Moto GP 'leg dangling' - balancing the bike or blocking?
Discussion
This is a thing I've noticed happening this year. Riders hanging a leg out into a corner, Rossi seems to do it the most. On one corner in the German GP this weekend, the leg went out with Lorenzo right behind him, some are saying it was blocking a pass. I'm not a bike rider so I wouldn't know if hanging your leg out would do anything coming into a corner on a bike, so is it a genuine balance issue with the Moto GP bikes, or is there an element 'cheat' to hang your leg out on purpose when you've got someone behind you?
I think it's like using a leg in speedway, but here it's a natural reaction under extreme braking when the rider suddenly thinks they have gone just a bit too far and the leg goes out in case they lose it. We didn't see it too much in the 990 era or before in the 500cc class but the 800 MotoGP bikes are not only quicker in a straight line than 500cc bikes they are also faster around the corners than 990s so the combination of fast straight line speeds and fast cornering has made it appear more.
Ahh now Rossi doing it is a bit different. Vale is well known for the foot to start dangling and twitching a few " off the ground when he is *really* pushing on, as in "the nobody can live with me" kind of pushing he does.
Given that he is well known for this and given that Vale is...well...Vale and not exactly above pranks, stunts and gamesmanship, then there is every possibility he did it deliberately into the first corner on the final lap to distract Lorenzo from going down the inside...and it worked.
The Doc and LorenzoLand dont exactly get on either...
Given that he is well known for this and given that Vale is...well...Vale and not exactly above pranks, stunts and gamesmanship, then there is every possibility he did it deliberately into the first corner on the final lap to distract Lorenzo from going down the inside...and it worked.
The Doc and LorenzoLand dont exactly get on either...
With most riders I figured it was them trying to balance the bike when they knew they were on the limit. I'm sure with Rossi I've heard on Eurosport that it a combination of the above, a distraction and also an 'air brake'. On the basis it now seems to be part of his natural style I think its got to do with balance and braking.
First time I saw Rossi do this was in th middle of his last corner, last lap pass on Gibbers at Jerez 2005. Although I suspect that wasn't for "balance" or trying to block Gibernau (his left lag dangled, and it was a left hander they were entering with Vale going for the inside). I think it was more an instinctive 'Fack! I 'av overcooked thees, an am gonna crash" type thing.
Supermoto riders do this leg thing as a matter of course during a race, and they are quite "front-endy" machines. Maybe due to the harder braking forces and shorter braking distances, these 800cc bikes adopt the same character under braking as supermotos?
Supermoto riders do this leg thing as a matter of course during a race, and they are quite "front-endy" machines. Maybe due to the harder braking forces and shorter braking distances, these 800cc bikes adopt the same character under braking as supermotos?
Fire99 said:
Not wishing to blow smoke up Mr Rossi's backside but I think he just does it as part of his riding style. It's only this season that i've noticed other riders doing it but i'm guessing they're trying it thinking that if it gives Rossi an edge then they want the same edge.
I agree. But I think there's mileage in the fart theory too.In different interview rossi said that he knows why he does it (he was one of the first riders to regularly do it) and he knows why others do it, suggesting that it's a technique that works for him, the others know it works for him (as he's won a race or two) so they do the same but don't really know what effect it has 
As he enjoys playing mind games with the other riders and the article above says differently to what i've read so who knows?
At a recent race lorenzo arrived into a corner with his leg waving about in front of Rossi, who passed him with little room to spare and would have knocked his leg flying if he hadn't got it tucked in just in time
So i doubt it would block a serious overtake.
As he enjoys playing mind games with the other riders and the article above says differently to what i've read so who knows?
At a recent race lorenzo arrived into a corner with his leg waving about in front of Rossi, who passed him with little room to spare and would have knocked his leg flying if he hadn't got it tucked in just in time
So i doubt it would block a serious overtake.
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff