Ridiculous Riding Styles

[dadof2]

Regarding using the knee to correct a slide I was just going on comments made by Casey Stoner and some others, I would certainly agree there are plenty of occasions when it does not work. One of the best "saves" I have ever seen was at Silverstone in 1979, I think it was Graziano Rossi in the 250 race, It was on a fast right hander, he dropped the bike completely on its side then somehow it came upright again, he ran alongside at maybe 80 mph and jumped back on again. Commentator made some comment about the rider needing fresh underpants.

Cheers

[nzralphy]

I remember reading an article from an ex GP rider commenting on one riders inability to be competitive. Summary was he wasn't getting low enough / forward enough / off the bike enough. It made a lot of sence when he compared it to other riders podium placings. Basically that is how they HAVE to ride the new bikes.

Foot out is a bit w**k though.... Even if it does get 10kg a bit lower to the ground.

[racer]

Maybe a little old thread , but my comment will be usefull

Like stated already , the kneedown is for balance/lean angle purposes.

Once you have this technique you can "feel" how deep you are , thus knowing how mutch grip you have and traction you can apply.

Modern time MotoGp riders even use elbows in some corners , not for the puprpose above ,

just because they can't go anywhere else.

On a sidenote...

Not allot of people know this , but i have seen and studied telemetry data of a MotoGp rider.

You should know how mutch these guy's slide in a corner.

I'll try and explain it here.

-Approaching a corner :

They slam the front brake for 100% , and the rear brake for 60% (aprox.).

-Turning in :

Now here it starts , they back the rearwheel in like MX-riders do.

Not on such a great level , but at this point the rearwheel has only 85% of the front wheel speed.

-Pointing towards Apex:

Now the apply a hint of throttle , to transfer weight to the back so it doesn't "overslide".

Rear brake is completly loose.

Front brake is slowly being released to the point the front starts to slide.

-Hitting apex

First the front brake is slowly tapped to shift weight to the front end , so this doesn't slide out of control.

At this pojnt the rider starts to think about throttle position.

Rear brake = open

Front Brake is slowly being released after slowly compressing the front in previous point.

-After apex :

Throttle is opened , wieight shifts to the back.

250Bhp is going towards the rearwheel , starting to slide.

In some double corners the front brake is applied again to gain weight to the front tyre before hitting the mayor brakepoint.

And they do this at lean angles of +62 degrees , traveling at the fastest speeds and loads the tyres can take.

Offcourse electronics are a big deal nowadays , but kneedowns , draging legs , dropping elbows is just an evolution.

Don't underestimate what these guy's do...

Source : Been racing in the IDM superbike chamionship for over 3 years , been racing 6 years prior to that.

Now i'm a data specialist in a racing team.

[jordi]

Supposedly trailing your leg into a corner lowers/alters the centre of gravity, this and the effect of a wind brake lets the bike turn easier. Or so I believe!!!

Edited November 20, 2013 by jordi

[racer]

The windbrake theory is minimal.

Offcourse it does slow you down , but by a very small margin compared to their carbon brakes.

It's about balance.

-Help with balance when liding it in like supermoto riders.

-"Tipping it in" , a bike travveling at +200Kph on full front load is VERY hard to get on a beginnning lean angle.

-Widening your profile , so that little gap you let open to get that bit more cornerspeed is closed.

[shyted]

Incidentally, something some of you may not realize with moto GP bikes and the way they work.

Compaired to converted road bikes they have a lower frontal area and the whole thing is considerably smaller and engineered to do a job . It is in-fact in theory and design,more of a tool than a bike.The operator uses that tool to go fast.

As for the leg out job , leaders lead, sheep follow,that's my theory anyway.

Who invented the knee out style?

Barry Sheen ! The knee slider or even leathers that had any real protection weren't even invented either.

Neither Sheen or Roberts used their Knees to prop their bikes up at that time (1973-74)but to pull the bike's of that time over as they were brutes to say the least.

See if you can find pictures of an OW31(TZ750D) just to get an idea of the technology which they worked with back then.

Edited November 22, 2013 by shyted

[cactusjack]

I have watched with interest MotoGP for a long time and I truly think that Vale was the man behind the leg out. I think he did it originally to put off Gibernau in the height of their battles, it was merely a distractive technique that became a riding style as everyone figured if Rossi is doing it then it must be faster. Even he says there is no benefit it is just what has become comfortable.

[dadof2]

I think Jarno Sarrinen may have been the rider who started the knee out style.

I rate Jarno as right up there with the best and but for his tragically early death he may have gone on to be the greatest of all time.

[crowley]

I'm not sure the concept of 4 stroke engine braking is relevant on modern track bikes. I've just bought a EBR ecu for my Buell (Rotax) 1125 track bike. This adds a bit of fuel on the overrun to lessen engine braking, and after tweaking a bit on the Dyno, it feels a little like a 'sticky' throttle. It takes a bit of getting used to, but overall it feels better. On the road, I'd imagine it would be a nightmare.