Inquiry: Technique of Dragging Knee on a Scooter

[manimal]

Anyone here race scooters or have raced scooters and can provide me good advice / insight of the technique of knee dragging on a scooter? What I mean by technique, foot placement for leverage and body positioning.

Keep in mind, I've seen the video's of scooter racing, and observed body position, which is similar to road racing a sport bike, but the foot position and or other techniques of "weighting" or leveraging the scooting into a full lean, without falling, or the feeling of falling off.

Fwiw, I have road racing experience. But a scooter, there are no pegs or a tank between your legs to leverage, or in other words, apply pressure.

Any how, in advance, Thanks for any valued input

[Yager200i]

Not sure. I don't race, but I've had my Yager over so far I was scraping the exhaust pipe heat shield on one side, and the center kickstand on the other side, but it won't go over far enough for me to knee drag. I can knee-hang, that's it.

What I do is this:
Say, for instance, that I'll be going into a deep lean on a left turn. I slide forward on the seat, and lock my right knee against the vertical panel. I lock my right foot against the vertical part under the seat. Then I kind of hang my left foot partway off the edge of the floor, so I can use the lip as a leverage point as I'm hanging my left knee out there. I keep my body aligned with the bike, and just rotate my head so I keep everything in a vertical orientation visually.

Can you get your scooter over far enough to knee drag? Or did you have to remove stuff that scrapes to get it over that far?

[manimal]

thanks for your input, Yager.

Footing: makes sense, and is what I had observed watching some of the scooter race video's. As for bracing the opposite knee against the vertical pillar / fairing makes sense too.

Being that I am vertically challenged, it will be a challenge for me to brace against the side panel / pillar for leverage, let alone getting my knee down at a full lean.

At times, I almost feel the urge (or naturally) to push the bike downward (like you would a dirt bike), rather leaning with the bike (like a sport bike), upon negotiating a tight turn.

I must confess, my intention is not necessarily to drag knee, but to properly achieve a full lean to carry as much corner speed as possible upon negotiating a turn / corner. As you may know, dragging a knee is a result of nearly or reaching a full lean. No, I don't plan to do this on the street, but if I eventually take my S8 scooter to the track (kart track), or an open parking lot (safe environment).

[Yager200i]

Where in Nor Cal are you? I'm in SSF.

[zombie]

Get really , really stoned or drunk, and duct tape the throttle open. You'll pick up the method on your first corner (or not).

These bikes don't lean far enough for that to ever be an issue. They are too fat, and low. What you see in the vids is all DRAMA on the riders part. Some are real bike racers, and deflect out of habit, and some are simply trying to look like the big boys. I've actually sat on top of my bike (opposite side) in a severe corner I wasn't expecting. I figured if it slid, I would like a comfortable place to watch it from.

[manimal]

Where in Nor Cal are you? I'm in SSF.

Hi Yager,

I'm nearly 50 min. South of you. Located in Milpitas, about 10 min. Away from SJ Intl Airport. I purchased my Super 8 at Scuderia, in SF.

[manimal]

Get really , really stoned or drunk, and duct tape the throttle open. You'll pick up the method on your first corner (or not).

These bikes don't lean far enough for that to ever be an issue. They are too fat, and low. What you see in the vids is all DRAMA on the riders part. Some are real bike racers, and deflect out of habit, and some are simply trying to look like the big boys. I've actually sat on top of my bike (opposite side) in a severe corner I wasn't expecting. I figured if it slid, I would like a comfortable place to watch it from.

I lol'd at your first comment.

In regards to your second comment, I had found that out on my way to work Friday. I challenged the scoot on a 90 degree bend, to my surprise, I scraped the side stand. I wasn't even close to an aggressive lean as if I were to challenge that corner on my sport bike.
When I had first got the scoot, I leaned it over to visually see how much clearance and lean it had, and was impressed. Though, at the time, I didn't think / account for my weight, nor the suspension settling after break-in.

[zombie]

Yeah, that's exactly what I am saying. The scooters are wide, and low so they never really get over on to the sides of the tires before something on the bike catches ground, and makes trouble.
If I'm out playing around in some twisty section of road I will try to keep the bike as vertical as possible, and do all the steering w/ my body but I have never even gotten close to the road surface w/ a knee

[RubenC]

Over 2 years ago, I was making a right turn with my Downtown 300i.  I was traveling at a good speed plus I was leaning way over dragging my right knee and very low to the ground.  I was trying to figure out how far could I safely lean over.  Then it happened, I hit a thin layer of dirt on the road and my scooter slid out from underneath me.  It hit a concrete wall breaking my windshield plus some other scooter body damage.  ME, I went sliding down the road.  No body damage and my helmet did not hit the ground.

 

[zombie]

The only way to find the limit is to exceed it. Zombie making 101...

[BettinANDlosing]

I lol'd at your first comment.

In regards to your second comment, I had found that out on my way to work Friday. I challenged the scoot on a 90 degree bend, to my surprise, I scraped the side stand. I wasn't even close to an aggressive lean as if I were to challenge that corner on my sport bike.
When I had first got the scoot, I leaned it over to visually see how much clearance and lean it had, and was impressed. Though, at the time, I didn't think / account for my weight, nor the suspension settling after break-in.

You can gain a lot of lean angle if you remove the centerstand. Never bothered trying to get the knee down, but i can smash on a 600 rider on the right corner with the Bet n Win! Pilot pure helps with the sticky edges.

[manimal]

You can gain a lot of lean angle if you remove the centerstand. Never bothered trying to get the knee down, but i can smash on a 600 rider on the right corner with the Bet n Win! Pilot pure helps with the sticky edges.

True. Now that I seemed to have found the limit on the left side, I don't take the technical corners as brisk. I am not concerned so much for right handers, as this is my weak side, therefore, my lean angle is never quite as aggressive. Aside from removing the side stand and or center stand, I could stiffen the rear shock up a bit; less rear sag and compression. Regardless, now that I understand the limits, I just need to be mindful not to push it. After all, this is my commuter, not my track bike :p

@Zombie ... SO true! Once again, I lol'd

[zombie]

  

[baddi]

The only reason to put out your knee is if the weight of the bike or that the centrifugal force is so big that the bike can't be fully tilted by just leaning, in which case it helps because your knee will move weight further out from the bike, acting like a lever.

The reason to put out your knee is not dragging it across the ground but to let it act like a lever and tilting the bike. So it doesn't matter that you can't get far enough down. If you are looking for something to hold on to with your thighs, i'd suggest modifying your seat to make it look a bit more like the saddle of a horse. Or you could slide a bit back on the seat, letting your thigh touch the outside of your saddle.
To make your feet more stable on the scooter, i would suggest that you put some kind of rubber matt on where you want your feet, so you can grip on it.

[bluesin]

 

Where ya been , Z Out looking for....BRAINS ?