Knee Down or Not Knee Down

[Troutman]

Not knee down for me

Went out on an early run this morning just outside Galashiels where there is a series of three largish roundabouts.
I spent about an hour just constantly going round each about 3 times and then moving on to the next one.

Why? I was watching a guy on Youtube



I thought he explained it pretty good, there is a Part 1 too, where he talks about kit/bike etc.
BTW, the Firestorm makes me grin.

Anyway I did all the right positions and kept my eye on the apex all the time and it felt brilliant...as the time went on I felt myself speeding up and getting much better control of the bike. Getting your butt over and moving your upper body over to the side really helps, still I wasn't anywhere getting my knee down which is a good job because I don't have those slider things to touch down with.
First sports bike so never really tried it but know I really want to get the bike over, heading home back up the Yarrow Valley (A708) I was taking the bends with much more confidence, got back, bike away , cup of tea for the woman, very pleased

[VTRDark]

I wasn't anywhere getting my knee down which is a good job because I don't have those slider things to touch down with.

Well there you go, that's the answer. If you haven't got any sliders then you will never get your knee down. If you anything like me, then having no sliders stops the brain/instinct from leaning that little further where you make contact. It will be a mental blockage in the way. Who in their right mind would feel comfortable getting a knee down with no sliders.

[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

(:-})

[Jamoi]

I love getting me knees down, I'm no quicker for it but its fun!

For a few seconds I get to pretend I'm Marquez then I stand the bike up and fire off down the road and then I remember I'm a talentless storm rider!

[popkat]

For a few seconds I get to pretend I'm Marquez

Not until you get your elbow down.














And stay on








.

[Miztaziggy]

The MCN one is good, that's the one that gave me the right tips to get mine down for the first time.

The main thing to learn is getting your head and shoulders in the right position. You can hang your elbow off all you want, but if your head and shoulders are leant back toward the centre of the bike, your knee won't touch.

If you put your head down along the side of the fairing and look 'through' the corner and keep your shoulders leant off the bike, not pulled back into the centre, your knee will go down without hardly trying.

BTW, knee sliders generally have enough thickness on them to make your knee that 1" closer to the road than if you don't have them to make it easier.

[lloydie]

I love dragging a knee but I find using good body position helps the most and makes the nine more stable .

[Brian 99 firestorm]

Iv'e tried my utmost to ger the sliders to make a touch down, but it seems the rear sets i have on the storm, brings my legs much higher up, therefore unable to get the knee down... Sigh. Managed to scrape both left and right sliders exiting a left hand corner on the track, but that was when i went rolly pollying after the bike.

[lloydie]

Iv'e tried my utmost to ger the sliders to make a touch down, but it seems the rear sets i have on the storm, brings my legs much higher up, therefore unable to get the knee down... Sigh. Managed to scrape both left and right sliders exiting a left hand corner on the track, but that was when i went rolly pollying after the bike.

I have very high rear sets and that makes no difference .
When you think your on the limit get your ass off the seat till your calf muscle on you outside leg is touching the frame . Then if your still not dragging a knee go faster .
Try it on a island with a positive camber that will also help .
As soon as you've done it once you will do it all the time .

[Miztaziggy]

Iv'e tried my utmost to ger the sliders to make a touch down, but it seems the rear sets i have on the storm, brings my legs much higher up, therefore unable to get the knee down... Sigh. Managed to scrape both left and right sliders exiting a left hand corner on the track, but that was when i went rolly pollying after the bike.

Yep, high rear sets won't make it impossible.

It's all about head/shoulder position, and getting your toe on to the peg, twisting your heel to the inside so it's touching the frame. This twists your knee outwards into the correct position. You will need to be doing between 30 and 40 mph on an average sized roundabout to do it. The single lane wider roundabouts are best. This sort of thing (this is where I got mine down for the first time ):
https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.429481 ... 67,,0,8.25

[Jamoi]

For a few seconds I get to pretend I'm Marquez

Not until you get your elbow down.














And stay on








.

I wish!!

[Kev L]

+1 on the MCN videos. Give them a watch and follow the body position. The rearsets won't make a difference, it's all about the position, like many things in life!
To be honest on the road I think it makes you slower than keeping tucked in but hey ho it makes you grin.
If you keep on struggling you can have these for a small sum!!!!! -

[bigtwinthing]

I actually think iam slower when i get it down (only ever the left one!!!) as i have to concentrate so much, it does however fill you with pride the first time it touches!!!, like the guys say, its not always faster, but worn sliders do look cool providing its not red brick from the side of your house (Poole Quay favorite) ha ha

[AMCQ46]

That's my kind of mid life crisis Kev

Glad to see you are as tight as me and flip them over to wear out both sides

[playerone]

Those roundabouts outside Gala are the perfect size for it, loads of road width if you overcook it and run wide, persevere and you'll do it there

[Kev L]

Those roundabouts outside Gala are the perfect size for it, loads of road width if you overcook it and run wide, persevere and you'll do it there

When I first started reading your post I thought you were starting to take the piss about Gala Bingo! Then I realised you were talking about the place ooop North.