Dragged my foot today!

[vw151]

I was on the balls of my feet and hanging off.  Hanging off would solve the problem where as knee would hit first but then as you started to feel  your knee come in towards the bike my foot and rear set and side stand would drag.  I have since added more stiffness to the rear and I think that would solve the problem too.  ultimately I'm just a big dude on a relatively small bike and the super bikes are better suited for that sort of riding.   The only thing you can really do is exaggerate getting off the bike even more.  The further you are off the bike the less lean angle it needs to go around the turn, so less dragging parts and more traction but eventually the bike has nothing left to do but lean more. 

you can see the issue in these pics.  yes I suppose I could have been further off the bike. 





as compared to here, where I'm on my GSX-R750 and not dragging foot. 



I haven't been to the track on the monster since getting new rear sets or stiffening the rear but I think it would help but ultimately I think it just illustrates how much more the ergos of the monster are street oriented compared to the superbikes.    I ground the foot peg pretty good on the right side so no matter how I had my foot on the peg I couldn't keep it off the ground. 

I've since had my boots patched and added ceramic toe sliders.  They don't ground through. 

[Raux]

i'm far from an expert, but referencing Lee Parks' book. you're not leaning INTO the turn and lookin through. your upper body is upright. leaning into the turn would put your inner foot more under you and not hangin out.

[sroberts152]

After riding for years in standard boots (Doc's, etc...) I found my boot dragging a lot on my 696.  Last Sunday I got my first pair of Alpinestars.  SMX-5.  With Sliders.  I may need new sliders soon - or rear sets. 

[Spidey]

Man, all you guys dragging your boots or your pegs need to work on (a) body position, (b) suspension, (c) lines and quick-turn in.  You should NOT be dragging a boot or a peg.  Both of those are bad signs.  Don't treat them like they're no big deal.   

[Raux]

i only drug my boot one time. in the riders course for a sharp turn i got lazy and didn't shift back in position (balls of feet on pegs) for the corner.

i make it a point to keep my toes in. only time i don't is tooling around a small village so i can brake/shift quicker. but in corners i shift back again.

[sroberts152]

Man, all you guys dragging your boots or your pegs need to work on (a) body position, (b) suspension, (c) lines and quick-turn in.  You should NOT be dragging a boot or a peg.  Both of those are bad signs.  Don't treat them like they're no big deal.   

I thought it was my foot position coming off the peg and it isn't as my boot is pushed up on the peg and I am on balls of my feet on the pegs. 

These turns that I scrape on are the same places all the time.  One is a 180 degree 15 MPH turn to go from a ramp onto an expressway.  The other is a 30 MPH Right-Left-Right freeway offramp.  I take both of them much faster than the posted speed limit. 

These are places I never hit before on any other bike.  It all started with the 696.

[Smokescreen]

if you are dragging your foot there is plenty of body language left you are avoiding.  And you are much safer using body language than you are dragging anything.  If you fail to lean off your machine, you have the ability to run beyond the edge of your tyre and that will surely land you where you'd rather not be.  Remember, different bikes need different body language.  These Monsters need more because their clearances aren't soo great.  They'll tear it up if you do it right.

Also, once you've figured out the language needed to put your knee down without putting your toe down, putting more weight onto the knee will tighten your turn.

[monstermania]

Wow, i'm learning a lot about the monster, I never lean off the bike really, I just flip it from side to side and I've never had a problem before but I guess that why it seams I have to work a lot harder to carve then on my old Ninja. It was a piece of cake to get to lean, The 696 is a different story. Thanks for all of the input.

[vw151]

I'm still working on getting off the bike.  I wasn't as good at it last year as I am this year.  I still maintain that the monster is much more apt to drag a peg or foot than a superbike. 

[Smokescreen]

Wow, i'm learning a lot about the monster, I never lean off the bike really, I just flip it from side to side and I've never had a problem before but I guess that why it seams I have to work a lot harder to carve then on my old Ninja. It was a piece of cake to get to lean, The 696 is a different story. Thanks for all of the input.

I'm not saying that you need to use body language for every ride.  You may be experiencing suspension not set up for you, and geometry that isn't optimized for your needs.  Also, tyre shape has a TON to do with turn in on a bike.  For instance, my VERY hemisherical Sportmax GPs initial turn in is a lot slower than my previous Pilot Powers.  However, once at full lean, the Sportmax GPs are infinately adjustable whereas the Powers like to hold a particular angle better than any other.  This isn't a bag on the Pilot Powers, in fact I prefer their quicker turn in and stable lean angle.  I think it suits the wide barred Monsters very nicely. 

I'm still working on getting off the bike.  I wasn't as good at it last year as I am this year.  I still maintain that the monster is much more apt to drag a peg or foot than a superbike. 

I agree whole heartedly.  The Monster is known for its lower rearsets.  However, they are closer to the centerline of the bike, so with aftermarket rearsets, the Monster can lean further over without scraping than the much wider I4 SSs. 

[vw151]

I'll probably run the monster a few sessions this year just to see how the new rearsets and stiffer spring feel.  That and I have a full arrow system now and that makes everything more fun.  Ulitimately I don't want to track it too much cause I really would rather avoid wrecking it.  Gixxers are much better for wrecking, or well.... cheaper. 

It's funny, this hole discussion.  I found the monster and an Aprilia Tueno I rode to be much more forgiving about whether or not  you were hanging off the bike.  They felt stable either way.  I'm sure that has to do with the more upright riding position and wider bars. 

The superbikes seem to only feel stable if you get out of the seat.  Ride them straight up and down and they are a little wobbly.  I'm no expert but that was just my observation. 

That is what I love about the monster on the street.  It lets you get away with more, so you can rail through the low speed turns easier, it's a great compromise between a race bike type of suspension which gives it great handling but more streeetable manners.  I'd love to get in the seat of some other naked bikes like the KTM super duke or MV brutale.

Not to mention nakeds are pretty. 

[vw151]

i'm far from an expert, but referencing Lee Parks' book. you're not leaning INTO the turn and lookin through. your upper body is upright. leaning into the turn would put your inner foot more under you and not hangin out.

Yes I was still working on getting my shoulders to follow my butt.  I'm getting better at it this year.  I also think its easier to got the rest of our body over with clip ons.  Don't have that wide bar to hang onto on the outside of the bike.  We'll see this year. 

[DLSGAP]

the only time I really every touch toe down is when i'm just toodling around and not botheirng with body position...  but when i'm riding properly... i never touch. don't have a 696, but i would htink that if yo'ure to that point in leaning on it.. you're close to running out of use-able lean angle and could be headed towards a get off...


I'd suggest slowing it down a little and focusing on body position. leaning in more with your upper body rather than having it so in line with the bike will help decrease the lean angle of the bike while you're cornering. this will give you better traction (control) and make your bike feel more stable on the throttle in the turn. it will also force the angle of your foot to change a little but since your lean angle will be decreased you shouldnt be close to dragging toe

[Spidey]

Yes I was still working on getting my shoulders to follow my butt.  I'm getting better at it this year. 

I always try to kiss the knuckle on my pinky and then keep moving my head forward and down.  That reminds me of the proper movement to get my body in the right position. 

[txduc]

Man, all you guys dragging your boots or your pegs need to work on (a) body position, (b) suspension, (c) lines and quick-turn in.  You should NOT be dragging a boot or a peg.  Both of those are bad signs.  Don't treat them like they're no big deal.   

So you're saying that no matter how fast you're travelling or how tight the turn is, you should never have the bike leaned over enough to touch down a stock peg on a Monster?