Anyone taken the Ed Bargy school??

Took his school in '94 in the pouring rain at TGPR. Also took Keith Codes school 2x, once in '93 at Watkins Glen and once in '96 at Road A. No disrespect to Keith, because his school was cool, but Ed simply has the BEST approach to teaching a newbie how to get around a track safely. His approach also supplies you with the tools to continue your education WITHOUT attending additional schools... He teaches you to teach yourself!! Like Todd said, I often learn something new only to find out it was something Ed taught me 13 years ago that I had forgotten. I also teach for him when the classes are big, so look for the instructer on the little vintage bike and I'll be glad to show you some lines.

Mark

 

Its funny you mentioned that. Ed brought me on my last year as a novice (literally the last year as in end of the season, no more races, expert letter in the mail). My first time teaching was at Jennings. We had a very small class (6 students), and it was just Ed and myself instructing. Since i had never instructed with Ed, and itd been what seemed like forever since i'd taken the school, i opted to sit in on the class rather than go play on the track while the students were in the classroom. This way i would know what was being gone over in the class and what i was to work on with the students when we got on the track. As i sat there, like you, all these things i had been doing wrong were all making sense as to WHY they were wrong. You hear Ed talk about "DONT BE THAT GUY", especially when he talks about being a relatively "fast guy" riding by the seat of your pants. "That guy" gets pretty fast, but then when he wants to go faster, he starts crashing his ass off. Well, THAT GUY was me. 7 crashes in 7 weekends, lucky 7 resulting in my first broken bone of my life (collarbone), had me realizing i had been doing SOMETHING wrong, just wasnt sure WHAT.

As i sat there in the classroom, alot of things i had forgotten about, started making sense. Ed would see me shaking my head, and would ask me to comment to the class what i was thinking. So i did, explaining why what we just went over was crucial to going fast and NOT crashing.

Well, when the next season started, new white plates on the bike, i went out, my first expert race, i won. I went on to win 2 regional championships that year and not ONE crash all season (yes, i know, for some of you guys, thats hard to believe), but yea, not one crash that year.

Bargy's class as others have stated, teach the fundamentals of what it takes to be consistant, to be smooth, and the physics of why a bike does what it does under certain circumstances. Put those 3 things together, and the speed just naturally follows.

Yea, i think Ed's school is the best, especially for the money. Am i biased because im an instructor? Nope, i always thought it was the best, even before i started instructing with him.

 

I took Ed's school in SEP @ Barber. Loved it. I am taking his 2 day school @ Jennings in late DEC. I'm just starting racing (have not run yet) but I do have a great deal of experience as an instructor (law enforcement). Ed has a gift when it comes to passing on knowledge. He does not come off as a know-it-all and teach above his students comprehension. He is approachable. You could do much worse than attending Ed Bargy's Racing School.

 

Bargy school

I took Ed's class in 1991 at Rockingham in the rain...:wow: A great instructor and great class content. Everything you need to know to get through your 1st race weekend and a great base to build on. I highly recommend it.

 

I've been instructing for Ed for a while now as well. Granted, I had a ton of dirt bike experience and that seems to give you a leg up right outta the gate. However, when I took the school, that bike (first gen, raced prepped SV) felt like I was a monkey humping a football compared to a dirt bike. He told me some ways to apply my dirt bike knowledge and it translated very well. He was able to articulate how to transfer weight a bit differently and what he said made sense.

I took the school, raced that weekend and haven't looked back since. It's an honor to instruct with him and he's taught me how to be a better teacher.

Just my.02

 

Guys... I appreciate all of the feedback!! You have definitely sold me! Although I am over 1,000 miles away... as long as I can get my bike together in time, I will be making the trip down for the class between XMas & NY's. I have never raced on the street, but want to start off on the right foot. This gives me an excuse to head back to Mom's in Atlanta for the holidays (because I want to see the family right... wink, wink)
Thanks.

 

I know you mentioned Jennings, Ed also has a 2 day school over at Talladega Gran Prix the weekend of Dec. 8 and 9 that you might be interested in as well.

 

There have been comments like," best bang for the buck" and "one of the best out there". How many here have actually taken 2 or more schools to compare them? What were the differences? What did you like from one that the other didnt offer? Just curious. Tdub

 

I have taken the Schwantz school and the Bargy school.

Schwantz school cost more.
Kevin is super cool.
So is Ed.
I think the biggest difference is that Ed's school is a race school. You get a lot of info about racing that you don't from the Schwantz school.