Motard riders, foot out???

[MidnightMike]

Ive been wondering about this for a while now, and just have to ask.

Is there any benefit in motard riders sticking their foot out when cornering, or does it just 'look cool'?

Seems asthough some riders do it, others dont.

Enlighten me.

[Sully60]

Have a look at some of the discussions on this thread:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=61155

Horses for courses, dressing to the occassion and all that.

[sunhuntin]

depending on the track, id say its for balance... after a few laps on the wanganui cem circuit dirt, it seemed like foot out was the only way to get around without dropping, since the stuff they used got so soft and boggy. [from a spectator point of view]

[WRT]

The guy in pic 2 can't stick it out at the moment as he's using it to hit the rear brake. He'd look damned odd with his left foot stuck out going round a right hander . . .

[sAsLEX]

[Ewan Oozarmy]

Ive been wondering about this for a while now, and just have to ask.

Is there any benefit in motard riders sticking their foot out when cornering, or does it just 'look cool'?

Seems asthough some riders do it, others dont...

Enlighten me.

It all depends on the surface/corner. It's all about getting your weight over the front wheel.

On the road knee down (feet on the pegs) is generally good. On an SM track then foot down is helpfull on the loose stuff. Sometimes.

[pzkpfw]

Yeah, I was watching it on T.V. last night and thought they all leaned "wrong" too... as in they leaned their bike over more and their body less.

Also something different about the way motards work?

[EJK]

What about knee down?

Yeah, Couple of weeks ago I was watching this Supermoto racing on Sky Sports. During a corner shot, most guys put their foot out, but then there was ONE who had his knee down

I guess it doesn't matter knee or foot????

[Ewan Oozarmy]

Yeah, I was watching it on T.V. last night and thought they all leaned "wrong" too... as in they leaned their bike over more and their body less.

Also something different about the way motards work?

On the SM track it really is all about getting your weight to the front and keeping the back light for "backing in" and good traction on the front. That's why SM riders sit so far forward on the corners. Keeping your foot out/down can also help keep the light back end from getting away from you.

There's not real need for any of this when riding an SM bike on the road though so feet on the pegs is fine.

[xwhatsit]

Yeah, I was watching it on T.V. last night and thought they all leaned "wrong" too... as in they leaned their bike over more and their body less.

Also something different about the way motards work?

I've heard that technique recommended when riding on dirt on a dirt bike. Lean the bike, keep rider upright. Perhaps it's a hangover from dirt riding?

[Headbanger]

Its to keep the rear wheel lose (the difference in leaning and body position) Completely different way of taking a corner, But the bike has to be built for it. Try it on your road bike and you will die.

Imo they have their foot down out of instinct as much as anything else, as its easy to lose the back-end and you can use your foot to save you (a little)

You will notice that many fast dirt bike riders on flat-tracks generally keep both feet on the pegs, and the throttle tapped....while those at the rear of the pack tend to have a foot out....Not that it will do squat.

[quickbuck]

I've heard that technique recommended when riding on dirt on a dirt bike. Lean the bike, keep rider upright. Perhaps it's a hangover from dirt riding?

No expert here, but that is the way I see it too.

The ex dirt boys will always ride foot out, and the reasons given above make sense.
The Tarmac boys would rather keep their feet on the pegs... it's a pride thing

Well, actually I don't know if that is true, but personally even racing a scooter there is no way I put the foot out myself!
It may come from the fear of some nutter riding over it though...

[C_A]

I found it hard to stop putting a foot out. jsut residual dirt bike practice i guess.

[limbimtimwim]

It feels just feels right.

When I first got the DR-Z I was doing it everywhere, and I destroyed a pair of shoes in a month.

It's good when you ride through some paint on a corner in the wet and just lean on your foot a bit so when the bike slides you can hold it up.

I've stopped doing it now because of how much it was going to end up costing me in shoes. It's heaps of fun.

[Ocean1]

I've heard that technique recommended when riding on dirt on a dirt bike. Lean the bike, keep rider upright. Perhaps it's a hangover from dirt riding?

Yes, they're basically MX bikes, and that's how you get an MX bike turned, by steering with the back end. That means getting the bike down, sitting forward on the seat, hanging your inside foot up near the front axle, using engine braking or back brake to step the back out then throttle to hold it there.

I don't do very well on modern competition dirt bikes, I prefer the older, easier-tracking-geometry bikes.