revtothelimit - motorbike forum

A decent number of years ago I spent a lot (too much?) time on track. I had a great time but now I ride on the road, I no longer wear full leathers* but still like to crank it over in the corners.

I find myself putting my knee out, which is ridiculous because if it does touch the floor it's gonna really hurt with no sliders!

I've tried gripping the tank with both knees but that feels unnatural. What am I supposed to do ?


* I wear kevlar lined trousers, not as good as leathers, better than a shell suit

https://www.screwfix.com/p/site-pad-200 ... pads/72263

You can actually get proper motorcycle strap on (oo-er) slider holders.

https://www.fc-moto.de/epages/fcm.sf/?c ... YREALw_wcB

Just do this and you’ll be fine

Was JP Ruggia who started the elbow down stuff, so had a slider added to his leathers - but in a crouch on a straight managed to velcro together his knee and elbow?

Watch loads of police road craft vids and you'll be bolt upright and inline in no time!!

To be honest I never did the knee down thing, I hang off a little but don't stick my knee right out but then it's not gripping the tank either. But for you you'll probably have to not stick the knee quite so far out, probably feel odd as first but hopefully become normal in time

I'm going to very much have this in the next few months too with riding the 690

weeksy wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 9:06 am I'm going to very much have this in the next few months too with riding the 690

You should be putting your foot out !

I remember when I first went from my 525 SM to my superduke. Found myself putting my foot out sometimes

Supermofo wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 9:03 am Watch loads of police road craft vids and you'll be bolt upright and inline in no time!!

Years ago, Superbike were doing a photoshoot at their local roundabout when a local bike cop arrived.

His nickname was 'Scuff' and he demonstrated how he'd made the hole in the knee of his police leathers - knee down on a BMW R80RT!

Jody wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:40 am
You should be putting your foot out !

Just like all of the local food delivery scooter riders.

Over the years I’ve raced with some ridiculously fast guys who didn’t even bother getting their knee down on track, absolutely no need for it. I find it hilarious the ones that A frame like mad trying to get their knee down when the bike is still almost bolt upright, fact is getting yourself in a position like this is more unsettling to the stability of the bike, if you don’t see the professional racers and GP riders doing it then don’t bother, it doesn’t help.

Horse wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:44 am

Jody wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:40 am
You should be putting your foot out !

Just like all of the local food delivery scooter riders.

If it's good enough for Rossi ......

I remember my youngest brother doing that on his ped. He lived in France and did it because everyone else did. Aside from peer group pressure he had no idea why he was doing it !

wull wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:47 am Over the years I’ve raced with some ridiculous fast guys who didn’t even bother getting their knee down on track, absolutely no need for it. I find it hilarious the ones that A frame like mad trying to get their knee down when the bike is still almost bolt upright, fact is getting yourself in a position like this is more unsettling to the stability of the bike, if you don’t see the professional racers and GP riders doing it then don’t bother, it doesn’t help.

Bragging rights !

Jody wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:48 am

wull wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:47 am Over the years I’ve raced with some ridiculous fast guys who didn’t even bother getting their knee down on track, absolutely no need for it. I find it hilarious the ones that A frame like mad trying to get their knee down when the bike is still almost bolt upright, fact is getting yourself in a position like this is more unsettling to the stability of the bike, if you don’t see the professional racers and GP riders doing it then don’t bother, it doesn’t help.

Bragging rights !

It’s only bragging rights when it’s a decent lean angle. If you’re hanging off like a monkey then it just looks laughable.

Horse wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 8:48 am Was JP Ruggia who started the elbow down stuff, so had a slider added to his leathers - but in a crouch on a straight managed to velcro together his knee and elbow?

Yes.

His 250 race number was 17 - my call sign at West One West.

Horse wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:43 am

Supermofo wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 9:03 am Watch loads of police road craft vids and you'll be bolt upright and inline in no time!!

Years ago, Superbike were doing a photoshoot at their local roundabout when a local bike cop arrived.

His nickname was 'Scuff' and he demonstrated how he'd made the hole in the knee of his police leathers - knee down on a BMW R80RT!

Apologies, I misremembered.

The article had a photo of hiim on the RT, flanked on both sides by the SB riders, and this one:

Horse wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 8:48 am Was JP Ruggia who started the elbow down stuff, so had a slider added to his leathers - but in a crouch on a straight managed to velcro together his knee and elbow?

I used to love watching him back in the day as the style then was fairly radical

wull wrote: Sun May 08, 2022 10:47 am Over the years I’ve raced with some ridiculously fast guys who didn’t even bother getting their knee down on track, absolutely no need for it. I find it hilarious the ones that A frame like mad trying to get their knee down when the bike is still almost bolt upright, fact is getting yourself in a position like this is more unsettling to the stability of the bike, if you don’t see the professional racers and GP riders doing it then don’t bother, it doesn’t help.

I've never had my knee down (without crashing!!) on track. But then I was taught to ride a bit too fast on the road by guys that didn't still their knees out/down (TBF, my first riding buddy might have, but I was on a Blackbird and concentrating REALLY hard on keeping up and not crashing so can't remember!! The second was older and had raced but never put his knee out/down or gripped the tank with his knees)

I always thought it was cos I was just too slow. But it turned out that I was quicker on TDs than a few that did put their knees down (slower than an awful lot of others mind!). So, it's just me then