Gripping when slowing for a curve.

[RyderRider15]

So lately I've been on myself about putting weight on the bars when slowing/stopping, and while I have no problem keeping the weight off in a straight line, I do have problems gripping when setting up for a curve. I generally hold on with my legs when stopping, but as soon as one of my legs leaves the safety of the tank of holy leg grip I feel like I'm going to slide off or crush my manly bits. Once I'm back on the throttle I'm fine but those G forces while slowing down/setting up for the turn has got me stumped when it comes to obtaining that locked onto the bike feeling.

Thoughts/tips?

[Jiggles]

Don't stick your leg out while slowing down?

[lgk]

i think your timing is off.

you cant really let go of the tank until you finish braking and start accelerating.

[Motofool]

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=116

[RyderRider15]

Originally Posted by lgk

i think your timing is off.

you cant really let go of the tank until you finish braking and start accelerating.

In Twist of the wrist 2, Keith Code says to lean off before you let off the gas as it doesn't upset the bike as much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKpnJvqBe-s&t=40m27s

You can also see riders do this in MotoGP. 40secs is a good example, leg off the tank, rear wheel barely touching the ground due to braking so hard, rider still locked on the bike

Link to original page on YouTube.

Originally Posted by Motofool

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=116

Did you have anything in mind from that post? Sorry but I didn't get much out of this other than

STABILITY EXPERIMENTS

In the end you have to figure out, or get some help figuring out, how to lock onto the bike. That can be tricky simply because of the survival instincts attached to it. But once you figure out a comfortable and stable position it opens many doors and provides solutions to just about any aggressive riding situation you can think of. Experiment with it and see what you can find, there will be a BEST position for you and it will help. If you get stumped, we can help.

Which is what I'm asking. How do you guys lock on when coming to a curve and you're hanging off? I know (or at least I think I do) what I should be doing, but I'm not sure how I'm going to do it yet

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by RyderRider15

In Twist of the wrist 2, Keith Code says to lean off before you let off the gas as it doesn't upset the bike as much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKpnJvqBe-s&t=40m27s

Yep, you just haven't found "your" style of body position yet.

What I do: Slide straight of the seat to whatever side your turning. Roll off and begin braking. The inner thigh all the way up to the knee of my outside leg will be taking most of the griping forces of braking. I lead with my chin so as I get closer to turn in, my head and shoulder will drop and I dive in... expecting the bike to follow me via a hard countersteer.

EDIT: Don't slide off enough and your man bits slam the tank, slide off to far, the grip is unstable and you get a lot of weight on the inside peg and you go home with sore feet.

[RyderRider15]

Originally Posted by csmith12

EDIT: Don't slide off enough and your man bits slam the tank, slide off to far, the grip is unstable and you get a lot of weight on the inside peg and you go home with sore feet.

Hmmm If anything I thought I was leaning off too far, but if this is true I should try leaning off more because I do have a problem with my man bits being smashed if I don't put some of the weight on the bars. I'll give that a try next time I'm out. Thx

[csmith12]

Well, without seeing you ride it's hard to tell. But it's common for riders to think they are hanging way off when in reality they are barely off the seat. One butt cheek is enough but because people are of different shapes and sizes, you have to be able to adjust. We just aren't built from the same mold, if you know what I mean.

Let us know how you fair and be safe out there.

[lgk]

Originally Posted by RyderRider15

In Twist of the wrist 2, Keith Code says to lean off before you let off the gas as it doesn't upset the bike as much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKpnJvqBe-s&t=40m27s

You can also see riders do this in MotoGP. 40secs is a good example, leg off the tank, rear wheel barely touching the ground due to braking so hard, rider still locked on the bike

Link to original page on YouTube.

I worded it wrong but i never really lose grip with the tank, or get my balls racked. i'm basically grip the tank for the inital bite of the brakes, and then reposition my body when the deceleration levels off.

it could be several thing effecting the rider, body positioning, posture, tank grip, bike angle.

the good thing about going to a track is your can film your self going around a corner, and figure out whats happening. then concentrate to eliminate your problems. its something i need to do soon

[RyderRider15]

I was actually thinking about getting video of myself for the thread. It'll most likely be a few days, but for fun heres my positioning a year ago. I was very stiff on the bike back then and I've gotten so lose now theres basically nothing but control input being put into the bars

Link to original page on YouTube.

[lgk]

you should do it, this way the more experienced riders here can see whats happening.

eta: do not try to fix problems for the film, just ride like you would normally.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by RyderRider15

Did you have anything in mind from that post? Sorry but I didn't get much out of this other than.........

Sorry that you didn't find the article helpful, John.
I still believe it is useful in your case.
I would read it again.

How is it possible that Valentino Rossi has that leg hanging completely out while braking?

Don't you think that he must put some pressure on the handlebars, pegs and the tank to counteract 1 G force pulling his upper body forward?

His body has inertia and in order to slowdown together with the bike he must be solidly connected to the front brake.

That solid connection generates a reactive force more or less equal to his body weight (for 1 G deceleration, when the rear tire is in the air, he feels like the bike is vertically hanging from the tail).

That is inevitable; however, his priority is not to upset the stability of the bike around any of the three axis (because, during the turn, he needs the maximum possible traction from each tire, which means constant load on each patch).

While he fights that forward force, and way before the turning point, he gets ready for the next force: the centripetal, before that one appears (as soon as the turn begins).

[csmith12]

After watching your vid above I still thinking on this, are you 6' or taller?

[aShifty]

i would work on one aspect at a time. For example i dont lean off the bike at all cuz im working on lean angles and timing and looking through the turn. Once you figure one thing out move on to next.

best advice i can give ya :/

[Cab305]

Get your ass off the seat. You need to have your body set up for the turn while braking, if you wait till after you slowed to get off the bike and into the turn, you will not be smooth at all.

[RyderRider15]

Originally Posted by csmith12

After watching your vid above I still thinking on this, are you 6' or taller?

I'm 6'4"

Originally Posted by Motofool

Sorry that you didn't find the article helpful, John.
I still believe it is useful in your case.
I would read it again.

Its not that I don't find that stuff useful, its just I've already read it and I've already seen those videos and they don't answer my question.

[alex.s]

push down and back on your outside foot, this pushes up on the tank, pushing your body back. also if your body is being pulled forward too much, put it against the tank. inside leg should be loose... think of rossi hanging a leg.

[RyderRider15]

Originally Posted by alex.s

push down and back on your outside foot, this pushes up on the tank, pushing your body back. also if your body is being pulled forward too much, put it against the tank. inside leg should be loose... think of rossi hanging a leg.

I'll give that a try next time I'm out riding. That also makes since about riders not using their inside leg at all, I'll try to keep that loose from now on.

I actually ended up having some free time today, so I hooked up the gopro on the way home from work, changed, then went out for a short ride. Let me know if there are more angles you'd like to see. Also I know the street isn't a track, and I'm not trying to drag knee or anything, just trying to feel more locked onto the bike when coming to a turn.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[csmith12]

I think alex.s hit on what I was going to say. By looking at the first vid you posted you looked like a taller guy, as your knees were above the tank lip and spread away from the tank. Both strong indicators that you are sitting to close to the tank.

Along with what alex.s said, play around with your position on the seat (forward and back). You will know you hit your sweet spot, it will feel great.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by RyderRider15

Link to original page on YouTube.

face down more, ass back more, take the weight off your inside foot and put it on the outside. position your upper body so its on the side of the tank instead of the center. sticking your ass off but not your upper body is known as riding crossed-up. if you are crossed up at all, make sure its negative ... as in your upper body is off more than your ass. getting your ass off the seat isnt important. moving your weight to the side is.


do this, have some friends hold your bike up and sit on it trying to hang off. find a spot where you can easily sit without struggling or weighting the inside or the bars. youll need to mess around a bit to find a good spot for your body size. once you find a good spot, go back to straight up and down, then practice going to that spot a few times. once you feel ok about it, get in position then have your frriends lower your bike like you are turning. then come back up. if your friends are strong, do it a couple times. once you feel comfortable, try it while you are riding.

[RyderRider15]

Still trying to relearn my positioning and Alex is totally right about being twisted, I've noticed my body stays center with the tank. in the past I actually cut back on how far I lean because I thought I was leaning too far, but low and behold I was wrong and should of just kept doing what I was a year ago. I do have another question regarding this however. Could my height be part of why I'm having a harder time locking on to this bike? My uncle bought a VFR today and when sitting on it everything felt more correct if that makes any since. Not trying to blame it on the bike or anything, but the thought did cross my mind.

Another note is I have rear set adjusters and clip-ons on my 250r.

[alex.s]

the longer legs make it a little bit harder. if the distance between your knee and ankle is longer than the distance between the peg and the tank lip, its awkward and you have to move your knee slightly forward so you are pushing on the lip with more 3/4 the way between your knee and groin instead of right at the knee. this moves your lower body on to the bike a bit more so how do you fix that? get that upper body dragging on the ground. you might think about getting rearsets to go along with the adjusters to move it back even more...

[RyderRider15]

Originally Posted by alex.s

the longer legs make it a little bit harder. if the distance between your knee and ankle is longer than the distance between the peg and the tank lip, its awkward and you have to move your knee slightly forward so you are pushing on the lip with more 3/4 the way between your knee and groin instead of right at the knee. this moves your lower body on to the bike a bit more so how do you fix that? get that upper body dragging on the ground. you might think about getting rearsets to go along with the adjusters to move it back even more...

I've had plans to get some, but I'm waiting until I get my 600cc bike and turn this bike into a full track bike. I'll have some free time tomorrow so I'll try to work on finding that sweet spot in the seat and maybe get some video of my positioning changes.

[alex.s]

250s are more fun on the track than 600s. Track the 250

[RyderRider15]

Originally Posted by alex.s

250s are more fun on the track than 600s. Track the 250

Well thats the plan to make the 250r a track bike, but I'll only own a single motorcycle (my 250r) when I move in a few months. So I have to keep the 250r street legal and not crash it until I get another bike.

[Whiskey]

Stomp Grips

$55 a set for the ninja 250

[Bermuda]

Tank grips can go a loooong way to help maintain some grip. As a tall rider, and especially when wearing leg protectection, I found it very challenging to keep my legs tight and in good contact with the tank while braking. Tank grips have done wonders to create good friction with little contact.