Hanging off

[simonwb]

I voted 'no'. When I had an R1 and did lots of trackdays, I used to hang off like a demon. Now on the road with the FZ6 I affect the Mike Hailwood styl-ee and take pleasure in making the turns sitting bolt upright with my bum in the middle of the seat. But yes, the hero blobs do sometimes drag a bit as a result.

 

[Funkmaxtor]

I hang off almost all the time. The whole idea of hanging off is so that you do not have to lean the bike over as far. I hang off even during casual riding if it is a sharp bend just the lessen the lean angle.

 

[RJ2112]

I voted 'No' as well..... on the street, staying in my lane honoring the double yellow in the center.... weighting the inside peg and getting my upper torso 'inside' the turn is more than enough. When I've moved my head far enough that it's no longer over the tank, my torso has followed as much as street riding needs.

If I take it to the track, then I'd hang off there, as needed.

As has been said, I'm more prepared for whatever may come at me when I can see, and have the widest range of possible reactions.

Exaggerating body position beyond what the situation requires? In my view, this decreases vehicle control.

 

[DefyInertia]

I hang off almost all the time. The whole idea of hanging off is so that you do not have to lean the bike over as far. I hang off even during casual riding if it is a sharp bend just the lessen the lean angle.

Lean angle alone is only one piece of the equation, especially on the street.

As has been said, I'm more prepared for whatever may come at me when I can see, and have the widest range of possible reactions.

Exaggerating body position beyond what the situation requires? In my view, this decreases vehicle control.

+1

I'll usually trade a little lean angle for less committment to one course of action.

 

[RJ2112]

It's pretty rare to find a corner on the street I can't carry 20 MPH + the posted limit through, without lifting a cheek off the seat.....

 

[Misti]

Lean angle alone is only one piece of the equation, especially on the street.



+1

I'll usually trade a little lean angle for less committment to one course of action.

What are some of the other pieces of the equation you are talking about? And can you explain a little bit more about your last sentence? Not sure I really understand it.

Thanks
Misti

 

[madmanmaigret]

What are some of the other pieces of the equation you are talking about? And can you explain a little bit more about your last sentence? Not sure I really understand it.

Thanks
Misti

Misti, not that I am speaking for Nate (Defyinertia) but I want to hear you response

Some of the other parts of the equation would be throttle, amount of steering input, road conditions, etc.

For the second part I think he is saying that if you are upright in the seat and have to change directions quickly (dog/kid/car runs out in the road) you could do it more efficiently than if you were fully committed (hanging off) to going in your intended direction.

What says the pro?

 

[chemicalsmile]

..."A gun rack? What am I going to do with a gun rack? I don't even own A gun, let along many guns to necessitate and entire rack."...

Haha props for being the first person I've seen to work a Wayne's World quote into a bike discussion lol.

On-topic: I can't really answer - I really don't move my butt at all, just lean off like I'm trying to kiss the mirror or the bar end and that seems to be enough. I've debated back and forth on taking the peg feelers off. I don't drag them too often and if I do, I know I need to either slow down or lean/hang off more.

 

[Wavex]

I think we can summarize it by saying:

- on the streets, if you follow the posted speed limits and ride with the intention to be 100% safe, there are very few situations where "hanging-off" is necessary. Hanging off on purpose where there is absolutely no need to hang off can indeed decrease vehicle control in some situations IMO.

- if on the other hand you choose to trade off some safety for some fun and decide to exceed the speed limits (example: going down a canyon road at a good clip), hanging off appropriately doesn't decrease vehicle control IMO, it increases it. It gives you more margin of error in case you do need to lean it more (blind decreasing radius, huge oil slick right in your line...etc...) and need the extra available traction.

What do you think Misti?

 

[DefyInertia]

What are some of the other pieces of the equation you are talking about? And can you explain a little bit more about your last sentence? Not sure I really understand it.

Thanks
Misti

Well the list is endless, right? My environment in it's entirety, my inputs in their entirety, my increasing fatigue and need to preserve energy as the miles stack up, lane positioning and everything that goes with it, etc. etc. All I'm saying is that it's all one big compromise, when you gain something here you often lose something there and that needs to be balanced out. We should be careful not too put too much weight on one consideration alone, especailly on the street.

Street riding is complicated and can't be boiled down to any one measureable indicator of success such as lap times. That's one of the things I love about the track...it's all about railing, period.

Hopefully the above answers both of your questions....

Some of the other parts of the equation would be throttle, amount of steering input, road conditions, etc.

For the second part I think he is saying that if you are upright in the seat and have to change directions quickly (dog/kid/car runs out in the road) you could do it more efficiently than if you were fully committed (hanging off) to going in your intended direction.

:thumbup: But alas, there are varying degrees of hanging off as mentioned above....if you're just leaning in there a little bit, you don't have to compromise too much elsewhere.

I think we can summarize it by saying:

- on the streets, if you follow the posted speed limits and ride with the intention to be 100% safe, there are very few situations where "hanging-off" is necessary. Hanging off on purpose where there is absolutely no need to hang off can indeed decrease vehicle control in some situations IMO.

- if on the other hand you choose to trade off some safety for some fun and decide to exceed the speed limits (example: going down a canyon road at a good clip), hanging off appropriately doesn't decrease vehicle control IMO, it increases it. It gives you more margin of error in case you do need to lean it more (blind decreasing radius, huge oil slick right in your line...etc...) and need the extra available traction.

What do you think Misti?

I can't really disagree with any of the above but I can't say I fully agree either. Street riding is just too dynamic. I think the quote in my signature sums it up....just do as the conditions call for (of course some people are more risk adverse than others).

Hanging off on the street compromises some of MY fun on the street...how about them apples?

 

[Wavex]

Hey Nate, I agree that you can't really disagree but that you can't fully agree either, we can always find an agreement as long as everyone else agrees as well, unless we find a more agreeable solution to the already agreed consensus.

Street riding is dangerous indeed, and hanging off can be or can not be part of the compromise that is involved in the choice to ride or the choice not to ride in that endless sea of variables involved in our great sport.

That should wrap it up... agreed?

/thread closed

 

[Misti]

Well the list is endless, right? My environment in it's entirety, my inputs in their entirety, my increasing fatigue and need to preserve energy as the miles stack up, lane positioning and everything that goes with it, etc. etc. All I'm saying is that it's all one big compromise, when you gain something here you often lose something there and that needs to be balanced out. We should be careful not too put too much weight on one consideration alone, especailly on the street.

Street riding is complicated and can't be boiled down to any one measureable indicator of success such as lap times. That's one of the things I love about the track...it's all about railing, period.

Hopefully the above answers both of your questions....



:thumbup: But alas, there are varying degrees of hanging off as mentioned above....if you're just leaning in there a little bit, you don't have to compromise too much elsewhere.



I can't really disagree with any of the above but I can't say I fully agree either. Street riding is just too dynamic. I think the quote in my signature sums it up....just do as the conditions call for (of course some people are more risk adverse than others).

Hanging off on the street compromises some of MY fun on the street...how about them apples?

Thanks, I gotcha. I fully agree that you shouldn't put too much attention on any one aspect of your riding, and body position and "hanging off" seem to be one of those skills that riders tend to put WAY TOO much focus on. They want to be certain that their body position is RIGHT or that they are HANGING OFF without really understanding what the real purpose of it is. That is why I like discussions like this that explain the reasons for hanging off in the first place and discuss when and where it is appropriate.

As I mentioned before, there are varying degrees of hanging off depending on the situation, speed, corner etc. What is most important is that you adapt your body position to suite YOUR riding style.

You also mention that there are other variables to take into account when riding on the street and I'm going to try to tie that into what the OP was talking about. He mentioned scraping pegs while riding on the street and that is a clear indication that he has too much lean angle. Body position is one way to reduce lean angle and add cornering clearance, by "hanging off" but there are other ways as well.

Take turning points (where you turn the bike) for instance or rate of steering (how fast you turn the bike). Make mistakes in either of those departments and you could be scraping pegs as well...

Misti

 

[mponder]

I am an old dirt bike rider, that was not a skill I learned,I do keep my foot on the pegs finally. I would like to go to Hallet for track day to learn to drag a knee but my wife says I am to old at 41

 

[Motogiro]

I am an old dirt bike rider, that was not a skill I learned,I do keep my foot on the pegs finally. I would like to go to Hallet for track day to learn to drag a knee but my wife says I am to old at 41

Your not to old! Just ride with some more experienced riders. We do have a few on the forum. Just go have fun and study more experienced riders, have conversations. Take your time and have fun learning. Track is excellent and improves your everyday street riding technique as well as your instincts in emergency situations. So all around you can't loose doing track.

 

[Lefty]

I am an old dirt bike rider, that was not a skill I learned,I do keep my foot on the pegs finally. I would like to go to Hallet for track day to learn to drag a knee but my wife says I am to old at 41

Dude, you're not old at 41! I just turned 56 and am a better and faster rider than I was in my 30's. It's just all about experience and learning to do it in a controlled environment. I don't drag my knees on the street anymore for two reasons, first it's just not the place for it and secondly I only wear leather pants without sliders and not my one piece with pucks to remind me the street's not the place for it. I'm planning on to get back to track days next year. :thumbup: (Hopefully with Wavex and Cali rider).

 

[mponder]

I just put on dunlop sportmax Q2s, ordered racetech springs. I see a track day in my future. I raced dirt bikes up until five years ago, i have raced moto cross, cross country and flat track. I bought an FZ6 because it was the closest to weight and performace to what I was used to.:rockon: All my freinds wanted me to by a recliner on two wheels but i did not feel like i was control.

 

[Ridgeback]

I move about a bit on the seat,but It's a bit wide and grippy to really hang off.

A few of the guys I used to ride with when I had Supermoto's,used to make the mistake of buying new Motocross seat covers,which are designed to stick you to the seat,the opposite of what you want if you want to climb all over the saddle like a monkey in the twisties :thumbup:

 

[The Toecutter]

I NEVER scraped the pegs on my FZ6.... and I will DRINK ANYONE ON THIS FORUM UNDER THE TABLE :iconbeer: :iconbeer: :iconbeer ::iconbeer: (oh yea this threadwas about riding) MY BAD!! :BLAA:

 

[Wavex]

Welcome back shreve!!! we thought you didn't like us anymore

 

[Ridgeback]

I NEVER scraped the pegs on my FZ6.... and I will DRINK ANYONE ON THIS FORUM UNDER THE TABLE :iconbeer: :iconbeer: :iconbeer ::iconbeer: (oh yea this threadwas about riding) MY BAD!! :BLAA:

I tend to get a better lean on,after a few beers