[MotoAce51]

On my break today at school I ran to the store. On the way home I had to make an arrow before it changed. I jumped on it and prepared for the high speed turn. The balls of my feet were on the pegs, throttle was on, and I laid her out. I was so close to dragging a knee. The side of my foot was dragging on the ground. How much more does it take? If I just put my knee out there instead of keeping it against the tank would it have touched down?

 

[CJr605]

Be care ful doing that in intersections bro there is usually some gravel, oil, broken glass, etc. That was probably not the best idea.

 

[NVKrawler]

not to mention those slippery ass crosswalks arrows etc... I think you are pretty safe to say you werent very close to dragging knee though... It takes more then you think.

 

[rhouck]

You were probably dragging your foot as a result of terrible body position which means you may have been close to the lean angle for dragging knee.... but nowhere near the speed if you had the right body position.

 

[MotoAce51]

I go through this intersection all the time. I know its clean from debris and there are no cross walk lines to slide on. I thought I had decent positioning usually (had my bag on my back so it may have been off a little) I have hit corners at high speeds before and never attempted to drag a knee before but I have had my boots scrub a little. I know its a lot more to actually drag the knee but I, personally, dont think I have the balls to go too much farther. I had a couple times my bars seemed too close to the ground if you ask me. It seemed like I was riding on the sidewall. I am a very expierenced rider but never actually dragged knee so I was wondering...

 

[rhouck]

Then don't go over any farther; there's no trophy for going fastest through an intersection.

But you shouldn't be dragging your boots if your foot position is correct, except for perhaps if you are REALLY far over.

Biggest suggestion is go to the track if you want to ride to the limits, but at the very least get some proper gear and then you can find out for yourself... no one on a forum can possibly give you feedback on whether you can drag knee or not.

 

[rhouck]

The reality though is dragging knee doesn't mean anything unless you have proper body positioning...

On one extreme you have people looking like this to drag knee:

And the other you have people looking like this and not:

And dragging boots is as simple as THINKING you are on the balls of your feet and not really... or being too far off to the side of the peg. So who knows what you look like.

 

[MotoAce51]

I have wide feet, maybe thats why. I hope to get to the track this year. I planned on it last year but ended up breaking both wrists in motocross....

 

[NVKrawler]

What do you mean? Those guys have mad skillz yO, dont you see them scrubin them leathers??!?

MotoAce - i am sure you are leaning pretty good, you will know when you do actually get to the track how close you were or were not this day, its all about feel and more seat time on the edge of your tires. Word of warning, dragging knee may come addicting and cost you many a track dayz.

 

[Stez]

hey men, to dragg your knee isnt that a big difficult, all you should to do is to place your body wright on the bike and you'll feel the ground with you knee very soon its really increadeble feelings )) check few dragging knee photos of professionals and you'll understand your mistakes...

as for scrabbing your boot - it is direct indication of wrong foot position on your footpegs (the same was with me at first time on the track), you souldnt toutch the ground with your boots unless you drive like Stoner or Melandry in the last motogp race

 

[Chango]

If you're riding "duck-footed" like so many people do, you'll drag your foot long before you would be anywhere close to dragging knee.

I thought I had pretty good foot positioning. Then I went to my first trackday... I still have a long way to go in terms of body position based on the pics from my last rackday.

 

[Miticale]

I was guilty of the same thing, lined up to take a turn on my old 125 and scraped Nike Shox all along the ground, felt like the man until a friend of mine overtook me and went knee down all through the next corner. I'm saving my apex agression for track days.

 

[OneCheekRider]

I dragged my toe when I was a noob and thought i was valentino rossi. Then went to the track, found out how terrible my riding position was. After much, MUCH track practice i can now i drag my foot-peg, with my knee hitting first. Good luck, but keep it on the track!

 

[bowtech]

I use to drag my toe at first before I went to rear sets. The knee will come soon, just hope you have knee pucks on, if not it might hurt like hell.

 

[recoil50]

The first part of my body to drag the ashfalt was mt toes also. Two turns later my toe and my knee put scrub marks on the road at the same time. I went to the track two weeks later for my first trackday and learned from a coach the begginings of proper riding teknique and body position. As it turned out, according to him, I wasn't doing it wrong in the first place, I had the basics but my toe was still touching first unless I over-exadurated my body postion off the side off the bike. Everyone there told me it was due to stock footpegs. I have since remedied that, and drag bodyparts all over the place, sometimes when I don't want to, which brings me to my next point, be CAREFULL in the intersections lol.

 

[Stez]

hmm, strange thing, happened to me last weekend on the track, i started to scratch the surface of my boots togeather with knee... is the angle too lean or i just need to put my toe some more inside of footpeg?

 

[plastiKreal]

I go through this intersection all the time. I know its clean from debris and there are no cross walk lines to slide on. I thought I had decent positioning usually (had my bag on my back so it may have been off a little) I have hit corners at high speeds before and never attempted to drag a knee before but I have had my boots scrub a little. I know its a lot more to actually drag the knee but I, personally, dont think I have the balls to go too much farther. I had a couple times my bars seemed too close to the ground if you ask me. It seemed like I was riding on the sidewall. I am a very expierenced rider but never actually dragged knee so I was wondering...

(had my bag on my back so it may have been off a little)...[/QUOTE]
I have wide feet, maybe thats why...[/QUOTE]

If had any experience or skills whatsoever you would take the advise that is given and learn from it instead of making up excuses to justify yourself in what your doing "wrong". Position is key in cornering which has been stated throughout this discussion. Your biggest thing would prob. be the fact that motocross is a completely different riding style which would be a factor as to why your foot is hanging over the peg, not because your feet are wide. I'm not even gonna go into the one about your backpack. Fact of the matter is your foot should not be dragging before you get your knee down. No excuse in the world would justify that, weather it would be "wide feet" or "my back pack is on". To be more thorough on this instead of wasting a page and a half to what you are doing wrong, read Twist of The Wrist 2 by Keith Code. Just take the advise as to what is given and learn from it instead of excuses as as the ones that are above in your statements. Every rider knows, no "every one" realizes that almost doesn't count especially when it is done incorrectly. After you except these facts that are given to you, that are trying to make you a better rider then, that is the first step in becoming a good rider.

 

[tbaker]

hey men, to dragg your knee isnt that a big difficult, all you should to do is to place your body wright on the bike and you'll feel the ground with you knee very soon its really increadeble feelings )) check few dragging knee photos of professionals and you'll understand your mistakes...

as for scrabbing your boot - it is direct indication of wrong foot position on your footpegs (the same was with me at first time on the track), you souldnt toutch the ground with your boots unless you drive like Stoner or Melandry in the last motogp race

There are different opinions, obviously, on what to do with your feet. At the Spencer School, Nick Ienatsch, Freddie, and the rest of the instructors will tell you to ride duck-footed on the inside peg, with your heel against the heel guard, the ball of your foot on the peg (even hanging off the peg a bit), and your toe pointed out. Makes it much easier to get your upper body in the right position. They did point out that you will drag your toe from time to time, but pointed out that "that is why boots have toe sliders".

Try this while sitting in your chair - keep your feet straight and about shoulder-width apart, and try to lean your upper body over your right knee. Now point you toe out, and see how much easier it is to get your upper body down towards your knee. You can get it out further and lower with toe pointed out.

When I started to practice this new technique, I didn drag my toe some, but I also changed my knee placement, so it was touching the pavement on a different part of the knee. I had to bring them up and out - but before I realized I needed to change them, I wore a small hole in the outside leather panel since my knee was touching in a different place.

But much better to save that for the track. You shouldn't be pushing that hard thru an intersection.

But try out different methods to see what works for you. I have found it easier to have my toe pointed out, but there is more than one way to skin a cat, so do what works best for you.

 

[T-1]

Having my 1st track day in 2 days I thought i'd ask this---and i feel it may be relevant given the original posters lack of actual track time (as well as my own). Is there anywhere (book/ instructional DVD etc) that covers the BASICS of body mechanics and posistion?

I know-I know-I know there is no substitute for seat time, one on one instruction at the track etc---and I agree, but I'm looking for something I can ponder while violating other peoples civil rights and whatnot at work (the 4th amendment is sooooo overrated.)

I'll speak for myself when I say I appreciate those with track time helping those that are willing to ask sincere questions.

Going to the track for the 1st time is intimidating enough w/o the needless pressure to drag a knee, toe, ball sack, whatever. I know I'm not fast--therefore I simply bought gear that makes me LOOK fast--what else can a chubby guy do? I'll again extend my invitation to anybody going to Thunderhill on the 27th--find me in the pits (I'll be the one trying no to fall over on the bike) and your welcome to pick thru my box of baked goodness.

xoxoxox

T1

 

[rchristian56]

Number 55 there is going to get passed by the person behind him ridding with the propper technic and being able to power out of the corner earlier then him.

Seen it a hundred times...