Why do Rossi/Stoner/etc stick their foot out?

[He Man]

Was watching the cataluyna race and it loosk like they were all sticking their toe out before the left hand turns, they would let them hang for a bit and be very close to the ground then get back on the footpegs and complete the turn. Why do they do that?

[semyhr]

According to the BBC commentator dude, they do that to find balance better. Like you would do when you ride a bicycle for example when you are out of balance.

[fastwin]

I have seen it before in past races over the years. In past MotoGP seasons it was really only Rossi but in the Catalunya race it was Rossi, Lorenzo, Stoner, Pedrosa and maybe another. Like all the top 5 guys were doing it but I didn't notice anyone past 5th place doing it. I don't ever remember seeing Hayden or Edwards do it. Maybe there is a reason why those guys are in the top 5 and everyone was behind them.

I remember Bayliss did it in WSBK but I don't ever remember seeing anyone else. Not Haga, Toseland, Corser... no one. Weird.

I just always figured that they were repositioning their shifting foot on the peg for a better cornering foot placement. You don't really see it going into right hand corners, mainly just lefts. I would assume they don't move their brake foot as much but who knows?? Rossi really held his out for a long time going into some turns. Even looked like he drug it on the ground once or twice in those last few crazy laps chasing Lorenzo. Interesting. Some how I don't think doing it will help my riding.

[Spidey]

Yeah, the explanation used to be that their leg would come off during hard braking or that they would have to take it off the peg to reposition it if they were using GP shift.  Pedrosa did it a lot a year or two ago.  But they've been doing it a bunch more lately. 

Rossi's explanation is that he doesn't know why he does it but that it helps with "feeling" the bike.  They probably just haven't figured out the physics of it, but the riders have obviously picked up on something that helps them balance the bike better going into turns.  Or Rossi is making a big game of getting everyone to play follow-the-leader.   

[vaclav]

I agree with that last sentence, Spidey. Rossi probably does get something from it, but I wonder if all these other guys (most of whom have a different build than Rossi) really feel any positive difference. I also think it is a way to discourage an inside pass. I suspect that somebody is going to have an accident doing it. I seem to remember Rossi's boot actually catching on the track during that last lap battle with Lorenzo in the last race. It looked more like a third brake than a balance mechanism. It also shook his bike when it happened, as I recall. I would like to see a "keep your feet on the pegs" rule but since Rossi started the trend I don't think that rule would ever come to be.

[desmoquattro]

The latest Roadwacing World had a blurb about it in the MotoGP Notes. I'll have to dig it up.

[Jester]

Rossi does it on right handers too, so its definately not just the shift foot.  Lets throw out another theory.  Sitting up on the bike helps slow the rider due to the wind blast, so could this just be another way to catch some wind and if so, since its on the inside leg, in theory it may help the rider "feel" as if its helping him turn when in fact its just the forces of the air sorta twisting his body to the inside a tad and giving that impression.  /shrug who knows

I'd test it out at the next track day except for the fear of looking like a retard.    I probably look like one anyway.    

+1 on a crash happening at some point.  There could be some mangled legs out there.

[Cider]

A brief comment from Code on the topic:

The one thing that a rider does with his left foot on entering a left hand corner is reposition it after changing gears to prevent it from dragging on the pavement. Who knows how it started for Rossi. He did mention braking but also said he wasn't sure if it really was effective or not. If he doesn't know then no one does.

Meanwhile, it has certainly become fashionable, that is the other thing that we know for sure.

That it could help under braking escapes me.

Ripped off from here: http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4917998#post4917998

[Triple J]

I always thought it was the shifter foot re-positioning. BUT, Rossi has started doing it on right handers this year as well. 

[desmoquattro]

I think they all wish they were on supermotos...

[derby]

current theory is that they (the racers) think it allows them to brake a little bit deeper into the corner...

[mitt]

I think it is weight distribution.  They get some mass off to the side of the bike, like a ballast, and it allows them to either keep the bike upright longer, or transition faster, or something else to do with physics that us mortals can't explain because it does nothing for us.

mitt

[EvilSteve]

warning: groundless speculation

You're counter steering away from the corner on corner entry to offset what you're hanging out on inside of the bike. The more they put the CoG of the bike/rider inside the bike, the more you have to countersteer to balance but also the faster/sharper they can flick the bike in (not sure on this last point). I would have thought this would only make a difference on very light bikes but not sure, I'm not professional racer. In theory it would make the CoG of the bike lower & to the inside (which is better) but not sure by how much. Could just be more comfortable than keeping your foot on the peg?

[Drjones]

COG shift helping turn-in is what I thunk.  How far out, back, down, etc. you hang a 20lb leg would have a definite effect.

[Cider]

COG shift helping turn-in is what I thunk.  How far out, back, down, etc. you hang a 20lb leg would have a definite effect.

That can't be it.  Pedrosa's leg is measured in ounces.