bikegirl.co.uk - Getting your knee down

How to get your knee down

It feels like a primal need for most blokes with a sporty bike, and I have to say I'm with them on that. I hope you get to try it out and feel the buzz of your first scuffed slider.

Why do they it?
The whole trend started in the 80s when some racers discovered that by hanging off their bikes they could reduce the angle of lean, and thereby pull themselves round corners faster with less risk of getting past the edge of the tyres. There is still an old school contingent which refuses to accept that it does actually make a difference, but how many racers do you see sticking to one place in the saddle?
Now racers use the knee to gauge how far they are from the track and therefore how much more they can lean before they hit the deck. Sometimes a knee can push a racer out of a slide too, but this is quite lucky.
The average Joe, however, leans off the bike and sticks a knee out to look cool. There is absolutely no need to get your knee down on the roads other than to prove to your mates that you're well 'ard and to compare sliders afterwards down the pub.

Yes, but why should I bother?
As a girl, if you scrape your sliders you will have men in awe of you, and the most attention-crazed bloke will have to wheelie past naked to get the crowd's attention back.
The feeling of achievement is awesome. And when you find yourself on a track day actually using your knee to gauge your angle of lean for the first time then you truly are advancing.
If you're remotely competitive, a poseur and an attention seeker (like me) then it's a must!
Once you have sullied your first slider you must go out of your way to mock all men with virgin knee sliders.

How do you learn?
There are three options - the track, a roundabout and a twisty road
On a roundabout: There are some well known spots around the country which are frequented by manic bikers. My first experience was at an infamous roundabout on the outskirts of Peterborough, frequented by certain locally based bike magazines. Make sure the roundabout is large and quiet, the tarmac is smooth and that you have a good view all around to spot oncoming traffic.
Take a few deep breaths, put your right indicator on and set out for 2 or 3 warmup laps to get your tyres up to temperature. If a car comes along then slow down and lift up immediately, carrying on when they are safely out of the way. Don't give anyone a reason to be worried, think "bloody yob" or call the police. Don't fly around the roundabout like a bat out of hell intimidating drivers from approaching and scaring them half to death - you're asking for trouble and deserve a ticket.
Once you have warmed up your tyres, start to push your body to the right hand side of the bike - ideally your bum should be one cheek on the seat and one cheek hanging in the air. Grip the left side of the bike with your left leg, keeping your foot on the foot rest. Stick you right knee out, keeping your right foot on the foot rest - this should feel natural rather than forced - you may have to adjust your angle to achieve this position comfortably. It may help to turn your right toe out which will help your leg to get into position. When you start to tire, your right leg will gradually move in to grip the bike - then it's time to stop... but if you're reasonably fit you should last a while.
If you are on a sportsbike you shift the body weight to the front of the bike. Hang off by one bum cheek, but move the whole body towards the front of the bike. It will lessen the angle of lean required to get that knee down.
Now keep going round the roundabout and gradually pick your speed up by about 5mph. Don't consciously try to lean more - this won't work. Instead let the rise in speed take you over a little further naturally. Add another 5mph and have faith in your tyres.
It may be useful at this point to stop for a rest and get some pointers from your mates (or the gaggle of blokes keen to chat to a bird and impress you with their skills and knowledge). They can advise on how far away you are from the deck, how much you need to increase your speed and, of course, give you the vital encouragement you need.
Get out again - don't forget the warm up laps - and gradually increase your speed until you feel that satisfying scrape. Don't worry if you don't manage it first time - there will be plenty more sunny days!
It's a good idea to get a pal to photograph you on your first success - here's mine! OK, a millisecond before or after the event but by god I got that slider down!
On the road: If you know a set of twisties well and they don't tend to be very busy, then you can go to and fro finding a safe place to turn and try again. There's less likelihood of diesel spillage than on a roundabout.
On a track: Just follow the instructions above and the track pointers - it will come naturally before you know it!

What not to do
Well obviously don't break the law!
Don't glance down at your knee to see if you've almost got touchdown. You might get more touchdown than you anticipated.

The bad points
Erm... I have to think hard for this bit....
Well, your tyres will wear out at the edges. No, that's not a bad thing....it's pretty cool.
You may fall off if you try too hard. But that's the same with any aspect of biking.
If you do it on the roads the police may try to book you for dangerous driving. Keep an eye out and keep away from busy roundabouts so you don't become a hazard or a nuisance. Then they shouldn't have a reason to stop you (but they may anyway - please note the disclaimer at the bottom of the page)