- This topic has 12 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 7 months ago by Rupmisc.
Leg use in skid?
-
AuthorPosts
-
September 21, 2008 at 10:06 pm #2122RupmiscParticipant
Ok, here is a pure newbie question. I hit gravel today executing a blind ( and therefore slow ) turn. The rear wheel slid out. Now, I’d be stretching the truth to say I remember exactly how I executed the maneuver, but it did involve using my left leg (and a light whack on the shin/calf from the peg). I ended upright and in control, lucky me. Happy I had boots on.
My question is: when if ever, is it OK to put your foot down to assist with balance or control. Certainly I wouldn’t have wanted to do this above low speed, or on a heavier bike than a 250. At low speed or in dirt? Keep your feet on the pegs, period?
September 22, 2008 at 1:22 am #12466MunchParticipantI live down a long dirt road. I have intentionally gotten the rear loose in me in the gravel and I just let my body roll with it and get off the throttle. I do it intentionally to get the feel of it incase it does happen with out notice. Ofcourse that’s on my cruiser. Feet stayed on the pegs the whole time…..but that comes from 4 wheeling alot. Now a sport bike I can imagine is a whole different monster…not to mention the event of it not being a planned skid.
Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h
September 22, 2008 at 4:53 am #12472megaspazParticipantI say yes. Dirt riders use their leg to help them whip through tight turns. True a sports bike on the street’s a tad different, but between dropping your bike and saving it, it’s worth the risk. yeh you could snap your ankle or something putting your foot down, but you could also do that keeping your foot on the pegs and low siding with the bike landing on you. I dunno. I don’t see anything wrong with foot assisted saves. Now on a different note, most would say if the rear slides out, you should roll on more throttle so the rear has an easier time getting contact with the pavement which I would is probably what you should’ve done.
—
If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…September 22, 2008 at 5:15 am #12474MunchParticipant“Now on a different note, most would say if the rear slides out, you should roll on more throttle so the rear has an easier time getting contact with the pavement which I would is probably what you should’ve done.”
Pavement yes…. he was on gravel which is a HUGE wrong answer.
Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a prediction, but today…… is a Bi**h
September 22, 2008 at 5:21 am #12475megaspazParticipantnot necessarily. not if the gravel was just a patch of it and he was sliding on what would be pavement. if he was in the gravel or dirt on the side of the road, stand he bike up and pump the rear brakes. I’ve hit gravel patches on calaveras and slid the rear and rolling on the throttle worked wonders. ask jiriki. he was behind me.
edit: can there be some clarification? did you hit a gravel patch on the road or were you in the gravel on the side of the road?
—
If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…September 22, 2008 at 1:52 pm #12482RupmiscParticipantGravel began on the right side of the paved road, and covered the pavement up to to the edge of the road which was grass and gravel.
Sorry OT, some senator just referred to the Treasury having used up “all the bullets in its quiver”. Brilliant.
September 22, 2008 at 8:37 pm #12513eonParticipantI’m not so sure about putting your leg out. It’s probably what I would instinctively do but I don’t think it is a good idea. I’ve read on other forums about people getting bad injuries that way. Last Friday night while playing soccer I saw a girl break her ankle in 3 places WHILE STANDING STILL. She turned but her foot did not. I saw her foot hanging at 90’s to her leg, damn near passed out myself. If you can do that standing still imagine what you can do at 10mph with 400lbs of motorcycle to support. If the bike is going down then get out of the way, but trying to support it while it is going at an odd angle sounds like trouble.
September 23, 2008 at 1:11 pm #12552RupmiscParticipantEon raises an interesting point. I have been riding in pretty basic Sidi boots. They would protect against friction, but they aren’t tight enough to really provide ankle support. I know that they are expensive, and look a bit extreme, but what about the higher end Sidi “race” boots that can be adjusted to hug your calf and lock your foot in place? Anyone recommend, or not, getting boots like the Sidi Vertigo series?
Thanks.
September 23, 2008 at 1:14 pm #12553RupmiscParticipantI don’t know what I should have done with the throttle/clutch. I don’t even know what I did. For all I know, I flapped my arms and kept the bike upright. I guess that’s why we practice, because when you really need the skill, you need to do it without thinking.
September 23, 2008 at 4:40 pm #12567MattParticipantPutting foot down
Are we discussing stickign a leg out for balance control, or are we discussing dabbing your foot on the ground?
Dirt riders stick their legs out for balance control, the foot ideally never touches the ground. What this does is it changes the bikes centre of gravity, much like leaning your upper body, only it does it low, below the CoG, to keep the bike from flopping or falling over. On a tall Dirt style bike (dual sport, enduro, etc) this works well.
On a lower sport type bike, it doesn’t work as well. The bike has a very different CoG, and moving your body around and hugging the tank with your knees is a much better alternative.Planting or dabbing your foot is a big No No. Contact between your foot and the ground can end up with you in a world of hurt.
I mean, morphine is fun and all, but steel pins holding you ankle together, not so much.Feet on pegs, and when thigns get hairy, crush that tank with your thighs, push the bar in the bar in the direction you want to go, and lan your body in the direction you want to go. One guy described it really well to me – you don’t push with your arm, you keep your arm in the same position (but not locked) and push with your shoulder – thereby counter steering and leaning at the same time – works wonders for me.
—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”September 25, 2008 at 1:06 am #12691RupmiscParticipantRear tire slid right. Bike was leaning way left, with tire still sliding. I pushed off (I think). Would have been worse with a bigger bike. Not sure I could have moved fast enough to shift my body weight. Would have been “pushing” up hill. Throttle? I guess you had to be there. I’ll just accept being lucky.
I also will get a pair of boots that can be adjusted to tighten around my ankle and calf (like some of the Sidi racing boots). Better to look silly and have the support.
Thanks Matt, what you said makes sense.
September 25, 2008 at 1:52 am #12699megaspazParticipantideally, the foot never comes down, but you can bet it will come down if needed for quick balance corrections. i’m not saying always put your foot down, just that it’s a natural reaction and can work in keeping the bike falling on top of you and if you do it, who cares if other people looking at you think you’re a knob. at least the bike’s upright. that’s how i see it anyway…
—
If there’s anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now…September 25, 2008 at 2:53 am #12711RupmiscParticipantI hope that if the time comes again, by brain will work fast enough to let me do more than react. I guess that the only way to practice this would be with a dirt bike?
‘Cause I’m not sure I’d try it in a parking lot.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.