BALLS.... or arches????

[No FX]

my first few years road riding i always rode with my arches on the pegs so i could gear change /rear brake easily and quickly but as i got quicker i started getting my pegs down on tight corners and the first few times this happened i shit my pants coz my feet touched too. this led to me backing off on tight corners for fear of my feet getting pulled off the pegs. nowadays i tend to ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs if im on a road i know so i can get a lot more lean without having to worry if the pegs touch.

just curious as to how many people ride with the balls or arches of their feet on the pegs???

[Animal]

I've just asked around present company (well, those that are still more-or-less vertical) and the general consensus is "balls". The one exception is the V-Rod rider who is going on about highway pegs and arches but he's really too pissed to make any sense. We'll go with "balls" then.

[No FX]

my missus also likes balls- and shes always(mostly) right

[Animal]

Yep, I married Miss Right. She never bloody told me her first name is Always.

I sent you a pm.

[terbang]

Well I'll go with the balls when it comes to footpegs, but I have seen some interesting arches too.

[BarBender]

Both. I cant change gear otherwise.

[HDTboy]

Nice avatar BB

[riffer]

Definitely balls. Going with Keith Code's ideas of pivot points you get a better sense of control with the balls of the feet.

Personally I find my feet seem to slide a bit around when I have arches over the pegs which doesn't help with the sensation of control. I just slide my foot forward to do the controls but otherwise it's weight on the balls of the feet and in the corners I try to get the weight off the seat as much as possible so that the weight is transferred through to the pegs, letting the legs act as part of the suspension. Its a bit tiring when you're going for it though as I'm carrying a good 25kgs more than I should be.

Read Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist II for a much better understanding of Pivot Points. It's a revelation. :)

[ManDownUnder]

Definitely balls. Going with Keith Code's ideas of pivot points you get a better sense of control with the balls of the feet.

Personally I find my feet seem to slide a bit around....

Exactly my thoughts.

I used to consider riding with arches - "It gets my feet closer to the controls in case of emergency" thought I... but I instinctively slide the appropriate foot/feet forward when needed for gear chance and/or braking, and avoid the problem of foot scraping when dropping into fun corners

[deanohit]

High pegs means I can get away with arches when riding quick through the corners, never once had a peg scrape while others are grinding them off.

[smoky]

i started getting my pegs down on tight corners and the first few times this happened i shit my pants coz my feet touched too. this led to me backing off on tight corners for fear of my feet getting pulled off the pegs. nowadays i tend to ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs if im on a road i know so i can get a lot more lean without having to worry if the pegs touch.

Same thing here - I ride on the balls of my feet.

But the big improvement is moving my arse - shifting my weight, letting the bike stay a bit more upright

[pzkpfw]

I always used to ride with my arches on the pegs (and mostly still do).

I've also always scrapped my boots. Used to on my RD350LC, and on my Z750S my hero knobs have never touched the ground. My boots scrapping doesn't scare me though. Favourite place is Tawa onramp (Southbound).

Cheap boots.

Only just realised that it was a bad habit (from a recent KB thread) and I should use my balls instead, have been practising it lately - but not yet used to shifting my feet to change gear. The treads on the bottom of my boots catch on the peg.

[Big Dave]

Both.
Depends on mood, conditions, what bike and how fast.

Wear good boots and don't fret your feet touching down.
When your elbows are on the deck is when you are starting to run out of lean angle.

[pritch]

Going with Keith Code's ideas of pivot points you get a better sense of control with the balls of the feet.


I thought this would raise its head :whistle:

That's for racing though and isn't necessarily applicable to road riding.
Sure you can move your arse around on the bike better, but I'm not doing too much of that thanks. Preferably none in fact.

Having the balls of your feet on the footrest means the knees are bent at a more acute angle. Thus more likely to restrict circulation and become uncomfortable if you are on a trip of any duration. Deep vein thrombosis anyone?

Balls on pegs is OK for a blast around the bays but...

Circumstances also come to mind where having the arches on the pegs was a big plus. Coming around a bend at "highway speed" and suddenly deep gravel roadworks with no warning signs. Stand on the pegs and gas it.

Like most things there is no absolute right or wrong, it's what suits you and what you're doing.

[pzkpfw]

Coming around a bend at "highway speed" and suddenly deep gravel roadworks with no warning signs. Stand on the pegs and gas it.

I'd appreciate more detail on this, thanks.

Cheers,

[BIGBOSSMAN]

Both, but mostly balls. Makes it kind of tricky changing gear around some fast sweepers though - like turn 8 at Taupo for instance, so naturally I change my gear foot position during that part of the track to my left arch. Seems to work ok!

[Swoop]

Balls.

Do it! (if you ride a sprotbike... crusiers do your own thing.)

[Trudes]

Balls, unless I'm stretching my legs.

[Crisis management]

I'm with pritch here.....arches all the time except for the inside foot when cranked over. I can't keep enough contact / control / weight balance with the bike unless I use the arch of my foot.

If we're talking sprotsbikes, the outer foot is locked heel against peg and knee jammed into the tank and the inner foot is on the ball briefly (I'm really cheap and don't like having to reapply polish to my boots) for clearance only.

Off-road it's arches all the time to maintain contact with the bike, Yeah, right!

Works for me (general disclaimer....has no idea what he's talking about usually)

[Clivoris]

I'm a balls man myself. Ever since B'stard told me that I'd look like a dweeb from behind if I didn't. Some people will try to tell me that it's all about machine control but I know it's all about looking the part.

[McJim]

Is that what those little sticky outty things on the sides of the bike are for?

I use the balls of my feet coz I used to ride racing bicycles and you always ride with the balls of your feet - arches just feels wrong.

[Hitcher]

Balls!
It's written on the walls
Graffiti crimes in the shopping malls.

[vifferman]

I've been riding with the balls of my feet on the pegs for so long now that it's become a really ingrained habit. It gives far better feel and control, and also leaves my toes clear of the road on corners. But like pritch00008 said, it does mean my knees are at a more acute angle, so for that reason I'm trying to unlearn the habit, because of arthritis in my joints. Long trips (like, more than 25 minutes!) are less of a pain if I shift my feet forward that couple of inches.
It now feels really weird and unnatural though, having the pegs under my arches.

A couple of years back, Zed gave me grief for riding with the balls of my feet on the pegs - said it was "weird" and "wrong", had never come across it before and wouldn't believe it was better for control. But that's Zed for you...
Maybe he found control of the wheelies he did at every opportunity a bit more difficult.

[pritch]

I'd appreciate more detail on this, thanks.
Cheers,


I came around a fast bend and there was this metal all over the road about about 20cm high, each rock about half the size of my fist. I braked momentarily then stood on the pegs and gassed it to take as much weight as possible off the front wheel.

That, plus the fact that the K100RS steered about as fast as a battleship, meant I shot out of the other end of the metal straight as an arrow.

[R1madness]

Balls inspector. Unless i am in cruise mode.

[007XX]

Balls, cos 007XY taught me "to stay on the ball at all time when riding"...:shifty:

All joking aside, I just don't feel comfortable on the arches anyway...

[Mikkel]

I don't get this whole balls or arches discussion - it seems that people have an understanding that you can't do both.

When I'm cruising casually I don't mind resting on my arches... Unless I'm going fast on tight corners I have no need to shift my weight around and am in no danger of scraping my pegs.

On the other hand - if I'm on a spirited ride and go fast around the corners I rest on the balls of my feet to be able to shift my weight around, etc.

I voted Balls simply because that's how I ride most of the time - but it's not exclusive...

[owner]

whats the bit that holds your toes on???
if thats your balls then yeah that one
seems like a funny name to me

[Ocean1]

I don't get this whole balls or arches discussion - it seems that people have an understanding that you can't do both.

When I'm cruising casually I don't mind resting on my arches... Unless I'm going fast on tight corners I have no need to shift my weight around and am in no danger of scraping my pegs.

On the other hand - if I'm on a spirited ride and go fast around the corners I rest on the balls of my feet to be able to shift my weight around, etc.

I voted Balls simply because that's how I ride most of the time - but it's not exclusive...

Yup, depends on the task in hand. I usually cruise around on my arches (on or off-road). The only time I get up on the balls is if I need to get the load off my arse to move around. The Buell's pegs are high enough that there's plenty of road clearance even well hauled over, and there's not much room between peg and arse to maintain the balls-on-peg stance for long anyway, not comfortable.

[GaZBur]

Wouldn't it depend on the rider position and bike type. Sports bikes you are leaning forward - therefore your toes are pointed down therefore moving them up to the balls gives better ground clearance. Riding a Motard type or cruiser you are more upright and its more comfortable and faster to reach the controls using your arches. Riding a dirt bike on the balls of your feet is asking for a broken shin when your slick soled boot slides off. You need to stand quickly and shift body weight so arches are a better grip.
So it arches for me and balls to anyone who doesn't like it!(or has a sportsbike)

[Ocean1]

Riding a dirt bike on the balls of your feet is asking for a broken shin when your slick soled boot slides off.

Well, I think you'll find most of the MX and Enduro guys spend most of the time on their balls. It gives them more mobility around the bike and more "leg suspension" over the rough stuff. It also, (as you noted) gives them broken ankles if they fuck up a jump.

[GaZBur]

Well, I think you'll find most of the MX and Enduro guys spend most of the time on their balls. It gives them more mobility around the bike and more "leg suspension" over the rough stuff. It also, (as you noted) gives them broken ankles if they fuck up a jump.
Thanks for that - if I ever get better I will probably change but my dirt riding is sloooowwww due to a small problem called crashing when trying to go fast! I need to be well planted on the pegs in the rough stuff.

[Ocean1]

Thanks for that - if I ever get better I will probably change but my dirt riding is sloooowwww due to a small problem called crashing when trying to go fast! I need to be well planted on the pegs in the rough stuff.

Ah, so that's what causes it? Often wondered...

DR650s are a great bit of kit, but you possibly couldn't call 'em "nimble". The balls thing seems more natural on the smaller machines, I can't imagine standing on my arches at any time on a trials bike.

[McDuck]

For me it is arches because i feel a bit to crampt having my knees bent that little bit extra.

[crashe]

Ummmm you forgot 'heels' in your poll.


As I ride a cruiser, I have my heels on the footpeg and then just swing my feet across to either change gears or use the brake.

I ride with both feet facing out (like Charlie Chaplin) \ like this /


Plus having small feet didn't help when I was riding the SRX250 for a few days.
I think someone in the bikeshop had big number 13's feet, as the gear lever was a long way away......

Riding the 1981 Virago 750 I again have my heels on the footpegs...




So there must be a huge difference to riding styles from a cruiser to tourer to sportbikes....... as to how people place their feet on the footpegs.
Plus also on the size of the riders feet as well.