Foot Position on the FZ6

[Cloggy]

............
Made me think though lol ... I've had to go out for a quick blast to check
First ride this year I might add .... bring on the nice weather :thumbup:

Jonathan I can't believe you were Diss'in Neil for having a dirty bike, no wonder yours is so clean, when you never ride it :justkidding:

 

[Nelly]

Jonathan I can't believe you were Diss'in Neil for having a dirty bike, no wonder yours is so clean, when you never ride it :justkidding:

I hope that the fair weather rider was joking lol. I had just washed it, really....

 

[Fred]

I always ride with balls on the footpeg.

Dude, maybe you should consider wearing an athletic supporter. :Flip:

Fred

 

[Nelly]

Dude, maybe you should consider wearing an athletic supporter. :Flip:

Fred

That is excellent, very well done indeed. I LMAO. I can't beleive that the jokers on the forum didn't tgink of it first.

 

[DefyInertia]

Yup...my feet are positioned across the range...depends on the situation.

 

[yamafz6db]

I'm curious about how others position their feet on the FZ6. I find it most comfortable and secure to shift my feet back so that the balls of my feet are on the pegs. I think that puts some of my weight on my legs and keeps my butt from getting numb. The down side is that I have to move my feet forward to shift and/or brake.

How does eveyone else ride? :Sport:

I made ajustable footpeg brackets that drop my feet down about 3 inches

 

[HavBlue]

I always seem to moan lately on the site! Sorry!!

The balls of feet on the pegs is NOT the correct way to ride. As it has already been said, you have to move your feet forward in order to change gear and brake...anything that takes away a few seconds from braking instantly in an emergency is dangerous.

I really dont know what sort of training you guys are actually getting...but it seems its alot of miss guided information. I was told by my instructor and by many other highly qualified instructors who know how to ride not to believe or listen to people on forums when it comes to the correct riding technique...now I can see why.

:rtfm:

Use your head here man. Riding is all about constant changes in scenarios and circumstances. It's fastest to operate a brake if it is covered but you don't always ride with the brakes covered now do ya? You don't always have your left foot ready to shift either and you will note that changing the position of your feet on a peg is a fundamental necessity in an ever changing environment. I ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs because it gives me the greatest advantage in terms of leverage but as conditions change so do the position of my feet on the pegs.

Instructors have to teach in a manner that is both safest and easiest for the newb to understand. However, in the basic classes they spend very little time teaching the art of counter steering and if you are to avoid incident at higher speeds this is the one technique you must understand. They do however spend much more time with counter steering in the advanced classes. Your instructors aren't wrong, but to me they haven't told you everything either.....

 

[thedrew]

I always seem to moan lately on the site! Sorry!!

The balls of feet on the pegs is NOT the correct way to ride. As it has already been said, you have to move your feet forward in order to change gear and brake...anything that takes away a few seconds from braking instantly in an emergency is dangerous.

I really dont know what sort of training you guys are actually getting...but it seems its alot of miss guided information. I was told by my instructor and by many other highly qualified instructors who know how to ride not to believe or listen to people on forums when it comes to the correct riding technique...now I can see why.

:rtfm:

Hmm.... Doesn't take me much time to cover the rear brake with the balls of my feet on the pegs. I don't know that the probably .5 second delay, if that, for an emergency rear brake application would actually translate into any real stopping power once the front binders are clamped in a quick stop situation.

There is just not much brake out back as it is, especially when the center of gravity has shifted forward in an emergency stop.

I'd prefer the balance/poise/control I have when the balls of my feet are on the pegs.

Anyways, I wind up doing a bit of both... Twisties & slabbing my feet are on the balls, if I'm around town and having to shift & stop a lot, I'll have my feet farther forward to the "proper" position.


My $.02

 

[VEGASRIDER]

This riding position controversey is like asking how somebody drives their cars.

Do you use both feet, left for brake and right for the accelerator? Or just the right foot.

Just like the one feet, both feet thread when you stop posted by PerryN, I have to actually go and ride my bike and see where my foot position are. I honestly can't say how I ride at the moment. But I will agree that a lot has to do with your riding enviroment. Here in Vegas, I ride a lot through heavy traffic with lots of intersections and stoplights, so my usual ride is no easy relaxing cruise through the country.

 

[Jeremiah]

The balls of feet on the pegs is NOT the correct way to ride.

That depends on all the elements in the equation. There's a lot of things in cycling that are dynamic. (eg: should the front break be covered by 0,1,2 or 3 fingers? When is it appropriate to do each?)

anything that takes away a few seconds from braking instantly in an emergency is dangerous.

1) You can't take away ANY seconds from breaking instantly. If it were instantaneous - there wouldn't be a few seconds to take away.

2) This advice may not hold true of the rear break. Traction of the rear tire lessons as breaking intensity increases. So, if I've "maxed out" the breaking power of my rear break - as the traction transfers to the front - it will actually cause the rear to lock up (or low-side in a turn) during emergency / panic breaking. This is because it's very unlikely in a emergency / panic breaking event, the rider will be able to progressively squeeze on the front break - while simultaneously progressively releasing pressure from the rear break.

90% + of the breaking force is on the FRONT tire during hard stops. Only a gentle pressure (applied at the right time, and NOT suddenly) on the rear should be used anyway.

I've found the second it takes for me to transfer my foot to the rear break is the second the suspension needs to load up / stabilize / get into position for maximum breaking pressure anyway. This allows me to then progressively press on the rear tire as hard as I dare.

I really don't know what sort of training you guys are actually getting...

MSF, [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Basics-High-Performance-Motorcycle/dp/0965045021/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204565167&sr=1-3"]Twist of the wrist II[/ame] & [ame="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1889540536/bookstorenow57-20"]Proficient Motorcycling[/ame]

I was told by my instructor and by many other highly qualified instructors who know how to ride not to believe or listen to people on forums when it comes to the correct riding technique.

I think it's sound advice to question everything you read / learn.

Even from "highly qualified" instructors.

I encourage all of you (disregard if you already have) to do some reading about the science behind motorcycling, and then practicing / testing the techniques to discover the one that works best for you.

 

[Canada17]

Balls of the feet.

 

[fz6ryder88]

I made ajustable footpeg brackets that drop my feet down about 3 inches

how did you do that? i'd LOVE to do the same

 

[lattin25]

I wear my work boots and put the peg right behind the front tread pad. This way I can grab a gear or hit the rear brake quickly. If I'm really cornering hard (enough to scrape my toes) I'll put the balls of my feet on the pegs.

 

[paul1149]

Normally I ride on the balls for greatest control, but in intense traffic I slide the feet forward (ideally proactively) to save reaction time.

My problem is that when on the highway for a while (1.5 hrs or so) my legs feel cramped and my knees hurt. This, despite my 32" inseam being barely adequate for the seat height. ISTM that Yamaha has not balanced the seat height to the foot peg height very well. The seat is a bit too high for my legs but then my legs are too long for the peg height.

 

[Raid The Revenge]

I always seem to moan lately on the site! Sorry!!

The balls of feet on the pegs is NOT the correct way to ride. As it has already been said, you have to move your feet forward in order to change gear and brake...anything that takes away a few seconds from braking instantly in an emergency is dangerous.

I really dont know what sort of training you guys are actually getting...but it seems its alot of miss guided information. I was told by my instructor and by many other highly qualified instructors who know how to ride not to believe or listen to people on forums when it comes to the correct riding technique...now I can see why.

:rtfm:

I guess I'm not the only green thing that's been frustrated lately.

 

[Wolfman]

Awesome thread, makes great Sunday morning reading! I have been riding for 24 years, and this is what works for me, Toes at the ready around the city, and in relaxed riding mode, when in sport mode, my feet are everywhere, as counrterbalance, etc, become so much more important.

Agree with others, it's what works best for you...perfect example, a guy called Peter Brock - legendary Australian Racing Car driver, used to race around Bathurst - one of the World's most challenging circuits, sorta like Laguna Seca...except with a massive back straight, with one hand on the steering wheel most of the time, like a sunday drive, except this guy won the Bathurst 1000 9 times!

Anyway, that's my 2 cents on a lazy Sunday Morning.

:Flash:

 

[steveindenmark]

I find there is only 2 positions really.

Toes on the pegs and flat feet on the pegs. Alternating between the 2 helps reduce the numbness.

The best thing is still to get off the bike and have a look around for 5 minutes.

Steve