Bring knee down when cornering?

Question

maybe a stupid question but, why do track (or people on the street) bring their knee down when cornering? i was watching a youtube video and the guy was literally scrapping his knee on the road when in a tight corner. what is the advantage? what would happen if you went into a corner and stayed tight to the bike?

3 years 21 Answers 843 views 0

Answers ( 21 )

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    Most use it as a way to "prove" how "badass" they are and how low they get. Personally, I keep my knees tucked all the way, ball of my feet on the pegs.

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    It has to do with using your body to move weight to the side while keeping the bike as upright as possible during a turn. This allows you to keep the speed going and keep the most traction from the tire on the track.

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    There’s probably a youtube video on why it’s done with video examples.

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    I’ll put it to you like this depending on how sharp the curve is and how fast your going, if you stay tight to your bike you’ll never make the curve…. again that’s depending on how sharp it is and how fast you’re rolling.

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    The more your body weight is toward the inside of the curve, the more lean angle you still have available , so you can take curves faster. But I often see guys putting knees down when there’s no need to do so.

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    I think It’s more about muscle memory, when setting up for a corner and shifting your weight one just uses the same movement wither always necessary or not, it’s about setting up for a corner and being consistent so you are in position to gain lean angle when needed. Not always necessary, I know people that murder chicken strips and never have a knee out.

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    It can be used as a feelers for how low you are. Generally is frowned upon in high up racing because of friction.

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    ^The only right answer in here. Used as feeler.

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    Ridiculous answers.
    It’s a feeler gauge, if you are getting low, and have your legs in, you won’t know how low you are, you lose the contact patch on your tire, causing a low side, or you catch a peg and can cause a high side. and also, when you learn how to ride, and ride faster around corners, you don’t want the bike low, you want your body off the bike, keeping the bike upright as much as you possibly can so that you have more of a contact patch. Granite, sometimes your bike gets low as hell when doing a technical turn, or a fast tight turn. Does anyone even watch MotoGP, Moto America, World SBK? Or do y’all ride in a straight line, doesn’t show how "bad ass" you are. Ridiculous.

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    My X said I’m going straight to hell, does that count?

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    The next feelers is the boot.. not the peg but that’s what the metal toe sliders are for on boots.

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    Yea, but you can also change your foot positioning so that you don’t scrape your boots, as I completely tore off the sliders and went through the boot and my sock in one day in brand new boots lol needless to say, I found a better position after that hahaha

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    Ok, I had my dinner now, sorry for the outburst, good bye ride safe and smart

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    does this make me cool?

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    Hanging off the bike changes the center of gravity and makes the tires work more efficiently causing you to need less lean angle to make the same turn. Draging your knee or elbow is used as a gauge to see "how much you is killin it" if you ride bolt upright like the guy up top you have less available lean angle, can’t take turns as fast, and all together are very unsafe. So really he is the bad ass one here riding bold upright.

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    Leg dampens the wind giving resistance pulling you tighter in the corner?

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    Your whole body being off does but it’s insanely minimal.

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    Use it a a gauge for lean angle. It’s a third point of contact if the bike starts to slide. Also if you should lose the front forcing your knee in to the ground and lifting the bike you can save a crash.

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    Bottom line dont do it if your not comfortable lol

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    But when you get it right ud83dude09

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