I know it’s naughty…..

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But after months of practice, I finally got my knee down today

Started with a slight hit this morning, leaving a mark smaller than a 5p, then I had a few more hits later in the day resulting in a mark just smaller than a 10p.

Went out a few hours later and the hits were making contact longer, I was then joined by a guy on a Gixxer thou, and we were both going around taking it in turns to lead before stopping for a chat – after he left I had full on knee drag resulting in this:

Lost the chicken strip on the right now, the tyre is chewing up nicely now too, you can certainly see that it’s a different compound form the rest (will grab some piccies if I can tomorrow).

Anyway, I know it’s not big, nor clever, and it may have been dangerous to do it on the road, but I didn’t do any huge speed. I also know it certainly doesn’t make me a better rider but it’s nice to have done it.

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Thanks for the comments guys, half expecting "child killer" etc etc

It's nice to be using the Corsas to their full potential, well, pretty much to the full.

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Hahaha, nope, angle grinder

All road contact right there, dragging my knee round both corners on this:

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he used a belt sander

Hacksaw?

Lol, thanks guys

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nice, i'm tempted to try to get my knee down but that would mean buying knee sliders (or ruining my leathers and then probably my knee I guess )

Working on getting the footpegs to touch the floor atm, awkward trying to judge how far from the ground they are though

Only had my peg on the floor when I dropped the bike first day

Toe sliders have been down along with my knee today, but I moved my foot back on the ped and that stopped that - leg ached a bit after lapping the roundabout so many times (probably 50+ times today).

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Come on, how did you manage to scrape your sliders like that and not touch the leathers at all...

The angle I was at kept my leathers about 1cm off the road, at least that's how it looks to me, these sliders stick out a little more than normal ones too, so I guess I cheated in a way.

You can see my tyre tomorrow

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hmmmmmm

Ace

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I need to take the centre stand off my Bandit, it drags before my knee reaches the ground

What size tyres do you have on the bandit? I have a friend with a SV who is trying to get rid of his chicken strips and would like to get his knee down, but I can't convince him that he can lean further.

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One legged child killer!!!

Seriously...nice work

Bwahahahahaha, I managed to inhaled wine whilst laughing at that comment

Thanks, just need to find somewhere to work on that left one now

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Nice one, my old leathers were quite worn from getting the knee down sometimes, however that was on the 2003 Fazer.

I have not yet managed to get my knee down on the CBR, its starting to annoy me now as i have been told its easier as the bike and seating is lower than a Fazer.

Can't imagine these Frank Thomes ones would stand up to much road contact during a knee slide - maybe I'll move the slider forward.

It's taken me months of practice, when I initially started to ‘hang off’ the bike, I was literally doing that, so my weight was tipping the bike in, and the bike itself was staying more upright, if that makes sense. Doing it this way I found the strips were a good inch or so and wouldn’t go down.

Looking at videos and articles on the net, and also reading up on body position, I found that by doing the follwing, I was tipping in far more comfortably and getting a better lean:

1. Toes on the pegs.
2. Shift myself so that one cheek is off the seat.
3. Knee jutting out, but not being forced out.
4. Counter-steer to initiate the turn.
5. Keep my head in line with the wind screen.

Like I say though, I just kept practicing over and over, on different roundabouts, then it all came together today

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Link him to some photos here of SV650's getting serious lean angle on near stock suspension and Pirelli suepr corsa pros (PS. I'm number 73 on the red bike):

http://www.racing-line-photography.com/BZ_shop.asp?event=ER&gallery=9

Fantastic pictures, I'll make sure he checks that site out.

Kudos on competing too, looks like great fun

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Blimey

Don't think I'll be trying that!

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The Commonhead roundabout seems pretty popular with bikers working on cornering, I see more and more of them doing loops of it, then parking up near the road to Fox Hill for a chin wag

I'm going to clean the bike in a mo so will grab some piccies of the tyres

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Thanks

I was so tempted to get the blue 2 piece BKS suit, it looks lovely - but I haven't had this 2 piece that long, so can't really justify spending another £500 – but god, it’s tempting

Edit: saw those picture in your original post, some fantastic shots, and I love the extremity of that one – mind you, you said you were giving it some beans at that point!

I’m finding that my chest is lightly touching the tank when I’m leaning, both arms are bent and I can let go of the left handle bar – but I only did that once as it made me pucker up

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Shut it I usually don't need convincing, argggh, need to put my La La La I’m Not Listening ™ headset on.

Mind you, that JT one looks the dogs

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That is the incorrect body position.
You will be stiffening up your upper body making handaling difficult.

You should be leaning compleatly off the bike, as if you were trying to look yourself in the mirror or look about 6 inches infront of the bike.

That's what I saw when watching some MCN video, but I found that by doing that the bike stayed upright.

I feel pretty loose in the current position, and I am able to take one hand off the controls, but I'll still keep working on it - maybe now that I am happy to lean on the tyre, I can focus on body position some more.

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Ok ill stop now

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo

Looks lovely, and really goes well with your bike.

Notice you have the newer Sidis too (I want them)

Edit: How do you find the S4, I haven't used mine since replacing it with the Arai Chaser, just chucked it in a cupboard after it didn't sell on eBay. I thought it was pretty damn noisey.

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* Note to self, don't go to George Whites today and spend £600-£700 on bits you don't really need

 

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The clean can wait, I'm off out with a mate, but here's the tyre:

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