Knee Dragging vs Faster Riding.. : Yamaha R1 Forum

Tujik · 10-27-2012, 07:09 PM

I came across a youtube video, and in the comments there were some things said.. Here's the picture.

I think I agree with BigAl, a lot of the time I see people riding they're going slow working on their knee dragging, rather than form, and speed. But practice makes perfect lol. I was just wondering how you guys feel about this hahaa. Figured I'd share.. I didn't get to watch the whole thing yet, but it does look some good footage! R1 sounds awesomeeee.

Link to video :

You Tube

Gearheaded · 10-27-2012, 07:24 PM

I was at Daytona international speedway two weeks ago with another forum member "JeffD"

We had close to the same lap times, within a few seconds, and I touched a knee down once, all day... He drug knee all over the place. It all depends on body position.

Plus some people like to go out, drag some knee, and just have a very chilled ride. If you go out on the roads with a "win it or bin it attitude" all the time, you'll stop winning and start binning. Take the speed to the track, and just relax out on the street and enjoy actually going back home shiny side up

steevo025 · 10-27-2012, 07:32 PM

Don't dispute Adey. He's a legend in Mulholland.

Tujik · 10-27-2012, 07:32 PM

yeahh, well I just thought of when I was riding in upstate NY with a buddy of mine, and he asked if I've ever been to the track and I said no, and he said I look great, and am really fast. And then we got to sweeper turns, where you can go around 100-150mph no probably. just long drawn out curves, and I wasn't leaning hard into them, and he said something about "you woulda been dusting me, if you were getting off your bike more" and I was like yeahh probs.. lol I'm no knee dragging pro, but I don't feel that its always necessary lol, some people just do it just to.. I was ripping through the woods and he couldn't keep up with me, and I felt like I was gettin low enough.. Just my 02.

Tujik · 10-27-2012, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steevo025

Don't dispute Adey. He's a legend in Mulholland.

who? I watched, I think their all good riders no doubt.. lol. but they did go off line trying to drag a bunchhh

rexmitchell · 10-27-2012, 07:35 PM

Dragging knee has nothing to do with how fast you are

Gearheaded · 10-27-2012, 07:38 PM

I wouldn't stress the knee.

And leaning off the bike more doesn't make you faster if you're not executing it correctly. Some turns don't require crazy lean angles either, like long sweepers.

It's all about leaning into a turn, keeping weight on the back tire for good grip, and accelerating out of the turn as quick and smooth as possible.

Adey is a nice guy, but he needs to take it easy on the street, especially on that packed ass road in ca, otherwise we won't be seeing much of him anymore

Tujik · 10-28-2012, 10:23 AM

Yeah I feel you, have you guys every accelerated in a turn? I've only done it like once or twice cause its sketchy lol.. just a rule of thumb, usually you break before the turn, glide through, and then flyyy out like a bat outta hell lol.. it's just to prevent the back tire from slipping right..

AKDMA · 10-28-2012, 12:05 PM

The reason you're getting away with not hanging off a lot and potentially dragging your knee is simply that you're not going very fast. Someone who's shifting their weight correctly can go much faster than someone who isn't. There's a reason every single (successful) modern racer does it. Watch videos of fast people riding. You wanna open the throttle as soon as you turn the bike and increase the throttle at the apex (or before if you can).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tujik

who? I watched, I think their all good riders no doubt.. lol. but they did go off line trying to drag a bunchhh

He's talking about the guy at the beginning who did the silly gestures to the camera. But I'm with you, those guys weren't very smooth and made a ton of mid corner corrections. I hang off, but not to drag knee. It just helps the bike have more traction.

If I'm not mistaken, that guy Adey charges people ridiculous rates for instruction on that road. A sucker and his money..

SamusR1 · 10-28-2012, 10:52 PM

Rolling on the throttle in the corner shifts weight to the rear wheel which has a larger contact patch and more traction - this stabilises the bike. The opposite is true if you roll off / chop it.

Moving your weight off the bike into the corner allows you to keep the bike more upright for a given corner speed, to the point where if you were not hanging off the bike it would need to be at such an angle to make it around the corner that you would low-side.

The knee then becomes a guide to that lean angle. You can get the same lean and not stick your knee out, but people do so they know how far they can go.

racerboy88 · 10-29-2012, 04:39 PM

You don't have to be going fast to drag knee. It's all about body positioning. Some people just like dragging knee b/c it looks cool.

You Tube

SakiBomb · 10-30-2012, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKDMA

If I'm not mistaken, that guy Adey charges people ridiculous rates for instruction on that road. A sucker and his money..

Just curious, but mind citing your source?

Petrol_Spice · 10-30-2012, 04:12 AM

I think I've put a knee on the ground at about 20kph. Puke scrapping is super fun, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're going fast.

Gearheaded · 10-30-2012, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petrol_Spice

I think I've put a knee on the ground at about 20kph. Puke scrapping is super fun, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're going fast.

I bet it's tough to drag knee on that Kitty Touching Machine

Petrol_Spice · 10-30-2012, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueWaffle

I bet it's tough to drag knee on that Kitty Touching Machine

The total lack of skill and the small penis are a bigger hurdle.

Gearheaded · 10-30-2012, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petrol_Spice

The total lack of skill and the small penis are a bigger hurdle.

Don't sell yourself "short" uncle P

AKDMA · 10-30-2012, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SakiBomb

Just curious, but mind citing your source?

I've read about it here and in the comments of his videos. He implied that Mulholland was as good as the track for instruction.

Edit: Here you go.
http://www.r1-forum.com/forums/showp...38&postcount=6
http://www.r1-forum.com/forums/showp...4&postcount=29

Mad German · 10-30-2012, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racerboy88

You don't have to be going fast to drag knee. It's all about body positioning. Some people just like dragging knee b/c it looks cool.

Pretty much sums up the attitude of a local riding club. So many of those guys take horrible lines in turns, ride like squids, and are about the most unsafe group to ride with, all in the hopes of touching their knee. Like having scuffed pucks somehow means you're an excellent rider.

mattf · 10-30-2012, 11:00 AM

I've ground knee sliders to dust in a day on the track.

As I've gotten faster, I'm barely touching my knee, and sliders last all season.

I never drag a knee on the road, there's zero need. And for reference......I ride with guys who pilot ST1300's and BMW RT1200's and they never even budge in the saddle but can humiliate the average sport bike riding squid on their "luxo cruisers." Fun to watch.

z064life · 10-30-2012, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattf

I've ground knee sliders to dust in a day on the track.

As I've gotten faster, I'm barely touching my knee, and sliders last all season.

I never drag a knee on the road, there's zero need. And for reference......I ride with guys who pilot ST1300's and BMW RT1200's and they never even budge in the saddle but can humiliate the average sport bike riding squid on their "luxo cruisers." Fun to watch.

I know guys on the track that drag knee far more than needed. If you want to see if it is needed or not just check how the puck is being ground down. from the top to bottom means they have poor BP and are sticking their knee out as far as they can to touch...bottom to the top means its still tucked in and they are actually leaning to get it on the ground.