View Poll Results: Why does having your knee out help you corner?
Putting your knee out shifts the center of gravity so less lean is needed to make the turn
29
47.54%
Putting your knee out adds wind resistance, pulling the bike into the turn
1
1.64%
Both shifts the CoG and adds wind resistance
20
32.79%
I dunno!!!
11
18.03%
Voters: 61. You may not vote on this poll
Why does having your knee out help you corner?
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Senior Member
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From: West Philly, PA!
Why does having your knee out help you corner?
Was reading through Total Control (I think). They were talking about body positioning in turns and I thought I read something about why putting your knee out helps you to corner.
So that's the question. Vote on the answer. And don't look at me because I'm not sure what's the correct answer
So that's the question. Vote on the answer. And don't look at me because I'm not sure what's the correct answer
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From: Dirty Jerz
Depends on the skill, I think. Talk to an "amateur" track junkie and some will tell you that it helps them to "feel" their lean angle. Talk to some of those MotoGP guys and they'll tell you they're literally using their knee to keep the bike up and not wash out. As for me, I weigh 220+ lbs so I just shift my *** over a couple inches and don't bother with my knee because more than enough weight is shifted over as it is.
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IMO , I think it really does all of the above mentioned things to a degree at some point, depending entirely how hard you ride? , your preferred style? and where and what you are riding perhaps? (track race bike or on the road on a cruiser) ??
Personally , if you need to drag your knee or stick it way out on the roads , you are prolly getting into a bit of over kill , or you are going way !! to fast on public roads ...?
Like raylee said , a few inches of bum movement or perhaps a slight upper body lean , is plenty for me to negotiate near anything that I run into on the roads at pretty reasonable speeds !!! ....
Personally , if you need to drag your knee or stick it way out on the roads , you are prolly getting into a bit of over kill , or you are going way !! to fast on public roads ...?
Like raylee said , a few inches of bum movement or perhaps a slight upper body lean , is plenty for me to negotiate near anything that I run into on the roads at pretty reasonable speeds !!! ....
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From: Tulsa,OK
You missed the most important reason, "It looks cool and makes you look faster!".
Personally, not being Van Damme, I can't spread my knees that well, I focus more on the out-side knee against the tank to maintain ride position and body leverage on the corners.
Ern
Personally, not being Van Damme, I can't spread my knees that well, I focus more on the out-side knee against the tank to maintain ride position and body leverage on the corners.
Ern
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BTW - where are all the votes guys ???
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The idea is to shift your weight and to keep the bike as upright as possible to maximize the side of your contact patch. As stated above, in some cases the rider actually uses the knee puck to hold himself up in the turn.
I don't think wind plays a part in the cornering action, most corners which could be taken at speeds high enough to cause wind drag on your knee would most likely not require you to put your knee out. Unless of course you are doing it for the "cool" factor.
I don't think wind plays a part in the cornering action, most corners which could be taken at speeds high enough to cause wind drag on your knee would most likely not require you to put your knee out. Unless of course you are doing it for the "cool" factor.
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From: Dirty Jerz
Watch for the lane changes. Lookin slick out there.
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From: West Philly, PA!
No, I didn't. This is an actual question