Quote:
Originally Posted by Triple Jim
I'd be interested in your thoughts about something, @ Misti. About ten years ago I went to Deals Gap for the first time. I had ridden since 1978, always on public roads in the east. I was not used to moving around on a motorcycle, only maybe occasionally shifting inward a little in places like entrance ramps.
The Dragon was something I was not used to, but was immediately tons of fun for me. The first day I was there I learned that moving my body inward on turns made me feel a lot more confident than staying aligned with the centerline of the motorcycle. In just a few miles I was dragging the little side stand deployment lever on my '72 H2.
Since then, by taking my little DT100 roadracer to the Supermoto track, I suddently became aware that when a knee puck touches down, I get another whole step increase of relaxed confidence. Once that third contact patch is working, any anxiety about the turn disappears.
I've never heard anyone else describe the mental boost of weight shifting or knee dragging this way, but I can't believe that it doesn't happen to others. |
I understand what you mean. When you move your body over to the inside of the corner, you are then able to lean the bike over LESS so there is increased available traction and with that, a more stable bike. When you get your body position dialled and the knee touches the ground, its like having a little lean angle gauge. You know exactly where you are in terms of how much you are leaning, and that in itself can give you confidence.
There is often a misunderstanding of how and why riders hang off. Many think that you want to lean the bike over MORE (hence the desire to rid the tires of "chicken strips") when in actual fact you want to lean the bike over as little as possible for a given turn.
Does that fit with what you were trying to explain?
I know that when I'm railing around a corner in good form with knee down I can feel pretty darn confident too!!