What's up members:

As the title states, this has been a subject of conversation among riders for years with some having an interest to do it on the street or track or not caring to do it at all.

Some riders describing the feeling when they first got a knee down as a tremendous rush of excitement, some said they didn't mean to do it on the track but it happened, while others struggle to get the knee down but never do.

I've always wanted to do it and although I've been riding for 12+ years and I have been to the track a few times and I've gotten close, I never touched the puck until this year. What they say about the feeling is so true, especially if you've longed to do it. Body positioning has a ton to do with it and although my BP was pretty good, it became much, much better after attending the California Superbike School. They helped me tweak a couple of things that make the BP even better than before.

Wanted to see you guys identifies with this, so where do you fall under:

1.) Have you always wanted to get a knee down street or track but haven't yet?

2.) Yes, you've gotten the knee down on the street and/or track?

3.) You really don't care about getting a knee down?

4.) You've tried but fear you're going to fall?

5.) You wish you knew how to get the knee down?

Please explain you position on the subject.

* Last updated by: WillsZX14R on 10/19/2016 @ 6:50 AM *

1.) Have you always wanted to get a knee down street or track but haven't yet?

I assume I am far enough away from this goal to not worry about it happening by surprise. I have looked in the past to see how far away my knee is and it appeared to be ~ 4". I'm not worrying about until I can wear my rear tire to the edge on the street. My legs are not long and I probably won't do it on the 14 without hanging off more than i should. I did once hit a bump hanging off and my outside foot came right off the peg. I grabbed the side of the bike with my heel.

When I was racing my YSR I had the knee planted everywhere. Would just throw it down and ride the puck all the way through the corner. On my TZR250 I only started regularly dragging when I was in my last season. I am 6'3" and should be dragging all over the place but I have discovered that my issue is that my knees just don't bend enough to really get off the side of the bike. Especially as I get older. Doesn't restrict my speed on the track though, I'm just smooth and don't stress my tires that much. On the street I only dragged once on a Seca Turbo, completely by accident, wearing jeans....ouch!
I knew a kid who would drag his knee down the freeway going in a straight line. So dragging knee by itself does not necessarily mean speed. It's more variable depending on the bike and the rider.

Mad

1.) Have you always wanted to get a knee down street or track but haven't yet?

I think I am getting closer as I spend more time on the track learning and focusing on BP. I know I have the bike over to its limit as I drag parts and have to be careful as I have scraped my boots. I guess I could move my pegs up and back some more but not willing to sacrifice riding comfort anymore.

I think I will get that pleasure of putting my knee on the pavement this next year when trackdays start up again.

1.) Have you always wanted to get a knee down street or track but haven't yet?
No. It was a necessity. Had the boots refurbished a lot. It helped a little, but still went thru scrubbing the sides down.

2.) Yes, you've gotten the knee down on the street and/or track?
Street wise, held off someone, boom, ruined a pair of jeans, plus skin burn.

3.) You really don't care about getting a knee down?
Again, body off bike, knees as feelers. A helpful gauge.

4.) You've tried but fear you're going to fall?
Nope. It becomes comfortable and is a part of the racing game.

5.) You wish you knew how to get the knee down?
The hot setup back in my era was to armorall the seat and butt.

The ideal combo is to scrape pegs, scrape knees at the same time. If you don't have that going on, change hobbies.

Just always been concerned about my knees.. I lay floors for a living and am always aware of anything that might damage them. Hard to get over that mindset even tho when I started doing trackdays in 2002 , it was what everyone shot for.. Me , I was just happy to not fall down :) I didn't even wear pucks half the time..

* Last updated by: chrly on 10/19/2016 @ 1:47 PM *

For me, just getting a good angle on the bike was plenty enough fun...no matter which one I was on..
Guess I am proof that "sometimes" it is tuff to teach an old dog new tricks ....

Getting a knee down is so 1980's.......

It's all about scraping elbows now!

david5525 - guess your definitely almost there if you're scraping boots. Tuck the boot toes inside the peg, hang a cheek off, push the knee out and bam you're there.

piken - so true about the elbows...for me definitely not a goal.

Nice pics chrly!!

Mad

Rook -at 4" means you're real close..very close.

chrly - great pic...the perfect knee-down track machine!

Shop rag under duct tape...http://s149.photobucket.com/user/wazfst1tyme/media/85%20knee_zpsjnzlj1be.jpg.html?sort=3&o=16

* Last updated by: Hub on 10/20/2016 @ 3:11 PM *

I dunno..I might try with a skateboard attached to my knee....If I had a skateboard..

^ haha wouldn't be a bad idea...nice and smooth.

Rook -at 4" means you're real close..very close.

I would hope so. I've thought about using a block of styrofoam taped to my knee just to get the sensation before I can actually touch down. Lee Parks does something like that in his training program.

* Last updated by: Rook on 10/21/2016 @ 8:05 AM *

Maybe try using some "Rain" knee pucks first. They are thicker
then normal knee pucks.

Rain knee pucks

* Last updated by: piken on 10/21/2016 @ 9:01 PM *

Thanks. That would get me closer but I think I'm going to need a bit more than that.

Piken - got a good point there. Actually that's what I first used then once (Klucky ones) I got used to them and felt comfortable enough I then switched and began using the regular Alpinestars pucks. Scraped those without a problem but of course your body position needs to be a bit lower.

http://picclick.co.uk/Marc-Marquez-Hand-Signed-12x8-Photo-Repsol-Honda-401166445945.html#&gid=1&pid=1

^^^ now that's totally insanely low lean angle. Marc is a beast when it comes to leaning the gp machine.

Do ya think it's a race bike?

^^^ the photo?

Do ya think it's a race bike?