Body positioning comments please?

[mookieo2]

Here`s some video of me at my second track day. I know I need to move my shoulders or head over more.  Constructive criticism would be appreciated. I have a hard time on lefts being able to push the bar to get the bike to lean over more. The last session I got off the bike more and it seemed to help a little. Unless the slow speed doesn`t warrant that kind of lean angle. Man I can`t wait to get a faster bike so when I get up to people that I can pass, I can actually pass them.

Mookie @ Thunderbolt

NJMP ThunderBolt Following Mook and Beattie

[stopintime]

Cool vids 

IMO, you do the same mistakes so many others do: upper body is resisting. Your ass is off, but the upper body points the other way. Try this: upper body down, head pointed where you look (through the turn) aka "kiss the mirror". Shoulders should be angled towards apex/exit, not like you do (away from apex).

You will find more about the same subject, including a great video, here:   http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=24263.0

Thanks for the video  [moto] good informational value.

[yotogi]

+1 on gettting crossed up. The "Kiss the Mirror" strategy has been working really well for me as I have tried to improve my cornering.

Here is a thread on body position that explains what we are talking about.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=26977.msg471833#msg471833

Here are some good videos as well.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14555.0

[Cider]

Cool videos!  Looks like good riding to me.  At the track schools I've been to, they recommend getting set up for the turn earlier.  In fact, they usually say not to bother getting back to the center of the seat, except for a long straightaway.  More upper body too, but you already knew that.

[Xiphias]

You look pretty good; I have a tendency to get wrapped around the bike with my butt too far off. One thing that help me get my body position set up for the turn was to really clamp down on with knees when braking heavily. I found that I was sliding forward in the seat which would throw me too far up on the bike so I was moving around and screwing up the bike. When clamped down all I really had to do was drop my knee - much smoother and stable.

[Raux]

when properly turning, i was deeper into the corners with a later/faster turn and more initial lean which forced me to have more upper body movement to see through the turn. that put my shoulders and head forward and inside the bike. then when i started allowing my butt slide off halfway without changing my back's angle, i was way off the bike. my outside arm was closer to the tank not because i forced my elbow in but because that's how my whole body had moved.

 you tuck both your elbows going into a corner i noticed. i can't imagine tucking your inside elbow in like you do would allow you to push the bar out with the inside arm. seems like there would be little leverage that way.

is your outside grip lighter so you aren't fighting the push? it might seem hard to lighten the grip on the throttle which is why lefts are more difficult for you.

mind you this is all Lee Parks stuff that i learned and forgot to use at one point last sunday. so i'm far from an expert.

[mookieo2]

Thanks guys. I`ll work on it next time I go out. 

Good point about the inside elbow Raux. I started dropping the outside one against the tanks the first track day after I talked to someone. It was a big help.

[BumbleB]

Cool vids 

IMO, you do the same mistakes so many others do: upper body is resisting. Your ass is off, but the upper body points the other way. Try this: upper body down, head pointed where you look (through the turn) aka "kiss the mirror". Shoulders should be angled towards apex/exit, not like you do (away from apex).

You will find more about the same subject, including a great video, here:   http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=24263.0

Thanks for the video  [moto] good informational value.

+2 on the "Kiss the Mirror Technique." Coming into my Ducati having had prior cruiser experience, this tip really helped me a great deal to corner smoothly at speed and keep the handling light. Amazing how light that bar is as my head and shoulders move to the apex...Thanks for posting this tip!

[EvilSteve]

Hey Mook, looks like you guys had fun out there.

"Ideal" position was a little harder for me on the monster so this may not work so well. You want your inside elbow below your grip. You want your outside arm resting on the tank. You ass should be back a little in your seat. Your inside foot should have the ball on the peg. Your pelvis and shoulders should be rotated towards the corner. Your head should be in line with the rest of your body which, by now should be well outside the bike & facing towards corner exit. You should also try setting up for the corner earlier.

http://parry.zenfolio.com/p300533177/e300c94df

Good photo showing different form. Yours probably most closely resembles the first guy. The second guy is a friend of mine & he has excellent form. The last person is pretty crossed up. Keep in mind, they all may well be able to do the same lap times, comfort plays a part too.

This is me, not perfect by any means but I think I get most things right... most of the time.

[Raux]

You should also try setting up for the corner earlier.

but that doesn't mean turn earlier. push against the bike trying lean for the corner til you have a picked out a delayed apex then turn in quickly at the delayed entry point. you want to flatten out the exit of the turn as much as possible.

http://books.google.com/books?id=akcdioKmRk8C&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=lee+parks+apex+selection&source=bl&ots=CzGOulCkYt&sig=-3KbmS7DJs5bJ7EcJFXvnf1rUk4&hl=en&ei=cgl7SuP2MseO_Abd6fD4Ag&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Chapter 8 of Lee Parks' Total Control

[EvilSteve]

Agreed, by "setting up" I mean body position, speed & line.