I want to get my knee down this summer

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by kj4eoz, Mar 1, 2015.

  1. kj4eoz

    kj4eoz New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2014
    Messages:
    244
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Front Royal , VA
    Map
    All jokes aside . I want to get my knee down this year . Any helpful tips would be appreciated . . My cornering skills definitely improved last summer thanks to my vfr800 riding buddy's . But I want to take it to the next level . I have the proper equipment this year all leathers knee sliders the works .
     
  2. OOTV

    OOTV Insider

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2011
    Messages:
    6,479
    Likes Received:
    949
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    Anaheim, Ca.
    Take a course like the California Super Bike School or similar schools/courses, these will take your riding to the next level. If money is an issue, save up a bit and do a track day at a minimum, don't go try and drag your need in public roads, it's not the place for it.
     
  3. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    Messages:
    13,741
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Chilliwack, BC Canada
    Map
    Get yourself a belt sander and take it to your knee pads. It is far safer.
     
  4. Lint

    Lint Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    4,805
    Likes Received:
    950
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Simi Valley, Ca.
    Map
  5. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    If you do the belt sander thing, make sure the angle is correct. A protractor helps. If a belt sander isn't handy, a rasp will do. The angle should also be replicated on the peg feelers.
     
  6. carlgustav

    carlgustav New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2008
    Messages:
    374
    Likes Received:
    34
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie
    Grow taller ... it helps ... :biggrin:

    You did mention all kidding aside ... hmmm, getting a knee down should not be your primary, secondary, or even tertiary goal ...

    ACE
     
  7. duccmann

    duccmann Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    9,214
    Likes Received:
    910
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    SoCal
    Map
    Used to go up to the Rock Store with my buddy back in the day, he was Formula USA Champ, and we would bring all his used up pucks and sell them to the wannabes.
    There's alot more to cornering then getting a knee down, especially on the streets....just sayin

    HELL YEAH---LETS RIDE
     
  8. GreyVF750F

    GreyVF750F Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2008
    Messages:
    3,268
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    51
    Location:
    West of Cleveland Ohio
    Map
    I though it was about praying.....................never mind.................
     
  9. duccmann

    duccmann Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    9,214
    Likes Received:
    910
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    SoCal
    Map
    Haha....good Lord

    HELL YEAH---LETS RIDE
     
  10. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    I think those would last longer if they sold them with swiveling casters on them. The little wheels could be rubber and match the tires being used. This would not only be a money saver but functional and fashionable too.

    Image is everything in the fast lane.
     
  11. duccmann

    duccmann Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    9,214
    Likes Received:
    910
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    SoCal
    Map
    Off Track, Hey Grey, did you draw your avatar? Nice...Okay back on track
     
  12. Grumpy old man

    Grumpy old man New Member

    Country:
    New Zealand
    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2014
    Messages:
    224
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Cambridge, New Zealand
    Map
    Generally people dragging their Knee on the road are actually slower in the twisty bits and quite often end up as a hood ornament or a roadside cross

    Maybe on a big multi lane roundabout but even that does nothing for the public image of motorcycling and do you really trust other road users

    Like others have said keep that sort of stuff for the track days where there is a run off area and a lot more surface width

    Placing more weight through the foot pegs (in the direction you want the bike to go) and moving your weight slightly into the turn will yield better results on the road

    On the road being smooth and progressive is the key and the VFR loves to carry speed through the corners it doesn't really lend itself to the point and squirt style of riding as it is heavy and not really powerful compared to a sports bike

    My0.02cents
     
  13. Lint

    Lint Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    4,805
    Likes Received:
    950
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Simi Valley, Ca.
    Map
    I say that every time I see your avatar. Rachel Williams... Yum!
     
  14. duccmann

    duccmann Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    9,214
    Likes Received:
    910
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    SoCal
    Map
    Usually I use my phone, but today I saw my avatar on the big monitor. ..
    Good Lord..
     
  15. BTF/PTM

    BTF/PTM New Member

    Country:
    Germany
    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2015
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    I'll play devil's advocate here, we all know that riding low enough to drag a knee is dangerous and unneccessary on public roads, but it's FUN, and sometimes FUN needs to take center stage in life, otherwise we all end up boring old fogeys with no interesting stories to tell. After a bit of thought on the subject, I can think of four main ingredients to knee-dragging riding that will keep the rubber down and prevent your becoming Darwin's latest confirmation.

    1) Ride with the right group. Can't stress this one enough, when I started I had friends who were experienced and skilled and who encouraged me to follow them but not to ride outside my limits. Being slower was ok, learning at my own pace was ok, setting a goal for 'next time' was ok.

    2) know the road. Ride it, drive it, walk it, whatever. Pick a favorite road and learn it. the road, the run-offs, the traffic, the drop-offs, the weather, the cops, all of it. To be confident enough to lean in deep enough to drag a knee, the road has to be second nature.

    3) know the bike. If you have any doubts about the machine, you risk wiping out while riding at the limits required to drag a knee. Sounds cliche and zen, I know, but it's true, you have to know absolutely how the machine behaves, you have to ride with it, not on it. Think I'm kidding? Watch a film called 'Faster'. Carlos Checa: '...the bike becomes your legs...'

    4) Learn to use your feet, legs, hips and back to control the bike. This tremendously increases the 'flickability', allows you to drop your center of gravity into the turn, frees your arms and hands for the fine-tuning steering/throttle inputs and allows the inside leg to point toward the ground assuming you're gripping the fuel tank with the outside leg and have dropped the inside shoulder down toward the clip-on and turned your head into the curve.

    You don't need to ride fast to drag a knee. Actually you can drag knees in a parking lot riding a small, tight circle at very low speeds if your balance and finesse is good enough. Anyone who's ridden the tight side of Palomar Mountain knows what I mean, it is NOT a fast road, it is a skill road. 55mph is fast enough to drag knees, and fast enough to total a motorcycle.
     
  16. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2013
    Messages:
    3,522
    Likes Received:
    391
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    East Bay, California
    Map
    Duc, isn't it better in person?
     
  17. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2006
    Messages:
    9,838
    Likes Received:
    743
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Map
    As a beginning knee-dragger i quickly learned that once you're over that far you must maintain a constant radius (one turn=one lean angle) and that suddenly changing lines (like maybe avoiding an object) is very difficult, so be warned ! :playful: Knees-down leaves too little margin for error (a traction change in the road surface, for example), and simply learning how to shift and move your weight around the bike is a far safer way to go with far less risk.

    If you get your butt more than half off the seat, you're probably doin somethin wrong. :distrust:
     
  18. duccmann

    duccmann Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    9,214
    Likes Received:
    910
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    SoCal
    Map
    Wish I knew Alliance......
    BTF, you nailed it...good job.
    Goin to have to look Faster up, thanks
     
  19. BTF/PTM

    BTF/PTM New Member

    Country:
    Germany
    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2015
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Thanks, I calls em as I sees em. I'm not even a shadow of a racer or professional rider of any sort, I'm just another joe who likes a thrill and the occasional bragging right, and I'm good at picking apart the 'how' and 'why' behind stuff.

    Squirrelman has some really good pointers there, too. Having a knee down as a learner is overwhelming as it is, having to change one's line while having a knee down can lead to sensory overload which leads to ending up on Darwin's list. It goes with knowing the road, entry/exit points as well as correct speed have to be as second nature as the road itself. And the butt thing is also correct, if you watch the pros they the basically shift the outside cheek to the inside half of the seat. That puts the rider's center of mass a little closer to the ground in a curve.

    As mentioned before, you can practice knee drags in a small, tight circle in a parking lot if you want, and you can also practice the hip shifting by putting your bike on its center stand or a rear wheel stand. Seat yourself as if you were setting up for a curve, back low over the tank. Slow, careful weight shifts across the seat with the balls of the feet planted on the pegs, outside thigh planted against the tank and inside leg free to swing outward. Try to move your whole body with your hips so your spine stays straight and your inside shoulder shifts with your hips, but if you forget that you're sitting on a motorcycle that's sitting on a stand and you shift your body too far over and tip the machine over, we're all going to laugh at you. Oh, and don't forget to turn your head in the direction of your theoretical 'lean'.
     
  20. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    I am headed for the Walmart parking lot right now before the knuckle draggers show up.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page