Want to learn to go faster round roundabouts ?

[jaffa]

I've been reading a thread https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=25050 and it is by far the busiest thread on the forum at the moment.

I'm curious whether there's anyone else in here who's not interested in getting their knee down - in the slightest.

I can't tell whether the posts are tongue-in-cheek or serious, are people really spending their time going round and round on roundabouts trying to touch their knee on the floor?

I've seen it done in racing but I thought it was a consequence of going so fast and (through necessity) hanging off so far that eventually their knees touched the floor. Surely getting your knee down for the sake of it is a bit like grunting when you're playing tennis, most of the top players do it but in itself it doesn't make you a better player.

It would seem to me that the knee down is more important to some than the speed or skill with which they can negotiate a corner, who's the better rider someone who gets their knee down or someone who manages to go a little faster without doing so?

I rated the first post in the thread as funny though, because of the suggestion that getting your knee down was a safety benefit.

As always, it's just my opinion.

[palmer]

in my opnion getting your knee down on a public road means your going a bit to fast, well unless the road it clear etc.

but save the antics for the safer and grippier track days

[Bendy]

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=28181 might be of interest.

[G]

As I said in the thread bendy posted:

[jaffa]

[california_rookie]

I think the whole fascination with getting our knees down is rooted in the fact that it's what we see our racing idols doing over and over on TV. I don't try to get my knee down at all, mostly because a bump mid-corner would probably rip my leg clean off, something which I've not got much interest in. I do, however, hang off the bike quite a ways. This seems necessary to me, though...
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[G]

[Demonic69]

Don't knock it if you can't do it Knee down has made me a much faster rider, purely because I now know the limits of the bike, which no normal road rider could ever claim to knowing without scraped sliders.
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[jaffa]

[G]

The 100mph+ knee down corner is on a track. Corams at Snetterton. I wouldn't do that on the road unless I knew for sure the surface was good, the road was clear and there was no obvious hazards.
As an aside, I've been going around there at what I thought was an acceptable speed; until someone came past me, quite a bit faster than me... with only one hand on the bars!
I later found it he is actually a racer who only has the use of one arm. Impressive, still.

I would agree you can't push a big sports bike to it's limits on the road. That's why I got a rs250, so I can get nearer the bike's limits of acceleration more of the time. Even then, I won't intentionally take it anywhere near the limits I would be pushing on track

[Silver]

There is a common misconception that you have to go fast to get your knee down. Yes, speed plays a part, but I know corners that can be taken quicker if you don't try and get your knee down.

From my own perspective, I found it makes me a better rider - not riding with my knee down, but the ability to do it. I know exactly how far the bike will go over. Let me explain: I've heard so many people (and I said the same) say "I can almost get my knee down" or "I was so close to getting me knee down". You watch them and they're invariably a good six inches from the deck. The first time I did it I almost fell off from the shock ( ) as it wasn't what I was concentrating on. But now, I know how far over the bike goes - I don't have this false belief that it's over all the way. To me, the single area where this has made me a better rider is in the wet and I'm very grateful for that.

I'm not one for endlessly lapping roundabouts as I can see that getting boring after ten minutes (and I can't find a decent one ) but on some twisty roads, or on a track I do get a sense of achivement. I don't go out to get my knee down, I ride somewhere and if I get my knee down on the way, all well and good.

[G]

As Silver said, also.

On my rs250 you /can/ get your knee down while being way within the bikes limits because it is so small.

This means that you can get your knee down and know fairly well how much you have got left.

A lot of people don't or can't hang off the bike enough, so it means they have to be leant over a lot more.
I've known plenty of people to get their pegs down before their knee; so not going to be 'right' for everyone.

[jaffa]

So in summary, racers get their knee down because they need to, road riders get their knee down if they want to.

So my tennis grunting analogy was pretty much spot on.

[MarJay]

Jaffa,

From reading your posts, for some reason the following phrase enters my head:

[G]

Only intermediates, I'm afraid.

In the fast group most riders can keep a decent speed around corners; bike size has less effect than you might think.

Also, to reply to your original post:

[MarJay]

[jaffa]

First

I never said

[Ste]

The actual riding laps of the roundabout isn't going to change anything, trying to learn how much you can push the bike in a corner is an improvement in your riding skill.

[mrchips]

I remember when I got my peg down first time it scared me because I'd got my toe down previous which is easier while trying to, but got my peg down when I wasn't concentrating on doing it. Havn't done that in a good 3 or 4 months now cause of crap tyres and little wet leaning confidence.
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[jjonth]

I can remember I got it down for the first time around a roundabout on my Aprilia RS125, now I think I must of been nuts doing that on a public road lol.

That was only 6 months ago lol, I see no need at all to do anything like that on the road, but on the track... The knee is not enough now, I can remembr at Brands Hatch in September, the toe was down around almost every corner lol and sometimes the peg, apart from Paddock Hill, which I still find scarey, especially after every race I started, was stopped becuse someone had to be taken away in an Ambulance after falling off there. I almost came off at Anglesey when the peg decked out, It kind of flicked me up a bit, but that 115 rear tyre had more than enough grip to keep me upright!

You know when you have got it over far when you don't have to stick your knee out to get it scaping lol.

[G]

A lof of people getting their knee down on roundabouts is just 'pissing about'. Personally it bores me after not to long usually.

However it does have a use as well, maybe not endlessly circling at a constant speed, but pushing your and your bikes limits.
This will make the person a more skilled rider in most cases. How peopel go on to use that skill is another matter.

[Silver]

[jaffa]

[Silver]

[MarJay]