Quote:
Originally Posted by adouglas
Re getting crossed-up...
The butt cam angle can be really misleading. Even Marquez looks a bit crossed-up in the video above.
Having said that, it doesn't look like you're moving your upper body as much as you could. The instructors at my track day org say to really exaggerate... it may feel like you're really far off the bike but you aren't.
Use reference points on the bike, like outside forearm on the tank, gas cap under your armpit, chin pointing at the end of the clip-on. It REALLY helps to consciously relax into the bike.
I don't like Jorge that much, but he has great upper body position... look at how he's in contact with the bike. His footage starts at 0:55.
Link to original page on YouTube.
Note a few things about this photo:
- Outside arm is on the tank.
- Chin pointed at knuckles.
- Spine is parallel to centerline of the bike (not crossed-up)
- Body is rotated so that the center of his chest is pointing at the long axis of the bike (vs at the ground). He's "hugging" the bike and his inside shoulder is low. To do this you have to RELAX and not hold yourself up with your inside arm. Consciously drop the shoulder.
None of this will make a lot of sense until you start going pretty fast. It's like letting your bike drift out to the edge of the road on exit... if you're riding so slowly that the bike doesn't want to do that on its own, it makes no sense. Higher speeds mean higher forces. |
Thanks for the detailed explanation! I will try and be more conscious about this next month when I go again!
Quote:
Re foot position...
If you get your upper body off the bike more, the bike will be more upright and you'll be less likely to touch your toe.
Pointing your toe is CORRECT. What you need to do is reposition your foot so the tip of the peg is closer to the tip of your toe.
Keeping your foot in line with the bike binds you up. When you get off to stick your knee out, you'll find that keeping your foot pointed forward is not letting you rotate your leg. Try rotating your foot heel-in, toe on the end of the peg and heel hard up against the heel guard (or swing arm, depending on your rearsets). That lets you get your leg out.
|
Oh that's good to hear because I felt like keeping it inline with the bike would feel really unnatural! I thought I was doing what you explain because I felt like I was bracing the ball of my foot against the peg but I guess I was just leaving too much off from what you are saying? I will definitely try and move my foot back further.
Thanks so much for the advice. Looking forward to trying this next time!