Correct riding position?

[wbks]

I know this is probably a little early for such a slow noob to be pondering but I was just wondering (for next time I'm on a track) the "correct" cornering position according to you racers? I get the general idea that (as told by any racer I ever asked) you are supposed to have your lid out off the side as much as your butt to avoid the twisted riding position and look through the corner. The only opposite example I can think of is Andrew Stroud, but it seems to work for him. But then there is the amount you should hang off... I've read on this site that it's pointless (or at least impractical) to hang off any more than one cheek, but on the other side there is that the more you hang off, the more you can straighten it up and hence get on the gas harder and earlier. Could someone enlighten me on this? Thanks!

[LBD]

Have a look at Mystic13 's public profile...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/member.php?u=18371

[Two Smoker]

Check out my profile... Racers all have slightly differing styles. Andrew is one extreme of all elbows and knees, but he is also bloody tall! I rotate alot of my body around towards the front. Where Jay Lawrence hangs off like a monkey. If you are a track newbie, focus on track postioning, throttle application, and braking points. Then when comfortable, move onto body positioning and weighting the pegs etc...

[mikeey01]

Have a look at Mystic13 's public profile...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/member.php?u=18371

That is one impressive pic!

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

dont worry too much about the technicalities dude, just get out there and ride! the general idea with moving the body to the inside of the corner, is the reduction in bike lean than not hanging off. by all means hang-off, just dont get could up too much in the hows. many guys in motogp and sbk have a style that many would say is plain wrong. this the same as your stroud example.

[wbks]

Its a sign of needing to ride more when a thought about your chemistry homework turns into you making a thread about whether your riding position was correct the last time you rode...

[quallman1234]

Its a sign of needing to ride more when a thought about your chemistry homework turns into you making a thread about whether your riding position was correct the last time you rode...

Do what is comfortable. I generally tell people, when you start to scrap things you need to start to hang off.
Do what Two Smoker suggests first.

[discotex]

You're getting rather close to countersteering/wave/what tyres/etc territory here

There's the theoretical optimum then there's plenty of people who manage totally unlikely techniques. Probably depends where you carry your weight and how you setup your suspension/rake/trail/ride height/etc.

Just play around and try to avoid getting way twisted up.

The best place to start is bum on seat, balls of feet on pegs and only move your upper body as per the old "kiss the mirrors" deal. Add the arse slide in later when that is natural.

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

if you were to ask 100 racers, you may well get 100 different opinions.

dont get get caught up in the detail. even the well meaning advice of riding on balls of feet isnt neccessarily correct - if you were to think of the foot peg as a pivot point, you would get more leverage and strength (thus control) with the arch of your foot on the peg. again, some really good riders ride with the archs on the peg, some with their balls (!?haha) on the peg.

there is not a one-size fits all approach, as commonly mooted on the net.
the racing world is full of "unorthidox" techniques. you could take this to mean that "technique" is not the be-all, end-all.
know what I'm saying?

take an active interest in studying different, good riders by all means, just no need to get caught up in the detail.

The advice of quallman is sound. You cannot go fast on a bike that you are not comfortable on.

[Tony.OK]

Yep I'd have to agree with Temp on this subject..............
For me I started trying the ass off while I was still road riding and it just felt wrong for a long time, then I found it became more natural.
I used to hang off too much just trying to get that 1st knee down experience and it actually slowed me down if anything, trying too hard keeps your concentration on the wrong inputs, ya just gotta feel your way to being comfortable to start with.
Now I'm lucky if I only hang 1 cheek off, and dont conciously put my knee out but it still hits the deck, I also found after watching the SBK's on telly that alot of them hook their outside foot on the peg with their heel, felt odd to start with but now its habit and much more stable for me.
I think with all the track time now available its easier to try different techniques without worrying about everything as you would on the roads. Just try one thing at a time and see how it feels, you'll soon develop your own style

[wharfy]

There are almost as many answers to this as there is to which breed makes the best "pig dog" ? (anything with a bit of pit bull in it).
But if you want to see smooth riding and a position that makes the rider look like they are part of the bike, check out photo's of "Flame" .

To start with any position where the bike is between you and the track is pretty good

[Sparrowhawk]

Have a look at Mystic13 's public profile...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/member.php?u=18371

That is awesome! Did Mystic stay on the bike after that?

There's the theoretical optimum then there's plenty of people who manage totally unlikely techniques. Probably depends where you carry your weight and how you setup your suspension/rake/trail/ride height/etc.

I've been wondering for a while, what exactly IS Rake & Trail??

[Two Smoker]

dont get get caught up in the detail. even the well meaning advice of riding on balls of feet isnt neccessarily correct - if you were to think of the foot peg as a pivot point, you would get more leverage and strength (thus control) with the arch of your foot on the peg. again, some really good riders ride with the archs on the peg, some with their balls (!?haha) on the peg.

Wrong. Youre not leaning far enough over if you have both arches on the peg and you get better wieght and force by using your ball on the inside peg due to body postion.

Basic racing position step by step. Just before or during braking move you arse off the seat towards the side you will be leaning to. Push down on the pegs with your feet during braking. Keep your arms slightly bent at all times. Move your inside ball onto the peg. Keep your outside foot, arch on the peg. Weight this inside foot to aid in turn in. Use your knee to gauge lean, and once you know your angle, lift your knee slightly (you dont want to put alot of weight on your knee). As you exit the corner weight the outside peg to aid in righting the bike and traction.

But before you do all this you will save more time just on braking points, track postioning, lines and throttle application.

[FROSTY:Me]

A bit of advice I got from an old racer years ago. Do what feels comfortable to YOU.
TS in hs last sentence hit nail on head . Basicly theres other stuff way more important to worry about.

ACTUALLY --NAHH FUGGIT for RIGHT NOW don't worry about any of that shit. Go out go round and round and have fun.
You will leant more in 10 minutes out there maybee following a lines bike than you will in 10 years on the internet.

[Morcs]

my profile pic is pretty good too.