good ride

[Myzon26]

are either one of you going on the ride sunday?

[Chrisoh]

i'm not a professional rider so don't take this as a challenge. ^^^you^^^ are probably a lot more experienced than i am, but if you are leaning off the bike and you do slide wouldn't that just put you that much closer to a low side?

As Dweezel said if you go into a corner at 40 mph sitting straight up and down you have a higher chance of low side due to the fact that all your weight is centered over the tires making them work harder, also to go through that corner at that speed you are carrying roughly 5 degrees more of lean angle then you would have just having your body over 3 inches and you upper body leaned into the corner. So more force on the tires and more lean angle at a given speed = higher chance to lowside.

Throw in a bump in said corner and chances go up even more. Hanging off when you hit the bump the force of the bump the suspension does not soak up gets transfered to you, and since you are off the bikes center line only a portion of that gets transferred back to the center line of the bike and your traction level. Sitting straight on the center line there is extra weight over the center line of the bike and will transfers more force to the suspension and tires as the bike tries to settle then it would hanging off.

Also to your sliding point if the tire does slide (front example) hanging off you can actually throw you knee in the ground and pick the bike back up. Front slides are caused by 3 things: Debri such as gravel or tar strips, Poor throttle inpust (chopping throttle shut mid corner), and braking to far leaned over. Most time either just letting off the brakes or opening the throttle some will save it. If all your weight is centered over the bike all your weight is being put into the front tire at max %

Rear slides either Debri or throttle releated, if you are centered on the bike your suspension will take more force once the tire regains traction and intensify the highside, and hanging off could give you tire a better chance to regain traction sooner.

I am disappointed in myself I couldn't save my slide that resulted in my highside 2 weeks ago. I can generally save them, but I made a bigger mistake than usual and paid for it.

[Chrisoh]

Nope I have a seperated shoulder from my highside 2 weeks ago at my last race.

Even if you conciously just move your upper body to inside that center line and lower on the bike will make a big difference. Even Keith Code teaches his students to only move their butts half off the seat, but stresses getting your upper body lower and in.

[Myzon26]

makes a little more sense now thanks for explaining that

[Chrisoh]

makes a little more sense now thanks for explaining that

No problem, always around to help..

[kawi kid]

How hard you ride your bike had nothing to do with hanging off. If you are out riding some curves at 40mph and using 80% of your tires grip sitting straight up and down.

If you hang off going 40 mph you will be using (guesstimate) only 50%-60% of your bikes grip. So if you do end up hitting a bit of gravel or a slick tar strip you have a better chance of not crasing with less lean angle. I am not saying everyone needs to hang off like they are dragging elbows, but just moving over couple inches in the seat and getting your body lower and on the inside of the bikes center line makes a huge difference. But for this to work you must be relaxed on the bars too.

Riding around town if I dont move my upper body at least even just making a turn on to another road I feel awkward and out of place.

I know I am at a point where I have been some real rough tracks and now when I am riding at around the 100% level I tense up then end up having to back my speed off because the bike is moving around more then my competitors.

very very well put excellent job:)