How to drag my knee?

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The Doctor
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How to drag my knee?

#1 Unread post by The Doctor »

I've been riding for about 2 years now and I just traded my 96 SecaII for a 04 Z1000. I wanna learn to drag my knee so I can eventually have track days. I just don't have the money to go to a race class. any suggestions on knee dragging techniques?
and gear, I have a couple of nice riding jackets but I need padded pants.
Thanks in advance.

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OreoGaborio
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#2 Unread post by OreoGaborio »

first thing's first.... you don't have to be able to drag a knee on the street to do a track day. It's not a prerequisite. In fact, I've been doing track days and racing for a few years as well as instructing at the track now and I've NEVER put my knee down on a public road. The only place my knees have touched is the race track. If you're dragging them on the street you need to back off because you're riding WELL beyond reasonable limits for the street. There are WAY too many variables for ANYONE, but especially someone who doesn't have any significant training to be riding like that on public roads.

The best tip i can give you on how to drag a knee is do it at the track. Do it at the track and DON'T make dragging a knee one of your goals. If you go out on the track and your primary goal is to scuff your pucks, guess what... it's probably not gonna happen... or if it does, it probably won't happen the way you want (ie, you'll scuff your knee... followed by your elbow, hip, shoulder, "O Ring", hands, thighs etc etc etc.)

Instead of being concerned with planting a puck you need to concentrate on the basics... being smooth, being loose, being consistent and using proper technique. THAT will lead you to scuff marks on the pucks.

The reason for that is because you only have so much brain power... if you go into a corner thinking "DRAG A KNEE, DRAG A KNEE, DRAG A KNEE!" cuz guess what, it probably WON'T happen because your brain can't think about the things you SHOULD be thinking about.. like "be smooth, be loose, get into the proper body position, break here, turn in here, carry good cornerspeed" etc. If you do all that, then it'll put you where you need to be to get the pucks down.
-Pete
LRRS/CCS#187
Rider for [url=http://www.eck-racing.com]ECK Racing[/url], instructor for Tony's Track Days and RiderCoach for [url=http://www.ironstoneventures.com]Ironstone Ventures[/url]
[url=http://www.tonystrackdays.com][img]http://www.tonystrackdays.com/custom/images/Logos/banner1.jpg[/img][/url]
The Garage: '03 Aprilia Tuono (street/track) | '06 Suzuki SV650 (race)

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The Doctor
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#3 Unread post by The Doctor »

Thanks, that was really helpful. I wasn't thinking on dragging my knee on public roads, I know I can be dangerous, you hit the point though I just wanna know what I should be concentrating on.

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OreoGaborio
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#4 Unread post by OreoGaborio »

cool, glad to hear it helped.

To reiterate - Smooth is fast. All your inputs should be butter smooth and blend together. Some people use the terms "Brottle and Thrake" to describe the blending of Throttle and Brakes when entering and exiting a corner.

To elaborate - Try to use only one steering input per turn and make it a strong positive "turn now" input rather than a lazy slow lean-in. The quicker you go from straight up to your intended lean angle the better. Also, set your body up early. get into position while you're still straight up and down and once you begin the turn you shouldn't have to change your body position. If you do it'll upset the suspension.

These are the types of things you should be concentrating on... that and expanding your tilt meter (on the track ;)) and eventually you'll get to the point where you'll be going fast enough in the corners for the ground to be in reaching distance of your knee.
-Pete
LRRS/CCS#187
Rider for [url=http://www.eck-racing.com]ECK Racing[/url], instructor for Tony's Track Days and RiderCoach for [url=http://www.ironstoneventures.com]Ironstone Ventures[/url]
[url=http://www.tonystrackdays.com][img]http://www.tonystrackdays.com/custom/images/Logos/banner1.jpg[/img][/url]
The Garage: '03 Aprilia Tuono (street/track) | '06 Suzuki SV650 (race)

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