Discussion
There are a few theories:
Lowers the center of gravity while braking
Moves more weight to the rear of the bike
Improves the body position of the rider and make the rider more planted
Increases aerodynamic drag and acts like an airbrake
from here
https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/sylvain-gu...
Lowers the center of gravity while braking
Moves more weight to the rear of the bike
Improves the body position of the rider and make the rider more planted
Increases aerodynamic drag and acts like an airbrake
from here
https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/sylvain-gu...
Waynester said:
Wasn’t Valentino one of the first to adopt this trailing leg style?
yeah, and my theory is that he started doing it for some reason, maybe just felt right, getting a stretch and reposition foot before a turn. Of course he was faster than everyone else, so the other guys start to copy ...whether or not there is a measurable difference in lap time i dont know 
bogie said:
Waynester said:
Wasn’t Valentino one of the first to adopt this trailing leg style?
yeah, and my theory is that he started doing it for some reason, maybe just felt right, getting a stretch and reposition foot before a turn. Of course he was faster than everyone else, so the other guys start to copy ...whether or not there is a measurable difference in lap time i dont know https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-vie...
I agree with the other guys here, it's all about making your bike look wider than it is approaching a corner. I too think it should be banned as it discourages racing and is dangerous if another rider decides to play chicken and fill that gap although in reality they just move their leg. Racing would be better without it for sure.
griffter said:
Disclaimer: I am not a biker
But I happened to watch the Estoril Superbikes this morning. Why do some riders put their inside foot down when braking for a corner? I used to do this on my BMX but I’d have thought it would destabilise a superbike under braking.
Just curious…
Straight up balance and/or weight balance. Just like your do when you stretch your arms out walking a very thin line like a tightrope. But I happened to watch the Estoril Superbikes this morning. Why do some riders put their inside foot down when braking for a corner? I used to do this on my BMX but I’d have thought it would destabilise a superbike under braking.
Just curious…
This is from Mat Oxley's interview with Miguel Oliveira and describes exactly why.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/motorc...
What about the leg dangle? Your team-mate Brad Binder told me recently that when he takes a leg off the footpeg it puts more force into that arm and therefore into that handlebar, which helps him counter-steer into the corner, so why do you use the dangle?
MO: For example, if you are sitting static on the bike and braking, just raising your upper body when you brake and staying in the centre of the bike, you will have a lot of pitching, so you won’t have a lot of contact between the rear tyre and the track, so you won’t be able to brake with the rear so much.
What the leg dangle does is pull your body mass to the front, then you start moving your body. Let’s not consider the leg to start with… so you shift your body into the corner without dangling your leg. This is what Fabio [Quartararo] does – he positions himself towards the inside of the bike, so his body mass is already hanging off the inside side of the bike.
Then if you take your leg off the footpeg you lower your hip and also your leg is closer to the ground, so you further lower the overall centre of gravity, so that more or less explains why riders dangle the leg.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/motorc...
What about the leg dangle? Your team-mate Brad Binder told me recently that when he takes a leg off the footpeg it puts more force into that arm and therefore into that handlebar, which helps him counter-steer into the corner, so why do you use the dangle?
MO: For example, if you are sitting static on the bike and braking, just raising your upper body when you brake and staying in the centre of the bike, you will have a lot of pitching, so you won’t have a lot of contact between the rear tyre and the track, so you won’t be able to brake with the rear so much.
What the leg dangle does is pull your body mass to the front, then you start moving your body. Let’s not consider the leg to start with… so you shift your body into the corner without dangling your leg. This is what Fabio [Quartararo] does – he positions himself towards the inside of the bike, so his body mass is already hanging off the inside side of the bike.
Then if you take your leg off the footpeg you lower your hip and also your leg is closer to the ground, so you further lower the overall centre of gravity, so that more or less explains why riders dangle the leg.
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