The laws of Physics are pretty much absolute!
Speed equals Radius
Radius equals Speed
Ben Spies drags his knees just like every other racer on the track. He "Wisely" lifts his knee once the target lean angle is reached. Although the knee is never more than an inch or so off the deck just in case the front starts to push and the knee is needed to push the bike up enough for the front tire to regain traction. Knee dragging is a very useful tool to the advanced track junky.
The guy who drags his knee all the way around the corner is doing it for show. If the infamous Ben Spies planted his knee around every corner his knee puck wouldn't last through the race. The knee is used as a feeler gauge to establish a satisfactory lean angle which varies for different folks. Big bikes are rode differently than smaller bikes. Smaller bikes require lots of lean to accommodate corner speed (Speed = Radius). Big bikes don't carry the corner speed because their best asset is power off the corner. In order to utilize the power advantage the bike is stood up as soon as possible in order to strap the power to the pavement. Different bikes utilize different techniques.
Knee dragging is a product of speed. However, dragging a puck has nothing to do with being fast. Jason Pridmore taught me that the safest way around the track was to remain at max lean for the shortest amount of time possible.
Lanky, Tuf says: Congratulations on getting your knee down! And,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you have made a step up by realizing you are as stubborn as a mule and I might add you are resistant to sound advice due to a very fragile male ego. (He who teaches himself hath a fool for a master. Benjamin Franklin) Not to worry, the male ego is by nature a fragile thing. As far as your sarcasm towards us weekend moto GP wannabe's who attend the track I can tell you this, the fastest rider on the street is rarely the best rider but simply the rider willing to take the most chances. I'm not being tough on you but this I can say without hesitation "You will never reach the advanced stage of riding without attending the track". Why you ask? Because the track is the only place you can safely find the bike's limits as well as your own!
