Dragging Knee

C

cecilio

New member
I was struggling with dragging my knee, but a few adjustments to my suspension led to a better body position and now it's no problem. Now I have to find a place to buy cheap knee pucks
 
Besides body positioning, it's also important to have the right mindset. I've read in many motorcycle rags (Sportrider, Lowrider, Easyrider, *your name here*rider) that the best racers run the course in their head, cogitating through the course. Some scientists call it mental imaging. The Blue Angel pilots do it too (I watch way too much History Channel). I find this pic encompasses both the physical perfection of body positioning, and the intense focus of the subject as he mentally maps his way through Tokigi.

Or constipation.
 
Been to NJMP but havent ridden it as of yet I will be there on Aug 20 with NESBA to ride for the first time.

I went as a spectoator when 2 other track day companies were hosting just to see the layout and how they would handle showing the lines when they themselves have never riden the track.

So I can get an advance look and have a little more knowledge so I can help the guys I CR the best I can.
 
Dragging a knee is way overrated IMO. There have been many riders who've crashed just because they were focusing on getting a knee down vs riding correctly. It is easier for taller guys in the 6'ft range to do it than shorter guys, but a knee down doesn't mean you're fast. It just means you or the bike has a steep lean angle. I actually don't like the feel of my knee pucks scrubbing. It startles me at first and tells me not to lean any more. I usually pick the bike up some or bring my legs/body position in so I don't get that feeling.

Personally I feel if you keep wearing your knee pucks out, it won't be long before your bikes in the gravel pit. The farther down they wear, the more you can lean heading towards the limit. That's why I haven't low sided at the track. Because I don't push all the way to go fast. At the end of the day, there are no sponsors to roll a track ready bike off the trailer for me. Now I have been in danger of the high side a few times, but that was rider error in trying to get too much drive out of a corner.

So, my advice would be to use your pucks like a warning bell and don't keep ringing it. But that's just my .02 cents.
 
Back to the original topic, engine configuration has nothing to do with dragging a knee. The bike with the longer wheelbase will lean over farther at the same corner speed than the bike with the shorter wheelbase. Ducati runs a relatively long wheelbase and Ducati Superbikes love lean angle, so that makes it easy to get your knee down on them. The other factor is riding position, if you're confortable hanging off the bike it's easy to drag your kneee at moderately fast corner speeds. Just don't focus on lean angle, focus on correct body position and let the corner speed dictate your lean angle. It's one of those things that until you've done it it will seem "elusive" but once you've done it a few times it's no big deal and it becomes a tool to use for judging your lean angle. I tend to touch mine down lightly and then pick them back up to preserve the expensive pucks!
 
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