I'm obsessed with dragging my knee

[HorizonXP]

And I can't seem to do it.

I've been riding for a while and think of myself to be a competent rider. I've been practicing proper body positioning for quite some time, and at my last race on a CBR125, I was so far off the bike that my bum was no longer on the seat. I was so low to the ground, I could almost taste it! But that knee never touched. My toes did a few times (reminding me to bring them further in) as did my feelers.

I tried to do the same on my 250, except in a parking lot at slow speed. I need to find a bigger and more flat parking lot because I kept getting freaked out even though I was keeping it at 30 km/h. My circles were not tight at all.

The biggest reason I want to do this is to be faster at my race on Aug 13. I'm back on the 125, and I want to be dragging knee this time. It's a brand new track with fresh asphalt. I can make this happen.

The issue I was having was simply stepping out of my comfort zone. In the tight infield, I can keep my speed up no problem, and that's where I was getting really low. But the fast corners is where I let off. The 125s barely top out at 120 km/h, especially with my 210lbs self, yet I'd still let off the gas and slow down into the corner. Apparently, the other guys were going almost flat out into them.

How can I just get over this hump and get my knee down?

[Alex]

Wrong goal. Work on continuing to maintain higher corner speed, work on proper body position, work on smoothness, and work on better lines on track. As things get faster and more comfortable, eventually the bike will be over enough, that you'll realize your knee is on the deck without you thinking about it.

[ratlab]

don't think about it,don't stretch your leg out to try to get your knee down,get your lines down and cornerspeed up and it will happen naturally-when you hit your braking markers right,hit the apex of the corner with good speed you will do it on every corner-have fun,don't stress-it will happen

[alex.s]

if you really want to unnecessarily get your knee down with your current corner speed, you could try riding twisted up... !

[ninja250]

I will show you how to learn it.
I'm uploading a video now I took today.

PS Alex (#1) is right..

It sounds like you are leaning the bike too much and not your body enough.

Safest way to learn it is in a parking lot going in circles.

I can do a figure eight knee drag easily within the width of a normal street going like 10mph.

It's not going to help you go any faster for a long long time. It doesn't help me go any faster.

theres a video around here Adrian took of me a few weeks ago dragging knee while he was in my a$$ with the video camera because I was going extra slow just trying to drag knee and keep the cops happy.

[Cab305]

Try it on the rumble strips, it's a little higher.... lol

I've only barely touched a few times, as I've improved my body position, it has happened more frequently.



I can't even explain to people how good track days are for learning. Your street riding will improve by leaps and bounds.

[ninja250]

I'm no expert and I don't even track ride.
I can scrape smooth as hell in a figure eight like nothin' outside the airport though.

Link to original page on YouTube.

Meh can't remember how to embed.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by ninja250

I'm no expert and I don't even track ride.
I can scrape smooth as hell in a figure eight like nothin' outside the airport though.
http://youtu.be/Hu0CcRuLaK8

Meh can't remember how to embed.

what are we supposed to see here?

p.s. use [ youtube ] <youtubeid> [ / youtube ] tags

[ninja250]

How to safely drag your knee smoothly in a figure eight.
It's good for learning and fun.
When done right, you can barely even tell it's happening..
It's like butter. All you hear on camera is wind noise there.

Sorry I don't have a video of my body position for you. You can get an idea from the shadows somewhat. Your entire body has to be learned into it and looking into the corner. It will feel like the bike is following you, after a while.

[ninja250]

I've been practicing a long time and I still don't do it right on either of my bikes.

I give it my best shot, though.

That was six months to a year ago.
My position has improved even more by now for sure.
Every time I ride.

Be safe! It can get really ugly really quick.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by Cab305

Try it on the rumble strips, it's a little higher.... lol

I've only barely touched a few times, as I've improved my body position, it has happened more frequently.



I can't even explain to people how good track days are for learning. Your street riding will improve by leaps and bounds.

[Racer x]

you need a better goal than just the knee
http://youtu.be/dVMXmA5aqYw

[CC Cowboy]

Draggin a knee is so yesterday. Bikes have such great suspensions and tires now days that you can get so low in corners without dragging your knee. Dragging elbows is the new "in" thing to do on a bike.

[chitor]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Draggin a knee is so yesterday. Bikes have such great suspensions and tires now days that you can get so low in corners without dragging your knee. Dragging elbows is the new "in" thing to do on a bike.

I even saw a video dragging helmet...

[reaubideux]

I think we're all missing the REAL skill involved here, namely Cab's ability to travel through time.

[ninja250]

Never tried helmet or shoulder. I am actually trying to keep it right side up on the street. lol. I can let a hand drag on the ground pretty easy though. Starting to learn you don't need hands to drag knees. Reaching out and touching the ground as it goes by at 50 is interesting.

[dino74]

Originally Posted by Alex

Wrong goal. Work on continuing to maintain higher corner speed, work on proper body position, work on smoothness, and work on better lines on track. As things get faster and more comfortable, eventually the bike will be over enough, that you'll realize your knee is on the deck without you thinking about it.

Listen to Alex the Wise. The first time I dragged knee was at Level II of Superbike school. I was following their drills with no intention to drag knee, then it all came together.

BTW: Don't end up like this guy

Link to original page on YouTube.

[ninja250]

Looks like he slipped on the paint?

Either that or used his rear brake or tried to shift or something.

If the bike is in the right position it won't slip on the paint while you drag knee unless it's some very slick paint or something.

Like they say, I guess he was supposed to keep on the gas to ride out of that?!
That was so slow I don't know how he didnt. He let that slip go for a while before he got bucked.

[Nemesis]

Dragging knee is so overrated IMHO. Although I think I'm just jealous cuz I can't do it...LOL

When I first started out riding (first yr or 2) I was obsessed like you. I wanted to drag knee so bad that's all I could think about on and off the track. And in the "pursuit of happiness" I neglected all those other things that mattered the most: Lines, throttle control, braking, etc.

So, I said screw knee dragging I want to be fast and eventually dragged knee. Ask anyone that rides/races with me...to this day I still rarely drag my knee. And if it does touch down I lift my knees. I just don't like the feeling of dragging knees.

Shoot, I still have my original knee pucks on my suit and they're like 3-4 yrs old. LOL!

[ninja250]

His body position is wrong. His upper body is above his tank.

He also hit the paint with the wrong positioning. Here's the point of traction loss. Maybe he let off throttle right there too hard too to break the traction initially.

Likely leaned over too far to drag knees on paint.
He coulda pulled it off differently and made it.

[Nemesis]

Yes BP fundamentals are essential but only to a degree.

I see all kinds of weird BP racing but man can they corner! You even see this in MotoGP and WSBK.

Like I and others mentioned, focus on all the other good stuff and eventually you'll touch down.

[ninja250]

He's my shadow from the video above where I successfully drag knees over the paint. My head is well off to the side of the bike. The bike is much more vertical.

If his bike was straighter up and down, the guy in the video would not have slipped on the paint. To do so, he would have had to have better body positioning.

Body positioning is 85% of cornering a motorcycle as I have come to find out the hard way.
On the unfortunate up side, the hard way is one of the faster ways to learn.

[Misti]

Originally Posted by Alex

Wrong goal. Work on continuing to maintain higher corner speed, work on proper body position, work on smoothness, and work on better lines on track. As things get faster and more comfortable, eventually the bike will be over enough, that you'll realize your knee is on the deck without you thinking about it.

I agree with this 100%. The goal should never be to drag your knee, especially if you are altering your BP so that you don't even have your butt on the seat in order to get your knee down. Good BP requires a solid and stable connection to the motorcycle which you won't get if you don't even have your butt on the seat.

Also, it is not simply body position that is going to determine whether or not you get your knee down. There are other things that will influence it like lines and more specifically your rate of turn in. You could be hanging all the way off your bike with your knee aiming for the deck but if you turn your bike slowly you will NEVER get your knee down.

I'd start by working on things like your throttle control and your lines, then move to getting the bike quick turned while having good BP and soon your knee will be scraping without you even meaning to....

Originally Posted by dino74

Listen to Alex the Wise. The first time I dragged knee was at Level II of Superbike school. I was following their drills with no intention to drag knee, then it all came together.

BTW: Don't end up like this guy

A lot of our students end up dragging knees in the way you describe It is the product of correct riding as opposed to a goal in and of itself.

Cheers!

Misti

[Cab305]

I think we're all missing the REAL skill involved here, namely Cab's ability to travel through time.

LMFAO!

I belong to a band called the Wild Stallions perhaps you've heard of us.

[adri99an]

I love knee dragging too...and when it happens it's usually when you least expect it...... as if you are now one with the bike...atttached...together...in harmony......

Now to find some riding pants!

[ninja250]

Originally Posted by Cab305

I think we're all missing the REAL skill involved here, namely Cab's ability to travel through time.

LMFAO!

I belong to a band called the Wild Stallions perhaps you've heard of us.

It looks like your positioning improved during your time travels.

Adrian you expected it if your pants taped up homeboy, get some leather and plastic! I bet you look sexy suited up.: You won't have knees anymore if you lowside while draggin' son! I don't want to be your wheelchair mechanic. I played on your GMR today without you! I think you're there now! Be safe. Road was clean accept that one usual dirty corner..