That falling feeling (bike leaning question)

[John 675]

Ok so i now have my sliders with my new leathers they are nice and smooth. .. . . i hate that! so ive been attempting the bike leaning thing and a possible knee down!!

But..

the last few times one of which was this morning i have gone low but it just feels like i am falling after a certain point? any ideas? is it normall and just alien to me because its a new feeling?

Any thoughts?? [-o<

[carlos]

Check your tyre pressures and then see if your tyre is squared off at all as that will feel like your tipping over when you're on the edge of the square.

I must admit I always felt like I was about to fall off my SV, I guess that was just because I was too big for it, but the TLR feels so much more composed and stable and handles so much better for my riding style, weird eh?

[Filipe M.]

I must admit I always felt like I was about to fall off my SV, I guess that was just because I was too big for it, but the TLR feels so much more composed and stable and handles so much better for my riding style, weird eh?

Nah, it must be the colour.

[sinbad]

Don't try to lean too far for the speed you're cornering at :)
It looks pants if someone forces it too, I'd say work on going a bit quicker rather than trying to go lower, then when you're going quick enough, you'll be leaned over far enough.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

Hang off like a monkey.

Try doing it on the track first.

[John 675]

Don't try to lean too far for the speed you're cornering at :)
It looks pants if someone forces it too, I'd say work on going a bit quicker rather than trying to go lower, then when you're going quick enough, you'll be leaned over far enough.

i was going pretty slow, my chicken stripes are about half inch wide round both wheels, i was doing about 30 too slow??

[Bluesteel]

What about taking a particularly abrasive brillo pad to your sliders? You could have the look without any of the anguish.

[r4ce_e3nd]

i was going pretty slow, my chicken stripes are about half inch wide round both wheels, i was doing about 30 too slow??
Doing a kneedown with chickenstripes looks forced to me, though... :rolleyes:

Maybee your tires are "square" and at a certain point they fall over and give the "falling" feeling...

Do you have a photo of your tires ?

[600+]

you need to just start taking the turn without looking at it when u're doing it

look as far as possible infront and u'll get it:)

[John 675]

Doing a kneedown with chickenstripes looks forced to me, though... :rolleyes:

Maybee your tires are "square" and at a certain point they fall over and give the "falling" feeling...

Do you have a photo of your tires ?

i will update when i get home but im at work at the mo, i wont lie though it was forced, i am trying to take it as low as i can when ever it is safe to do so iE when no one is around incase i bin it lol, but i just want to touch down! ! ! ive been through the search on getting it to the floor but that falling feeling has really made me crap myself, my tires arnt squared as they have only done 5000 miles on them if i get this feeling does it mean the bike is unstable at that point?

[fizzwheel]

Its not about how low you lean over, its more about how far you hang off.

I've been trying on and off for 2 years and I still cant do it... best way to do it is to go to a club racing day, go in the pits and find a rider with sliders like yours, offer him your new ones for his or hers part worn scuffed ones and then swap over.

Ta dah !!!!

or do a track day. Its hard to do it on the road I'm finding I concentrate to much on trying to do it to the detriment of my riding, best find a big smooth roundabout somewhere quiet and just ride round and round and round it leaning over a litle more each time until you feel comfortable with the bike lent right over.

[sinbad]

30 is fast enough if the turn is very tight, but don't try going through a 60mph corner at 30 and attempt to have the bike leaned right over :) Because it will lean right over.
Find a corner/roundabout you like and ride through it quickly a few times without trying. Then you'll know how much you'll have to force it if you don't intend to go any quicker than that. Make sure your tyres are up to temp too. Just remember, knee-down isn't the be all and end all. Get your knee down and there's a gazillion riders who'd still own you without their knee getting close. (Not a comment on how fast you ride btw, I have no idea, it's just a general observation, and totally applies to me :) ).

[John 675]

30 is fast enough if the turn is very tight, but don't try going through a 60mph corner at 30 and attempt to have the bike leaned right over :) Because it will lean right over.
Find a corner/roundabout you like and ride through it quickly a few times without trying. Then you'll know how much you'll have to force it if you don't intend to go any quicker than that. Make sure your tyres are up to temp too. Just remember, knee-down isn't the be all and end all. Get your knee down and there's a gazillion riders who'd still own you without their knee getting close. (Not a comment on how fast you ride btw, I have no idea, it's just a general observation, and totally applies to me :) ).

Can totaly see what your saying, i have just had one idea what it could of been, maybe i let off the throttle that little bit which dropped the power, and the bike mid corner, but maybe i could hang off more so the bike doesnt have to go that far.... Haga does it lol, on his nice WSB bike....:(

[Alpinestarhero]

The more speed you carry through the corner, the more you'll have to lean. The more you lean, the closer your knee comes to touching the tarmac.

If you force it, you risk upsetting the bike and having an off, so just persevere!

Is your "haning off" style correct aswell? There was a guide posted on here about positioning ourself for hanigng off correctly in order to "get your knee down"

I dont remember the link though, someone else might?

Matt

[Jelster]

If you're a short @rse like me, with leg length deficiency then it's hard to do it. I've only ever done it a couple of times and that was when I wasn't thinking about it, just concentrating on getting round the bend.

I know it's a "rights of passage" thing for a biker, but it's a lot to do with your riding style, you're cornering technique and your physical size.

I've given up worrying about it now, just ride how I want to ride and if it happens, well, that's a bonus.

.

[kwak zzr]

ive tryed for years on various bikes but have now given up due to some very close calls with tarmac.

[John 675]

The more speed you carry through the corner, the more you'll have to lean. The more you lean, the closer your knee comes to touching the tarmac.

If you force it, you risk upsetting the bike and having an off, so just persevere!

Is your "haning off" style correct aswell? There was a guide posted on here about positioning ourself for hanigng off correctly in order to "get your knee down"

I dont remember the link though, someone else might?

Matt

yeah i checked it out, i think the nearest track day might be of use lol, o maybe i should just adopth the lean in style :D

[Tomcat]

I think if you trying that hard then either your riding position is not a knee down type position(I wouldnt say wrong, because personally I am not into knee down!) or the speed/line wasnt quite right. I touched the peg cornering on the cat on Sunday, and I can honestly say that my knee wasnt down, but I certainly didnt feel I was falling, it felt awsome! its just your own personal technique.

I could feel the rear of the bike kind of getting underneath me and pushing round, no effort, just speed and good line, it felt awsome ...... but the knee wasnt down,does that matter ..... nar, I was well banked over and it felt great without all that hanging off ..... and the guy behind me was laughing his socks off when we stopped, don't think he was expecting it!;)

Relax with yourself, brillo pad the sliders, and enjoy the day it happens, don't force it else you will hit the tarmac, or just look a tw*t trying !:smt045

[ASM-Forever]

I would say that its definitely something you shouldn't force. You will feel an **** when you have scrubbed the bike :)

Im not really one for getting my knee down, but i can and occasionally do. There is one corner on an A-road near me that is gagging for it! Like people have said find a fast desolate corner.

First time i did it i went into a corner a bit fast and had to lean the bike to get round it, without dropping loads of speed. Ruined a new pair of jeans though but felt cool for a while(Yes i know riding in jeans...naughty man). My mate who was riding behind assured me i looked an ****....terrible thing jealousy!

Good luck with it :)

[Stig]

It's very difficult for someone to give advice on the forum and then for that person to interpret the information correctly and go out and try it.

The best way by far is for you to go with someone that can do it. Find a nice roundabout that is hardly ever used and for you to do your best and him to watch. Then him to give you pointers and for you to try again.

Steve, it really does not have much to do with height at all. I am one of the shortest people out there and there has not been a bike that I have not been able to get my knee down yet. It is more technique and correct rider position, road position and speed. Get these three things sorted and you'll get your knee down.



http://premium1.uploadit.org/bikemadsimon///knee-down-and-sparking.JPG

http://premium1.uploadit.org/bikemadsimon///YZF-2.JPG

[ASM-Forever]

I would of thought rider height would play some part in getting the knee down. Look at riders like Pedrosa and Elias hanging off their bikes like chimpanzees :). I would say a real short **** would need to hang off the bike more to get the knee down...that or have a steeper lean angle. Im quite tall (6-foot 2') though so cant really comment from a smaller riders perspective.

Like the Ape said though...all the other factors are what really counts.

[cuffy]

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=75335&page=4&highlight=knee+nope

Goto page 4..quite a comprehemsive guide to doing it.

Saying that i still got the same virgin knee sliders for the last 2 years :smt045

[Stig]

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=75335&page=4&highlight=knee+nope

Goto page 4..quite a comprehemsive guide to doing it.

Saying that i still got the same virgin knee sliders for the last 2 years :smt045

Had someone not better make a few more posts on that thread so that there is a page 4 to go to. :?: :lol:

[cuffy]

Had someone not better make a few more posts on that thread so that there is a page 4 to go to. :?: :lol:

Ave i ****ed it up? :lol:
The link seems to work on mine :confused:

If it doesn't search for "knee down nope"

*crawls back under stone*

[Stig]

Ave i ****ed it up? :lol:
The link seems to work on mine :confused:

If it doesn't search for "knee down nope"

*crawls back under stone*

Point is that your link goes to page 2 of 2. The information that you are talking about is on page 1 of 2 close to the bottom of the page. :wink:

[xbox650]

5000 miles for a set of tyres sound a lot to me . Maybe they aren't squared off but more so , worn out !

[glade]

there is a cornering guide by some fella off a CBR forum... really good. But i can't find it! :(

[John 675]

5000 miles for a set of tyres sound a lot to me . Maybe they aren't squared off but more so , worn out !

?? worn out ?? tires are worn out when the tread is gone, i'll get at least another 1000 out of them there was just under 3000 miles on the clock when i got it and i could still see colour bands.. tires are sweet as.. .:smt045

[kwak zzr]

i had 6500 on my OE tyres and they were still in good cond.

[Stu]

Point is that your link goes to page 2 of 2. The information that you are talking about is on page 1 of 2 close to the bottom of the page. :wink:

We can all choose now how many posts per page.
So page numbers are not always the same to diffent people.

[Stig]

We can all choose now how many posts per page.
So page numbers are not always the same to diffent people.

Stupid new forum making out to look dumb. :roll:

[lukemillar]

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=75335&page=4&highlight=knee+nope

Goto page 4..quite a comprehemsive guide to doing it.

Saying that i still got the same virgin knee sliders for the last 2 years :smt045

Bear in mind though that it's not a guide to getting your knee down, but more of a good riding position guide, which should be the focus. The knee down will come easilly/naturally if you have a good body positioning/technique.

Also, as I have said before, the track is a good place to practice - nothing coming the other way, nice warm tyres and a relatively smooth surface. Oh, and look what's happening this saturday........

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=84704

[Baph]

IMO, KD is all about speed & hanging off.

I've had my knee touch down once, and I don't want it to happen again. Why? I don't wear knee sliders!

I always ride more like a copper, and use the gears to keep the bike in the upper torque area when on a "spirited" ride. At the moment, my chicken strips are a couple of mm (maybe less). On some other tyres I had fitted (D220's I think it was ) I'm convinced that I actually went past the tread a little.

If you really really want to get your knee on the floor, this is the theory I've been told:

Move your bum over so you're only half in the seat. Elbow on the outisde of the bend (right elbow if a left hander) resting on the tank for grip. Inside shoulder should be visible in your mirror (left shoulder, left bend). Inside foot should be tucked in to your pegs as much as you can, outside leg stretched over the seat a little (depends how big you are). Inside knee extended away from the bike a little, but naturally so because of your position.

If that doesn't get your knee down, you're either not adopting the position properly, or you're not going fast enough around the bend.

Practice on roads you know well, so the bend won't supprise you by tightening, and you'll have your knee down before you know it. Then you'll be wanting to tuck those knees in & scrape the pegs!

[Tim in Belgium]

Just go and do some track days, I soon found my knee was touching down with no real effort, still haven't touched it down on the road though, my track and road riding are slightly different styles..