Leaning versus Knee Down

[No Worries]

After replying to Zukimon's handlebar thread in the tech section, I figured out how I can move my upper body weight to either side of the bike so easily. My riding position is almost upright. I'm not laying on the gas tank like the racers. Or like the lay down position all the repli-racer sportbikes force their riders into. I always thought it was my wide handlebars that made it easy to toss my bikes around, but it's actually my upright riding position that makes it easy.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by No Worries

After replying to Zukimon's handlebar thread in the tech section, I figured out how I can move my upper body weight to either side of the bike so easily. My riding position is almost upright. I'm not laying on the gas tank like the racers. Or like the lay down position all the repli-racer sportbikes force their riders into. I always thought it was my wide handlebars that made it easy to toss my bikes around, but it's actually my upright riding position that makes it easy.

Oh yea Heli-Bars has always maintained that your bike handles better with their product installed.

[HRCNICK11]

I'd like to point out that different corners and surfaces require far different body position. A slow tight corner is far different than a fast sweeper. Toss in wet pavement or dirt and you'll get even more.

I used to think that leaning way off was faster in every corner till I got passed by some insainly fast supermoto bikes with the rider leaned way the wrong way and the bar nearly touching the ground. I did not understand how that worked till I rode on the ice this winter. It works well.

[OreoGaborio]

Works well.... on a LIGHT bike on LOOSE surfaces. It's a little easier to shift your weight & add a little body english to keep the bike up off the ground. Try that on a sportbike & you won't like the results

knee out works well in point & shoot situations. Watching Jeff Wood battle Doug Henry before he was paralized was amazing.... Both would come into turn 3 at Loudon almost side-by-side....

Jeff would come in, back it in from 150 feet away from the Apex, put his knee down, round the corner & power out.

Doug would be foot out, also back it in from 150 feet out and could ALMOST out-break Jeff, nearly pull up along side him, point & shoot out.

Jeff would have slightly more mid-corner speed, Doug would have slightly more entry speed.



... Man what a friggin show... I hope & pray that Doug makes a full recovery & I can watch that again. A buddy of mine was in that race & they lapped him coming into that turn... one on one side of him, one on the other, both drifting sideways through the braking zone... My buddy soiled himself.

[HRCNICK11]

You do that on a sportbike at low speeds like in a parking and also 1st gear hair pins it works well. My point is that the surface,bike style and speed are a factor in body position and that there is no one correct answer.

For the record the first photos in this thread are both Mick D in different corners and different body positions.

If your sliding the bike its better to be on top of it than on the side of it.

[ZUKIMON]

I'm finding this thread to be very educational. Please keep up the good work!

[No Worries]

Originally Posted by HRCNICK11

I'd like to point out that different corners and surfaces require far different body position. A slow tight corner is far different than a fast sweeper. Toss in wet pavement or dirt and you'll get even more.

I used to think that leaning way off was faster in every corner till I got passed by some insainly fast supermoto bikes with the rider leaned way the wrong way and the bar nearly touching the ground. I did not understand how that worked till I rode on the ice this winter. It works well.

Riding a dirt bike in dirt bike style is fine. But this guy is riding his dirt bike as if there was a berm there. There is no berm there, it's flat. And that folded-up peg looks like it's a millimeter from lifting the rear tire off the ground and losing traction.

Myself, I like traction, and I like to ride faster going out of a curve than I do going into it. I maintain traction by leaning way off the bike, and keeping the bike as upright as possible. This allows me to be as quick and as safe as possible. I kind of like that.

But I don't ride dirt bikes or race bikes, and I don't ride on dirt tracks or race tracks with the same dozen curves. I ride steep, tight, mountain roads with dozens of curves. I rode with sfarson on two of my favorite roads. There were at least 200 curves. He was unbelievably fast going up and scary-fast coming down. But he knows how to ride and lean.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by HRCNICK11

I'd like to point out that different corners and surfaces require far different body position. A slow tight corner is far different than a fast sweeper. Toss in wet pavement or dirt and you'll get even more.

I used to think that leaning way off was faster in every corner till I got passed by some insainly fast supermoto bikes with the rider leaned way the wrong way and the bar nearly touching the ground. I did not understand how that worked till I rode on the ice this winter. It works well.

Ha that suit is on clearance for $400!

[t-homo]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Ha that suit is on clearance for $400!

hahahahahahahahhahahaha. there's one from right field.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by t-rock

hahahahahahahahhahahaha. there's one from right field.

Yea well this is like watching Keith Code,Reg Pridmore and Kevin Swantz battle out all over again...