Want to ride a motorcycle on the track but not sure where to begin? You are in exactly the right place. This is the hub that helps you find your way.
Track riding is for everyone. A track day is open lapping in a controlled environment: no traffic, no oncoming cars, room to run off, and marshals watching the whole time. You do not need a race license, a race bike, or any speed at all. Most riders show up to learn at their own pace, and they have a great day doing it.
Here is the part nobody tells new riders: the two most important things for moving up between run groups are consistency and predictable lines, not raw speed. Riding the same line lap after lap so other riders can read you and pass you safely matters far more than how fast you go. Smooth, repeatable, and predictable is what earns you the bump to the next group. Speed comes later, and it comes on its own once the habits are there.
Not sure if any of this is for you? Is track riding for me? is a good first read.
Here for four wheels instead of two? Our sister school, FastLane Racing School, handles car track days, racing, and instruction at Buttonwillow.
You do not need to ride on the street to ride on the track. Plenty of riders go straight to the track and never ride on the road at all. So we will start with the track path, because it is the one most people are here for.
The fastest way to get good is a school. Yamaha ChampSchool and California Superbike School teach a complete, repeatable approach to braking, vision, and cornering, and we genuinely recommend starting there if you can. But you do not have to start with a school.
Nearly every track-day organization runs a New Rider Orientation (NRO) or New Rider School (NRS) that gets first-timers started, and it is well worth it. An NRO does not teach deep cornering technique. What it does is help you navigate the paddock, enter and exit the track safely, learn the racing line, learn the flags, and learn the rules. Usually that means control riders doing lead-follow sessions out on track, and sometimes video review or one-on-one feedback.
One last thing, and it matters: the motorcycle community is big, welcoming, and full of people who were once exactly where you are. Do not be shy. Ask questions in the paddock, ask the control riders, ask the person next to you in the tech line. People will help, and they are glad to.
These do a great job teaching control and cornering, from your first laps to advanced and pro-level instruction. We send riders their way, then help you take the next step on track.
The school many riders point to as the single best way to get faster and safer. YCRS runs the two-day ChampSchool for current riders of any level, the on-track ChampStreet program, and an online curriculum (Champ U). Founded by Freddie Spencer and Nick Ienatsch, it teaches a complete, repeatable approach to braking, vision, and cornering that holds up on the street and on the track.
The original cornering and control school, founded by Keith Code in 1980 and built around the Twist of the Wrist methodology. Multi-day, level-based camps with on-track coaching and classroom drills take riders from their first laps to advanced cornering, with school bikes available so you can show up and ride.
An all-inclusive supermoto and kart-track skills school at Apex (Adams) Motorsports Park in Perris, CA. A day with them includes a track-prepped bike, gear, instruction, and track fees, so there is nothing to bring and nothing to prep. It is one of the best places anywhere to build raw bike control and throttle and brake feel, and we highly recommend spending a day with them.
No race license, no race bike, and no speed required. Just you, a controlled track, and people who want to help you have a great day.
Racing is an optional next step, and there is no rush to get there. When you are ready, you have real options, and some of them are free.
Organizations like Racer411 offer free mentorship and coaching to help you make the jump from track days to the starting grid. It is a genuine on-ramp into racing, and we recommend you check them out.
You can also invest in a school to fast-track your skills. We recommend starting with a two-day school like Yamaha ChampSchool or California Superbike School. And when you want focused, one-on-one progress, our private coaches actively race in the local and pro series. Work with a coach and we will connect you and handle the logistics.
Free mentorship plus the schools that fast-track your skills. Start with mentorship, add a school when you want to accelerate.
A racer-mentorship program supporting CRA that bridges the gap between track days and the starting grid. Racer411 offers FREE technical mentorship, trackside support, and a community of experienced racers who help new riders make the jump to racing. If going racing feels out of reach, start here.
The school many riders point to as the single best way to get faster and safer. YCRS runs the two-day ChampSchool for current riders of any level, the on-track ChampStreet program, and an online curriculum (Champ U). Founded by Freddie Spencer and Nick Ienatsch, it teaches a complete, repeatable approach to braking, vision, and cornering that holds up on the street and on the track.
The original cornering and control school, founded by Keith Code in 1980 and built around the Twist of the Wrist methodology. Multi-day, level-based camps with on-track coaching and classroom drills take riders from their first laps to advanced cornering, with school bikes available so you can show up and ride.
To be clear: you do not need to ride on the street to ride on the track. But if you do plan to ride on the road, start by learning to ride in general with the MSF Basic RiderCourse, which in most states is also how you earn your motorcycle endorsement. From there, the Yamaha Champ Street program (YCRS) builds real street craft and survival skills. Good street habits and good track habits reinforce each other, so this time is never wasted.
The national nonprofit, founded in 1973, that sets rider-training standards and runs the Basic RiderCourse and advanced RiderCourses. In most states this is where new riders learn to ride and earn their motorcycle endorsement, and it is the right first step if you plan to ride on the street.
The school many riders point to as the single best way to get faster and safer. YCRS runs the two-day ChampSchool for current riders of any level, the on-track ChampStreet program, and an online curriculum (Champ U). Founded by Freddie Spencer and Nick Ienatsch, it teaches a complete, repeatable approach to braking, vision, and cornering that holds up on the street and on the track.
Every guide that answers the questions new riders have, with no jargon and no pressure. Browse them all whenever you want to dig deeper.
Browse the new rider hub → or jump to the glossary & FAQ.
Everyone was new once. Here is what that first step felt like for a few of them.
I was nervous pulling into the paddock for my first track day. By the second session I was grinning inside my helmet. Nobody cared how fast I was, they just wanted to help me get comfortable.
As someone who only ever rode on the street, I felt like I would be out of my depth. The orientation walked me through everything and the coaches never once made me feel slow.
I did not own a track bike and almost talked myself out of it. They had one ready for me, dialed in and waiting. I just showed up and rode.
A coaching day pairs you with a coach who actively races, so you build good habits from the very first session. And if you do not have a track bike, you can ride one of ours.