[ohlarikd]

When I rode on the track, it was natural to put the foot out and push the bike down till things were scraping. Felt totally comfortable. However, for some reason, on the street - it is not so comfortable. Maybe over time.

On the street for more aggressive riding, I have the desire to ride more sportbike style, leaning off the bike rather than sitting on top of it. I am kind of feeling it out at the moment, not sure.

I read a lot of you guys riding aggressively on the street, keeping up with sport bikes and what not. So what kind of style do you use?

1) Sportbike, leaning in, off seat, maybe knee out a bit

2) Supermoto / Dirt style - sit on top of seat, push bike down, but feet on pegs

3) Like 2 again, but foot out

4) Other

I suppose part of the difference is the nature of the roads as compared to a track set up. Definitely different curves and speeds. The flow is different.

Thanks!

Derek

 

[khelton]

Seems to me:

Foot out - by far the best in the dirt because of how tight the turns are, however street turns are not nearly so tight and are actually a smaller radius sweepers w/ much greater speeds.

Knee Draggin' - just seems better on th street because of the speeds, always feels funny to drag boot sole at street speeds.

But what do I know...

 

[SmallMonkey]

Slow down on the street, that's the key.

 

[dukeD]

foot out but not necessarily dragging much on the tight stuff and then knee out on the faster sweeper stuff sportbike style.

 

[ohlarikd]

foot out but not necessarily dragging much on the tight stuff and then knee out on the faster sweeper stuff sportbike style.

That's what I was contemplating. I was using my foot on tight stuff, 90 degree turns onto streets. But on the sweepers I was not sure what to do! I think I will try to sportbike it on the sweepers - it was feeling way more comfortable, but then I would stop myself and say 'that's wrong'. Maybe there is no right or wrong way.

Derek

 

[cyclecat]

This is a 2nd gear turn at Deal's Gap. Some 3rd gear turns I'll dab a foot. Anything faster I keep feet on the pegs.

 

[Eric Landstrom]

I'm still working out the moto style and the road race style on supermotos. My local practice track may be the best track for motards because the fastest turn is about 100 mph after a straight that pretty much allows you to get up to that speed. Everything else is slower and none of the sportbikes can ever use all the power they have on tap unless they want to toss themselves into the weeds. Anyway, the last time I was there I was hanging off.

Then last weekend I was at a kart track 15 turns in .6 of a mile. I was moto styling every corner there at first but what I found is that I got faster when I started mixing up a road race style with a moto style.

Now this weekend I'm going back to the practice track and I'm going to try the mixed style there on a couple of corners and see if that works for me.

Still learning.

 

[tommyj92028]

Truth Be Known

It's just my opinion, but...if you are going faster than you can run, the foot doesn't belong out there. The guy in the picture at Deals Gap is gonna break his leg if his bike breaks loose at those speeds. I used to ride motocross, and unless you're in tight corner you don't put your foot out, even on dirt. I've seen broken and twisted ankles/legs from putting feet down at higer speeds when the rear end slides out. Last weekend in the local mountains I hit some sand in the middle of a corner at 30 mph in 2nd gear. Feet on the pegs and low sided and slid it out on my side and my ass. No injuries, protective gear worked. If I had my leg out and it hung up and my other leg was over the bike (while sliding), well you get the picture. Basically the leg out is to catch and "prop" yourself up if the rear wheel breaks loose. Common sense should tell all of us that anything over 10 mph is too fast for foot out. Now I know that your all screaming at me right now, because all the motard guys are feet out in the corners. Lets look at this more closely. Coming hot into a corner in 4th gear at 55 mph. Pull the clutch in drop 2 gears, let the clutch out (slipper clutch helps with this technique) and grab a handfull of front brake. Dropping the gears and letting out the clutch at a high speed creates drag at the rear wheel, which helps it break loose. When they do this, the other thing they are doing is changing the direction that the bike is traveling. They are going relatively slow through the apex of the corner. The last thing to consider is that the guys that have have their leg out to the side are converted flat-trackers. The guys that have their leg up in front by the forks are converted motocrossers. Ride how you will, but my opinion is feet down on the street equals broken feet on the street. :hmmm:

 

[bayoubikebruiser]

Just on day2 with the bike, I'm finding I'm quicker through corners on this bike leaning IT motocross style with feet on the pegs. Roadrace style, the center of gravity's too high and I don't trust it (mental thing). I've found I can trust my eyes and the tires.

No matter what speed. the foot goes out if the surface isn't spotless. If the bike starts to slide, so will the foot.

Violating the 1/2 throttle breakin frequently. How do you NOT ride this bike fast?

 

[daotoys1]

Each rider will have his own style, and finding what works best for you is key.

The setup of the bike (engine, brakes, ergonomics, and especially suspension ) to fit the rider, and his/her unique style is key.

Getting a bike that fits you and your style....or fitting the bike to you as needed is key.

Especially on the street (and track), developing a riding method that is smooth, and unsettles the bike the least is both the safest and fastest way to ride.

Riding on the streets is different than the track....and requires a different style of technique, and a different mindset to both enjoy the ride, and maximize rider safety.

 

[brian]

It's just my opinion, but...if you are going faster than you can run, the foot doesn't belong out there. The guy in the picture at Deals Gap is gonna break his leg if his bike breaks loose at those speeds. I used to ride motocross, and unless you're in tight corner you don't put your foot out, even on dirt. I've seen broken and twisted ankles/legs from putting feet down at higer speeds when the rear end slides out. Last weekend in the local mountains I hit some sand in the middle of a corner at 30 mph in 2nd gear. Feet on the pegs and low sided and slid it out on my side and my ass. No injuries, protective gear worked. If I had my leg out and it hung up and my other leg was over the bike (while sliding), well you get the picture. Basically the leg out is to catch and "prop" yourself up if the rear wheel breaks loose. Common sense should tell all of us that anything over 10 mph is too fast for foot out. Now I know that your all screaming at me right now, because all the motard guys are feet out in the corners. Lets look at this more closely. Coming hot into a corner in 4th gear at 55 mph. Pull the clutch in drop 2 gears, let the clutch out (slipper clutch helps with this technique) and grab a handfull of front brake. Dropping the gears and letting out the clutch at a high speed creates drag at the rear wheel, which helps it break loose. When they do this, the other thing they are doing is changing the direction that the bike is traveling. They are going relatively slow through the apex of the corner. The last thing to consider is that the guys that have have their leg out to the side are converted flat-trackers. The guys that have their leg up in front by the forks are converted motocrossers. Ride how you will, but my opinion is feet down on the street equals broken feet on the street. :hmmm:

Yup, I agree....... That leg is sooo close to under the bike it freaks me out especially with boots with basically no anckle support and a sharp edge for a heel........My foots "way out" at the apex only on a tight corner (track only), When the bike slides I can push down to keep er up.......I NEVER put my foot down on a street tard unless its a sandy tight corner (which is like once in the last year)

 

[ohlarikd]

This is one of those questions that is hard to answer I guess - I end up agreeing with every post, even though some contradict others! Since this is the street and not a race, I might go with the notion of 'do what makes you feel the most comfortable' theory, which is sportbike style. Putting my foot out at 50+ mph did give me the feeling that I could break my ankle if something went wrong, and sitting high up makes me uneasy.

I'll have to go for a ride this weekend and practice a bit at moderate speeds. I am glad that I am not alone at least. Maybe this confusion is what happens when you try to ride a dirtbike with sportbike tires!

Derek

 

[cyclecat]

Pro dirt track racers put a foot out at 100mph. Putting your foot out at any sort of speed is more of a balance offset than something to catch you if you fall. Some people will put a knee out, some people will put a foot out. I come from a motocross background so I feel more comfortable using my foot.

But I also think it gets unsafe when your knee is forward of the handlebars. I flipped through last months issue of SMR. EVERY rider in every picture uses a foot out method, except two, and it's the Hayden brothers. But they all have their knee behind the bars. So if you lowside, your leg and foot will be free of the bike, no matter what speed.

 

[want2race]

It's been posted on here (I believe) that the Hayden's put the knee out only for pics, foot out to go fast.

DRZ's have a 1/2 throttle break in? Not in my vocabulary.

 

[johnu]

It's been posted on here (I believe) that the Hayden's put the knee out only for pics, foot out to go fast.

The day I saw them riding at Grange they weren't riding for pics and they were kneedown. Nicky came past me on the inside, sideways with knee on the ground. I had to pick my foot up pretty quick there wasn't much room left.

On kart tracks I like footout style it feels more comfortable. On corners over say 60mph it has to be kneedown. I wouldn't ride foot out on the street because for a start I don't want to be that near the limit on the street that I need that extra balance. Secondly you look a bit of a pratt doing that stuff on the street.

 

[Canadian_SMR]

For me its kinda a toss up. For higher speed cornors with good traction, both feet on the pegs, Especialy if your sliding it in on a right hander. For slower speed cornors like 30mph or less then my foots out, ususaly just hovering above the ground and i push the bike down. I could never get the feeling for riding road race style on a Supermotard, Thats where my back ground is but it just dosent feel natural, to high i guess. The funny thing is i was riding a street bike the other day and i threw it in to a cornor, and instead of shifting my weight for some reason i stuck my foot out on the ground, Im sure i confused the guys i was riding with.

 

[youngblood]

After roadracing for a few years it has been a weird trip doing the motard thing. There is certainly no room on the small tracks to go knee down or even attempt to shift your body to the inside of the bike. I see folks their first time out trying to figure it out and you can see their style evolve over a day at practice. Exactly where I was only a couple of months ago.

I agree that the foot down or rather leg out technique is for shifting weight without moving the body rather than rescuing some sort of lowside. Regarding safety, racing supermoto requires you have some beefy boots (which I'm happy to report are on their way from Motostrano).

I find the whole idea of having a street technique to go faster to be a bit ridiculous on its own merits or lack thereof. The street is not a race, and if someone is looking to go faster they should get their ass on a track and find out how slow they really are!

After racing at OVRP and Etown; riding in the mountains, blasting around NYC, I can tell you there is no good reason to take a foot off a peg on the street. I would bet it would get you nailed by the police about as fast as dragging a knee. I think they both have similar application on the street as in NOT.

 

[K-9]

Bayou, pin that bitch, don't wait too long, GOD himself said "RING THAT BITCH OUT!"
sorry to go off the topic
K-9

 

[bayoubikebruiser]

pin that bitch

You caught me. Done did it. Alot. Man, it wants to float that front end in a hurry if you're not climbing the tank out of corners.

Louisiana is slot of 2-lane twisties where I am. It's like one big SuperMoto track. I'm full on motocross style under 50mph and tight. Road style above that or if it's clear sweepers. Fast reactions to counter steering make this bike just about effortless to ride! Somebody put some time into designing this bike. Beers to him. Sake?

I've put 2.2gal of premium in it in 102 miles. That's 46.36mpg. Is that pretty normal? No mods so far.

I'm being told dealers are jacking prices and not getting these as quick as they're selling them. Anyone else heard this? I'm feeling pretty good about the whole thing.

At 40, I'm thinking I waited too long to get back into this and off the Hogs.

 

[gwade]

I used to be comfortable when the XR was a "dual sport" sticking out foot, but since I've converted to 17's, it just doesn't feel right to me. I've reverted to body off, knee out (although I save knee dragging for the track) and can maintain some pretty deep lean angles as seen here. I do drag foot a LOT, but my suspension needs firming up too.