Almost a knee down

[staticghost]

Hi all,

Yesterday I took my baby for spin, and took my usual twisty roads and started to take it a little more agreassive. Before i could only do a quarter knee out, but this time I shifted my butt out a little and my knee went half way. I took it at the same speeds I usually do, but but doing it like this the bike was a whole lot more responsive and the turn was like nothing. I have been riding now for only 5 months and I have been practicing something different everytime I take her out.
Did anyone else get this far in their riding so far, or how long did it took you to even a knee drag or when you noticed you skills going up after riding for ??? I want to take it to the track but the closest track in NJ is about 3 hrs from me. And that is trip all by its self.

 

[sportrider]

I have yet to get a knee down, on the roads I ride the speed required to achieve the lean angle to touch down are over my skill level or at least way to risky for public roads. I found that if I concentrate on being smooth, with both my lines and throttle management/ entrance speed, I'm a lot faster then if I'm trying to be fast. riding is a sport of attrition the more and longer you do it the better you will become.:thumbup:

 

[staticghost]

I have yet to get a knee down, on the roads I ride the speed required to achieve the lean angle to touch down are over my skill level or at least way to risky for public roads. I found that if I concentrate on being smooth, with both my lines and throttle management/ entrance speed, I'm a lot faster then if I'm trying to be fast. riding is a sport of attrition the more and longer you do it the better you will become.:thumbup:

How long have you been riding tho?
Oh yeah tell me about it. Riding truly is a skill to be learned well, so well that you life depends on it...

 

[reiobard]

i have been riding 4 full years and about 60,000 miles, 2 trips to the track and still never gotten a knee down.

 

[staticghost]

i have been riding 4 full years and about 60,000 miles, 2 trips to the track and still never gotten a knee down.

Hey,
Whats up buddie. Wow 4 yrs...nice. Well I have long way to go to catch up to you now...
How is it when you take it to the track? Lots of people state that taking to the track is where you increase you skill level.

 

[CrazyBiker]

Its too risky on public roads with oncoming traffic ..I would recommend not to do it on streets .. knee dragging is for the tracks ... riding for 8-9 years, never a knee down ..

 

[DefyInertia]

You're either a superstar with a lot of raw talent and great instruction or you're pushing it too far too fast.

I crashed for the first time while "almost dragging knee" on the street. I had been riding cruisers for a number of years and had put about 7,000 on my FZ6 at the time. I thought I was pretty quick and I thought I was riding within my limits...in hind sight I was way out of control. Even with full gear head to toe I got hurt pretty bad and ran up over $5K of medical bills (all covered by insurance). I'm just glad no one else was involved.

I dragged knee for the first time at the track a couple years ago and have since gone through several sets of knee-pucks. I've never dragged-knee on the street and don't really use a whole lot of body position on the street in general.

http://www.600riders.com/forum/bar/8692-knee-drag.html

Are you dragging hard parts?

How is it when you take it to the track?

It's sick...check out some of my videos (in signature)

 

[FZ1inNH]

It's OK to work on line and form on the roads, but keep the speeds safe and take that to the track. Danny is correct, once you've developed skills and muscle memory for form and can visualize the lines, the speed will come naturally.

Just please.... take the speed to the track only!

 

[staticghost]

You're either a superstar with a lot of raw talent and great instruction or you're pushing it too far too fast.

I crashed for the first time while \"almost dragging knee\" on the street. I had been riding cruisers for a number of years and had put about 7,000 on my FZ6 at the time. I thought I was pretty quick and I thought I was riding within my limits...in hind sight I was way out of control. Even with full gear head to toe I got hurt pretty bad and ran up over $5K of medical bills (all covered by insurance). I'm just glad no one else was involved.

I dragged knee for the first time at the track a couple years ago and have since gone through several sets of knee-pucks. I've never dragged-knee on the street and don't really use a whole lot of body position on the street in general.

http://www.600riders.com/forum/bar/8692-knee-drag.html

Are you dragging hard parts?



It's sick...check out some of my videos (in signature)

WOW...sorry to hear that you crashed man. Yeah I have couple of friends that I ride with. I am nothing compared to them. One has a Honda CBR1000RR and another has Hayabusa and have been riding for over 10 yrs. I get lots of good points from them. I watch them take the corners and I follow of course with in my limits with out going over board. I read books and watch youtube and talk to other advance riders, but no of my frineds ever took it to the track. Next season I will make a 3 hrs trip to attempt tho. I like your videos man. I like you entry and exit lines. And going that fast on the corners must be fun i bet.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[reiobard]

the track is amazing and i would fully recommend it, as far as dragging knee goes my philosophy is this:

It may happen and it may not, it doesn't make you any faster, in fact i have talked to many fast amateur racers that have won many races without dragging knee, one guy is one of the fastest at our track and dosen;t touch knee at all unless he "messes up". For me it is a lot like chicken strips, if you don't have them then it often means that you are making the bike do too much work, in the case of the knee, you may be taking the brunt of the work (you may not also, i have no idea how you ride). the trick is finding the balance of you and the bike working to get you through the turn, if you keep the balance and THEN go fast enough to touch knee, then congratulations!

I have seen many first year riders drag knee, it is just rare.

 

[CrazyBiker]

knee dragging = 1/chicken strips

Knee dragging should be done in a way i.e., hanging off the bike such that your bike is as much upright as possible through the turns.. someone can correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Hellgate]

As others have stated if you are going fast enough to be dragging your knee you are probably going WAY TOO FAST for the street. Bottomline, slow down, your friends and family will thank you.

Dragging knee is not an end, but a means to an end. Dragging knee is a tool, for me it is like a curb feeler. If my knee is down, I know the footpeg is not far away. The footpeg touches down and its time to slow down on the track. With my set back plates I can now adjust the knee input.

The knee can be used as a tool to correct a slide, and it can be used to throttle around, like a pivot. King Kenny was the master of this.

Just because your knee is down doesn't mean you have mastered anything, all it means is your knee has touched the track. So don't think of it as a right of passage.

The key is to ride smart, know when it is okay to go a bit faster, and to practice being consistant in your form.

Your nearest track maybe three hours away but the lessons you will learn about riding and yourself will last a life time.

Oh, I've been riding 25 years and was an expert class roadracer back 20+ years ago. DI hates my form! So old school!

 

[staticghost]

As others have stated if you are going fast enough to be dragging your knee you are probably going WAY TOO FAST for the street. Bottomline, slow down, your friends and family will thank you.

Dragging knee is not an end, but a means to an end. Dragging knee is a tool, for me it is like a curb feeler. If my knee is down, I know the footpeg is not far away. The footpeg touches down and its time to slow down on the track. With my set back plates I can now adjust the knee input.

The knee can be used as a tool to correct a slide, and it can be used to throttle around, like a pivot. King Kenny was the master of this.

Just because your knee is down doesn't mean you have mastered anything, all it means is your knee has touched the track. So don't think of it as a right of passage.

The key is to ride smart, know when it is okay to go a bit faster, and to practice being consistant in your form.

Your nearest track maybe three hours away but the lessons you will learn about riding and yourself will last a life time.

Oh, I've been riding 25 years and was an expert class roadracer back 20+ years ago. DI hate my form! So old school!

This is very useful post. I totaly aggree with you. wow 25 yrs of riding, am jelaous for sure. I will take this post and inbed it my memory. Awesome response my brother.
Thanks a lot from a 5 months rider to a 25 yrs veteran....:thumbup:

 

[FZ1inNH]

As others have stated if you are going fast enough to be dragging your knee you are probably going WAY TOO FAST for the street. Bottomline, slow down, your friends and family will thank you.

Dragging knee is not an end, but a means to an end. Dragging knee is a tool, for me it is like a curb feeler. If my knee is down, I know the footpeg is not far away. The footpeg touches down and its time to slow down on the track. With my set back plates I can now adjust the knee input.

The knee can be used as a tool to correct a slide, and it can be used to throttle around, like a pivot. King Kenny was the master of this.

Just because your knee is down doesn't mean you have mastered anything, all it means is your knee has touched the track. So don't think of it as a right of passage.

The key is to ride smart, know when it is okay to go a bit faster, and to practice being consistant in your form.

Your nearest track maybe three hours away but the lessons you will learn about riding and yourself will last a life time.

Oh, I've been riding 25 years and was an expert class roadracer back 20+ years ago. DI hate my form! So old school!

Pete, this is the best I've seen it written! Well done and thanks! :cheer:

 

[DefyInertia]

DI hates my form!

not true

So old school!

true!

Don't roll your eyes at me, biotch!

 

[DecepticonDon]

drag your pegs before you try to drag your knee
don't TRY to drag your pegs, just find a corner you're comfortable going around, go through it at a speed you are comfortable with. Next time go through it about 4-5mph faster. when you are comfortable with that, go a little bit faster.
Take it easy, don't push it too hard, feel comfortable before increasing speed

 

[ANLR21]

Good advice across the board here. Been riding for over 30 years, including a number of years of racing, and will add only this:

The street is not the place to learn your limits. There are far too many variables out of your control, and far too easy to get in over your head, therefore endangering yourself and a lot of others.

If you want to increase your bike skills, get to a track and hook up with experienced riders to spot and teach you. Many will gladly lend their help, and I'm sure you'll make some new friends along the way.

5 months experience? You're pushing way too far too fast, unless you're just one heck of a prodigy. I hope you are, but just in case, slow down, learn the bike and yourself. "Fast" will come in time. "Smooth" will take longer. I hope to see you here for a long time.

Sorry for the speech, but my daughter is an EMT. They have enough business already. Be safe out there

 

[rent-a-reaper]

I totally agree with yoda! I have been riding for 13 years of my life and have never dragged knee...why you ask? because i've had two wrecks on streetbikes and they were both from pushing myself past my skill level. Never ride outside your comfort level! The key is work on entering and exiting the turn (smoothness) and speed will be a natural biproduct. :thumbup:

 

[gonecrazy]

I am a current road racer and CR for a few orginazitions. Dragging knee sould be the last of your worries, it only used as a gauge. I know some that grid it hard in the pavement,some that just barely graze it and some that barley hit at all. I would suddgest going to a race school and let them help in other areas like form and cornering. dragging your knee will come natural.

 

[Hellgate]

not true



true!



Don't roll your eyes at me, biotch!

hahahahaha! :rof: