Ducati Monster Forum

Watching the MotoGP races this season, I'm seeing some of the riders kicking the inside leg out as they enter a turn.  At first I thought they were repositioning their foot on the peg, but during the Mugello race, one of the commenters mentioned "motocross style".  Is it a weight transfer thing?

So what's up with that?

there's at least one thread about it here in the racing forum... (i'm too lazy to find it)

there's also a HUGE thread about it buried somewhere on the wera (http://forums.13x.com/forumdisplay.php?f=3) forum. (yup, too lazy...)

short version: the riders THINK it helps them brake (more control/leverage/whatever) on the edge... they really don't know why they do it (or if it really works), they just do.

before you get hammered with "try searching" etc., this has been discussed a million times.

basically under heavy braking (pretty much the only place this happens) they are 'balancing' out the bike/themselves.  or they have made themselves think that's what's happening, which is the same thing.

some (like rossi, who basically invented this move in GP) say they don't even know why they do it.  some (like stoner) generally agree with the above and ~blame it on a flat track or mx background.

 ;D

I've mentioned this in the earlier thread about this but do you notice they do it more in left hand turns than right turns? Not died in the wool 100% sure but I seem to notice it happening way more often in lefties. What's up with that? ??? I thought for a while it was to reposition the shift foot on the peg. Doesn't seem to be the case. Weird. All I know it wouldn't make me any faster! [laugh]

that used to be true: you only ever saw them doing it entering lefts, which made the reposition theory make more sense.  but then rossi, then everyone else, started doing it left and right.

i think it unconsciously started out as a reposition/settle thing after backshifts when entering hard braking lefts, then just grew into a general hard braking thing.

I still think it is not a mental thing, but a thing to block others from stuffing it up the inside on em while making themselves wider...

There's a good chance you're also right. That would in theory make it harder to make an inside pass in a tight turn. But then why wouldn't the "leg out" rider just hold a tighter line? Ah, who knows. Combine all the ideas and each one makes some sense. Again, it damn sure wouldn't make me any faster! [laugh] I only hold my leg out on straight sections of road because my knee hurts! ;D

i don't think it has anything to do with passing or being 'wider'

You think a riders leg flapping in the breeze will stop someone from stuffing their bike up the inside?

I think it would be a target. ;D

why do I get the feeling you are going with the "Sweep the leg Johnny" mentality?!?!?!?

it certainly doesn't stop the sx and mx guys...  ;D

After giving this some serious thought I now believe Rossi started doing this just to confuse and mess with the competition and the general riding public. Sort of a "if Rossi does it it has to be good, ergo I must do it to be fast" kind of a thing. Next he will probably start to take both hands off the bars before a turn and flail his arms over his head claiming it somehow centers him on the bike in a holistic sort of way helping to increase his corner entry speed. [laugh]

Buddy of mine asked Scott Russell at the WSBK race.

He said Rossi started it to make the beast with two backs with everyone. 'behind him and he stick the leg out, you think he's going to miss the corner or he's going down but he's just messing with you. Since rossi was doing it, everyone else figured it must be good.'

now that i wouldn't put past him.

Maybe my joke post about it was right after all!! [laugh]

I don't know if it comes from MX or not, but if you look at this video, although it isn't mentioned, on just about every turn, the inside leg is out and up forward toward the forks. This is the "Outrigger technique" and pretty much anybody that races motocross, or even rides off road uses this to get around corners faster. I couldn't even tell you how this helps on a road course, but when I first started riding on the street. I had to "un-learn" this and start cornering differently.

Cornering Ride Tip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUZregefcNM&feature=related#normal)

Pretty sure I saw Troy Bayliss doing this before Rossi.

Wow. Hadn't thought about this in forever but I was just watching a TIVO'd WSBK racing from Miller last year that SPEEDTV is showing right now and the only single rider in WSBK that even occasionally threw their leg out "Rossi Style" was Crutchlow. That's it. No other WSBK rider ever did it. Why MotoGP only and not WSBK? WTF??? What would be the difference?

imaginary coping mechanism for the increased power, and braking power, of the GP bikes

This.


I don't recall Jorge ever putting out his leg and he has no problem riding by everyone that does.

Yeah, now that I am used to seeing a handful doing it in every MotoGP it was noticably absent while watching the Miller re-run the other night. Crutchlow was the only WSBK rider doing it (at least at 2010's Miller races) and it was just here and there. Funny how I've become used to seeing it now. Although I have never seen it catch on here in the States. Have never noticed it in AMA SBK or Daytona Sportbike. Just as well. Probably would look stupid. :P

Bayliss used to do it as well sometimes.

if Bayliss did it it was because it was absolutely necessary at the time   [evil]

Not Troy...

and Ben. :o :o

From MCN--must be true:

(http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/4422/sc0141a0bb.jpg)

 [laugh] [thumbsup]

He doesn't stick it out anywhere as far as the GP guys though, at least not that I can find video of. I've seen him do it more than this video...just can't remember when. Derby probably knows...along with what the track temperature was at the time.  [cheeky]

Here at 0:34
Troy Bayliss - SBK Last Lap (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5llpdwA-i8#normal)

Pedroda also used to do it well before Rossi started, but I think that was his foot coming off during braking. 

That Haslam article is useless.  All it says is that he doesn't feel comfortable doing it. 

The interesting thing is that data says that it does load the front tire a bit more (though not a ton).  In a world where shifting body position by a few milimeters makes all the difference for the 'feel' of the bike, that's gotta make a difference.  In the end, whatever works to go fast, no matter what it looks like.

new nickname for him???...LOL...cause he is Yoda's size?

I predict Rossi won't do it anymore on the Ducati...confusing everyone, and starting a bunch of "why no leg out" threads!  ;D

Good one! [laugh] Another one of Valle's mind games. ;D

Rossi loves to make the beast with two backs with the competition. I think it's funny as hell. You know he's smiling in his helmet every time he sticks his leg out.

Looks like Rossi wasn't first!  ;D

(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff259/s4rs888/MertLawillGaryFisherMalloryPark1973.jpg)

Monkey see monkey do