Imagine you are riding your motorcycle on the track, approaching a tight corner at high speed. You lean into the turn, feeling the adrenaline rush and the thrill of the challenge. But then, something goes wrong. Your lower body position is off, and you lose traction and control. You slide out of the curve, crashing into the barriers and injuring yourself. This is a nightmare scenario that can happen to any rider, regardless of their skill level. And it can be avoided with proper lower body position.
Lower body position is one of the most important aspects of motorcycle road racing. It affects your balance, stability, cornering speed, and safety. It also helps you communicate with your bike, letting it know where you want to go and how fast. In this blog post, we will explain everything you need to know about lower body position, from the basics to the advanced techniques. So let's start this essential topic for motorcycle road racing.🏁🏍️
What you will learn:
Why lower body position is important?
The main purpose of the lower body position is to shift your weight to the inside of the turn, which reduces the lean angle of the bike and increases the contact patch of the tire. This allows you to brake later, accelerate sooner, and carry more speed through the corner.
Lower body position also helps you to countersteer the bike more effectively, which makes it easier to steer and change direction.
It reduces the stress on your upper body and arms, which prevents fatigue and arm pump. By using your legs and core muscles to support your weight, you can relax your grip on the handlebars and avoid tensing up. This improves your feel and feedback from the bike, as well as your confidence and control.
To improve your physical fitness for this demanding sport check out our article on exercises specifically for motorcycle racing.
Lower body position is not only important for fast lap times but also for safety and comfort. By adopting a proper lower body position, you can avoid dragging your knees or feet on the ground, which can cause crashes or injuries. You can also prevent sliding off the seat or losing traction, which can be dangerous and scary.
The basics of lower body position
Feet: Your feet should be placed on the footpegs with the balls of your feet touching the pegs. This allows you to use your ankles to adjust your lean angle and absorb bumps on the track. Avoid putting your heels or arches on the pegs, as this will reduce your mobility and control.
Knees: Your knees should be gripping the tank firmly, especially on the inside leg. This will help you support your body weight and reduce the pressure on your arms and wrists. Your inside knee should also point outwards towards the apex of the corner, creating a pivot point for your lower body. Your outside knee should stay close to the tank unless you need to shift your weight to the other side.
Hips: Your hips should be aligned with the direction of the bike, not the direction of the corner. This means that you should slide your hips off the seat slightly on the inside of the corner, creating a counterbalance effect. Your hips should not be too far off the seat, as this will make it harder to transition from one side to the other. Your hips should also not be too close to the seat, as this will reduce your lean angle and cornering speed.
The benefits of lower body position
Balance: Lower body position helps you balance your weight on the bike. By moving your hips and legs to the inside of the turn, you create a counterweight that balances the bike's lean angle. This reduces the stress on your arms and wrists and allows you to relax your upper body. A relaxed upper body is essential for smooth and precise steering inputs.
Stability: Lower body position also helps you stabilize the bike. By locking your outside leg against the tank, you create a solid connection with the bike. This gives you more control and confidence, especially when braking hard or accelerating out of corners. A stable bike is easier to handle and more predictable.
Cornering speed: Lower body position can also increase your cornering speed. By moving your lower body to the inside of the turn, you reduce the bike's lean angle for a given speed and radius. This means you can carry more speed through the corner without risking a low side crash. A lower lean angle also increases the contact patch of your tires, which gives you more grip and traction.
The common mistakes of lower body position
Mistake 1: Hanging off too much or too little
Hanging off too much means that you are leaning your body too far to the inside of the corner, creating a large gap between your body and the bike.
This can cause you to lose traction, stability, and control of the bike. Hanging off too little means that you are not leaning your body enough to the inside of the corner, creating a small gap between your body and the bike. This can cause you to lean the bike more than necessary, increasing tire wear and reducing cornering speed.
The solution is to find the right balance between hanging off too much and too little. You should aim to align your shoulder, hip, and knee with the bike's centerline, creating a smooth transition from the bike to your body. You should also keep your upper body relaxed and avoid tensing up your arms or shoulders. This will help you maintain a natural and comfortable lower body position.
Mistake 2: Locking your knees on the tank
Locking your knees means that you are squeezing the tank too hard with your legs, creating a rigid and stiff lower body position. This can cause you to lose flexibility, mobility, and feel for the bike. It can also make it harder to switch sides from one corner to another.
The solution is to relax your knees and use them as a guide rather than a clamp. You should lightly touch the tank with your knees, creating a gentle contact point that helps you stabilize your lower body position. You should also use your core muscles and feet to support your weight and balance on the bike. This will help you move more freely and smoothly on the bike.
Mistake 3: Pointing your toes out or in
Pointing your toes out means that you are rotating your feet outward, creating a wide and open lower body position. Pointing your toes in means that you are rotating your feet inward, creating a narrow and closed lower body position. Both of these can cause you to lose grip, stability, and control of the bike.
The solution is to point your toes forward or slightly inward. This will help you align your feet with the direction of the bike, creating a neutral and balanced lower body position. It will also help you use your feet as leverage points to push and pull the bike in corners.
You should also keep your heels close to the footpegs and avoid dangling them in the air. This will help you maintain a compact and aerodynamic lower body position.
Mistake 4: Moving your hips too much or too little
Moving your hips too much means that you are sliding your hips back and forth on the seat, creating an unstable and inconsistent lower body position. Moving your hips too little means that you are keeping your hips fixed on the seat, creating a rigid and inflexible lower body position. Both of these can cause you to lose balance, comfort, and confidence on the bike.
The solution is to move your hips just enough on the seat. You should aim to shift your hips slightly to the inside of the corner, creating a slight offset from the bike's centerline. You should also keep your hips parallel to the seat, avoiding twisting or tilting them. This will help you maintain a stable and flexible lower body position.
The Advanced techniques of lower body position
Use your knee as a reference point for your lean angle. By touching your knee to the ground, you can gauge how much you are leaning the bike and adjust accordingly. This can help you avoid over-leaning or under-leaning, which can compromise your traction and corner exit speed.
use your foot as a lever to control your body weight distribution. By applying pressure to the inside or outside of your foot peg, you can shift your weight forward or backward, which can affect your braking and acceleration. For example, if you apply pressure to the inside of your foot peg while braking, you can transfer more weight to the front tire and increase your braking power. Conversely, if you apply pressure to the outside of your foot peg while accelerating, you can transfer more weight to the rear tire and increase your traction.
Use your hips as a pivot point to initiate your body movement. By rotating your hips slightly in the direction of the turn, you can start moving your upper body and lower body in sync, which can reduce the amount of input needed on the handlebars and make your transitions smoother. This can also help you maintain a consistent body position throughout the corner and avoid unnecessary corrections. You should also avoid crossing your hips over the centerline of the bike, as this creates an awkward and unstable position. To rotate your hips effectively, you should use your core muscles and your outside leg as leverage points.
Knee down or knee up? This is a common question among riders who want to improve their lower body position. The answer is not simple, as it depends on several factors, such as your riding style, the type of bike, the track layout, and the grip level. Generally speaking, knee down is more suitable for tight and twisty tracks, where you need to lean the bike a lot and use your knee as a reference point. Knee up is more suitable for fast and flowing tracks, where you need to keep the bike more upright and use your foot as a reference point. However, there are exceptions, and you should always experiment with different positions to find what works best for you.
How to practice and improve your lower body position
Start with the basics. Before you try to master the advanced techniques, you need to have a solid foundation. Make sure you have a comfortable and relaxed grip on the handlebars, a proper seat position, and a smooth throttle control. These are the essential elements of riding a motorcycle on the track.
Use your legs to support your weight. One of the common mistakes that riders make is putting too much weight on their arms and wrists, which causes fatigue and reduces steering precision. Instead, you should use your legs to support your weight and grip the tank with your knees. This will allow you to relax your upper body and have more control over the bike.
Move your hips to the inside of the turn. When you approach a corner, you should move your hips to the inside of the turn, as if you are sliding off the seat. This will help you lean the bike more easily and reduce the lean angle of your body. You should aim to have your outside knee in line with the edge of the seat and your inside knee pointing outwards.
Keep your feet on the pegs. Another common mistake that riders make is lifting their feet off the pegs when they move their hips. This can cause instability and loss of traction. You should keep your feet on the pegs at all times and use them to push against the bike and adjust your position. You should also keep your toes pointed inwards to avoid dragging them on the ground.
Practice on both sides. Some riders tend to favor one side over the other when it comes to lower body position. This can create an imbalance and affect your performance. You should practice on both sides equally and try to be consistent with your movements. You can use markers on the track or a video camera to check your progress and identify areas for improvement.
FAQ Section
Q: What is lower body position in motorcycle road racing?
A: Lower body position is how you sit and move your legs and feet on the bike when cornering. It affects your balance, control, and lean angle.
Q: How do I improve my lower body position?
A: Here are some tips to improve your lower body position:
- Use your legs to grip the tank and support your weight.
- Keep your hips perpendicular to the bike, not twisted or leaning.
- Move your butt to the inside edge of the seat before entering a turn.
- Keep your feet on the balls of your feet, ready to shift or brake.
- Keep a small gap between your crotch and the tank.
Q: Why is lower body position important for road racing?
A: Lower body position is important for road racing because it helps you:
- Achieve a higher lean angle and corner speed.
- Reduce the stress on your arms and wrists.
- Increase your stability and confidence.
- Avoid dragging parts of the bike or your body on the ground.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we have explained the importance of lower body position for motorcycle road racing on the track. We hope you have found this guide helpful and informative. Remember, a perfect lower body position is not something you can master overnight. It takes practice, patience, and feedback to find the optimal position for your riding style and bike. Keep working on it and you will see the results in your lap times and confidence.
Tell us any feedback, suggestions, or any topic you want covered in the comments. We'd love to hear it❤️
Faster. Better. Safer.
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