Mallory Park & Slide

[Matt Black]

I had an email recently about there not being enough people signed up to do this year's trackday. Now I don't know whether the situation is resolving itself as we speak, but I thought I'd chuck a thread into the mix anyhoo.

This year, I don't know what the numbers are. Personally I've sat on the fence until now for my own reasons, which, if anybody cares are;

1) Seen it, done it (twice), got the tee shirt etc
2) Cost me a fortune last year. £500 service beforehand, £100 odd for the day and a large bill from the Royal Oak, plus fuel, two days off etc. It wasnt a trackday - it was a mini break!
3) After a safe quick first year, last year made I made loads of mistakes, went round slower, still finding neutral on the straight, horrendous backfire, highsided, watched 5 people fall off, very much a rollercoaster ride.
4) When the instructors say when the flag goes down, that doesn't mean stop. So why did I nearly tail end a bloody CB500 when he shut off at the finish line - geez could so easily have been incidnet number 6

So these are among my reasons for being undecided, but what about you? Aside from the usual like can't get the time off, or no leathers, or cashfllow problems why aren't other people doing it?

So, if like me you've been before, why aren't you going this year? Do tell.

[Kazza]

My other half was one of the five who fell off and it cost him £3,500 to rebuild his bike. He has had a brilliant paint job on it and it looks better than it was - but it has put us off a bit. We've booked the day off work, but are still deliberating about actually going back out on the track this year. If we do, it will be just to pootle around the track and enjoy the atmosphere - otherwise we will still turn up and watch to support everyone else. It's still definitely a good way to gain more experience about your bike's handling, etc and I think we should all utilize the instructors to gain more experience and knowledge. In Neil's case, I think he was too over confident, having done a Ron Haslam track day a few days before.

[CK & AK]

we have both the bikes out racing on the Sat.
Mallory is in Leics, the race meeting in Wilts.
We need to leave on the Fri afternoon for the 2 day race meeting.

So, AK wont be there this year, as
1. racing more important
2. Fuel costing too much for the 3/4 days
3. More holidays off work
4. Mallory's new 'addition' doesnt look at all rider friendly
5. combi of all above really

[Perryl]

I know it's not everyones' cup of tea but every year it blows my mind.

Where else can you try out the whole Ducati range including the 999 on a race track and not even have to put the petrol in? Together with the free lunch and other goodies that they give you, I'm too much of a freeloader not to go!

Regards

Perry

[Scotty]

well i am going even though ive been twice before and had the mechanical nightmare the first time , i think the new shikane ? bendy bit is kinda questionable but it will still be interesting as a slight altertation from previous years, i may have to have a go in the 'fast' group this time yeah all the accociated costs are yet more expence but its not that bad , long distance traveling people must know someone they can harass for a night or 2 ? and if you dont ask on the forum perhaps you never know your 'luck'

[slob]

Last year was my first trackday and I loved every minute of it. Why did I only just discover this after 25 years of biking? I did two more later in the year, both with other UKMOC members and had a bloody great time despite binning my bike at Donnington. I wouldn't miss it! I've even booked the Friday off work too, so I can go on to the Desmo Due weekend at Castle Coombe without having to waste my life at work in between.
Frankly the roads are far more dangerous.
BRING IT ON!!!!

[Paranoid Dave]

Frankly the roads are far more dangerous.

erm.... is it normal for 5 members to fall off on the same day while riding on the road? Just a thought.

[Matt Black]

I didn't know they were changing the circuit. I note from the Mallory website they are introducing a new corner at the exit of Gerrards. For me Gerrards is the best bit.

What are they doing, they haven't updated the circuit map?

[slob]

erm.... is it normal for 5 members to fall off on the same day while riding on the road? Just a thought.
We all know it's not your cup of tea Dave, which is probably why your on-road cornering is so poor, try it... you might learn something!

[Paranoid Dave]

http://www.go1better.co.uk/images/products/00687_261x261.jpg

if i want to learn how to ride better on the road, i'll take an advanced road riding course. I'm all for track days and people doing them, having fun, learning how to ride on a track and getting a lot out of the bike. I just didn't think the 'safer' tag was quite right?

Back to thread now....

[Zimbo]

I didn't know they were changing the circuit. I note from the Mallory website they are introducing a new corner at the exit of Gerrards. For me Gerrards is the best bit.

What are they doing, they haven't updated the circuit map?

See here:

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=15701


As for the 5 fallers last year, four of those were in the fast group, and almost all caused by going into Gerrards too fast on cold tyres, first hot lap of the session. Take it easy for the first couple of laps, till your tyres warm up, and it's a lot more safe!!!
The fifth, as far as I recall, highsided out of edwinas / start of the esses, not much he could do about that but it was pretty slippy there last year, I lost the back end under power in the esses myself, thank god for steering dampers!!!

[slob]

http://www.funkist.ca/images/products/purses/daisy%20handbag.jpg
The fallers were all experienced riders, pushing it, in the 'fast' group I believe. If 30 members went and rode absolutely flat out on any 1 1/2 mile stretch of public road for a couple of hours, I'll bet you'd see a few more than five casualties.

[Paranoid Dave]

ooh ooh flowers, me likey. And lilac too.

I see your point but can you see mine. regardless of who it was, how experienced etc, yeh if they rode fast on the road for an hour or so... but they don't. I guess you are saying that for the conditions of the surface and traffic it is a safer place to play and explore mechanical limits. My point is that on a track i would push it more than i would on the road, and there lies the danger. By safer i like to think -more likely to get home without injury to myself or bike- that for a lot of people will be where they are not attempting to be rossi or have no speed limits to hold them back. You done 3 track days and one fall, hopefully nothing serious but if you learnt so much and were in such safe conditions, why did you fall?

You say potato, i say vegetable.

Now back to the rest of you, why are you riding or not this year??

[NewMon]

I'm riding this year 'cos I missed it last year. The first trackday was excellent. I got put in the 'fast' group (15+ years riding and 1 'previous'), was consistently left behind :yoparty: because I rode for myself - and I have a 600. Ground the pegs on Ducati's bikes instead of mine and scared myself witless (in a good way). I hope it all happens this year. I hope the 999 is there as well. Or an S2R. I rode the S4R that got later totalled the first year. Much fun.

[A Yerbury]

for me the most commodius locale for a teeny m600 is not a track.. a mashed up cbr or gixer would provide far more thrills per mile and less potential damage to the wallet (and the heartstrings, tender fibres that they now are) I know the limits of my machine, and my own knees...

[NattyBoy]

Im booked and paid..its not just a trackday..its the best UKMOC social event of the year for me...! And looking at the test fleet from the last couple of years, you wouldnt bet against DUK bringing along a sportclassic to go round on would you .. ?! :D

As I will be retiring the S4R from track use this year due to the new bike...it will be my only chance to have a good hoon on the old girl this year (coz I ride like a girl on the road !!)

Slob - Was talking to terry last week..trust we will be getting the old crowd from last year out to a few tracks again this year ...!!?

Nat

[JMo]

I can understand PD's point of view, but that shouldn't put off anyone wanting to give it a go...

The bottom line is if you can't trust yourself not to ride within your limits, then you shouldn't do it - but what I would say is that for many club members, the UKMOC specific day is an ideal opportunity to have a go at riding in a different and controlled environment.

Of course it won't make you a better road rider, but it will give you the opportunity to find out more about your bike and the dynamics of riding in general - and perhaps most importantly, as Nattyboy says, enjoy a day out with other club members, doing something a bit different.

Perhaps the most important aspect of the MOC day is that in my experiance, everyone involved respects each other and each other's space - there is no need to feel under any sort of pressure to keep up, and noone is out to get you, and fundamentally, everyone is there with the same concentrated mindset - so in that respect, it is typically safer than riding on the road. If you fall off, then your really have nooone to blame but yourself - that's the only risk you have to take.

The past two years has given a high proportion of MOC members their first opportunity to experiance riding on a track, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it - particularly many of the girls who would be very unlikely to have a go at a 'regular' trackday event with it's associated testosterone overload...

xxx

[Mand]

I was in the slow group, possibly the slowest person in the slow group - I loved every minute of it, met some lovely people, got rid of my chicken strips (yes really!) and got some great photos of me on my bike.

The best fun you can with your clothes on! :D

PS I am doing it again this year too.

[bigredduke]

I can't get time of work midweek unless it coincides with school holidays:cry:

How about organising a track day to suit us poor sods? I would lurv to do one!

[JMo]

I can't get time of work midweek unless it coincides with school holidays:cry:

How about organising a track day to suit us poor sods? I would lurv to do one!

The problem with weekend dates is that most of the circuits have races of one sort or another on at the weekends, and those that don't tend to charge much more for a saturday or sunday event...

xxx

[SazzaG]

I did the first trackday, and loved every minute of it. I managed to overtake one person during the whole day, and spent the last session desperately trying to overtake GaryT, but failing. Also got some fab pictures, which really impressed my colleagues, and scared my Mum. The reason I haven't done it since, apart from time off and money, is that I think I'll push myself too hard - over-confidence is a very dangerous thing!

If I can make it to watch, I will - as Natty said, it's a very sociable event as well.

Saz

[slob]

I can't get time of work midweek unless it coincides with school holidays:cry:

How about organising a track day to suit us poor sods? I would lurv to do one!
We struck lucky in September last year and had a grand Saturday out at Lydden Hill, although sadly it's just outside Dover which isn't a great help if you live in North Lincs. The DSC got a Sunday morning(I think) at Snetterton last year, which might just be within striking distance for you.

[CK & AK]

We did indeed get a w/end- 2/3rds of a Sat, before a long race at Snett last June!

However, we dont have any weekend trackdays this year, tho there is a 2 day one at Cadwell on Mon/Tues 21/22nd Aug.
Doesnt look like a horrendous cost either - even to do just the one day - and of course No Limits are the peeps in charge:D

C

[Scotty]

or a half term sort of date to coencide eh

umm you recon they al have an S4arsrsrsrrsr this year ? hummmm , best not i might like it