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Pointers for mountain corners

3524 Views 32 Replies 16 Participants Last post by  wolfchimneyrock, 
ally
Hey everyone. When shifting your weight in tight corners (like on the Dragon), are you actually sitting on the seat at all when the corners are so constant (ie: 318 curves in 11 miles on the Dragon), or do you basically put more of your weight on the pegs so that it's easier and quicker to shift from side to side. I've only been riding since March. I took my first trip to the mountains a couple of weeks ago. Here are a few pictures. I scraped pegs once (a total of twice since I started riding). I wasn't scraping on any of these though I know I was close on the pic from the back. On most twistie roads, I shift my weight from peg to peg to keep the bike more vertical. I'm not comfortable with hanging off yet, but I do a good bit of shifting, and I'm hanging off more and more every time I practice, so I'll get there! However, on the Dragon, I didn't feel I had time to shift my weight at all, so I basically rode and leaned WITH the bike. I know this eats up some of the reserve traction b/c the bike is less vertical than it would be if I were hanging off more. I wonder if it would be easier if I had more of my weight on the pegs than on the seat? I'm just wondering if you all have any tips for constantly changing corners on how to shift weight/hang off when the road is constantly turning! :) HEre are some pics from my trip. I'm open to critique and suggestions since I'm new and want to be the best, safest rider I can while still having a helluva lot of fun!
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ally
Thank you!

stamford said:
Looking better on body position.
Oh and I hope your practicing those late apexes :)
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Thank you both so much for your words. :) You are so right, Stamford, about losing my line of sight if I lower my position any more.
Yes, practicing the delayed apexes, and I do well with them in corners that I'm familiar with. Still struggling a bit to consistently have a good late apex line in unfamiliar corners. It's definitely a work in progress. :)
Thanks again! You were all so helpful last year when I originally posted. I wanted to show you I've taken your advice to heart and really been working to improve.
Happy weekend all! :) Ally
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serpentracer
slide across the seat. saves more energy. you never hold your weight with your legs. that's the seat's job.
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S
ally said:
Your 2 cents ain't worth #$%&. I've been riding for a year and a half.
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Ok...see you kicked an 8 month old thread up..my mistake.

Nice mature reply.
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G
serpentracer said:
slide across the seat. saves more energy. you never hold your weight with your legs. that's the seat's job.
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Your legs are a huge part of body position! Your seat is just there for looks when you have to really transition back and forth.

I am not 100% but I'm pretty sure you said that you are riding the dragon? If you are that close, you should surely check out Barber motorsports park. I just got done doing a 2 day there today and that place is awesome! Everything from the showers to the track rocks! There were quite a few women out there riding as well so don't let the track scare you off. We rode with STT or Sportbike Track Time. They have an excellent novice program that covers all of the basics of body position and proper lines. Check out their site.

Please stay out of the canyons, they are not safe. Once you go track, you never go back!
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binx_19
ShawnF4I said:
Ok...see you kicked an 8 month old thread up..my mistake.

Nice mature reply.
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she resurrected her own thread instead of creating a new one einstien.
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binx_19 said:
she resurrected her own thread instead of creating a new one einstien.
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I'm just an idiot....you sir are the fn man.
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ally
Made Killboy's front page!!! :)

Made killboy's front page with the comment, "Nice form!" Yeah!! See all of your coaching and my studying and practicing brought me from the bottom pic to the top one :)

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Süsser Tod
ally said:
Made killboy's front page with the comment, "Nice form!" Yeah!! See all of your coaching and my studying and practicing brought me from the bottom pic to the top one :)
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As you can see from the top pic, lowering your upper body won't affect your line of sight. There is nothing in front of you to block the sight.
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stamford
Süsser Tod said:
As you can see from the top pic, lowering your upper body won't affect your line of sight. There is nothing in front of you to block the sight.
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I guess its safe to assume you're talking about the mirror but lowering your head does affect line of sight.

BTW Ally, 1 comment. Loosen up you're inside arm, it looks too ridged. If its a reach problem (i'm small too) lower your body towards the ground .
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G
very cool! i thought that was you when i was looking at the highlights.
:cheers
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I
Nice thread, I was wondering the same thing my first mountain trip (still haven't made a 2nd!) I pretty much didn't have my ass on the seat for anything but a straightaway, something that concerned me was my pants, I wasn't in leathers I was in jeans. I had a leather jacket etc but I can't afford a pair of jeans and boots. So my buddy said to just keep my leg in the tank when I lean instead of putting it towards the ground pretending I have a puck.

What do you guys think or do when riding without a puck.
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ally
stamford said:
BTW Ally, 1 comment. Loosen up you're inside arm, it looks too ridged. If its a reach problem (i'm small too) lower your body towards the ground .
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Yep, I noticed that about my arm being too stiff and up a bit too high and even mentioned to my hubby that's one area I need to improve. I am definitely small...120 lbs, 5'6", but I agree I need to lower my body towards the ground. At the spot I'm sitting now, I will actually scrape peg/toe before I'd ever be able to drag knee...though honestly I'm not trying to drag knee on a public road (saving that experience for the track), but hey, S$%# happens sometimes! Thanks a bunch! :)
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ally said:
Yep, I noticed that about my arm being too stiff and up a bit too high and even mentioned to my hubby that's one area I need to improve. I am definitely small...120 lbs, 5'6", but I agree I need to lower my body towards the ground. At the spot I'm sitting now, I will actually scrape peg/toe before I'd ever be able to drag knee...though honestly I'm not trying to drag knee on a public road (saving that experience for the track), but hey, S$%# happens sometimes! Thanks a bunch! :)
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I think the key to having your arms be relaxed is to have your body properly anchored to the bike with the outside knee tucked into the contour of the gastank - thats why people put stomp grip there. Ideally you should be able to totally relax your arms and even let go of the grips without your line changing (excepting throttle input of course) so if you can give a biker wave while hanging off in a corner then you got it down.

Its all in the legs and back - when you slide from center to hanging the longitudinal axis of your body should shift sideways, not twist, always parallel with the longitudinal axis of the bike.

oh and your recent pics still look a little duck footed. keep your toes on the peg, when you slide off your inside leg should rotate on your toes and your heel should lock into the heel guard on your swingarm.

good job so far!
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