(Noob) Knee down help

[bulega46]

Ok so I know this is stupid but oh well. I would really like to try to get my knee down in this abandoned cul de sac near my house. I have gone to a track day before and I was leaning the bike so much but I still couldnt get my knee down. x( after the track day my chicken strips were just getting into the lettering on the side of the tire (not the sidewall). So a little less than half an inch I think. I even scraped my toe at the track but not my knee. Here is a short video in the cul de sac. Do i just need to be going faster? Does my body position look okay? Thanks for your help and please dont flame xD.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfu-i4wKj-s&feature=youtu.be

 

[Bagwell]

In my opinion the place to get your knee down is on the track. I would just keep doing trackdays and before long you will be comfortable and learn enough to change body position and learn to get off the bike more and you will drag knee. Dont rush dragging knee, it will happen. Also, knee pucks are expensive if you wear them out.

 

[OldVet]

There’s way to many variables on the street to worry about getting your knee down, save it for the track where conditions are predictable and people to help with body position etc..

 

[DCMoney]

I used to ride like a maniac on the street, getting my knee down at will.

If you want to get it down set up some cones or chalk out a corner and slowly start taking it faster. Set your tire pressures and have them nice and warm before you start really throwing it over.

Dragging a toe is related to bad feet position.

Me on a back road on my 1198s

I don't do it any more though, and don't recommend riding like a maniac on the street. Track time is cheap relative to what can happen on the street.

 

[Ryanthegreat1]

Looks like you could get your shoulders and head down a bit more. "Kiss the mirrors." But like others have said, take it to the track that will be the safest place to practice. Try to find a track day where they are instructing.

 

[micahpearlman]

If your toes are hitting you are doing it wrong. You should be on the balls of your feet with heel towards the frame. After that it's all in the hips. And yeah doing it on the street is a bad idea -- but I applaud hooliganism...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MrGrody]

Ok so I know this is stupid but oh well. I would really like to try to get my knee down in this abandoned cul de sac near my house. I have gone to a track day before and I was leaning the bike so much but I still couldnt get my knee down. x( after the track day my chicken strips were just getting into the lettering on the side of the tire (not the sidewall). So a little less than half an inch I think. I even scraped my toe at the track but not my knee. Here is a short video in the cul de sac. Do i just need to be going faster? Does my body position look okay? Thanks for your help and please dont flame xD.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfu-i4wKj-s&feature=youtu.be

Most people will find it far more difficult to drag knee at slow "neighborhood" speeds. It's also something I'd advise not actually trying to do at all. In which I mean you should focus on good body position etc and as you become a faster smoother rider your pucks will touch naturally.

 

[rick]

Yeah, like micahpearlman and Ryanthegreat1 said, balls of your feet and slide the but off the seat. Your knee should touch down well before your footpegs. It's easier at higher speeds, like MrGrody said, 'cause the bike is more stable. Just keep doing trackdays - you'll get there!

FWIW, It seems like I generally have to triple the recommended speed on the yellow sign of a given corner to get my knee down. The first time I got my knee down was on a corner I really liked on a lonely stretch of road that had turnouts on each side of it. I had decided that I was getting my knee down today so, I just kept taking that one corner over and over and over until I got my knee down. Then I did it some more and signed up for my first trackday when I got home!!! I don't remember how fast I was going but, I imagine it was in the 60-70mph range if that helps any.

 

[nino209]

Ok so I know this is stupid but oh well. I would really like to try to get my knee down in this abandoned cul de sac near my house. I have gone to a track day before and I was leaning the bike so much but I still couldnt get my knee down. x( after the track day my chicken strips were just getting into the lettering on the side of the tire (not the sidewall). So a little less than half an inch I think. I even scraped my toe at the track but not my knee. Here is a short video in the cul de sac. Do i just need to be going faster? Does my body position look okay? Thanks for your help and please dont flame xD.




i talk to a lot of riders about this during my track days, dragging knee happens eventually, more than anything we use it to feel where we are at in our lean angle, if done incorrectly it can upset the bike, so basically if you push the issue it will push right back.
A lot of things can go wrong doing it on the street, get to a track learn more about proper bp, braking, turn in, corner speed, and then it will just happen.
all of the sudden you will be dragging knee everywhere and you will go through knee pucks quickly, at some point as you get faster, smoother you will stop wasting knee puck because you will be using them to feel where you are at in your lean angle during a turn, it is just a tool in your riding skills tool box.

 

[ray]

Dragging your knee and elbow will come along automatically. It's a by product of good speeds and its required lean angles. Do not forcefully try and drag your knee. Just get your posture right and improve your speeds through a corner and you will drag your knee eventually.

 

[Wa2fst]

Dragging a knee isnt all about going faster. Ican drag mine around a track at 35mph maybe slower. These guys are right its body position and being smooth on the throttle. You need to keep the throttle set as you tip the bike over. An abrupt change could mean on ur head or in a lawn. Just pivot around the tank practice on a stand. Kiss ur mirror when pivoted around and stick ur knee out it will happen. But whipping thru the streets u wont get ur knee down. Also like before put a couple of cones or markers for you to refernce the apex. tape your name and phone number of a friend on your chest when you finally eat it and found.

 

[ray]

What's the point of dragging the knee at 35mph ? What I was trying to say is as you go faster and as long as you have the right posture. Knee will get dragged

 

[micahpearlman]

What's the point of dragging the knee at 35mph ? What I was trying to say is as you go faster and as long as you have the right posture. Knee will get dragged

On one of these ultra-lightweight race bikes I try to minimize how much my knee is out and keep myself tucked in "neat and tidy" style. I will put my knee down more often on slower corners to help with ground clearance and for catching slides -- or if I see a photographer near by .

 

[Studio X]

Watch the Isle of Man TT. John McGuiness, Michael Dunlop, Ian Hutchinson, Bruce Anstey, Gary Johnson, Guy Martin and the other top riders are AVERAGING 130 mph for 6 x 37 mile laps.

They ride nice and tidy, smooth and very, very fast. Their knee pucks are not scraped up.

Have fun.

x

 

[ArkansasDave]

On one of these ultra-lightweight race bikes I try to minimize how much my knee is out and keep myself tucked in "neat and tidy" style. I will put my knee down more often on slower corners to help with ground clearance and for catching slides -- or if I see a photographer near by .

this, I'm a larger dude so being tucked as much as possible really helps.

 

[Wa2fst]

Only reason at those speeds are tight small corners on the track. Just pointing out you dont need speed to drag. But like micah said im only dragging if the photographer is in the corner lol and slow ones to gauge where im at.

 

[micahpearlman]

this, I'm a larger dude so being tucked as much as possible really helps.

Yeah I'm 6' and come from racing dirt track (elbows out) so I have to constantly remind myself to keep everything in. Didn't matter so much when I was racing a 600 but the 390 keeping the elbows down was good for a few mph down the straights.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ArkansasDave]

Only reason at those speeds are tight small corners on the track. Just pointing out you dont need speed to drag. But like micah said im only dragging if the photographer is in the corner lol and slow ones to gauge where im at.

while speed isn't required for dragging a knee, going faster than he is currently going for a turn is required.