Motard riding techniques...

[AlBundy]

I was reading about the ride up the snow the other day... http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=79468

How have you guys down South managed with your rides? Do you guys venture out or wait for the roads to thaw?

What sort of riding style do you use to stay upright? More trail/moto-x style?







PS: We are trying to get a section for motards going...

Gav has suggested it goes into a sub section of Competitive Riding, similar to buckets and stunting....

PPS: We have a thread in Site Stuff for support... PLEASE pop in and put your name down.

[AlBundy]

I'd imagine this would be better for control?

[GaZBur]

...How have you guys down South managed with your rides? Do you guys venture out or wait for the roads to thaw?

PPS: We have a thread in Site Stuff for support...

I have raced at Silverstream last winter where we had to wait while the industrial heater strapped onto the back of a ute thawed a line through one corner that wouldn't de-ice. We raced but there was only one line through that particular corner. This winter its mostly been wet - not much ice this year.

[AlBundy]

I take it you use the motard style? A bit easier to catch and control slides etc?

[Crasherfromwayback]

I'd imagine this would be better for control?

Mate...if you want to get good at sideways action ride in the sand!

It's been said here before that flat track action is the way to go...and while I don't doubt that, it's hard to do such an activity here in NZ.

So gear your dirt bike up for 100mph...go as hard as you dare towards a stick you've placed in the sand...then snick it down a gear (no brakes needed) and chuck it sideways!!!

The bike will scrub off the speed you need pushing the sand...and it's the best way to understand how a bike slides. Trust me. Then you'll become fucking handy in the wet too.

[AlBundy]

Worth thinking about...

Do you control the rate of slide with some front brake at all? You know, like when you lock a pushies back wheel up?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Worth thinking about...

Do you control the rate of slide with some front brake at all? You know, like when you lock a pushies back wheel up?

No mate...all done with the angle of lean and the throttle. I'll get you a clearer pic if you want! Give me your email addy!

[thehollowmen]

I loved riding in the snow, great fun. Yes, take it slow and smooth, and be ready to be kicking it out motard style.
Supersports are very difficult to do this on, but my DL650 was a good one for it, as was the GN250

[Devil]

I'd imagine this would be better for control?

Can someone help me out here? This is what i'm trying to get my head around. I have constantly running through my head the whole lean vs grip thing, which is why I ride mine like a road bike, but I love the whole motard riding style and would like to do more of it. Obviously it's ok to lean the bike like that while sitting upright, but I'm allergic to arsing off.

Do I just need to get my head around it? Do you really still have a lot of grip sitting up and just throwing the bike on it's side?

*eyes up the accessory footpeg sliders for the KTM*...

[AlBundy]

Well, the little bit that I've done, motard style, certainly gives heaps more control when the roads are dodgey.
One only has to watch a few motard races and see how quick they go in the gravel, to see there must be something in the style for it to work.

The way I see it (and it could be totally wrong), the way the forces are transmitted to the tyres, are totally different. If you sit on top of the bike, weighting the outside peg, you are kind of pushing the tyres down. Also, since you are on top of the bike, the cog is higher, which reduces the centrifugal forces acting on the tyres at the contact patch.
In a road style, since the cog is a lot lower and to the inside, the centrifugal force acting on the tyre contact patch is more.

That's the way I've looked at it. It may be flawed. Certainly, to me it explains why you see so many motards dragging pegs.
Having said that, pushing the bike down will cause pegs to drag, lol...

Another observation, from riding... As a rider, you are actually leaning less, which maybe sub-consciously, get transferred into a sense of less speed. Also, since you are not 'into' the corner as much, you have better vission around the corner, specially on tight and twisty roads. It's hard to explain.

[AlBundy]

I loved riding in the snow, great fun. Yes, take it slow and smooth, and be ready to be kicking it out motard style.
Supersports are very difficult to do this on, but my DL650 was a good one for it, as was the GN250

That's pretty keen on a GN...

But, suppose you can play on anything, lol...

[AlBundy]

Another pic for Devil...

Another thing to do... Keep your elbows up....

[Devil]

Blardy hell. Heh.

So let me get this right.
1) Right forward on the seat.
2) Keep arse planted.
... do you want to pull your weight forward at all, ie. lean in?
3) Keep head up, push bike down into corner and get on the gas asap for stability. Weight outside peg...

[AlBundy]

Just keep your arm relaxed. I don't pull myself in.

Keep in mind, you're kind of pushing the bike down, so you won't be pulling yourself forward.

By sitting upright and having the bike under you, when it moves around, it's more a sideways motion in your hips, opposed to in line with your spine... So it doesn't feel as bad, lol...
A totally different feel for sure...

I'm only new at this but that's what works for me and what feels right. I haven't ridden a motard on a track, so until proper racers arrive, it's the best I can say.

Maybe Crasher can add something later on. He's got a lot of good advice.

[Goblin]

This pic demonstrates different styles.
From what I can tell, the guys who are predominately road riders tend to hang off, while the ones who have mostly been motoX/trail riders, sit more on top of the bike with the foot out, backin it in styles.

I guess it's just a matter of getting out there and developing your own technique.