By MIKE Phillips |
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BODY POSITION like riding on curvy roads .
I Riding through curves is like dancing with your favorite partner . A dancer moves together with his partner to the rhythm of the music . A rider moves with his bike to the rhythm of the road . Just as dancers move their body to help their partner stay in step with each other , riders should move their body to help their bike stay on the correct path . Body movement is an essential part for good dancing . Body movement is also necessary for safe and fun riding . Body movement allows clear communication between the rider and the bike . Body movement lets the rider fully experience riding a bike rather than just being a passenger on a bike . A dancer must keep their body relaxed to stay in step with their partner . A rider must stay relaxed to move their body in unison with their bike . A bike will only do what the rider tells it to do . A stiff rider causes the bike to handle stiff and slow . Riders tend to stiffen their bodies as they get into tight spots like traffic or curves . As a rider gets stiff the bike responds slower to steering inputs making course corrections harder to complete . Riders can test this idea . Ride straight on a road with no traffic around you . Stiffen up one side of your body as much as you can . The bike will drift to the side that is stiff . Next , ride in a parking lot . Make a tight turn with your body relaxed . Make the same turn with your body as stiff as you can then
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judge for yourself which turn was easier .
Head and eyes must be looking up through a curve . Look as far ahead as road conditions will allow . Point your chin to where you want to go . Keep your nose up to help keep your eyes up . Look along the inside portion of the curve . Riders looking at the outside of a curve or staring at scenery to the outside tend to travel wide in the curve .
Riders start a curve with counter steering by pressing the handle bar in the direction they want to go . This action changes the weight of the bike to the inside of the curve allowing the bike to turn . Many riders lean opposite of the bike or to the outside of the curve . Leaning opposite upsets the balance of the bike making the curve harder to complete .
Road racers lean to the inside of a curve at speeds approaching 100 mph . Racers lean so far into a curve that they drag their knees on the pavement . Street riders should never lean far enough to drag body parts but the technique is the same for racers as it is for street riders .
Riders should let the center of their body or a line of a zipper on a jacket lean across the center of the gas tank in the direction of the curve . The amount of lean is determined by the speed of the bike and sharpness of the curve . Riders should start out with a slight lean . Riders should never lean so far that they feel uncomfortable . Lean your inside shoulder
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forward and into the curve . Keep your arms relaxed and bent at the elbows .
Rotate your hips into the curve . Transfer most of your weight to your inside seat bone and foot peg . Press your outside leg into the gas tank and push the bike through the curve . This helps lean the bike making the turn smoother . Place your inside leg beside the gas tank to keep that leg from moving . Legs against the tank help hold you on the bike and will keep your body in the proper position . Holding on by handlebar grip alone causes the body to tense up thus upsetting the balance and steering of the bike .
Ride with the balls of your feet on the foot pegs or floorboard . Use your feet to shift your weight . Do not rely on the handle bars only to help you shift your weight . This action causes weight to transfer to the front tire making steering slow and more difficult . Riding through curves with your feet way out on highway bars may look cool , but it does not help you steer the bike .
Body movement should be smooth and subtle . Harsh or jerky movements can upset the steering of the bike . Moving in perfect unison with your bike can make the dance of riding safer and more rewarding . Don ’ t just ride your bike experience the dance with your riding partner . CMA
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