Switching from Road to Track
- Kwacky
- Posts: 39401
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4412 times
- Been thanked: 8516 times
Switching from Road to Track
Anyone got any tips how to get my head to flick between the two?
I noticed when I did the Chris Walker race school I had decent body position, was hanging off and seemed a lot more relaxed. I'm not sure if that was due to the long lay off from riding or because it was another bike.
Is it a case of finding a quiet bit of road and learning how to hang off and get my knee down or do you reckon it would be doing a course? I remember Duke doing a knee down course, was it worth it?
I noticed when I did the Chris Walker race school I had decent body position, was hanging off and seemed a lot more relaxed. I'm not sure if that was due to the long lay off from riding or because it was another bike.
Is it a case of finding a quiet bit of road and learning how to hang off and get my knee down or do you reckon it would be doing a course? I remember Duke doing a knee down course, was it worth it?
- Perkles
- Posts: 5889
- Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 21:51
- Your Bike:
- Location: birminghamshire
- Has thanked: 2152 times
- Been thanked: 1465 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
More track days IMHO
I was knee down in the afternoon yesterday as I got more comfortable and my speed increased, I wasnt hanging off any further
Your tall enough and fast enough for knee down on track for sure
Let's do Malory again , Gerard's is perfect for it
I was knee down in the afternoon yesterday as I got more comfortable and my speed increased, I wasnt hanging off any further
Your tall enough and fast enough for knee down on track for sure
Let's do Malory again , Gerard's is perfect for it
- Kwacky
- Posts: 39401
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4412 times
- Been thanked: 8516 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
I might do Mallory in novices and take it easy, spending the day trying to sort out my body position.
But I say that every time, forget it and start chasing other bikes.
But I say that every time, forget it and start chasing other bikes.
- Jimmy Mc
- Posts: 59
- Joined: 06 Jul 2014, 10:37
- Your Bike: Triumph Daytona 675
- Has thanked: 8 times
- Been thanked: 6 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
I think knee down just sort of happened for me, but generally only on one side? My left knee slider is almost unused even though it was the only side that I'd decked the pegs out on my gsxr (obviously not trying hard enough!). It feels more comfortable for me to lean off right than left so maybe it's just a flexibility / confidence thing that can be built on.
When is the Mallory day?
When is the Mallory day?
- Kwacky
- Posts: 39401
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4412 times
- Been thanked: 8516 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
Nothing planned yet for Mallory. I'll post something up in the events section when I've had a look at dates.
- Blade
- Posts: 18772
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
- Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
- Location: North West
- Has thanked: 3134 times
- Been thanked: 3767 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
I agree with Perkles in more track days is the best method. I can knee down on track but not on road and I'm OK with that.
- kiwikrasher
- Posts: 9090
- Joined: 17 Mar 2014, 04:32
- Your Bike: ‘16 Thruxton R. '10 Multistrada 1200 S.
- Location: Kurrajong Heights, NSW, Australia
- Has thanked: 4746 times
- Been thanked: 4853 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
I'm the same, well I was last track day but that was three years ago. I found that once I had the body position sorted it was just getting my head around corner speed. The difference for me going from a little touch on apex and a good drag thru' the corner was getting on the power sooner and harder, once I had that confidence it seemed easy.Blade wrote:I agree with Perkles in more track days is the best method. I can knee down on track but not on road and I'm OK with that.
Happiness is not a destination. It is a way of life.
- Blade
- Posts: 18772
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
- Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
- Location: North West
- Has thanked: 3134 times
- Been thanked: 3767 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
Yeah I know what you mean. There is two types of knee down in my personal experience.
Type 1 your hanging off like an ape.
Type 2 your going bloody fast through a corner and the knee touches down and arcs all the way through it naturally without trying or even thinking about it
Type 1 your hanging off like an ape.
Type 2 your going bloody fast through a corner and the knee touches down and arcs all the way through it naturally without trying or even thinking about it
- Kwacky
- Posts: 39401
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4412 times
- Been thanked: 8516 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
I know I've got the lean angles as the tyres are bobbled on the edge and I got one of the pegs down.
- Blade
- Posts: 18772
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:43
- Your Bike: Kawasaki ZX10R
- Location: North West
- Has thanked: 3134 times
- Been thanked: 3767 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
Think is when you hang off more you actually lean the bike less or go faster for the same lean angle if your dangly bits are big enough
I need to get back on track myself to improve confidence and work on body position. If you have plans for another day I might be interested depending on where and when.

I need to get back on track myself to improve confidence and work on body position. If you have plans for another day I might be interested depending on where and when.
- rocket
- Posts: 2453
- Joined: 21 May 2014, 20:12
- Your Bike: zx10rrrrrrr
- Has thanked: 639 times
- Been thanked: 751 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
Get your body position right forget about getting your knee down as If you sort your body position out add speed knee down will follow easily. I would not practice this on the road this is one reason I booked the track da
y so I can sort my head and body positioning out. Next track day ask an instructor to take you out. Or book a race school day I'm tempted to book one depending how next week goes as I know I can ride better than I am at the moment.

"80mph" sorry officer I possibly could not have done that I'm no Valentino Rossi.
- D6
- Posts: 2781
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:26
- Your Bike: Speed Triple 1050SE a bit DEAD + S3 RS
- Location: Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 212 times
- Been thanked: 653 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
Too much commuting has all but ruined any chance of me being able to hang off a bike. Even on track. It feels so alien, and I end up slower and not as smooth or controlled.
Only bad thing about how I ride is that I am right up to the edge of the tyre with wear, which makes you wonder how much room there is for error (ie. going into a corner too hot). I know hanging off would solve this a little, but I wont practise on road. And don't do trackdays anymore (costs) to do it on track.
Only bad thing about how I ride is that I am right up to the edge of the tyre with wear, which makes you wonder how much room there is for error (ie. going into a corner too hot). I know hanging off would solve this a little, but I wont practise on road. And don't do trackdays anymore (costs) to do it on track.
- Monty
- Posts: 6769
- Joined: 12 Mar 2014, 07:59
- Your Bike: KTM 690 SMC R
- Location: Peak District
- Has thanked: 2163 times
- Been thanked: 2497 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
Think I might have solved my body position woes. I started running a few months ago to try and get fitter, as I was doing a 20 minute session on the track and literally couldn't stand up after. (or get off the bike unaided for that matter)
After doing a few weeks of running 3 times a week, about 3 miles each time my knees were killing me. Really struggled walking up and down stairs, but found the running fairly easy for someone that doesn't do much exercise.
Even now after a month of not running my knees feel like they are about to give way walking down stairs. Legs physically shake when they get to about 30 degrees.
So it's not fitness I've been struggling with, it's week knees. Off to see the doc next Monday.
After doing a few weeks of running 3 times a week, about 3 miles each time my knees were killing me. Really struggled walking up and down stairs, but found the running fairly easy for someone that doesn't do much exercise.
Even now after a month of not running my knees feel like they are about to give way walking down stairs. Legs physically shake when they get to about 30 degrees.
So it's not fitness I've been struggling with, it's week knees. Off to see the doc next Monday.
Monty™© MCMLXXII
- Kwacky
- Posts: 39401
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4412 times
- Been thanked: 8516 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
This is me.D6 wrote:Too much commuting has all but ruined any chance of me being able to hang off a bike. Even on track. It feels so alien, and I end up slower and not as smooth or controlled.
Only bad thing about how I ride is that I am right up to the edge of the tyre with wear, which makes you wonder how much room there is for error (ie. going into a corner too hot). I know hanging off would solve this a little, but I wont practise on road. .
I use the bike most days to and from work. I don't want to try hanging off down the M6 or coming into the works car park
Although getting my knee down as I turn into work would look good.
- Perkles
- Posts: 5889
- Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 21:51
- Your Bike:
- Location: birminghamshire
- Has thanked: 2152 times
- Been thanked: 1465 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
im up for a bit of island surfing round redditch one weekend ,its quiet there and wont hurt for you to practice a bit,
You are fast enough and carry more than enough lean angle ,I bet you are very very close to knee down without knowing it
Jack any pictures going round redgate
You are fast enough and carry more than enough lean angle ,I bet you are very very close to knee down without knowing it
Jack any pictures going round redgate

- D6
- Posts: 2781
- Joined: 14 Mar 2014, 18:26
- Your Bike: Speed Triple 1050SE a bit DEAD + S3 RS
- Location: Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 212 times
- Been thanked: 653 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
I've took my sliders off my leathers. For two reasons. Unmarked knee sliders look crap. It means I am less tempted to even bother attempting it on the road.
It would look good though, if you had sparky sliders too.
It would look good though, if you had sparky sliders too.
- duke63
- Posts: 15560
- Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:34
- Your Bike: Ducati 748/853 & Triumph Street Triple 765RS
- Location: Staffordshire
- Has thanked: 4231 times
- Been thanked: 4152 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
Yes it was worth doing the course. Once i had done it once that day, it was a piece of piss to keep doing it. Felt very alien initially and very easy afterwards.Kwacky wrote:Anyone got any tips how to get my head to flick between the two?
I noticed when I did the Chris Walker race school I had decent body position, was hanging off and seemed a lot more relaxed. I'm not sure if that was due to the long lay off from riding or because it was another bike.
Is it a case of finding a quiet bit of road and learning how to hang off and get my knee down or do you reckon it would be doing a course? I remember Duke doing a knee down course, was it worth it?
That said i have now forgotten all the technique i learned that day as i just have not done many trackdays since.
There is one scheduled for September.
http://www.circuitbasedtraining.co.uk/c ... y-22092014" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Kwacky
- Posts: 39401
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4412 times
- Been thanked: 8516 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
Cheers Duke. I'll bear that in mind if it's still an issue by then
Perkles, I think some Redditch roundabout time might be worth it.
Perkles, I think some Redditch roundabout time might be worth it.
- C00kiemonster
- Posts: 8634
- Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:11
- Your Bike: Triumph Street Triple 765 R
- Location: Not Froggie Land
- Has thanked: 4504 times
- Been thanked: 1770 times
Re: Switching from Road to Track
You can then scrub the other knee on roundabouts in FranceKwacky wrote:Cheers Duke. I'll bear that in mind if it's still an issue by then
Perkles, I think some Redditch roundabout time might be worth it.

- Kwacky
- Posts: 39401
- Joined: 21 Oct 2013, 21:52
- Your Bike: Brutale 800RR, 1000SX Ninja
- Location: Brum
- Has thanked: 4412 times
- Been thanked: 8516 times