One of the highlights of the school was the track walk around the Road Atlanta course with the 1993 World Roadracing Champion.

The horses are saddled and ready to ride! The KSSS stable of Michelin-shod Suzuki GSX-R600s.

very now and then a racer comes along with such incredible talent, style, determination, and charisma, to win over legions of loyal fans worldwide. Whether it was accomplished through his famous passes under heavy braking, or simply by the big grin and Texas-style hospitality, motorcycle racing fans everywhere love Kevin Schwantz. During his Grand Prix racing career, Kevin amassed 25 wins, 21 lap records, 29 pole positions and the 1993 World Championship. Thanks to the development of the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School (KSSS), every student who attends gets the unique opportunity to learn from his talent, style, and determination, as well as experience that famous hospitality from Kevin and his professional staff.
     Speaking of professionals, KSSS is comprised of an impressive amount of racing talent which, in my opinion, is unequaled in any performance riding school. One might think that it would be an intimidating atmosphere to be taught by Kevin Schwantz, Lee Acree, Tray Batey, “Opie” Caylor, Jamie James, Michael Martin, and Lance Holst (to name a few), but that’s where the professionalism and southern hospitality come into play. No worries about egos here, because the KSSS staff are simply a bunch of good old boys that happen to be accomplished racers. Kevin is very proud of his instructors, stating that each and every one of them are qualified to run their own schools.

Out on the track, the instructors coordinate a demonstration to show students the proper line through a turn.

The KSSS list of instructors includes numerous racing veterans, including the 1989 AMA Superbike National Champion, Jamie James,

Parts Unlimited’s Todd Cooperider, our student for the day at the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School and author of this story.

     Given the talent level of the instructors at KSSS, many riders may have the tendency to assume that the school is intended only for advanced track riders and racers, but the truth is that the school is intended for riders of virtually all skill levels. From accomplished racers to relatively new riders, cruiser experience to sportbike experience, KSSS helps everybody develop skills to help them become more confident with better control. In our class, we had riders in their early twenties on up to baby-boomers; from all walks of life and levels of experience. All classes are split into Street and Advanced groups (both on track and in the classroom), then are broken down again into varying speeds within each group. Everybody gets to ride with others at relatively the same skill level, which makes for a much more fun and confidence inspiring environment. KSSS limits each class to no more than 30 students (3-to-1 student-to-instructor ratio), which insures that each rider gets plenty of one-on-one track instruction.
     KSSS is a full-service school, which means that you can drive/fly/ride into the famed Road Atlanta circuit with just the clothes on your back and be ready to roll. Not only do they provide Suzuki GSXR-600’s and SV650’s to ride, but you can also arrange rental of leathers, boots, gloves, and helmets. You can bring your own bike (as long as it’s a Suzuki) and gear provided they meet the school’s minimum safety requirements. There’s no need to worry about food and refreshments either, as all that is provided as well. We had a very nice catered lunch each day, and everybody joined Kevin and his instructors at his favorite local restaurant for dinner and bench-racing on the first night (remember what I was saying about that southern hospitality?).

Lance Holst, the KSSS lead instructor goes over the layout of Road Atlanta in the classroom.

     There are many other riding schools out there right now that offer an excellent curriculum and plenty of riding time. A few things that set KSSS apart from the rest however, would be the thorough and professional presentation of information, the on-board video reviews, and perhaps my favorite aspect of the school…the intensive track-walk with Kevin. Upon registration, each student is provided with a detailed outline of KSSS rules, goals, and class curriculum, which made it easy to follow along throughout the process. The main riding techniques that KSSS teaches are: visual awareness, body position, reference points, shifting and braking techniques, controlling panic, managing traction, smoothness, and suspension setup. The goals of the school are to provide: 1. The best learning experience available, 2. A safe environment to explore your limits and those of your bike, 3. To have fun. Throughout the alternating track and classroom sessions, everybody got the opportunity to review their riding technique courtesy of the on-board video camera that was on Lee Acree’s bike. Lance Holst, the lead instructor, would break down each rider’s video footage, making note of which techniques were being done successfully, and which ones were in need of improvement. It’s simply amazing how much you can improve upon your own riding skills just by watching yourself go through a few turns! At the beginning of day 2, we reviewed all that we had done and learned on the previous day by taking to the track…on foot! We walked through each section of the 2.54 mile Road Atlanta course with Kevin pointing out each braking point, turn-in, apex, and exit of every single turn. To make the point even more clear, several of the instructors were riding the track so that we could see them hit each mark at full speed. Let me say this, watching these guys come through the turns at pace while standing only a few feet off of the track is an enlightening experience! After an hour and a half of track-walk, you could just look around at the other students and tell that everything we were being taught was coming together nicely. Now, time to put the leathers back on and ride…

     At the end of day 2, I sat down with Kevin and we discussed some of the goals of KSSS, and what the future had in store for it. As we all are aware, the media outside of the industry does a fantastic job of focusing on the negatives of our sport (alleged 205mph speeding tickets, street-racers crashing, etc). When I asked Kevin about his opinions on this subject, he said that one of our biggest issues is getting these types of riders off of the street, and into a controlled environment where they can learn proper riding techniques before trying to ride fast. He hopes that he can reach at least of few of those riders through his reputation as a racer, as well as the reputation on how fun the school is. He is also a proponent of stricter licensing requirements so that riders first must develop certain skills and experience before graduating to the level that current liter-bike performance has to offer. With the combined efforts of everybody within the motorcycle industry, from dealers to manufacturers, we can work to promote (and protect) a fun and safe motorcycling environment in the eyes of the public. As for the future plans for KSSS, they will still run exclusively at Road Atlanta, and expand their school offerings in Europe and Japan. When asked about the whether or not they would visit any other tracks throughout the U.S., he said: “no plans, but anything’s possible.”
     In my position, I have been blessed over the years with the opportunities to participate in some of the best motorcycling experiences that the sport has to offer. Not only was the KSSS experience among that group of the best, it arguably sits right at the top. Regardless of what level of street rider you might be, if you wish to become a more confident, safer, and faster rider, then do yourself a favor and attend the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School!
     Todd Cooperider is the Central Regional Sales Manager for Parts Unlimited.

     Ohlins is a sponsor of the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School. Last year the school invited Chris Jensen, the Ohlins Product Manager for Parts Unlimited to see first-hand how the school works. As long as it is a Suzuki, KSSS students are allowed to bring their own bike, so Jensen took a 2001 SV650S and fitted it with Ohlins rear shock and steering damper kit, plus a few other aftermarket items. This is a shot of Chris at a track day in Michigan following his KSSS experience, knee down and showing great form. Like Todd Cooperider, Chris was very impressed by the organization of the school and level of information provided.