Entering Corner questions (body position)

[rppngears91]

Hey guys. I was wondering what the proper technique is to entering a corner is, I am a little confused. The main part I am confused on is how to postition my body while braking going into a corner. Ive been studying pros on TV (MotoGP, AMA ect..). I have come to the conclusion that these are the proper steps

1.)Scoot bum to the side of the seat, while keeping your upper body in place and knees clamping the gas tank, and THEN BRAKE (still squeezing the tank)

2.)Then turn in, and while turning in you move your upper body and knee out off of gas tank (inside knee**).

I could be completly wrong, I have read Smooth Riding and Total control and Iam working on Twist of the Wrist, but I have not found anything that covers this topic. But it has been a while since Ive read so? Thanks.

[Pasha471]

Originally Posted by rppngears91

Hey guys. I was wondering what the proper technique is to entering a corner is, I am a little confused. The main part I am confused on is how to postition my body while braking going into a corner. Ive been studying pros on TV (MotoGP, AMA ect..). I have come to the conclusion that these are the proper steps

1.)Scoot bum to the side of the seat, while keeping your upper body in place and knees clamping the gas tank, and THEN BRAKE (still squeezing the tank)

2.)Then turn in, and while turning in you move your upper body and knee out off of gas tank (inside knee**).

I could be completly wrong, I have read Smooth Riding and Total control and Iam working on Twist of the Wrist, but I have not found anything that covers this topic. But it has been a while since Ive read so? Thanks.

Everyone's technique is different, but the same rules apply:

1) Get all your braking done while you are straight up and down
2) Move your bum off the seat (I was instructed by coaches that this was the equivalant of putting your "crack" on the edge of the seat and when you think you're hanging off, you can move even more) and put your head where your mirrors would be.

At some point, either while braking or just before turning in (riders preference) pivot your foot on the peg which will result in the knee being turned out.

Remember to look where you want to go!

These are just a couple of basics.

Please, tell me you are not attempting these manuevers on the street!!!!

As for the AMA and MotoGP guys, those guys got skills, but should not be emulated on the street!

[smalls]

for street riding or track riding????

[OreoGaborio]

Like Pasha said, everyone's a little different.... but for the most part you've got it right.

I usually to set my body BEFORE or AT my brake marker, long before turn-in. The earlier the better, IMO. I use the inside of my thigh on the tank to keep my body from going over the front of the bike. You want as little pressure on the bars (and into the suspension) as possible and using the inside of my outside thigh as opposed to squeezing with my knees reduces the amount of force I put on the handlebars.

To demonstrate WHY it reduces pressure on the bars, put a ball between your knees and try to knock it out.... it's easy.... now put it against the inside of your thigh & try to drive it through your leg.... a little tougher to do... I hope

I also put my inside knee on whatever i can to help my outside leg reduce the force on the bars.... on some bikes you can put it on the fairing or some place on the frame... whatever you can use.

At tip-in my lower body is already in position (and usually my upper as well)... so all I have to do is look through the turn, lead with my shoulder/elbow/chin, give a good dose of countersteering to initiate turn-in, relax my inside leg (knee drops) and crack open the throttle (assuming i'm not still trailing off the brakes).

EVERYTHING I do is smooth. From body shift to entry, to exit... everything is smoooooooth, blending everything together.

Originally Posted by smalls

for street riding or track riding????

There's not a whole lot of difference in my technique from track to street... the biggest difference is just the amount of braking I do. Street riding I rarely use the brakes. I roll off early enough that engine braking does most of the work.

[RRRR6]

Originally Posted by rppngears91

Hey guys. I was wondering what the proper technique is to entering a corner is, I am a little confused. The main part I am confused on is how to postition my body while braking going into a corner. Ive been studying pros on TV (MotoGP, AMA ect..). I have come to the conclusion that these are the proper steps

1.)Scoot bum to the side of the seat, while keeping your upper body in place and knees clamping the gas tank, and THEN BRAKE (still squeezing the tank)

2.)Then turn in, and while turning in you move your upper body and knee out off of gas tank (inside knee**).

I could be completly wrong, I have read Smooth Riding and Total control and Iam working on Twist of the Wrist, but I have not found anything that covers this topic. But it has been a while since Ive read so? Thanks.

I think you pretty much got the concept...except...for me atleast...the braking usually begins a split second or two before I start getting off the bike...especially if you're talking a slow turn coming off of a straight.

[jim schmidt]

Originally Posted by rppngears91

Hey guys. I was wondering what the proper technique is to entering a corner is, I am a little confused. The main part I am confused on is how to postition my body while braking going into a corner. Ive been studying pros on TV (MotoGP, AMA ect..). I have come to the conclusion that these are the proper steps

1.)Scoot bum to the side of the seat, while keeping your upper body in place and knees clamping the gas tank, and THEN BRAKE (still squeezing the tank)

2.)Then turn in, and while turning in you move your upper body and knee out off of gas tank (inside knee**).

I could be completly wrong, I have read Smooth Riding and Total control and Iam working on Twist of the Wrist, but I have not found anything that covers this topic. But it has been a while since Ive read so? Thanks.

So you just don't wanna take the training huh?

[rppngears91]

Originally Posted by jim schmidt

So you just don't wanna take the training huh?

Sorry im not sure what you mean? im retarded haha

Anyways Im having trouble keeping weight off my arms. BTW I must not have been clear, I knew to get set up WAY WAY before turn in....I dont feel like explaining it hah. Anyways Ive been playing around with this technique and I am having trouble keeping all the weight off my bars. I scoot off the seats and pop my knee out and then start braking after Ive gotten comfy. Can you explain a little more in detail (I know you already have but) what you do with your body to keep that weight off the bars, or is a little pressure on the bars normal?

[RRRR6]

do you have stompgrip?

if not...getting some will help

[rppngears91]

hmm stompgrip? I am not familiar with it, what is it exactly it sounds useful hah?

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

Originally Posted by rppngears91

hmm stompgrip? I am not familiar with it, what is it exactly it sounds useful hah?

It's a traction pad generally stuck to the sides of the gas tank, it helps you to 'grip' the tank with your thigh's.

[rppngears91]

I see, i checked it out on the internet. My leathers do a pretty good job of helping my thighs stick to the tank, but this stuff would do wonders! Do all the racers/track day guys use this stuff, or is it not all that necessary?

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

I personally have never used it, but the racers I know who use it swear by it. I always thought it might get in the way as I was sliding around the tank to hang off the bike, but my freind who uses it says it doesn't, so that's probably not an issue.

[RRRR6]

It works well, especially under hard braking. For $40 it's worth trying atleast.
I'd say it's used by about half of racers...it's also popular with motox racers.
It doesn't hinder your ability to move around (left and right) on the bike.

[velocity bmg]

After some brief but great tutelage from Doug and some practice from myself.

1. You want to keep your feet as close into the body of the bike as possible.
Meaning, scoot the inside/in-step of your foot as far in on the pegs as possible. Also, be on the balls of your feet, meaning keep on your toes, especially the inside foot where you need the clearance.

2. The outside leg, (thigh) should be hugging the tank for grip.

3. The inside leg, should be knee out and down, keeping on your toes again, will help this.

4. Hang about one to one and a half butt cheeks off the seat, as needed.

5. Finally, and to me this is the thing that really helped me.

Kiss the mirrors. In other words, as you slide your butt of the bike, keep
your upper body in parallel with the front of the bike, stay low, head and shoulder wise.

In other words, try and put your head, eyes just above the mirrors as you look through the turn.

The reason for this, is to keep your center of gravity as low as possible.

Originally Posted by rppngears91

Hey guys. I was wondering what the proper technique is to entering a corner is, I am a little confused. The main part I am confused on is how to postition my body while braking going into a corner. Ive been studying pros on TV (MotoGP, AMA ect..). I have come to the conclusion that these are the proper steps

1.)Scoot bum to the side of the seat, while keeping your upper body in place and knees clamping the gas tank, and THEN BRAKE (still squeezing the tank)

2.)Then turn in, and while turning in you move your upper body and knee out off of gas tank (inside knee**).

I could be completly wrong, I have read Smooth Riding and Total control and Iam working on Twist of the Wrist, but I have not found anything that covers this topic. But it has been a while since Ive read so? Thanks.

[A.R.K.]

Go to a trackday and have a control rider give you pointers on your form, work on one thing at a time.