1ce

I get the point of leaning off your bike, but as for knee dragging I wasn't quite sure of the meaning behind it. As we were riding between Banks and Lowman sunday, i was pushing myself prolly to hard and fast, mean while, what felt like my knee skimming the ground i was wondering if i had knee pucs on would they be dragging. I have yet to get leg protection and haven't gotten to experience dragging my knee which could be why i dont get it.

Is it to know how far your off your bike? To get all your weight as far over as you can. Just to feel the ground? To get a better idea of your overall position? Is there logic to it or just the sensation of going around a corner posted 20mph at 60mph with sparks coming off your knee?

**Rookie**

1ce this is what i have gathered (never done it myself):

The only reason for getting a knee down is to reduce the angle of lean which in turn allows you to round corners faster with less risk of getting past the edge of the tyres. Racers use the knee to gauge how far they are from the track and therefore how much more they can lean before they hit the deck. Sometimes a knee can push a racer out of a slide too, but this is quite lucky.
The average Joe, however, leans off the bike and sticks a knee out to look cool. There is absolutely no need to get your knee down other than to compare pucks after the ride.

Cider

Dragging knee is nothing more than a by-product of hanging off. As Rookie said, the purpose of hanging off is to reduce lean angle.

Here is a pretty good primer on hanging off: http://tinyurl.com/q3xj7

Proeve

The reason for ?hanging ?off your bike in a turn is that it reduces the bike center of gravity, and you ?knee? is basically used as a feeler for how far you can lean your bike in that turn. But to really go thru a turn in the fastest manner is to use the outside, inside, outside process. hitting the apex..

Hozhead

All of the comments so far are accurate with the exception of **Rookie**'s comment about the average joe not needing to put his knee out on a street ride.
Once you get in the habit of having your knee out in proper riding form, you can't help but do it whenever you're in a sharp turn. Its just good form becoming a habit.
I move off the bike and get my knee out when riding agressively on the street because that's the position I'm most comfortable in when turning. I occasionally get my knee down on the road (just about every corner up and down Bogus Basin Rd one time - and a few spots on Lowman) but generally try to ride slower and easier because of common sense.

That statement is only partially true. In a single corner with a continuous radius, that statement holds true. Outside of that condition, there's a lot more that goes into finding the fastest line most of which is related to tying multiple corner together in a smooth line.

XLR8

I have to agree with Rookie on this one.

I think knowing how to hang off (something I am still learning) can be a good skill on a mountain road under certain conditions, but there is certainly no reason to ride like this all the time because you should not be pushing that hard on uknown surfaces as eventually it will catch up to you.

If you feel the need to hang off all the time then you are perhaps pushing to too much on public roads and you need to take it back to the track.



-r

AlxandrtheGr8

I dont see anything wrong with getting off your bike while riding on the street, because it is more comfortable and just feels right, I also do it on the steets to help keep my legs used to using those mussles so when I am on the track it is not as big of a shock. But I do not try to drag my knee while on the street, but I do know there a couple turns that it will happen. I would not try to do it on every turn, because who know what could happen.

1ce

Cool, thats what i was kind of thinking. I just wasn't sure if i was missing some big effect that it had. Like Hoz i try to exadurate my leaning while going into turns but i very rarely put my knee out in the city.

My lines suck but i try going for the apex everytime. But not knowing the exit point around the corner doesn't really help in the mountains...And reading on ISB site about track groups 101, or something. It was saying something about not using the apex and just staying in your lines around the turn. Guessing its just to prevent wrecks with the slow riders and fast.

But thanks for the info on this!

Proeve

There is a different between street riding and track racing, we all know that. But the information that was given by Hoz and I is information that you will received in riding classes. I feel that every one that has given advices is all staying basically the same thing, just in different ways. Some corners do not require you to put your knee down, but at high speeds it is a needed gauge for racers because a racer is looking at their exit point on the track.

Now to correct what I said before:

Standard curves:

For most turns the outside/inside/outside line is recommended, this will increases your line of sight and creates a turn that is less sharp, thereby limiting cornering forces and preserving your ground clearance.

Linked curves:

In a linked corner maintain an outside line until you can see the exit. Committing to an inside line too early may put you out of position for the next turn. Strive to make the exit line of your first curve match the entry line for the following curve.

If I can find a place to host a 400MB DVD I will post a link to a show called Speed on 2 wheels, it is a must see if you have not seen it yet..

http://www.speedontwowheels.com/

1ce

Another question that came to mind kinda related to all this is, what about at high speeds (Eagle to Horseshoe Bend). Is the ideal image to still lean off the bike, but not far enough to cause a air dam?

Proeve

I would not worry about a air damn, per say. if you are going to hit these corner at 100+ I feel you should get use to shifting your weight off the bike like a track racer does. and keep your head up. look all the way thru the corner to your exit point.

1stunter

i have one of my knees out all the time..when i'm doin a sit down wheelie..helps me steer...

QwikGixxer

AT high speed knee dragging also works as a bit of insurance I have had the front slide on me a few times when I was knee down and my slider enabled me to keep the bike upright. Another advantage of dragging pucks is that you keep more tie on the ground and you have less chance of dragging hard parts because the bike is more upright.

carlsmith

I'm not sure that I know exactly what you mean
by 'knee dragging' -

Is that the same as gettin your 'knee down' ??

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/210…

theduckllr

Yes. "Shaving the Patella"

e11charlie

Holy thread resurrection!!!!