Forget knee downs - got my toe down!

[IdunBrokdItAgin]

Going round a corner on the way back from Makara this afternoon - corners were just flowing and I was obviously leaning a bit further than I have before (reducing the chicken strips slowly) when I felt my toe slider touch the ground on a particularly nice left hander!

First time for me and I can tell you rather than freaking me out it just plastered a huge smile on my face.

I always wondered what scraping during cornering felt like and it is not as scary as I expected - just fun. And before people start thinking I'm hooning around corners dangerously - I'm not - you don't have to be going fast to get good lean angles and I always stay in my lane.

So, for all the gurus out there - what's the secret to knee down?

From what I can see it is about leaning off your saddle into the corner (hanging off the side of the bike) and using your knee to gauge the lean of the bike?

Any pointers?

[george formby]

The point of getting your knee down is to keep the bike up, hanging off the bike gives greater corner speed for less lean, so they tell me. Never done it myself. By the way, how big are your feet?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

The point of getting your knee down is to keep the bike up, hanging off the bike gives greater corner speed for less lean, so they tell me. Never done it myself. By the way, how big are your feet?

ummmm... ???

[bogan]

yeh it pays to hang off the bike a bit, didnt bother at an intersection the other day, scraaape goes the footpeg, wasnt carrying much corner speed either, musta been a bump. I think the bike (and riding style) should probably be set up so you can put a knee down before a footpeg.

[george formby]

ummmm... ???

I have size 12 feet & wear enduro boots. If I don't tuck them in tight my boots get ground away real quick. It,s not the lean angle for me, just the dirty great lump of leather hangin off the footrest.

[IdunBrokdItAgin]

I've got dainty little size tens.

So, leaning off the bike is to gain a sharper turn angle instead of (or in addition to) bike lean. Is that right?

Also, any tips for practicing hanging off the side? It's just not a natural thing to my mind (bit like counter-steering wasn't) - what's a good way to practice without too much risk of cocking it up?

[blackstars_10]

best ride with the balls of your feet on the pegs. cant throw the bike around more-and avoid trapping your foot under the peg

[McJim]

I got an exhaust down on a corner once. I stay planted on the saddle and keep my knees tucked in so the bike has to lean to go round.

[bogan]

best ride with the balls of your feet on the pegs. cant throw the bike around more-and avoid trapping your foot under the peg

if you are on a track yes, but riding a little more defensive on the road is a good idea, instant access to the shifter and brake is a good thing in an emergency situation

[bogan]

I got an exhaust down on a corner once. I stay planted on the saddle and keep my knees tucked in so the bike has to lean to go round.

same here, trip took longer though cos I had to go back and pick it up

[george formby]

best ride with the balls of your feet on the pegs. cant throw the bike around more-and avoid trapping your foot under the peg

Oy do but still have to make a conscious effort to keep them pulled in tight. My boots are slightly wider than the pegs. Soggy suspension does'nt help either. Wallow, scrape, if you know what I mean.

[blackstars_10]

if you are on a track yes, but riding a little more defensive on the road is a good idea, instant access to the shifter and brake is a good thing in an emergency situation

probably shouldn't be encouraging midcorner braking or downshifting...

[bogan]

probably shouldn't be encouraging midcorner braking or downshifting...

not quite sure how you got that from my post, when an emergency situation arises I may or may not need to downshift or brake (going round a corner or otherwise) in either situation I most likely do not have the attention to spare on reorganising where my feet should be.

[Laxi]

used to scrape the edge of my feet all the time before I learnt to posotion my feet properly, now I wear axo enduro boots and they have a huge piece of armour on the side of the toe, but I still scrape my pegs before my feet

[Dean]

I find on my 2fiddy - knock down 2 gears entering
Tippy Toe's on peg
Shoulder out
Start of wide then tighen into mid-apex
Look as tight as you can (you will know when you are looking tight enough because your neck will slightly tilt through the twists).
Use the powerband to exit the corner

Cant be stuffed with kneedowns, save that stuff for the track.