Hanging off

[Dr Jekyll]

When did body position for cornering become 'a thing', and why? I seem to remember you never saw anyone hanging off on the road before the mid eighties.

[Jazoli]

It's always advisable to hang off a bit when pushing on on the road as you don't want to use all the tyre, some muppets take it to extremes though.

[bogie]

Moving your arse across the seat a bit and getting your head and upper body over a bit is one thing ...but I do find it amusing when Im following someone through some bends and they are really hanging off the bike with hardly any lean angle on and im keeping pace with them on a Harley Davidson

On the track I think it was mid 70s when riders like Kenny Roberts started really using body positioning and fitting the first knee reinforcements to leathers, by mid eighties its commonplace.

Good explanation on the why and science behind why it helps

https://www.ridinginthezone.com/body-position-tips...

[Krikkit]

bogie said:

Moving your arse across the seat a bit and getting your head and upper body over a bit is one thing ...but I do find it amusing when Im following someone through some bends and they are really hanging off the bike with hardly any lean angle on and im keeping pace with them on a Harley Davidson

Sometimes I think people are just practicing moving around, rather than aiming for maximum speed.

[trickywoo]

King Kenny wasn’t it?

Kenny Roberts.

Before then the grip / power balance didn’t make it worthwhile.

[Andybow]

Hanging off is essential as this bloke demonstrates
https://twitter.com/jimnotbob/status/1250489765922...

[bogie]

Andybow said:

Hanging off is essential as this bloke demonstrates
https://twitter.com/jimnotbob/status/1250489765922...

LOL

[unident]

Andybow said:

Hanging off is essential as this bloke demonstrates
https://twitter.com/jimnotbob/status/1250489765922...

As ridiculous as that is, and it is really is ridiculous, it does show that putting your weight to one side can keep the bike more upright when going round a corner. The bike is pretty much vertical the whole way round.

That doesn’t excuse the fact that, he’s not got a clue how to hang off, or that there’s absolutely no need at all to hang off for that corner.

[roboxm3]

bogie said:

Andybow said:

Hanging off is essential as this bloke demonstrates
https://twitter.com/jimnotbob/status/1250489765922...

LOL

I quite often hang right off, knee reaching for the ground...on a very moderate, 30mph bend, just to make of more entertaining

[Wacky Racer]

[black-k1]

On the road I think too many people worry too much about hanging off. Even on track days there appears to be a belief that you "have" to hang off. As has been mentioned, the whole concept of hanging off only started in the 80's and really only applied to the top racers, to help them get that extra hundredth of a second.

Mike Hailwood didn't feel the need and, I suggest, that as none of us are not even half as good as Mike The Bike, we don't have the need to hang off either.

[Kneedragger95]

I had a session with the Ron Haslam racing school a couple of years back and my instructor was insistent that you "hang off" the bike for a few reasons.
The bike is more upright meaning the bike is more stable through the corner.
A little more brake pressure can be applied without locking up.
Theres more room for error on applying the throttle coming out of the corner.

Agreed there probably isn't much point in hanging off on the street because for it too make a difference youd be riding recklessly fast.

[Biker's Nemesis]

black-k1 said:

Mike Hailwood didn't feel the need and, I suggest, that as none of us are not even half as good as Mike The Bike, we don't have the need to hang off either.

Speak for yourself.

[black-k1]

Biker's Nemesis said:

black-k1 said:

Mike Hailwood didn't feel the need and, I suggest, that as none of us, other than the riding god that is Biker's Nemesis, are not even half as good as Mike The Bike, we don't have the need to hang off either.

Speak for yourself.

Sorry - you are 100% correct!. I've correct my post in the quote above!

[Birky_41]

black-k1 said:

Biker's Nemesis said:

black-k1 said:

Mike Hailwood didn't feel the need and, I suggest, that as none of us, other than the riding god that is Biker's Nemesis, are not even half as good as Mike The Bike, we don't have the need to hang off either.

Speak for yourself.

Sorry - you are 100% correct!. I've correct my post in the quote above!

He is a bit of a legend that Nemesis - we need a track day this year after all this st is over

As for style. Not sure if people can click this link? This is a friend and I going into a corner at Snett. It was my first time on the L8 with the OEM tyres and to be fair even for me this style looks terrible. I dont know (partly due to an old mx injury) 'hang off'. When pushing I get off the bike and lean into the corner but I will never be an elbow down kinda guy. My mate here is 10 years younger than me and looks great in pictures however I am easily 5-10 seconds quicker round Snett etc than him (I'm not saying I'm great in stating this)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B91RiC8HZGu/?igshid=i8...

[Biker's Nemesis]

black-k1 said:

Sorry - you are 100% correct!. I've correct my post in the quote above!

I wasn't meaning me you silly billy. There are a few on here who are properly fast. I was referring to them.

I am of course still awesome for an old bloke with one leg.

[Biker's Nemesis]

Birky_41 said:

He is a bit of a legend that Nemesis - we need a track day this year after all this st is over

If I can remember how to ride it, Ive not sat on since September last year.

[FazerBoy]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I think those types haven’t really stopped going out, if one goes by the sound of bikes engines being red-lined down the local bypass...

[Zakalwe]

Yep, plenty of super sports having the tits revved off them, harleys with no end cans etc could be heard round my way over the weekend

[Tango13]

trickywoo said:

King Kenny wasn’t it?

Kenny Roberts.

Before then the grip / power balance didn’t make it worthwhile.

Jarno Saarinen was one of, if not the first to stick his knee out/down on tarmac mostly due to his previous career racing on ice.

For fast riders getting a knee down is like grabbing the girlfriends arse during sex, just something that happens naturally when you're going for it...