What is the proper technique for locking into the tank?
This is something I have constantly struggled with. I have attended level 4 at CSS three times now and this is the first year I will just do a few track days and not attend any school.
I have found it easier to rest my inner thigh against the tank while cornering. This seems to relieve most of the handlebar pressure I apply while in a turn. It also seems to help me relieve bar pressure when I make a mistake and need to roll off the throttle mid-turn. Now, I know I shouldn’t be doing that. But, again I’m not the best rider out there and I make mistakes.
I’ve just bought another set of Stomp Grip pads. I’ve used them in the past but, I always seem to remove them because my technique of locking onto the bike is horrible. I usually go back to resting my inner thigh against the tank (this seems to work ok in the turns, but its pretty horrible under braking). Under braking it seems like the bike is going to lift the rear wheel; whereas, when I’m on my toes and using my knees against the tank, I can hit the brakes pretty much as hard as I can without that feeling of lifting the back tire.
But, again when I’m using my knees against the tank I don’t have the same feeling mid-corner as with my thigh against the tank. When I do make a mistake and need to roll off the throttle, I have to stand the bike up instead of leaving it in the lean. I think this due to my handlebar pressure. It seems easier to remove my handlebar pressure, especially in that situation, when using my thigh. One side note, my body position is twisted when using my thigh. And my body position is relatively good when using my knee against the tank. It’s just that I can’t seem to lock my body to the bike when using my knee against the tank.
I have been on the Lean Bike twice specifically to work on my body position. The instructors seem to tell me my body position is good. But, I just don't feel locked into position. I can ride around the track in that position, but again if I have to slow mid corner (or risk running off the track); I seem to give the bike a lot of handlebar pressure instead of being light on the bars when rolling off the throttle mid corner (again I know I shouldn’t be doing that but, errors seem to be part of my riding at this point).
Any help of locking into the bike would be useful and very appreciated.
I really started to think of locking in because under braking I have a horrible time when using my thigh against the tank. Also, it’s pretty bad when accelerating off the corner because I have used the handlebars to pull myself up closer to the tank (can you say tankslapper).
Again any help would be appreciated.
-Jim