Mallory Park Track Day - The Good and the Bad

[gixxer1000]

Did a Suzuki Performance Riding School event at Mallory Park yesterday and the GSX-R600s they supply were fitted with Pirelli Dragon Evo Corsas - what a fantastic tyre. Incredible grip at very extreme lean angles.

Was having a fantastic session and really pushing it, until I came off on Edwinas - the new chicane they put into the Stebbe Straight (coming off Gerards). It was a classic lowside spill as I came on the power too much too soon with the bike well banked over coming out of the right hand bend of Edwinas, and the rear tyre lost traction and the bike (and myself) went spinning into the gravel trap.

The bike was generally ok - a few scrapes and a broken footpeg, and I was fine other than some well-scraped leathers and a scuffed elbow.

The biggest bummer is that I had a second session booked for the afternoon, but they would not allow me to take it.

Interestingly my mates (who stayed for their afternoon) sessions said one of the instructors binned it (SV1000) on exactly the same place, under the same circumstances, in the afternoon session.

Bet he wasn't sent home!

[Pesty]

that seems unfair they have to expect people coming off! In fact I thought they advertised the fact that you dont trash your bike you trash theirs?

Dont remember anything in the advert about throwing their teddy out the pram if you do !

I was considering them I have seen the advert a few times dont think i'll bother what if youd come off on the first lap? that would have been an expensive day!

[rsvnigel]

Sounds like you were having a good time.

I thought all the bike schools have a 'bin it and your out' policy. Was that not explained to you during the briefing?

[Pesty]

"The biggest bummer is that I had a second session booked for the afternoon, but they would not allow me to take it. "

When you say a second session booked had you booked 2 seperate sessions? or was it one day with 2 sessions?

how was the day made up and how much did it cost if you dont mind me asking

[gixxer1000]

Pesty said:

When you say a second session booked had you booked 2 separate sessions? or was it one day with 2 sessions? how was the day made up and how much did it cost if you dont mind me asking

They were 2 seperate sessions. We were originally booked in for the afternoon only, which was the Platinum session (one instructor per 2 riders and an extra 30 mins track time), but the track called to say they had spare places for the Gold session (3 riders per instructor and 30 mins less track time) in the morning and would we like to take them at a reduced price (£70 instead of £140).

The platinum session was around £200 if I recall correctly.

I would not be surprised if all tracks that supply the bikes you ride had a "bin it and your out" policy - although I don't recall them explicitly pointing this out mind you.

Despite the fact that I left Mallory Park severely peed-off, I think it's an excellent set-up. The bikes are renewed each year and were very sharp indeed. The track itself is not that long, so it's easier to get familiar with the correct gear for each corner etc.

I'm going to try the Ron Haslam school at Donnington next (they use CBR600s) - and try to stay on the bloody bike. Not sure my leathers will survive another tumble down the track.

>> Edited by gixxer1000 on Sunday 20th July 21:52