed by the more advanced students, and I was able to keep my focus on my riding.    

Strength Through Struggles 

In between each track session, students were asked to rank themselves from 1-10 on a scorecard of “CHAMPS” categories (Comfort/fun, Have brakes past tip-in/efficiency, Apexes/direction, My plan/eyes, Position/timing of body, Smooth initial/final 5%). My three lowest scores were consistently related to braking, scanning forward, and my body position.  

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
ChampSchool instructor uses hand signals to guide a student behind him.

While “eyes” was obviously tied to “My plan” (scan ahead on the track and make a plan), the benefit of the CHAMPS scorecard during the classroom sessions was that it gave riders another kind of plan: the things they needed to work on when they went back on the track. 

Another great feature of the school is the filming and reviewing of student riding, which happened twice, once toward the end of the first day and then again before lunch on the second day, with the review of the footage happening at the meal after the filming. 

In order to move the process along, students were either taken out two at a time to watch their riding with an instructor on a laptop or their riding was reviewed on a larger projector screen with the whole group. For the review of my first ride, I was one of the smaller two-at-a-time groups. I’m not sure if this was by design, but I was glad I didn’t have to watch my puttering along in front of the whole group. And after getting almost a blow-by-blow analysis of the entire ride by my instructor, I was pleased to see improvement in the second-day video (thankfully, since this one was viewed in front of the main group). And like with the CHAMPS scorecard, watching the videos gave me a plan for when I returned to the track.       

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
The classroom where student video sessions were reviewed.

ChampSchool ‘Roller Coaster Moments’ and Other Surprises 

The cost of attending the two-day school at the Las Vegas Speedway was $2,495 (prices vary depending on the track), not counting travel or rental costs for a bike if you don’t bring your own or the required “standard track gear” – in my case, track leathers and boots. This is a little higher than some fees I’ve seen, but considering the bona fides of the instructors, the quality of instruction, the amount of track time, and the online curriculum sent in advance of the class, I think it’s a solid value.  

However, there were a couple experiences where it felt like the organizers and instructors thought, Let’s give them an even bigger bang for their buck. I called these the “Roller Coaster Moments.” There were lessons to be gleaned from each one, but mostly I just walked away glad to be alive.  

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
Clearly not a photo of me.

The first one was shown in the online curriculum…kind of. At several points in the videos, instructors hop in a minivan to illustrate how riding can be similar to driving. Makes sense. And so it also made sense when, after some introductory instruction at the speedway, they said, “Okay, let’s get in the minivans, and we’ll illustrate some of these things we’ve been talking about.” Sure, I thought. I remember seeing them doing this in the videos. 

What they didn’t show in the videos is the extreme version of illustrating the points. 

Did you know a minivan can take corners at 80-plus mph? I didn’t. Nor did I necessarily think it should. My instructor for the two days (and minivan driver that first day) was Cody Wyman. In addition to all of Cody’s racing accolades, he is also a professional driving instructor. Again, did you know a minivan can take corners at 80-plus mph? Apparently it can, although my death grip on the underside of my seat (you can probably still see my claw marks) was because I was convinced we were going to go ass-over-teakettle. 

Cody was sure to check in on all his passengers as we careened around the track, and I think I mumbled something like “I’m good,” and I think he said some other things we were supposed to be learning, but it wasn’t until they repeated the exercise the next day that I was able to breathe and pick up some of the finer nuances of braking and finding the straightest lines to the next apex.    

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
Cody Wyman prepares a student for the braking drill.

The second “Roller Coaster Moment” was riding two-up with an instructor. I’m not sure what else to say besides it was like being on the back of a rocket. I don’t remember much beyond trying not to collapse Cody’s lungs or fracture his ribs with my arms as I clutched the grab bar that had been affixed to the Yamaha MT-10 tank in front of him while he took corners at speeds that I’m pretty sure were faster than the minivan. At least the van had seatbelts.      

While I joke about this being a “Roller Coaster Moment,” the lesson was indeed solid, and it segues into my biggest surprise – or perhaps realization – of exactly how amazing motorcycles are when it comes to moving through space and time, especially sportbikes – even with my 200-lb butt on the pillion.  

Several times over the course of the two days, we were told to trust the bike. We all hear about “lean angle” and “rider triangle” and “geometry,” but it was fascinating (and reassuring) to hear from professionals exactly how much these machines have been designed to take your physical inputs and convert them using math and science into results that allow the bike to cling to the earth in seeming defiance of natural laws. But I learned that they’re actually pushing those very laws. 

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
ChampSchool instructor demonstrates the 100 points of grip.

Common ChampSchool expressions like “Load the tire before you work the tire” revolve around math and science. Adding 5% of brakes starts to compress the fork, which changes the geometry of the bike and widens the tire’s contact patch, and suddenly (well, similar to his dislike of words like “flick” or “grab,” Nick would probably scold me for such an “abrupt” word choice as “suddenly”) you can add more brakes or lean angle to make a tight corner. It’s more than “man and machine”; it’s an amazing symbiosis. We are riding the motorcycles, and they are listening to what our bodies are saying.  

It’s also worth noting I was a little surprised about the caliber of the instructors, not only in their accomplishments but also – and maybe more importantly – their behavior. Nick may have started the class by saying that they would be hard on us, but what I found from all the instructors was positive correction and consistent support and encouragement. And Cody was about the nicest guy you could imagine. Someone could say, “Well, sure, because you were paying them,” but a few weeks after ChampSchool at the AIMExpo show, with hundreds of attendees, I was wandering around trying to take it all in when I heard, “Hey Paul!” It was Cody. I hadn’t even noticed him, and he could’ve just let me pass, but instead he stopped me and took a minute to talk. He didn’t have to do that, but the fact that he did spoke volumes to me.

Related: 2023 AIMExpo Highlights

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
Cody Wyman offered consistent support and encouragement, even to this old cruiser guy.

ChampSchool Final Takeaways 

I attended ChampSchool for two reasons: to become a better at my job with Rider, especially when I need to attend a bike launch at a track, and to become a better rider. I’m sure you want to feel like I’m a competent associate editor, but you’re probably reading this to know whether you will become a better rider if you attend ChampSchool. For me, it was mission(s) accomplished. 

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
Students are instructed on an upcoming drill called “Pointy End of the Cone,” which helps riders learn how to deal with obstacles in corners. This was my favorite drill.

Between Las Vegas and my hometown in southern Utah, there’s a great 12-mile stretch of interstate (yes, interstate) through the Virgin River Gorge, with tall canyon walls and lots of curves. Riding home after ChampSchool, I trusted my bike and I trusted myself. I centered myself and repeated my mantra as I rode toward the slice in the mountains where the interstate cut into the towering walls, and I opened it up a little more through the gorge, as traffic was relatively thin that day.

Still cautious but more confident, I pushed myself. The catchphrases that were repeated in both the online curriculum and at the class echoed in my head – load the tire before you work the tire, brake until you’re happy with speed and direction, and a host of others – and a stretch of road that had been a little more intimidating than enjoyable just a few days earlier was now more fun and exciting. 

So thank you to Nick, Cody, and everyone else involved with ChampSchool for taking this cruiser guy and making me a better rider…and making the ride more enjoyable.  

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool
With the sun setting on day 2, ChampSchool Chief Instructor and CEO Nick Ienatsch was kind enough to stand for a picture.

For more information, including upcoming ChampSchool classes, as well as other course offerings, such as the one-day ChampStreet program, which is geared more toward street riding, visit the Yamaha Champions Riding School website


SIDERBAR: Champ U 

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool

While the Champ U online Core Curriculum is available for free as part of ChampSchool, for those who are unable to attend one of the ChampSchool events, purchasing the Core Curriculum independently is an excellent alternative, especially considering it’s on sale for only $49.95 as of publication.  

For that cost, you get 12 modules comprising a total of 43 video lessons (most ranging from 3-7 minutes long) and corresponding quizzes. The 12 subjects run the gamut – from front and rear braking, downshifting, and body position to mental approach, the 100 points of grip, and a concept they call “radius=mph” – and there are more than 30 drills to reinforce these lessons.  

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool

If it seems like there is some overlap, you’re right, and as a former teacher, I can tell you that learning comes from repetition, a tactic Champ U employs very effectively when topics intersect one another. In fact, a decent amount of the information was familiar to me already, but much like I still regularly ride the test course at my local DMV, I also think it’s valuable to hear the same information from a different perspective. And along those lines, the Champ U content creators know how to turn a phrase. Nearly two months after the class, many of the pithy catchphrases from the Core Curriculum still roll around my head as I roll around on my bike.  

They also effectively use humor, which keeps the content from feeling like you’re back to studying up for your motorcycle endorsement. Video production value is good, and most of the instructors look very comfortable on the other side of the camera.    

Yamaha Champions Riding School ChampSchool

The information is largely geared toward track riding and sport bikes, but they drew several parallels to street riding. Even where they didn’t, as primarily a street rider, I made several connections between the lessons and my own experiences. And once you buy it, it’s yours to revisit as often as you’d like. 

And if you know someone who is considering taking up riding or if you are new or recently returning to riding, Champ U is now offering a “New Rider” class with 35 lessons, 28 quizzes, and drills designed to prepare students for life as a motorcyclist at an introductory price of $19.95. 

More information at the Champions University Champ U courses webpage.

The post A Cruiser Guy Goes to Yamaha ChampSchool first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Yamaha Champions Riding School Announces ‘Champ U: New Rider’ Digital Course

Yamaha Champions Riding School has added a new offering to their digital curriculum, the Champ U: New Rider class. Previously, ChampSchool only offered the Champion’s Habits Core Curriculum online (in addition to their in-person ChampSchool and ChampStreet programs, of course). Whereas Champion’s Habits, which includes 12 modules and a final set of drills, is focused on improving riding, the New Rider class is geared toward nonriders who may be considering taking up the joys of two wheels, as well as new and returning riders. For more information, read the press release below from Yamaha Champions Riding School.


Yamaha ChampSchool Champ U New Rider
ChampSchool founder Nick Ienatsch demonstrates how lean angle affects the 100 points of grip concept, which is one of the ChampSchool Four Core Habits.

Yamaha Champions Riding School, the premier motorcycle riding school in North America, is proud to announce a new Champions University digital curriculum: New Rider.

Champ U: New Rider is over three hours of digital content with 35 lessons, 28 quizzes, and drills designed to prepare students for life as a motorcyclist. This interactive course follows the ChampSchool tradition of truly explaining the “why” of everything a new rider must know, from how a clutch engages to proper and safe emergency-braking practice.

“New-rider parking-lot schools are the gateway to our sport and they have done the job of getting hundreds of thousands of riders licensed to ride on the road,” said ChampSchool founder Nick Ienatsch.

Related: Partial 2023 ChampSchool Schedule Announced

Why Take ‘Champ U: New Rider’?

Ienatsch said the goal with New Rider is two-fold:

One: Use the reach of the internet to deliver motorcycle riding’s best practices to any person interested in becoming a life-long motorcycle rider, or any current rider intent on improvement.

“These best practices are data driven and focused on drastically reducing risk while greatly increasing riding enjoyment,” Ienatsch said. “Champ U: New Rider students can expect to become excellent riders very quickly.”

Yamaha ChampSchool Champ U New Rider

Two: Bolster the current license-waiver classes with context and proven foundational truths to not just earn a license but to be truly ready for the road.

“A license doesn’t make you a safe rider! Understanding how a motorcycle works best and what inputs bring those best results is vital; New Rider goes above and beyond to teach how to practice and refine these inputs for a lifetime of riding success.”

Champ U: New Rider is designed for non-riders, new riders, and returning riders. This digital curriculum is accessible from anywhere in the world with connection to the internet and is affordable for almost any budget with an introductory price of $19.95. More information is available at the Champions University Champ U courses webpage.

Yamaha ChampSchool Champ U New Rider

Champ U: New Rider is part of the growing Champions University ecosystem of digital motorcycle training tools that include Champ U: Core Curriculum with more than 15,000 users and hundreds of five-star reviews. Champ U also has several rider education support tools like a members-only forum and new for 2023, Video Coaching: stay tuned for our Video Coaching program to be announced very soon.

“We know that riders who are properly educated and wear appropriate gear will have more fun, ride longer, and encourage more people to become involved in motorcycling,” Ienatsch said. “Our mission is to make quality motorcycle education available to all riders and grow the sport of motorcycling. Champ U: New Rider will be a powerful tool in reaching our goal.”

About Yamaha Champions Riding School:

Yamaha Champions Riding School (ChampSchool) is the nation’s premier motorcycle training program. ChampSchool is the evolution of the Freddie Spencer High-Performance Riding School and is led by racer, author, and former right-hand man of Spencer, Nick Ienatsch. ChampSchool uses “Champions Habits” to teach all riders the skills and techniques used by the top riders in the world to go faster safer, while concentrating on the way in which modern motorcycles are designed to be ridden. ChampSchool is dedicated to making all motorcycle riders safer and more in control of their riding, no matter what type of riding they do.

The post Yamaha Champions Riding School Announces ‘Champ U: New Rider’ Digital Course first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

Partial 2023 ChampSchool Schedule Announced

What techniques do some of the best riders in the world use to stay safe while going so fast? The Yamaha Champions Riding School, led by racer and author Nick Ienatsch, aims to imbue this wisdom on participants at its numerous events. Along these lines, the partial 2023 ChampSchool schedule has been released, with events from coast to coast and several points in between – and promises of more to come. Read the press release below from the Yamaha Champions Riding School for more information


2023 Yamaha ChampSchool schedule

GARYSBURG, N.C. — Yamaha Champions Riding School, the premier riding school in North America, is proud to announce the partial 2023 schedule featuring events in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington state. This is a partial schedule release with several more dates to be added in the next few weeks. In all, the 2023 ChampSchool schedule will consist of more than 30 events including 2-Day ChampSchool, ChampStreet, ChampGrad, and Racer Only curriculums. Significant “early bird” discounts are available for all schools up to 60 days before the events, and most schools sell out weeks in advance.

“We pushed hard to get our 2023 partial schedule out because of incredible demand,” CEO Nick Ienatsch explains. “We keep our classes small because we feel that riding must be taught specifically and individually, but we filled all of our classes in 2022 with incredibly long wait lists! We have added several new events, changed up some programs, and we include our new Champ U online curriculum with every in-person school purchase. Thanks to all riders for their interest; see what events fit your schedule and let’s ride together in 2023.”

See all of Rider‘s Yamaha coverage here.

Miami Vice

The first event of the year might be the best event of the year! Yamaha Champions Riding School is going to Homestead Miami Speedway for what has turned into our annual four-day moto-vacation extravaganza! ChampSchool has partnered with N2 Track Days for four days of fun in the sun. Thursday and Friday, Jan. 19-20, will feature our 2-Day ChampSchool, and ChampStreet programs.

N2 Track Days will be holding a track day event on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 21-22. Track prepared rental bikes will be available from Bike Pass Motorsports, Track Bike Rentals, and BobbleHeadMoto. Street based rentals will be available from ChampSchool and our new partners at Eagle Rider. 2-Day ChampSchool students will also have the opportunity to get “third-day” private coaching from Kyle Wyman, Ben Walters, Chris Peris, Eziah Davis, Stefano Mesa, Robertino Pretri, and others at the N2 Event. Call the boss and take vacation time now. This event will sell out.

Winter Motorsports 

ChampSchool’s traditional winter home is Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, Arizona. Inde is a gearhead’s dream with 75,000 sq-ft of beautiful facilities, a 5-acre skid pad, and an amazing, freshly-repaved, 21-turn road course. We will be holding traditional 2-Day ChampSchool events at Inde on Feb. 20-21 as well as adding ChampStreet to the program.

On March 20-21, we will hold our “Racer Only” school. This event will not include our normal 2-Day curriculum but will focus specifically on racing, race craft, training, nutrition, sponsorship, and racing as a business…taught by a who’s-who of American roadracing.

We will be back at Inde for a “Graduate Only” event on May 9-10, open to any ChampSchool grad regardless of speed or riding venue.

The next ChampSchool at Inde will be on Oct. 9-10 followed by Grad schools on Nov. 28-29. Inde is the perfect destination to improve your skills while your friends are shoveling snow. Private “third-day” coaching is available from Chris Peris at most Inde Motorsports Ranch events. Yamaha motorcycles are available to rent at all Inde events for a true “arrive and ride” experience.

California Love 

ChampSchool loves California, and California loves ChampSchool. How do we know? Simple: Every event in California sells out! YCRS is returning to California for up to six events in 2022. We can only tease a few at this time though. We can confirm events at the repaved Streets of Willow on March 31 to April 1, as well as Nov. 13-14. Don’t worry California, we have plenty more to announce in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

The Great State of Texas: Pre-MotoGP

We have had years of requests to come to Texas, and we finally made it happen last year. The event sold out, and all we heard about was more events in Texas, so we will be back with two events in 2023. We will roll in to Cresson Motorsports Ranch just outside of Dallas/Ft. Worth for a 2-Day ChampSchool program on April 11-12 . This is the Tuesday/Wednesday prior to MotoGP at COTA. Come ride with us at this very fun track and then take the 3.5 hr trip to COTA to watch the best in the world. We will return to Cresson on Sept. 5-6.

Big news! We will be bringing our ChampStreet program to both events in Texas.

Illinois: Mid-West Sunshine

We have a massive mid-west following who have traveled all over the country to ride with us, and now we are finally coming to them. On Aug. 7-8, we will be holding a 2-Day ChampSchool program at beautiful Autobahn Country Club just outside of Chicago. New for 2023 will be the addition of our ChampStreet program. This is an amazing facility at the perfect time of year.

The Carolinas 

Big news! We have moved the ChampSchool East Coast home base to Garysburg, North Carolina, to the North Carolina Center for Automotive Research (NCBike)! We are celebrating by holding a six-day event for our housewarming party.

Our first event of the year will be a big one. We will kick things off with 2-Day ChampSchool on Thursday and Friday April 27-28. We are partnering with N2 for private lessons and Grad programs on April 29-30. After all that fun, we will hold our first East Coast Racers Only school on Monday and Tuesday, May 1-2. It’s going to be a blast, national #1s will be coaching

We will return to NCBike for an almost identical program Thursday and Friday Oct. 19-20, followed by an N2 Track Day with private lessons on Oct. 21-22, then a Grad Only event on Monday and Tuesday Oct. 23-24. Stay tuned for at least one more Southeast date in 2023.

Mile High in Colorado

ChampSchool is coming back to Colorado on Memorial Day weekend at High Plains Raceway! Saturday and Sunday, May 27-28. This event will feature our 1-day ChampStreet program and our full 2-Day ChampSchool. This event will sell out and will have limited rental availability, so prep your bike and come ride with our team that includes six-time MRA #1 plate holder Ryan Burke and class champions like Michael Applehans and Joe Clark

Pacific Northwest

ChampSchool is back with a full program at The Ridge in June. The Ridge is the premier road course facility in Washington state, and ChampSchool is excited about returning for our sixth straight year. The event will be held on the Tuesday and Wednesday after the MotoAmerica weekend: June 27-28. Watch the pros race on the weekend and then learn from the same riders during the week.

Northeast: Pitt and NJMP

The Northeast will have four events in 2023. Pittsburgh International Race Complex is hands down one of the best tracks in the country. Pitt Race will be the epicenter of motorcycle track riding in mid-August with our 2-day event in the center. The N2 National Endurance and WERA Sprint racing will start the week off with ChampSchool next on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 14-15.

The best riders in the country (and several of your instructors) will be next as MotoAmerica moves in Aug. 18-20.

We have a long history at New Jersey Motorsports Park and will host three events on May 16-17, June 19-20, and Sept. 26-27. With more than 45 million people within a couple hour’s drive of the famous south Jersey track, NJMP is an extremely popular facility and a ton of fun. All three events this year will be on the Thunderbolt course and feature our 2-Day ChampSchool and a pair of 1-day ChampStreet programs.

Stay Tuned for More 2023 ChampSchool Schedule Events

The 2023 Yamaha Champions Riding School schedule will continue to expand with new events being added throughout the rest of the year. Check back often at the ChampSchool website for the latest info.

  • Jan. 19-20, 2023 – Homestead Miami Speedway, Miami, FL (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • Feb. 20-21, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • March 20-21, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (Racers Only) 
  • March 31 – April 1 2023 – Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • April 11-12, 2023 – Motorsports Ranch, Cresson, TX (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • April 27-28, 2023 – NCBike, Garysburg, NC (ChampSchool)
  • May 1-2, 2023 – NCBike, Garysburg, NC (Racers Only)
  • May 9-10, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (Grad)
  • May 16-17, 2023 – New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • May 27-28, 2023 – High Plains Raceway, CO (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • June 19-20, 2023 – New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • June 27-28, 2023 – The Ridge, Shelton, WA. (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • Aug. 7-8, 2023 – Autobahn, Joliet, IL (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • Aug. 14-15, 2023 – Pittsburg International Race Complex, Beaver, PA (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • Sept. 5-6, 2023 – Motorsports Ranch, Cresson, TX. (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • Sept. 26-27, 2023 – New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • Oct. 9-10, 11-12, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (Retail) (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • Oct. 19-20, 2023 – NCBike, Garysburg, NC (ChampSchool) 
  • Oct. 23-24, 2023 – NCBike, Garysburg, NC (Grad) 
  • Nov. 13-14, 2023 – Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)
  • Nov. 28-29, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (Grad) 

About Yamaha Champions Riding School

Yamaha Champions Riding School (ChampSchool) is the nation’s premier motorcycle training program. ChampSchool is the evolution of the Freddie Spencer High-Performance Riding School and is led by racer, author, and former right-hand man of Spencer, Nick Ienatsch. ChampSchool uses “Champions Habits” to teach all riders the skills and techniques used by the top riders in the world to go faster safer, while concentrating on the way in which modern motorcycles are designed to be ridden. ChampSchool is dedicated to making all motorcycle riders safer and more in control of their riding, no matter what type of riding they do. For more information visit the ChampSchool website.

Yamaha Champions Riding School is proudly sponsored by: Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Dainese, Omnediem, Arai Helmets, YamaLube, GYTR, Chatterbox, GB Racing, ModOp, Chickenhawk Tire Warmers, Techspec, Payless Rental Cars, Core Moto and N2 Track Days.

The post Partial 2023 ChampSchool Schedule Announced first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com