Body position, or how to make things really complicated.

Ter has a point; last summer, i had a few good rides with my dad. He;s very experianced, and rides at a fast pace (but always safe). From using him as a measuring stick for how fast I can push into a corner, I learnt alot about cornering technique and alot about me and my bike. I always figured that if he goes round a corner (on his GSXR750 K6, mind) at X mph, i can safely take it at X-10 mph (or sometimes closer to X) - this is well within the limits of my bike, and it is over the range of my comfort zone but - as i found - within my personal limits.

I also learnt where my limit is; sometimes, my dad will go round a corner faster than I think is posible, so I dont try it. Never try to keep up with other riders in a group when you think they are riding way to fast for you. They can wait for you down the road; my dad does, he'll take off, have his fun, then wait in a bus stop or something for me to catch up.

One thing i also found about riding at a faster pace was that I naturally changed my riding position based on how hard I was pushing, using my body weight to help me ge round corners. This may well occur to you as you find more and more speed, that you natrully adjust your ridin style to account for that

I used to ride my SV 'chasing' a mate on a GSXR 750,

I used to use his brake light as a marker of when to brake, found that I could brake later than I needed - not dangerously late but later than I would've if he wasn't in front!

If you need to get your knee down, wheelie, stoppie, ski or burnout - I'll give you some pointers and maybe show you how...

Originally Posted by jambo

I find the bike works best with one foot on each peg, and one hand on each bar. I tend to leave my bum sat on the seat as I feel this makes the whole trip more comfortable.

HTH

Jambo

That could have been a quote lifted straight from the memoirs of the late great Mike "The Bike" Hailwood's memoirs. Not everyone shifts their body around on a bike,some do feel more comfortable in doing so. But Mike was the perefect example of effortless weight shift and pressure through the foot pegs.( And using suspension and tyres that most of us would crap our pants trying to use at speed.)

I think nowadays a whole lot of money is being earned by "instructors" who preach from some "bible" instead of truly observing an individual and suggesting what might be better for them.


Slightly off topic....


There was once a thread that requested people do not make suggestions on how to do repairs etc unless fully qualified or experienced to do so. That suggestion probably applies far more to instructions on riding.

Sorry just me being a tadge pedantic! (so what's new?)

Originally Posted by Pedrosa

Slightly off topic....


There was once a thread that requested people do not make suggestions on how to do repairs etc unless fully qualified or experienced to do so. That suggestion probably applies far more to instructions on riding.

Sorry just me being a tadge pedantic! (so what's new?)

Luckily no one took any notice of that thread

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

You might look a bit of a tool hanging off like a gibbon at 30mph and the bike almost upright, but that doesn't matter does it!

Ah my specialty.....

My 2p!

Passed 2 months ago and bought a GSXR 600 K3. I have only done 200 miles and I have been practicing moving around on the bike. Today was the first day when I felt confident enough to hang off completely... this allowed me to go 20 Mph around a well known corner with out feeling unsafe or nervous! Infact I felt incredibly secure going faster around corners! So personally track day techniques can help your road riding as long as you are not ebing stupied!

Originally Posted by Pedrosa

That could have been a quote lifted straight from the memoirs of the late great Mike "The Bike" Hailwood's memoirs. Not everyone shifts their body around on a bike,some do feel more comfortable in doing so. But Mike was the perefect example of effortless weight shift and pressure through the foot pegs.( And using suspension and tyres that most of us would crap our pants trying to use at speed.)

I think nowadays a whole lot of money is being earned by "instructors" who preach from some "bible" instead of truly observing an individual and suggesting what might be better for them.


Slightly off topic....


There was once a thread that requested people do not make suggestions on how to do repairs etc unless fully qualified or experienced to do so. That suggestion probably applies far more to instructions on riding.

Sorry just me being a tadge pedantic! (so what's new?)

and I'll be Mr Devils Advocate.....

Whose to say Mike couldn't have gone faster if had tried hanging of the bike?

Was it not Kenny Roberts who really pioneered the "hanging off" technique ~10 years after Mike was racing.

Or.... If Mike was racing on today's machine's would he still be using the same body position technique?

Originally Posted by lukemillar

and I'll be Mr Devils Advocate.....

Whose to say Mike couldn't have gone faster if had tried hanging of the bike?

Was it not Kenny Roberts who really pioneered the "hanging off" technique ~10 years after Mike was racing.

Or.... If Mike was racing on today's machine's would he still be using the same body position technique?

1. Are you for real? Look at Hailwood's record,does it appear to you that an obvious lack of speed was suffered by him?

Indeed Kenny was the first top rider to take the hanging off antics further than ever before.

No-one can answer the what if part of your question,however I would suggest looking at Colin Edwards as he for a top rider has possibly the tidiest and least hanging off style out there.

All in all though, what might be required by anyone on this forum would be way lower than the kinds of peeps mentioned above.

My using Hailwood as an example was merely to emphasise the point that excessive hanging off/moving about is NOT needed. I see plenty of evidence of good fast riders here, who do not try to interpret the actions of leading races in order to get along pretty rapidly indeed.

Hope my meandering response does justice to your Devil's Advocate stance Luke.

Originally Posted by plowsie

Ok 8 months. I have been riding a year and 5 months nearly and covered +20k since passing test.

I've done just over half your mileage in five years! I wish I could carry my tools on the bike.....

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

Yep, no reason not to practice on the road. I think it is a good idea as you are not thinking massivly about apexes, braking points etc at the same time too ... You might look a bit of a tool hanging off like a gibbon at 30mph and the bike almost upright, but that doesn't matter does it!

I have a little go at it on the road before a trackday. Normal speed, just moving around a bit. If you hang off whilst going straight on you get to see the extra lean angle you can get (not that you or me can get it yet). When you do your first wet trackday you'll really want to hang off.I think it feels right and much safer.

Originally Posted by Pedrosa

1. Are you for real? Look at Hailwood's record,does it appear to you that an obvious lack of speed was suffered by him?

Indeed Kenny was the first top rider to take the hanging off antics further than ever before.

No-one can answer the what if part of your question,however I would suggest looking at Colin Edwards as he for a top rider has possibly the tidiest and least hanging off style out there.

All in all though, what might be required by anyone on this forum would be way lower than the kinds of peeps mentioned above.

My using Hailwood as an example was merely to emphasise the point that excessive hanging off/moving about is NOT needed. I see plenty of evidence of good fast riders here, who do not try to interpret the actions of leading races in order to get along pretty rapidly indeed.

Hope my meandering response does justice to your Devil's Advocate stance Luke.

Afraid not Mr Henry!

There isn't a single rider in WSB/MotoGP (inc 125/250) riding today who doesn't hang off the bike. Some hang off more than others - agreed - Think tony Elias vs Colin Edwards, but they all still do it. I agree that maybe this technique isn't as applicable to the road, however you chose Mike "the bike" (a racer) as your example so let's go with that. I wasn't in anyway discrediting Mike's achievements - more pointing out that the racing/riding style has developed along with bike technology. I very much doubt that if Mike was a modern day racer with today's bike technology, he wouldn't still be riding with the style he did!

You yourself even point out that the tyres and suspension of that era would make us carp ourselves - maybe modern day riding styles and moving about the bike just wouldn't have worked in the 60's with tyres and suspension as they were without a trip to the gravel trap.