Went out today for my last spin of the year. Bike going to bed this fri. Spent this morning fitting my stomp grip then realised that I don't seem to ride with my knees clamped to tank. Even under heavy braking I keep my knees away from tank. Going round Left hand corners, left leg out and right leg barely touches tank, same with right hand corners. Have I created a unique riding style.. Other question I want to ask on here, When I ride I leave my Index finger covering the brake lever, even riding through the town. Does anyone else cover there brake or ride with all fingers on grip.
Wrong way to ride I'm afraid Bry, check out A Twist of the Wrist by Keith Code and he'll tell you why. Much more control over your bike if you grip the tank when cornering and especially under heavy braking. Same thing goes for extra pressure on your footpegs when tipping into a bend and pushing and pulling on the bars to make steering an easier and smoother operation. Read the book and try his techniques, we can all learn something new however good we think we are. As for keeping a finger on the brake, I'm certain you can't exert the smooth control needed for throttle response with your hand in this position. By all means do it if you're approaching an unsure situation but you should always be expecting an emergency stop at any moment anyway and being a bike rider you should have developed fast reactions already. Another point to bear in mind is it's vitually impossible to do a full on emergency stop with one finger on the brake as you'll only succeed in trapping the rest of your fingers unless you have an offset aftermarket lever fitted.
I've got a question - why the hell have you had your last ride of the year already? Summers just beginning!
This was from a cracking ride out a couple of years ago in Derbyshire! (roads were clear, just that bit of the car park used for photo shoot had the snow on it if I'm honest)
Each to there own I suppose. I do put pressure on my pegs when I'm turning plus I do push and pull handlebars. Just don't seem to clamp tank when I'm going round bends or riding straight for that matter. (maybe my balls are too big lol) Touch wood I haven't had any problems with my riding style. One finger covering brake is prob just I thing I do then, plus I have shorty aftermarket levers. I seem to find it easy to control my throttle with the rest of my hand, again no probs there. Maybe as I've said I just have a unique riding style. P.s I'm away for two weeks this fri with work, won't be back till 6th oct, then away with family for two weeks. That's nearly nov before I see or touch bike. Plus I'm a fair weather rider. THAT'S RIGHT IF IT'S BELOW 10oC THEN IM IN CAR
I too had my last ride of the year even though I only picked the bike up yesterday Did 150 miles today though , then got a head start stripping her down. Like you I am away with work on monday and won`t be back till october. The bike needs quite a bit of tlc to get her back to her best so would rather get it all done and then enjoy her all next year Unless its raining !!
Agree with what firebloke said but not about covering the brake - I ride with middle and/or index finger covering and find I have better throttle control than with a full grip, although I have to grip with three fingers to get wot. Less fingers on the grip gives finer control I think. And my fingers don't get trapped while braking at all.
I dont grip the tank either, tried it but just cant get used to it. I asked a few road racers I know and they dont do it either so I dont think I will lose any sleep over the fact I dont do it oh and multipliable TT winner mc Guinness doesnt do it and I wont be the one to tell him he isnt riding his bike right lol
When I was learning to ride, my instructor used to shout at us through our intercom if we left fingers on the brake our clutch levers The only time i rest my index finger on the brake lever is when my thumb and index finger have gone numb from riding on A/M roads (10 mins and I lose circulation)
Lol. So how do they stay on the bike when braking at race pace then? Maybe it's just semantics, and I don't know what specific question you asked all these folk, but I suspect they all grip with their legs really.
Putting the bike away? That's just madness... The weather is mint at the mo?? As for the tank gripping - not sure if I do or not? I just get on the bike and ride... Do what's comfortable for me and it seems to work ok!?
I've never used to grip the tank under breaking but since I dislocated my thumb playing rugby I've bought some stomp grips and now have to in order to relieve some of the pressure on my wrists.
I never noticed if I gripped tank before I fitted the stomp grip. Then went out yesterday to test it. 300 miles done, a mixture between coast roads, mountain twistys, dual carriageway and motorway, most at national speed Limits and some slightly over and I bearly touched tank. That's not to say I won't clamp onto tank at sometime.
I asked them about stomp grips and do they grip the tank on bumpy roads and when they are braking.the answer was no as most of the time when you were braking you were shifting your weight to set up for a corner and others said they leave the bike loose on the bumpy road race circuits.oh and a lot ride the same way as me as I questioned about riding balls tight against the tank lol
Just like me mate, balls tight to tank. Saying that I've been caught out a few times and crushed them against tank lol
bike away? why? I got a trackday on the 28th? only reason i won't be riding until Nov this year as that i have a op on the 2nd Oct
caught me out too. you shouldnt have packed your bike away yet, could have met ya for a blast of the coast.
I'm not overly aware of gripping the tank - I just ride and manage not to fall off (just about). But after I put the bike back in it's wee cubby hole and start cycling back home .... jeesus I can feel it in my inner thighs
