| Author |
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Xl1200r
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 12:32 pm: | 
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I've watched people form this board drag a knee in parking lot going no faster than 10 or 12mph.
However, a parking lot is not the place to learn to do it.
In tight circles like that, and at slow speeds, things can happen with the bike much faster in terms of a tip over or not. It's not as stable, and harder to keep right. It takes much more finesse of the machine. A mistaken twitch of the wrist will do a lot more damage at 20mph than it will at 60mph. And when moving faster, the lean will feel more planted and not as tipsy.
At more moderate speeds, the bike is stable but still not moving at a breakneck pace. You can practice the exact same turn over and over again until you get it, with professional coaching, no trees or cars to smash into, and an ambulance ready and waiting.
Most tracks will have a good long turn you can use as well, where you can go in a little soft and gradually pick up the pace until your knee touches. The bowl at Lightning NJMP is a good example. |
Pariah
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 12:54 pm: |
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I agree that throttle control may be more tricky at lower speeds.
However, assuming you pick the right parking lot, I would argue the exact opposite--- a screw up at track speeds will be more detrimental to the rider than a screw up at parking lot speeds! Kinetic energy builds up as the square of the speed... at 60mph the energy you must dissipate in a crash is SIX TIMES the energy of a crash at 25mph.
Doesn't it make sense to learn to drag a knee first at slow speeds? It does to me... if my throttle control and body positioning are good enough at slow speeds, then I will feel confident enough to attempt a knee-dragging at track speeds. This is the whole rationale behind the TCARCs.
Moreover, knee dragging at slow "street" speeds is arguably an important safety skill. One scenario is an unexpected decreasing radius turn, requiring the rider to go to maximum lean in a hurry.
But keep in mind that when you commit your body to a knee-dragging position, you effectively forfeit quick swerve control. And, if you lose traction, and need to stand the bike up, it's harder to do so hanging off to one side.
So, in short, don't knee-drag on the street unless you are forced to do it. And there are some situations where you may be forced to do it...
(Message edited by Pariah on January 11, 2009) |
Dentguy
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 02:05 pm: |
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He might have just crashed thinking about that formula.
Ridenusa41
As many have said, take a class or two and ride some track days. |
Ridenusa4l
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 03:25 pm: |
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WOW...that was freaking amazing guys lol...pariah i actually completely understood wat u said, and ive thought about the parking lot but i just dont feel as comfortable doin it at that low of speeds...yet..i feel more comfortable at higher speeds, so far.. i do feel more in tune with getting it down now and i do plan on doing some track days..and classes..
Anybody know of any ones in AZ that are in the near future???
THANX
Jake |
Pariah
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 04:46 pm: |
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Jake, check out:
http://www.totalcontroltraining.net/HTML/Schedule. html
Lots of classes in AZ. You will drag your knee sooner with this course than in trackdays.
Cheers,
Takis |
Ridenusa4l
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 11:25 pm: |
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Thanx pariah im definetly looking into that looks VERY promising..
THANX,
Jake |
Chameleon
| | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2009 - 12:46 am: |
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I have never drug knee and the only track experience I've had was about 6 back and forth laps with way too many other bikes on the back half of a local racetrack during a charity event while drag racing was going on.
That being said, I do frequently hang off the bike in situations where I feel it gives me greater traction while circumnavigating a curve. I went on a 170 mile ride yesterday, half of which was in the rain. During the rainy return trip I hung off about half the curves.
It's simple physics... Hanging off alters the center of gravity while in a turn and increases the centrifugal effect allowing tighter/faster curves/turns with the bike more upright.
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