Why do riders hang off bikes ?

The Old Geeza · Back in my day... Joined: 25 May 2005 Karma :

This is another long post from yours truly (as ever - yawn!), but please bear with me. I'll try to break it down into bite-sized chunks.

I'm not an experienced rider by any stretch of the imagination, but there are times when I feel totally relaxed and flip the bike around to the best of MY ability. Which is not necessarily the the BIKES abilities.

I lean my bike into corners and roundabouts pretty well (or so I think) but I always maintain a normal riding position. That is, I always stay seated in the normal riding position and just follow the angle of the bike as I lean it. I've never had a so much as a peg down let alone a knee down, and I've still got pretty good chicken strips. But I'm not ambitious to lose ANY of them at the moment.

I would like to lean the bike further in order to take the corners and roundabouts faster. I know it can be done, but, I always fear that if I lean the bike anymore it's simply going to slide away from me and I'll end up on my arse. I'm not talking racing type riding here, just normal town and country stuff.

So, remaining in the normal seated position, how far can I lean my bike before I lose it completely ?

And, why do other bikers shift their weight and hang off the bike like a monkey ? Surely this is not required for normal town and country biking ?

Sorry for the long post, but I know there are far more experienced bikers out there who can help me. And I look forward to everyone's reply.

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McJamweasel · BCF Junkie Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Karma :

The hanging off is all about weight distribution. It gets the riders weight more over the centre of gravity when the bike is banked - this gives the tyres an easier time and means that you need less lean angle for a given corner speed.

Try it - you might like it.
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VFR400UK · Scooby Slapper Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Karma :

Weight shifting isnt required unless your riding at such speed that the bike would be unable to make the corner otherwise.

Knee down is VERY overrated. I get sick of seeing people lapping roundabouts scraping their knee on the ground whilst the bike isnt far off upright!
It's for bragging rights and thats about it.

Peg down is a real indication of reaching your bikes lean angle limit, although its not good as the peg can bite and spit you off Shocked

Knee down is only really good for helping you to see how far over the bike is and adjust accordingly to stop the peg hitting.

In all honesty doing such things on public roads with learner drivers and deisel spills about is unneccicary and basically showing off!

If it's just more confidence that you are looking for i suggest you go to a roundabout with a friend and gradually lean more untill your satisfied that the bike won't go from uder you when you lean it that bit futher.

McJamweasel · BCF Junkie Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Karma :

I would disagree that weight shifting is uneccessary on the road. Don't get it confused with knee down - moving off the seat does not mean that you will get/go for knee down. Infact - weight shifting doesn't even need to be you shifting your ass, it can just be moving your upper body into the corner.

As I said, weight shifting means that your tyres have an easier time. That can mean the difference between getting where you're going or sliding off a wet, greasy roundabout.
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Chriss · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 May 2005 Karma :

For me, it prepares me for the corner, shifting my weight helps me look round the corner, and even if I think I've gone in too hot, I know my knee will go down before I need to start to panic, if I don't hang off (I don't quite hang off like a monkey) I don't have the same reason for some reason. Just the way I do it.
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Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

I agree with McJam - I shift my weight a lot in the wet, without going particulary fast. It's because I want the bike as upright as possible so that as much tyre is in contact with the ground as possible.

The Old Geeza · Back in my day... Joined: 25 May 2005 Karma :

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White Noise · Mr Dudwee Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Karma :

The Old Geeza · Back in my day... Joined: 25 May 2005 Karma :

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

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stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Ride your bike to Ullapool in Scotland. From there head north to Durness (70 more miles). By the time you are there, you will know how far your bike can lean Wink

I shift a bum cheek off one side of the saddle as I go round corners if I am pushing it or if the road surface is crappy. Shifting your weight off the bike lets you keep it more upright.
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The Old Geeza · Back in my day... Joined: 25 May 2005 Karma :

White Noise · Mr Dudwee Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Karma :

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colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

i agree with fruit about shiftint you weight to the outside for tight turns, as i can use that to do a u turn on my rs125

the idea of hanging off the bike is to create the same turning forcewithout having to lean it over so far. Tyres have more grip if they are more upright

modern tyres have quite a lot of grip even if they are leaned over, but hanging off first came about when racers had skiiny tyres so if they leaned it to much the tyre would lose grip quite badly

i am tempted to draw a diagram with forces and centres of gravity but I cant quite be bothered. I might add it later if the mood catches me

i have found mini motos excellent for learning about hanging off and getting knee down ( not always done at the same time)

i hang off on my rs125 but havnt got my knee down yet
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strag · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Karma :

'Hanging off' does not mean you are getting the bike to lean further, in fact you can, though not always, have the bike more upright and leave more of a 'footprint' on the tarmac. More tyre on the tarmac = more grip. As mentioned above you distribute the weight so the bike will go round the corner.

One of me at Donnington GP last friday...

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/strag/KDCustom.jpg
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Dracan · Trackday Trickster Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Karma :

Craggles · Traffic Copper Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

lilredmachine · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jan 2005 Karma :

hmm... they're allowed to put a foot down on a u turn...
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Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

Here's some inspiration Old Geeza!

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

You can lean old bikes too.

This is Mike Hailwood sitting bolt upright on a 1960's race bike with everything decked out.
https://epll.no-ip.com/fotos/campeons/Hailwood12.jpg

These are his tyres!

Now look at the rubber you have on your bike.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

i love the movie posted by craggles
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