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Body Position Evolution


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Here are a bunch of pictures from as similar an angle as I could find without spending the rest of my week on the interweb, all from what could arguably be called the modern era, starting out with Ago on his 1975 Yamaha. All these are world champions over the past 35 years and hence the best of their day. For me, it would be interesting to get comments on each rider's BP because I'm sure there are good and bad things obscured to my untrained eyes.

 

I must also, before the pictures, say that when watching through hundreds of pictures of each rider, I did notice that the BP changed for all of them, suggesting an adaption to the needs for each corner. In other words, they did not seem static over a period of years, nor from one corner to the next. Hence it is hard for me to tell if I got the most representative pictures of each rider or not. PS! There are two images of both Roberts Sr and Rossi!

 

PS! Due to restrictions of images allowed, this will have to go over several messages.

 

Ago

Giacomo_Agostini_1975.jpg

 

Sheene

Sheen_1977.jpg

 

Roberts Sr

KennyRoberts1977.jpg

king_kenny.gif

 

Uncini

Uncini.jpg

 

Lucchinelli

Lucchinelli.jpg

 

Spencer

Spencer.jpg

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It's really progressed. Two things could have fixed the basics of their problems.

1. Open your hips to the turn.

2. Keep your back aligned with your hips.

 

That would have gotten them started, but most of the older pics had the riders using their bodies to gauge the bikes lean limits. It's the same progression most of us went through, or are going through, to get the proper BP.

 

Angle has SOME to do with it in these pics, as does where they actually are in the turn. Hayden gets off the bike almost as far as other MotoGP riders, and in his pic that has been posted, he doesn't seem to be that far off. Probably isn't. That's because it's the beginning of his turn. Look at the rumble strips above him.

 

Looking at Kenny Sr. you see how stiff his arms are. No way he's setting records with arms that stiff. He's in the beginning of his corner also. He'll end up with the same BP as the rest of the people of his time, but those arms being straight out like that wouldn't work no matter what decade you're talking about.

 

I wonder how much drive suffered back then when compared to todays BP.

 

Best of all these pics? Stoner. Perfectly straight, hips open, on the balls of his feet, head up, and wrists locked. Outstanding.

 

Watching Lascourz in WSS, I began thinking he might have a new coach. In the beginning of the race he's in the standardized BP most riders, especially the young ones, are in, and as it goes on and the competition gets more intense, he's farther and farther off the bike until he's back to where he was last year.

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Am I right, then, when I say Gardner is the one of the old school to come closest to the current standard?

 

Kind of. I'd guess that pic were from the early '90's. Agostini, I'd say, was more progressive than most other riders for his time. I would LOVE to know what year that Spencer pic is from. Had to be before his Moto GP days.

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  • 1 month later...
Here is another one for you...

796030334_6AvZW-L.jpg

 

Hmmmmmmmm, I guess we know where Stoner learned his BP.

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  • 2 months later...

Is there a reason why his outside leg (left leg) is not gripping the tank (just sticking straight out)? I noticed similar BP in MotoGP and WSK. Also noticed that most of those bikes don't have tank grips (e.g. Techspec pads)...

On closer inspection, it seems that both Stoner and Lenz have their "wedding tangle" right up against the tank. Also, they're not hanging very much off the bike.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I noticed an interesting picture on motogp.com yesterday, but I can't find it there for the life of it.

 

The shot was taken from behind the bikes, showing Pedrosa and Lorenzo in a turn where BOTH of them were very clearly leaning away from the bike with their upper bodies!

 

Now, I have my own little pet theory about why they do that, but spilling the beans don't make much for conversation. So, any takers - why do they do it?

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I can't find it either.

 

But as a side note, how cool was that 'Gyrocam' on the back of Rossi's bike!

 

Now if they would only mount one on the front of a bike, then you'd get an awesome indication of the lean angle when following someone else!

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  • 2 weeks later...

796030334_6AvZW-L.jpg

 

Is there a reason why his outside leg (left leg) is not gripping the tank (just sticking straight out)? I noticed similar BP in MotoGP and WSK. Also noticed that most of those bikes don't have tank grips (e.g. Techspec pads)...

 

Here is what Keith Code wrote in his book:

 

"... Clamp onto the bike, just tight enough, with your outside leg or boot pressed to the bodywork, or in some cases, use the tank by pressing your knee against the side or your arm across the top of the tank, or do all of the above."...

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  • 3 months later...

I noticed an interesting picture on motogp.com yesterday, but I can't find it there for the life of it.

 

The shot was taken from behind the bikes, showing Pedrosa and Lorenzo in a turn where BOTH of them were very clearly leaning away from the bike with their upper bodies!

 

Now, I have my own little pet theory about why they do that, but spilling the beans don't make much for conversation. So, any takers - why do they do it?

 

While they exit from a corner? thats the question?

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I noticed an interesting picture on motogp.com yesterday, but I can't find it there for the life of it.

 

The shot was taken from behind the bikes, showing Pedrosa and Lorenzo in a turn where BOTH of them were very clearly leaning away from the bike with their upper bodies!

 

Now, I have my own little pet theory about why they do that, but spilling the beans don't make much for conversation. So, any takers - why do they do it?

 

While they exit from a corner? thats the question?

 

which would help getting the bike upright. ;)

 

if it's before -- cause they're leaning the bike so much that to see they have to 'sit up' a little.

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  • 3 years later...

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