I know it’s naughty…..

Scort · 27 Jul 2008 at 10:22

Reppyboyo said:
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.

Scort.

Scort · 27 Jul 2008 at 10:24

Fireskull said:
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.

Scort.

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

Fireskull · 27 Jul 2008 at 10:25

Yea I got the suit and boots new yesterday, got a great deal from infinity if I bought the boots with the Suit, got a good £90 discount off retail on the boots

Theyre great abit stiff at the mo though.

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

Maybe a little more speed? but as you said now you have done it and trust the tyres you can adjust your position now and see whats comfortable.

Scort · 27 Jul 2008 at 10:53

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

Scort.

Snax · 27 Jul 2008 at 10:57

I need to invest in some leather trousers. I dont think draggin jeans would appreciate kneedowns

Anoyone know anywhere in SW London that you can go practise? I get really worried abot cars being idiots on roundabouts... oh and pedestrians with the Mobile Phone of Invinscibility +1 aaaaaand street furniture....

Fireskull · 27 Jul 2008 at 11:20

Nice one scort youve had it quite low on the right side then

Snax said:
I need to invest in some leather trousers. I dont think draggin jeans would appreciate kneedowns

Anoyone know anywhere in SW London that you can go practise? I get really worried abot cars being idiots on roundabouts... oh and pedestrians with the Mobile Phone of Invinscibility +1 aaaaaand street furniture....

Find any decent sized roundabout that you can see around not one with trees in the middle

then at this time of year (I know london is still busy) but around 10pm is usually a good time on a sunday.
Keep your indicators on and on bigger roundabouts is best because you can go around and theres plenty of time for cars to come around aswell so you dont get in the way and they dont spoil your fun

because if you get in the way and keep going around someone will call the police and they can give you an ASBO and all sorts for knee downs :/

Snax · 27 Jul 2008 at 12:40

right. I need to get through family lunch *snore* and then get out to the lovely sussex countryside this afternoon.

How is hte waether near everyone?

Vampire · 27 Jul 2008 at 12:49

Scort said:
Hahaha, nope, angle grinder

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

Scort.

Is that a good one then? In my day, the roundabout at the bottom of the hill in Highworth as you go out towards Lechlade was the popular one. Often used to get groups of bikes there taking turns (never me though

), except it got a bit popular and the Police often used to swing by - plus the people in the nearby houses used to ring the plod when a group of bikes turned up.

Fireskull · 27 Jul 2008 at 12:54

Snax said:
right. I need to get through family lunch *snore* and then get out to the lovely sussex countryside this afternoon.

How is hte waether near everyone?

Great here about 25c but its too hot to go out in full leathers in this traffic

so ill go out this evening when its cooler

Have a good ride!

Demon · 27 Jul 2008 at 13:00

Kudos for taking it progessively getting your knee down, and not rushing at it!

I think there is a little misunderstanding about knee down and chicken strips..

Leaning off the bike to get your knee down is used to lower your centre of gravity, and so you require less lean angle for the same cornering speed.. so if anything, getting your knee down makes it harder to get rid of those strips!

Just a fast ride out with the lads with no knee down has kept my chicken strips at bay!!

atpbx · 27 Jul 2008 at 14:06

Never got my knee down, its pointless.

Scania · 27 Jul 2008 at 14:11

Scort said:
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.

How on earth you find that nice, fails me.

I used to know a friend who got thrown from his bike, under an HGV, after getting such a thing very wrong. No, he was not going at a great speed either.

He's been dead 4 years now.

Dureth · 27 Jul 2008 at 14:58

R124/LA420 said:
How on earth you find that nice, fails me.

I used to know a friend who got thrown from his bike, under an HGV, after getting such a thing very wrong. No, he was not going at a great speed either.

He's been dead 4 years now.

Come on that was un-called for in this thread.

Getting your knee down still leaves you plenty of cornering ability in hand and it does not require any great speed. Knee down does not equate to fast riding, as can be demonstrated by how many of the racers in my linked photos are carrying huge corner speed with their knees up.

atpbx · 27 Jul 2008 at 15:01

Dureth said:
Come on that was un-called for in this thread.

Getting your knee down still leaves you plenty of cornering ability in hand and it does not require any great speed. Knee down does not equate to fast riding, as can be demonstrated by how many of the racers in my linked photos are carrying huge corner speed with their knees up.

And as such, by your own admission its a pointless exercise. so why bother when the only results from it are-

A-scrubbing some plastic off your knees.
B-Increased risk of an accident.

Snax · 27 Jul 2008 at 15:10

actually getting your knee down at a given speed could be safer than not getting your knee down at the same speed.

as mentioned already; you are putting less stress on the tyres and will be leaning the bike less. Your weight on on the inside of the bike requiring less lean than if you were going the same speed sitting upright on the bike.

Scania · 27 Jul 2008 at 15:23

Dureth said:
Come on that was un-called for in this thread.

Getting your knee down still leaves you plenty of cornering ability in hand and it does not require any great speed. Knee down does not equate to fast riding, as can be demonstrated by how many of the racers in my linked photos are carrying huge corner speed with their knees up.

I disagree, had you lost a friend in a similar way, you'd feel the same.

The OP said himself that it’s not big, nor clever, on a public road.

On a track, hell yes!

Mr Footlong · 27 Jul 2008 at 15:24

For those of you going on about it being pointless, people dieing etc etc lay off will you. I think that all bike riders know for a fact that if they are involvind in an accident, they are far more likely to die than when they drive a car. Yet they still ride their bikes, get their knees down risking something going wrong etc etc. It's called enjoying yourself and doing whatever feels right and to hell what others think. Sorry you lost a friend but he knew the risks.

Good on you Scort and anyone else who enjoys doing this. As soon as I get my bike license this year hopefully, I have no doubt that I will doing exactly the same thing the second that I have the confidence to

. Not too sure on full leathers for me just yet, I was thinking of winging it with Jeans and a pair of these:

I kid I kid!

Sorry if this seems a little harsh. I know it must suck losing a friend like this and you really should only do stuff like this if you know the road you are on, what the texture is like etc or race them for a living

.

atpbx · 27 Jul 2008 at 15:48

Mr Footlong said:
Guff.

I've been riding for 16 years, its a pointless exercise on the road.

Its another one of those "biker" things that get right up my nose, like matching leathers, spotless bikes that never see the rain or ice and trips "to meets" with other bikers.

Clarkey · 27 Jul 2008 at 15:53

atpbx said:
I've been riding for 16 years, its a pointless exercise on the road.

Its another one of those "biker" things that get right up my nose, like matching leathers, spotless bikes that never see the rain or ice and trips "to meets" with other bikers.

They are the people who have the right idea. Realised that a bike is totally impractical as a means of transport but great for thrills on the weekend. Why not have a great looking bike and matching leathers, good for them they obviously take pride in it. You seem to get worked up easily about it, whys that?

Mr Footlong · 27 Jul 2008 at 16:05

atpbx said:
Grandad

Clarkey said:
Realised that a bike is totally impractical as a means of transport but great for thrills on the weekend.

Sorry but I disagree and a number of others will probably feel the same. I only have a 20 mile round trip to work but on a bike I would save, at the very least 10 minutes each way sitting in traffic. I am seeing more bikes than ever on the road this year and bar idiots not looking when jumping between lanes in traffic, they are immensely practical when all you need to take with you is a rucksack with bits in etc. I constantly look out for bikes coming down the middle of traffic and always move over to make their lives as easy as possible without fail.

I can't wait to get one. I will get the same performance/rush that I get from my car on one and won't have to grind to a complete halt at least twice every single work day.