Knee Draggin REALLY Necessary??

[eynlai]

Ok guys, and gals. From the guy that bought you all the controversial topics such as politics, dealership integrity, Oil types, helmet company arguments, etc.... And some of you love to hate... I'm back with a none contro, PC questions/topic (hopefully). Sorry, this won't be one of them Thanksgiving dinner topics like which families have and then food + silverware + plates are flying across the table. But I do feel you're all my family in some strange way.

Okay, on to it:

Is knee dragging really necessary to negotiate a curve/turn at higher speeds? Most of us can agree that it does look pretty cool, with the pros doing it and all, but is it really needed? Or are we just burning knee pucks for nothing more than looks?

I've only dragged mine twice, both on left side. And I can't say that I took the turn/curve any faster/better. I did find that hanging my ass off into the turn was helpful, didn't have to lean as much. But can't say for sure on the knee dragging.

A college riding buddy, that has years of ride experience (cruisers, sports, choppers) said it's not needed at all.

Rev, my disagreement bro... Hahhaa. I can't remember a post in which you and I ever agreed on anything, (but you've always been civil about it) and I value that. I know this should go in Riding Techniques, but it doesn't seem to catch eyes there. Please feel free to move it over after some replies. And let's hear it from you!

 

[vincent]

If your knee is dragging you can tell approximately how much room you have left over in your lean. If not then you can't really be sure how close to the ground you really are since we all know your not going to look down and measure it at high speed. The rest of it is all in the amount of body weight you get out to the side to change center of gravity so that the bike doesn't have to lean over as far to get the same turn radius.

 

[EAKbusa]

Correct. The main point is to shift body weight so as to negotiate the turn with less bike lean, or in effect allowing a tighter/faster turn than if you did not shift your weight. Touching down is really just a gage of telling you how far over you are.

 

[Tufbusa]

I actually know sereral track guys who are really fast but never put their knee down. So to answer your question, NO, it's not necessary to put your knee down to go fast around the corners. the knee is just a guage to tell you just how far over you actually are. Some guys actually use the knee to help push themselves back to the upright position. A little push with the knee helps to get the bike started back up!

 

[tbonebusa]

John Kerry puts a knee down, George W. doesn't.........it may depend on your level of education or geographical location, as well....

I'm just funnin' ya!!!

 

[pure_ego]

are thongs really necessary?

so is knee slidin' just cuz.

-from one of the un-educated "slower" state cave dwellers.

 

[Revlis]

  That's pretty damn funny Tbone...  

Now to the question at hand...

IMHO, I believe that Knee draggin on the street is un-neccessary, and more of a "Fun and Cool" thing than anything else.  This is especially true when you see "kneeDraggin" pics of folks hanging WAY OFF the side of their bike, Knees out to the side at about a 90deg angle desperately trying to get the knee down.  

 Yeah I move around a fair bit on my busa when out in the fun stuff. I'll get about half a cheek out there, but My knee doesn't go sticking out in the breeze, it's just not going to do me any good out there.   You cannot "Catch" yourself Kneesliders or not, and LEO's JUST LOVE to see you hanging off the side with your knee on the asphalt.

Now, on the track being able to get your knee on the ground has become more of a neccessity with modern bikes and tires being as good as they are. Look at Rossi, draggin Knee and Elbow while that knee is still right up along the bike. Hell it's a matter of keeping your knee in one piece. Additionally on the track it provides another "Input" or gauge if you will to help a rider feel their way around a track, and it allows them to really hit the corners faster and carry more speed by altering the combined Bike/rider center of gravity and reducing the amount of lean needed to negotiate through a given corner.

OH and by all accounts it's alot of fun, and chicks dig it.

 

[Revlis]

Or uh... What Vincent and Eak said....

 

[Relsek]

are thongs really necessary?

What's wrong with thongs?

 

[BulletTrain]

are thongs really necessary?

Absofarkinlutely!!!

 

[im2fast4uguys]

I'm with rev....chicks do dig it....

 

[busagod]

Rev - could not of said it better. FEEL! is the key with me. As for the fast track guy that never buts a knee down....it truely depends on the track. Wide open fast tracks yes possibly, short tight track I beg to differ. Never saw a AMA Superbike rider make it around any track without laying a knee down a few times. It is the only way to carry corner speed in the tighter turns. Well, at least for me.

 

[DAB]

If chicks dig it we should be draggin' 'em on the straights as well...

 

[Revlis]

Good THought DAB, But to lower my bike that much would certainly give away just a little too much in handling...

I always get all uncomfortable when folks agree with me though... It's kinda creepy. I end up feeling like I must not of said what I really meant cause someone thinks I said it OK...

THough I think Vincent and Eak pretty much said what I said first...

 

[eynlai]

would you all put down the turkey leg and stop throwing silverware at me already? Thanksgiving dinner is over and yup. Opinions welcomed even from the cave dwellers of the slower states

Good point about the gauging though. I've not tried to use it as a "push up" or push straight in this case. But also another question would be: If we don't stick our knee out far (90 degrees as Rev puts it), wouldn't we run a danger of scraping the fairings? Being that our Busa sits lower than your standard racer and all.

 

[justintime2]

John Kerry puts a knee down, George W. doesn't.........it may depend on your level of education or geographical location, as well....

I'm just funnin' ya!!!      

Yeah JK puts knee down...on his way to blowing GB!

 

[BusaFever]

I actually watch Mick Doohan save a lowside with his knee.

He was taking a slower left hander... Knee down, off the bike and all.
The front slide out. Bike started to fall on the track...
Scraped his fairings, front tire lost contact with the track.
He shoved his knee down, pushed the bike back up on the tire and actually pulled it off. He went off of the track in the sand, one two wheels, but didn't wreck.
Was a sweet save!

 

[Revlis]

Yeah But BusaFever he's riding a 300lb Racebike AND he is Mick!!!  I don't think anyone here is going to be Muscling a Busa off it's side.

Eynlai, the Busa's stock feelers on the pegs are there to let you know when you have reached the limit.  They are designed to touch down first and let you know that there isn't anymore room.   The Plastics follow shortly after but at that point you are most likely on your way to a crash or a F* up anyway.  You can shift all sorts of weight to the inside and achieve about the same transfer enabling you to keep your bike more upright without sticking your knee out there.  It's only at the Limits where a knee out really becomes NEEDED, before that and 99% of the time on the street, the guys are getting their knees down for Fashion and fun, not to avoid scrapping plastics or any performance gain.  

I think if you watch a NickSlick/Fulltilt/Gar/Big Gar video you'll see that though they are hauling significant amounts of ass, those knees rarely if ever touch down, it's just not needed when riding at 7 or 8/10ths.

IMHO of course....  None of this is "Firsthand experiance"  just theory.



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[busagod]

Yeah But BusaFever he's riding a 300lb Racebike AND he is Mick!!!  I don't think anyone here is going to be Muscling a Busa off it's side.

Eynlai, the Busa's stock feelers on the pegs are there to let you know when you have reached the limit.  They are designed to touch down first and let you know that there isn't anymore room.   The Plastics follow shortly after but at that point you are most likely on your way to a crash or a F* up anyway.  You can shift all sorts of weight to the inside and achieve about the same transfer enabling you to keep your bike more upright without sticking your knee out there.  It's only at the Limits where a knee out really becomes NEEDED, before that and 99% of the time on the street, the guys are getting their knees down for Fashion and fun, not to avoid scrapping plastics or any performance gain.  

I think if you watch a NickSlick/Fulltilt/Gar/Big Gar video you'll see that though they are hauling significant amounts of ass, those knees rarely if ever touch down, it's just not needed when riding at 7 or 8/10ths.

IMHO of course....  None of this is "Firsthand experiance"  just theory.

You are wrong man!!! What the hell are you talking about? I can agree with anything you say. Your in left field man, outurdspace, three bricks shy of a full load. Your BS knows no bounds.

Does that make you feel better REV

 

[Revlis]

Why Yeah it does actually... I feel right at home...

Besides, I personally have saved my Busa twice from going down in a corner. Once the front washed out and I went down on my knee and just hoisted her RIGHT BACK UP!!! Really!!! The other time I was on an onramp, and both the front and rear washed on me but I was able to use my left Hand to to push off the asphalt... What? Really!