Advanced Track Motorcycle Classes in the Bay Area

Total Control® Track Advanced Riding Clinic

Total Control® Track Advanced Riding Clinic

Whether you want to become a more proficient and safer rider on the street—or a faster rider on the track—mastering advanced riding techniques is crucial and should not be postponed until it is too late. Unfortunately, most advanced riding courses in the country are only offered in high-speed racetrack environments. The fear of crashing at high speeds and the pressure of other riders flying by are too intimidating to most motorcyclists so they never take this important step forward.

Our Track ARC is a truly different learning experience. You and your street or track motorcycle get onto a designated and safe track and practice with professional observation and instruction our advanced riding techniques. All of the professional instructors have comprehensive training to provide you with feedback and advice based on your riding on the track at road speeds (or higher if you like). Each hour of the day is spent on different techniques both in the classroom and on the track —20 minutes at a time— plus transitions between environments. After each set of three laps, you will receive professional, concise coaching on the specific skills you need to work on to transform your riding. From cruisers to sportbikes, all types of motorcycles and riding styles are welcome to attend.

What Track ARC Covers

There are so many different factors that affect traction, from cornering and acceleration forces to the design of the tires and the weight of the bike; riding a motorcycle is really an exercise in traction management. The purpose of nearly every skill taught in our Advanced Riding Clinic is to help you understand what traction is, how it works and how to effectively use the limited amounts of traction available on a motorcycle.

The single most important control on your motorcycle is the throttle. This is because—beyond speed and acceleration—it applies forces to so many aspects of your bike's handling including traction, suspension, weight transfer, steering, stability, and ground clearance. Knowing how to skillfully apply the throttle is one of the major distinctions between good riders and great riders.

You know what it is like when you are 'in the zone', everything just seems to flow, one corner seamlessly blending into the next, and you are always in the right place on the road. You also know when you are not in the zone, because everything seems to go wrong, the ride is harsh and jerky, cars take a swipe at you and it just feels like you are having a generally bad day. During our Advanced Riding Clinic, you will learn how fear and concentration can have such a profound effect on your riding and what simple steps you can take to ensure you have a perfect ride every time.

Vision is, without a doubt, the most fundamental skill for proper riding. The majority of decisions made while riding are based on information coming in through your eyes. The main reason for vision being so critical is that you go where you look but even experienced racers struggle with maintaining proper vision through the corners. At Total Control you will learn why riders go where they look and how you can use your eyes to your advantage and safety during every ride.

Unlike cars, motorcycles can take a lot of different lines through a particular corner. Some of these lines will help you make a safe and serene progression through the bends, while others will ruin your perfect ride! During our Advanced Riding Clinic you will learn exactly how to plan and follow proper lines on every corner of the road.

No matter what you ride, the way you position your body on your motorcycle has a profound impact on how it will handle during a corner and also determines how much physical effort you will need to control it. Our Advanced Riding Clinic uses a ten step technology to ensure you achieve the right body position—every time. We call it a technology rather than just a bunch of tips, because ALL the ten steps combine to give you consistent results.

Having the right suspension setup is one of the keys to riding fast and safely. No matter which shock or fork you have, they all require proper adjustment to work to their maximum potential. The knowledge about how your suspension works—and how to properly adjust it and maintain it—will work together with proper riding skills to improve your overall ability to manage traction.

How It Works

Part of the reason for the program's success is the dynamic classroom training, which includes both theory and application of the Total Control ARC techniques. By including a basic analysis of vehicular dynamics, riders get a clear understanding of how their actions affect their bikes. For instance, in the suspension portion of the class, riders learn how to analyze the effectiveness of their suspension and how to set it up for maximum control and comfort.

After an initial intro and classroom instruction, you head out of the paddock and onto the track to ride laps. We have corner workers placed on the track to maintain a safe environment along with ARC Instructors who take turns leading and following you through arguably the most fun training track in the country. Every three laps, your instructor provides you with personalized feedback on your riding that you can use in the following laps/sessions as well as on the street. Combined with a strategic "building block" formula for integrating the individual skills into a complete riding package, the Total Control Track ARC enables riders to learn faster and easier than ever before. Equally important, all the Total Control ARC skills are taught with their direct applications for street riding. After all, knowing how to do something is of little value if you don't understand when and where to use it.

This course is based on Lee Parks' best selling book Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques.

Is Track ARC for me?

Because of the advanced cornering skills and techniques that we teach during Track ARC, it is important that riders who take this course arrive with a solid riding foundation in order to make the most out of the class. The best way to assess if you are ready for ARC is by responding to these other three important questions:

  1. Do you feel confident and relaxed riding through a curvy road, at regular road speeds?
  2. Do you feel confident in your ability to swerve around an unexpected obstacle, at road speeds?
  3. Do you feel confident in your ability to make your motorcycle stop in a very short distance during an emergency?

If you answered YES to the three questions above, then ARC is for you and you will enjoy it greatly! However, if you responded NO to any of the questions above, you should consider the Intermediate Riding Clinic as the next step in your riding education.

Location and Date

Total Control Track ARC will be held on the Short Track at Sonoma Raceway on Sept. 19th, 2026. The short track configuration delivers a compact layout emphasizing rapid lap frequency and high corner density, making it the perfect place to hone in your advanced cornering techniques.

Price

The Total Control Track ARC early bird special is $599. Cost will increase to $699 on June 1, 2026. .

Motorcycle Requirements

Students must provide their own motorcycles for the class.

Your motorcycle should be well maintained. This includes the following:

  • Your tires should have sufficient tread (at least 3mm). Air pressure will be checked before the class starts.
  • No car tires or race tires or race compound tires allowed regardless if they are DOT approved.
  • Your bike should not overheat while stopped with the motor running on a hot day.
  • On liquid cooled bikes, check the coolant level.
  • Check the engine oil level.
  • Your charging system must function properly, and a relatively new battery is highly recommended because you will be starting the bike frequently.
  • Brakes are in good working order.
  • No motorcycles with leaking fluids will be allowed on the range. This includes: engine oil, transmission fluid, gasoline, engine coolant, brake fluid or anything else that may leak from a motorcycle.
  • Absolutely no race tires or race compound tires are allowed even if they are DOT approved. These tires will not get hot enough to maintain traction during the class.

Gear Requirements

  • Full-finger, 100% leather or street-specific motorcycle gloves.
  • Motorcycle-specific protective pants (leather chaps OK).
  • Over-the-ankle protective boots.
  • DOT-approved helmet.
  • Eye Protection.
  • Motorcycle-specific riding jacket.

For New Riders

Learn the basics of riding safely in a controlled environment and receive the certificate that may waive the DMV riding skill test. Our friendly basic riding course was designed for people with zero experience on a motorcycle. We provide motorcycles and helmets for you to learn with.

For Experienced Riders

Become a better—and safer—rider using your own motorcycle with our Intermediate Riding Clinic. Or take your cornering and crash-avoidance skills to the highest level with our Advanced Riding Clinics, taught only by the best certified instructors in the Bay Area!


"Craig, and his crew at Pacific Motorcycle Training are pros, nuff said. They know their stuff and make a conscious effort to pass it along to you. If your goal is to know how to ride and be safe doing it, you've come to the right place. Prepare to feel confident on the open highway after completion; this course is the real deal."
- Bkandel ., September 2019
"Had a great experience. Came in not knowing anything about riding a motorcycle and learned a lot. The instructors were great."
- J Hernandez, July 2024
"I took the Pacific Motorcycle Training course in San Bruno and it was an incredible experience. The instructors did an awesome job not only teaching in-class principles effectively, but demonstrating in the field why those principles are relevant and necessary if you’re planning on riding motorcycles for a lifetime. I had a great time in this class and would recommend it to anyone who wants to be a better, safer, and more proficient rider."
- Adam Stroup, January 2023
"I came to the class very nervous and very worried because I'm an anxiety prone person when it comes to something that I know there's a test for afterwards. The instructors, Steve and Wyatt, were able to calm my nerves with their ability to clearly state and show through live demonstrations what was needed to be done. By the end of the course, I felt very confident that I learned enough to be able to ride a motorcycle in practice sessions without much fear of getting into an accident..."
- Eileen Pascual, July 2025
"I had an amazing experience. I had very little to no experience with riding and so I felt a little anxious about how quick I would learn everything and be ready for the evaluation. Halfway through the 1st day I had already began to feel more comfortable and confident with the bike I was riding. Day 1 and 2 had different instructors but they were all great and I learned a lot. I highly recommend for anyone who is looking to get their M1 to do this course!"
- Isela Caballero, June 2025
"I struggled a lot with the weight of the bike and fell a couple times. Q gave me helpful tips on balancing the bike and offered a lighter bike. All the teachers were very helpful, knowledgable and patient. The first day was hard learning the basics but by the end I learned how to ride the motorcycle and was able to pass the class."
- Sofia Sustal, March 2023
"I really enjoyed this motorcycle course. I have been riding for over two years and would consider myself an intermediate rider. The teachers were fantastic - Wyatt and another guy but I can’t remember his name :/ they were clear, fun and knowledgeable, and the course was set out really well. I was thankful that we did similar drills/exercises over and over again to really impress it into our memory and get it right, and like I said, the teachers were excellent ..."
- Jessie Randolph (volatileskies), October 2024

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