Lower body position and arm sore

[Bartias]

Hi recently I’m learning to move my lower body prior to braking. So when I downshift and brake, I find that I’m using majority of my right arm to support myself from the braking force. Left leg is not squeezing the tank as I have to downshift. Same goes to left arm is loose to downshift.
 

Am I doing this wrong?

[Jaybird180]

Recommend you have a look at this thread and article by Keith Code as a guiding idea as you continue to seek answers to your specific problem

 

[Hotfoot]

On 9/11/2021 at 9:30 PM, Bartias said:

Hi recently I’m learning to move my lower body prior to braking. So when I downshift and brake, I find that I’m using majority of my right arm to support myself from the braking force. Left leg is not squeezing the tank as I have to downshift. Same goes to left arm is loose to downshift.
 

Am I doing this wrong?

Ideally you would keep both knees tight and gripping the tank during braking, only releasing your inside knee as you are leaning the bike into the corner. Both arms should have as little pressure on the bars as you can manage.

Do you have any grip pads on your tank to help your legs grip? Why do you have to release your left leg to downshift, is it awkward to reach the shift lever?

Are you blipping the throttle to match revs on downshift? Have you ever learned clutchless downshifting?

[Bartias]

My lower body already moved to the inside before the braking zone. That makes gripping the inside tank during braking awkward. In particular as I drive my inside knee to grip the tank, my inside foot will be pointing inwards (towards to body of bike), making downshifting awkward too (for left turns). Im trying to get used to this but want to make sure that im getting used to the correct technique.

so far the other option is to just support my body with the outside thigh instead of grabbing with both knees.

yes I have tank grips and I blip the throttle too. Will try to incorporate clutchless downshift.

Thanks!

[Cobie Fair]

This is an interesting topic, how to hold onto the bike under braking.  We've had many do well with keeping the inside knee on the tank (I do for sure).  But some can support themselves with the inner thigh, as is seen by some braking with the knee out, or dangling the leg.