Upper Body Position on Track: Move INSIDE, not DOWN

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Riders often try to get lower and lower on the bike in an attempt to look like the best out there. In this video we take a look at motorcycle body position, focusing on the upper body position and why we use it the way that we do, so that you can prevent any unnecessary discomfort and strain on track and ultimately ride to a higher level.

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[amark]

Having started on track, this channel is a god given gift ! Thank you so much for doing what you do, keep up the great work !

[mikedinni]

But track days are all about the badass pictures to post on Instagram 😂🤣😂

[RiderZer]

I ride very low on the bike but like you said it’s a consequence of being on the inside. If you’re getting tired and worn out quicker from it, it’s because your corner speed and entry is slow. If you are going fast enough centrifugal forces will stick you to that bike and it feels like you can just let go of the bars even at those low bar angles. Another mistake people make that doesn’t allow them to comfortably get low is the way they hold the handle bars. If you hold it normally it locks up your wrists and your arms are fighting your wrists the entire time. Instead relax your grip and rotate hand so for example when you are adding throttle it’s closer to turning a screw driver. Once I learned this, i rode every session and had plenty of energy spare at the end of the day. It was mind blowing

[mikeprevitera]

I wish the control riders at track days were as articulate as you. You explained so many things that I was wondering about and could never get a clear answer. Thanks

[redbeak]

As a 6'3" tall track rider it is so great to hear that you really don't have to hug the gas tank and bars like those (from another planet GP riders). No matter how much I would slide back in the seat, adjust bars and foot pegs, I thought I was doomed, since I couldn't get into those same contortions as the pros. This is a great channel for learning.Thank you!!!

[ridethepace]

3:42 There should probably be some clarification here. There are really 2 lean angles when turning a motorcycle: apparent lean angle and actual lean angle. Apparent lean angle is a measure of the angle from vertical to a line drawn from the center of mass through the center of the wheels. Actual lean angle is measured from vertical to a line drawn from the center of mass through the center of the contact patch. While vertical, these angles are the same at 0°. Assuming we do not hang off at all and simply maintain a fully neutral riding position, when we lean the motorcycle the center of the contact patch moves inside the centerline. The apparent lean angle will be greater than the actual lean angle, and actual lean angle is what gets us around the corners (coefficient of friction is why). This also explains the claim that all else equal, a bike with a higher center of mass leans less than one with a lower center of mass. To satisfy yourself that this is so, draw your X and Y axis, then draw a line at 45° from the origin. Place a dot at the far end of the 45° line for the higher CoM and one in the middle for the lower CoM. Now trace a line from the higher CoM to a point to the right of the origin, and a line from the lower CoM to that same point. The higher CoM describes a greater actual lean angle than the lower CoM for any apparent lean angle by the motorcycle, so the motorcycle "needs to be tilted more" for the lower CoM to achieve the same actual lean angle as the higher CoM.


I hope that makes sense to you guys!

[daaknait]

This is my favorite channel for track riding technique. Very good stuff.

[arkirace]

I could not afford to drop my bike. So I like staying safe while riding.

[andrewrobinson]

Love this video! As a taller rider I really struggle to get my head to the handlebars in corners, as I was advised to do by others - I naturally have a more upright style. So it turns out I don't need to do something I can't - fantastic!

[quincybowers]

It’s a progression of learning. As you start to get away from novice practices and care less what you look like you start to try to pull your body off further without destabilizing. You do get more leverage by being tall but as you start to push that your leverage will start to feel like it makes it hard to stay planted in a fast corner. The front end starts to wobble and push, so you get lower. I’m just starting to realize that and it’s kinda fascinating, but I know my lower body is further off than it ever used to be and it’s starting to force a lot of other changes. My current struggle is building the strength to actually maintain that type of riding, it’s brutal because the further off you slide the less contact and friction you have on the points that actually need to hold you up. The other thing I notice is that even though the pros move their body really far over it’s rarely as far away from the bike as novices overall. They don’t reach out to the ground they wait for it to come to them. It’s an interesting difference I try to keep in mind these days

[worldtraveler]

For me when i started riding i noticed a simple fact... the more i shift my weight to one side of the bike the tighter the bike turns without having to lean it over further. You can pretty much get the bike to turn while keeping it upright. For a racer this means however tight the bike will turn at max mean, can be made even tighter by shifting weight to the inside of the turn, thereby increasing corner speed. This is why jorge lorenzo, who had the fastest corner speed ever, doesn't even keep his head upright, to get the maximum amount of weight shifting possible. This law of physics can be used on twisty roads. But generally its not necessary because we aren't taking curves at 100mph... or are we? 🤔😏

[marksheppard]

That made the reasons for body position so much clearer. Thanks you.

[frankjose]

Focus and control is number one.... Thats the key 🙏

[gsalien]

Straight up wisdom being offered here!!! Many thanks!

[francis]

The point that a higher CG needs less lean for a given rate of turn is almost never elucidated however, thinking it through, I see that it is correct. Thanks!

[timvanvliet]

This explains a lot, great information. I was trying to get my head further and further down resulting in loss of feeling and control of the bike and not gaining any cornering speed. Thanks Dan for your explanation and the ebook, great. Tim, the Netherlands

[brettpit]

I think that focus on late braking and good speed at the apex is much more important than to be focused on your body position...I have scratched the footpegs of my fireblade 3 times in the last stint and that was a strong indication that I have to improve my body position in order to reduce lean angle of the bike. It was the fastest laps of that day but I think it was way to near to the limit of the tire. You don´t have much benefit to go more than 55 degree angle in relation to the risk for crash that increases much....(sorry german guy)

[Catch_me_if_you_can_]

Only Moto GP riders can lean at ridicilous angles...
Me : Hold my beer !!!

2 minutes

[stefcamp]

the motorcycle dynamics statement says a lot on the matter. thank you for showing it

[TheBoy_]

When i lose my confidence of what i am going go do in my racing carrier, u r my biggest refreshment mentor broo:)