Mock my Riding Position

Mock my Riding Position

Author
Discussion

moanthebairns

Original Poster:

17,918 posts

197 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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Right first things first I know I’m crap but I’m looking for advice on how to improve my awful riding position.

I got some photos back from my first track day and I was like wtf was I doing, I’m really ste.

Normally I hang off a bit more but I was that focused on not dropping it that I’m practically bolt upright and probably made it worse.

So can anyone give me advice as to how to position myself better. But be gentle it was my first track day and I’ve only been riding 2 years.

One thing I was told on the day 15 minutes from the end was to ride on my tip toes, which I clearly wasn’t doing and its made a huge difference.

Any other advice?

to be fair I think someone has went off in the last picture thats why im looking in that direction, probably Prof Prolapse.








edit to add - photos from tracksidepics.com

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

197 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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Even MGP riders use very different styles. Best bet is a day at Haslams or the California SB school or similar and find out what works for you.

AceOfHearts

5,818 posts

190 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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I have only done one track day too, and the main thing I was told by the instructor was to keep the pegs on the balls of my feet, and shift my bum slightly off the seat (so i still had 1 and a bit cheeks on it) and look to the exit of the corner. All helped massively and by the end i was running to the edge of the tyre, and felt much more comfortable feeling what the bike was doing under me. Just need to get another one booked up this year to get some more practice in!

MrKipling43

5,788 posts

215 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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Riding position doesn't look too bad to me. Looks a bit like this chap and he seems to know what he's up to.

Although, perhaps not looking at the camera might help you! wink


3DP

9,912 posts

233 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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Doesn't look bad - just need to hang off more and move your foot so that the ball of the foot on the side you are leaning towards, is on the peg. This allows you to support and manage your body weight whilst hanging off and also means your toes don't hit the ground. Then just go quicker and lean over more. smile

moanthebairns

Original Poster:

17,918 posts

197 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
AceOfHearts said:
I have only done one track day too, and the main thing I was told by the instructor was to keep the pegs on the balls of my feet, and shift my bum slightly off the seat (so i still had 1 and a bit cheeks on it) and look to the exit of the corner. All helped massively and by the end i was running to the edge of the tyre, and felt much more comfortable feeling what the bike was doing under me. Just need to get another one booked up this year to get some more practice in!
this worked wonders, I'd have liked to have tried it out more on the track but some bint binned it and wrote off the last 10 minutes of the day.


AceOfHearts

5,818 posts

190 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
Heres a picture of me looking awkward at the hairpin at Mallory. Looking at my pics i think i need to get over the front of the bike more and lean off with my whole body rather than just my bum.



998420

900 posts

150 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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Nothing to mock, just relax and enjoy, miles under your belt are the best training, Superbike school and others can help..

Well done for running an older bike that costs less than repairing the fairing on a new 600, not worrying too much about the machine helps relax you so you can really learn.

mckeann

2,986 posts

228 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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moanthebairns said:
this worked wonders, I'd have liked to have tried it out more on the track but some bint binned it and wrote off the last 10 minutes of the day.
Don't be too hard on her, eventually it'll be you that crashes and everyone gets annoyed at.

moanthebairns

Original Poster:

17,918 posts

197 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
mckeann said:
moanthebairns said:
this worked wonders, I'd have liked to have tried it out more on the track but some bint binned it and wrote off the last 10 minutes of the day.
Don't be too hard on her, eventually it'll be you that crashes and everyone gets annoyed at.
Sorry that seems like a bit of a dick comment when taken out of context.

I don’t mind people coming off but she was constantly cutting me up and others all night.

We were told only to overtake on the straights not into corners or in braking zones. If so we would be black flagged.

I’d come up behind someone at a corner, think “im faster than him, I’ll sit behind him at the corner give him time and space then overtake him on the straight” next thing she’s jammed her bike up my inside just as im turning into the apex causing me to go upright. She done it to me and others all night, it pissed me off to be honest because it fked me up for the overtake and your not expecting it.

Maybe this is the done thing on advance/intermediate sessions but I thought it was a bit pish patter for an intro night (3 trackdays or less). That said there was wkers there with trackbikes, tyre warmers, wets and a full tool kit going on about how they had been round the neverbeen 6 times…...Really so you come to an intro night!

moanthebairns

Original Poster:

17,918 posts

197 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
998420 said:
Nothing to mock, just relax and enjoy, miles under your belt are the best training, Superbike school and others can help..

Well done for running an older bike that costs less than repairing the fairing on a new 600, not worrying too much about the machine helps relax you so you can really learn.
Actually I wished I'd taken my Daytona.

Within minutes I seen others come off and thought, "I like this Ninja too much to fling it down the road". That was another reason for not trying to fling it about more, Oh plus I was pushing it home if I came off as I rode there on it.

I'm telling myself, "look MTB its only worth £1500, if you bin it no big deal, I'll buy you a fking other one just ride the thing". But I wouldnt listen, I've bonded with it so thats why im looking for a track bike I dont care about.

The ninja will never return to the track. cloud9

Steve Evil

10,653 posts

228 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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Another good bit of advice is that your upper body makes much more difference than your lower body, it's all well and good if your bum is half off the seat, but if your head is still in-line with the petrol tank you're going to be crossed up and twisted around the tank. Get your head down in line with your mirrors and drop your inside shoulder, opening your whole upper body out so it faces towards the turn, this naturally allows your head to look towards your next reference point. It will probably feel like you're hanging off like Marquez at first, but then you'll see the photos and realise it's nowhere near as extreme as that.

One other thing that helped me get a good secure lock onto the bike was to use my outer arm to rest on the outside of the tank with my armpit planted roughly where the fuel filler cap would be.

All that said, I've been accused of hanging off a bit too much and there are guys on here much faster than I who hang off much less and go much faster, BN can hustle a bike round pretty quickly and from what I've seen he doesn't move around much at all, but then he is old and has to make do with a false leg wink

MrKipling43

5,788 posts

215 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
moanthebairns said:
I’d come up behind someone at a corner, think “im faster than him, I’ll sit behind him at the corner give him time and space then overtake him on the straight” next thing she’s jammed her bike up my inside just as im turning into the apex causing me to go upright. She done it to me and others all night, it pissed me off to be honest because it fked me up for the overtake and your not expecting it.
Standing people up at a track day is a bit st.

dibblecorse

6,872 posts

191 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
Generally it looks good, you can drop your inside shoulder a bit and aim to get your forearm parallel with the ground, this helps with the push / pull counter steering, also look up, in 2 of your pics, mainly the top one, you are looking down at what i presume is the apex, trick there is to find it on the way in and then look up for your exit but keep the apex in your periphery, thisopens up all the space that exists in the corner ....

But overall, looking ok so don't beat yourself up.

moanthebairns

Original Poster:

17,918 posts

197 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
MrKipling43 said:
moanthebairns said:
I’d come up behind someone at a corner, think “im faster than him, I’ll sit behind him at the corner give him time and space then overtake him on the straight” next thing she’s jammed her bike up my inside just as im turning into the apex causing me to go upright. She done it to me and others all night, it pissed me off to be honest because it fked me up for the overtake and your not expecting it.
Standing people up at a track day is a bit st.
she actually hit into someone coming out of Taylors harpin. after that anytime I seen her I just rolled off and let her past as she was going to take someone out if she continued like that.

I was riding mines home, she wasnt. Willy waving can be done the next time Im there with a trailer/van.

mu0n

2,348 posts

132 months

Friday 31st May 2013
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As a novice myself, I do find that I have to consciously stick my arse into the back of the seat and when I do that, I definitely feel like I have more control and feel more comfortable - I think it takes some pressure off the wrists?

Never done a track day though.

.blue

726 posts

179 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
"Ride on your tiptoes" - is that good advice for riding on the road too? WHat's the logic behind it?

Apologies if already discussed - have only read OP and looked at photos.

Steve Evil

10,653 posts

228 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
.blue said:
"Ride on your tiptoes" - is that good advice for riding on the road too? WHat's the logic behind it?

Apologies if already discussed - have only read OP and looked at photos.
It's mainly for ground clearance. Riding duck-footed with your toes hanging off the sides mean that they're the first thing that's going to touch down when you're leaning as far over as you do on the track. Keeping on the ball of your feet and twisting your heel back towards the bike both gives you more ground clearance and lets your leg open out which makes it a more natural knee-down position (if that's your thing).

Tim85

1,742 posts

134 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
I cant remember which video it was but it was an mcn video about riding position that was saying to get your head down close to the inside mirror and imagine your looking around a door frame. Ive been practising it on the road and at first i felt like a right dick. I felt like i looked like i was moving around like a monkey but in reality when i looked at some footage it looked a lot more natural and not as extreme as it really felt secure making fast corners and counter steering quite a bit easier.

I always used the balls of my feet and shifted my lower body but leaving my top body meant i was cornering twisted which ive heard is quite common. It feels pretty awesome getting over the tank then shifting over to the mirrors aswell. Like a real racer even though i probably look rediculously slow.

sprinter1050

11,550 posts

226 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
.blue said:
"Ride on your tiptoes" - is that good advice for riding on the road too? WHat's the logic behind it?

Apologies if already discussed - have only read OP and looked at photos.
Balls....








.....of your feet wink

I see so many riders looking like a bloody duck with their insteps hanging onto the pegs & toes pointing outward & down even when in a straight line.

So... balls of the feet on the pegs, as some of us were always taught to ride push bikes. Helps balance & feel but of course you will need to move them still but return to that position.
here endeth the lesson.

Edit: Ooops I see a few others posted same. Well done.