The Pro Rider Technique to make you a better rider! | MiniTip Monday
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- Опубликовано: 10 дек 2023
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The detail of riding technique is an interesting one. Does it matter that much? Some riders aren't that worried and still do incredible things on a motorbike. Some people do it perfectly and aren't that good.
For me, the detail does matter because it changes your ceiling. Putting your feet consistently in the same place helps you get to where you can. Foot position on the footpegs is on of these little details that can really help you improve quickly and stop you improving if its bad.
And if Chris Birch cares about it then you probably should too. 
Авто/Мото
this is 100% true. Follow the idea and train. Miracles happen and speed becomes safe.
One of the biggest things that helped me riding off-road was always keeping my head up and eyes looking 'in the distance' - not right in front of me etc. really helped a lot riding ruts and loose gravel. I found I relaxed more too and I could plan my desired path earlier and allowed the bike to 'move' and find its own needed path over things.
This is a very good tip, I learned to do this driving oversized Loads in a Semi truck, but it translates to autos / bikes / dirt and road. They say to look 12 seconds ahead of yourself. which at slower 20 -30 mph off road speeds is a little excessive, but 6 - 10 seconds seems about right depending on where you are. If you go from tight single track in the trees to a wide open spot that is where you have to be intentional with this on an adventure bike.
Thanks Lel, as a more novice off road rider I really value tutorial type content like this. And I 100% feel the difference & increased confidence in my control of my bike off road using this foot positioning & technique. I can’t ride any other way now or I feel less stable, cheers mate 🤘🏻
Glad it’s helpful. Sometimes I make these videos and no one watches 😂😂
Good tip... and this comes back down to exercise being a crucial and often overlooked part of the basics of learning to ride better
Very true!
Thanks for the focus on this crucial but often overlooked technique. I am 6'5 and as flexible as a plank. My feet are a long way away but definitely need more attention when riding to get my hip action right. 👍
I mean, at 6’5 no one is judging you for suing bar risers 😂😂
Getting really good MX-style boots helped me with this a lot. My first three years of riding I was using basically street boots and then some very low-end off-road boots. After I got some top of the line Gearne boots (not promoting Gearne, that's just what I chose) it became much easier to hinge my heels of the back and still have great stability and not get tired quickly.
100% agreed. 👍 I completely forgot to mention this 😂
I agree. I've upgraded from comfortable but soft Sidi Adventure 2s to Gaerne SG-12 Enduros. Better protection, endurance and control.
Hell yeah. That dude is SO GOOD! Just recognizing the body positioning and clutch/throttle control. Hell yeah. This is extreme human performance in technique and physical conditioning.
Great stuff Llel, be practicing that soon.
Let me know how it goes!
I started doing this about 1 year ago and it felt really strange and unnatural. But after practicing a lot it now feels really good and my riding has benefited. For anyone starting out, it might take a while, but its worth persisting. Great video. Cheers
Amen!
Always happy with the content you put out! I've learned a lot from this channel and it inspires me to ride. Also glad to see the 800DE in this video. I hope there are some plans for content with it in the future. I'm between purchasing the 800DE and the Tiger 900. The Tiger is obviously the more premium bike, but is it $5-7k USD more premium? I also have a little bit of brand loyalty towards Suzuki and hope there bike is actually as good as it seems on paper. Hoping to hear your thoughts on Suzuki's addition to the mid-weight market (if not already addressed in a video I've missed).
It’s coming. It’s a really nice bike with a great motor. It’s different to a Tiger. More mellow, more touring. Great for dirt road ADV riding, not super good on single track or technical. The kinda stuff where a 890 or a T7 come alive.
*Thanks “Brake Magazine’. I am a young at heart (born 1949) rider. Today, I am eagerly waiting for my KAWASAKI Vulcan 650 Cafe (ABS). It will be delivered Tues 19 Dec 2023. Thereafter I’ll hit the road AH1 (Asia Highway 1) from Bangkok to Northern China Mai. 680 km. Soon, I will have two bikes. My old ‘Thumper’ =RE= Meteor 350. Two years. Mileage 30,000 km. All over sunny Thailand in tropical heat and heavenly downpours. No more 350 cc Royal Enfield! Enough is enough! The nasty VIBRATIONS! Thanks for the chronic Wry Neck (Torticollis) And the Neuropathy (numb right hand throttle hand & fingers) usually after one hour in the saddle. It’s been good to know ya! =RE= No more. There is a Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650. But, I chose the 650 cc KAWASAKI cruiser. I am sure you’ll understand. The ‘KAWA’ Ninja 650 cc engine and the KAWASAKI’S reputation, legacy. Greetings Johnny BikeSanooK!*
Great vid. I’m 6’9” on a GSA and constantly working on body positioning especially my big feet.
I find it difficult as I’m always bent at the hips when standing on the pegs and often makes me feel I’m leaning too far forward.
Always working on my body around the bike 👌👌👌
Have you looked at spacing the cockpit out more? Lower pegs, taller bars?
amazing content!
Hi Llewelyn, fantastic video and amazing channel. As a recent convert to Adventure riding I’ve been doing 300-400km, 6-8 hour rides (at least half on dirt, gravel, sandy off-road trails) and always the next day in immense pain in my Achilles. To the point I would not ride for a week or so. I was riding off road almost always heel down and in hindsight too much too soon. Last couple of rides I’ve been consciously trying to get more on the balls of my feet, I echo the other comments that there is a very real ‘physical/riding fitness’ element that many riders and YT’s don’t talk about. Would be interesting to do a series on this aspect of riding. I’ve also noticed that I copy Birchy’s hips to the outside technique when cornering (especially dreaded off camber right corners!) whereas a lot of riders I ride with don’t bother and remain pretty much upright.
Can't beat a bit of Billy.And I'm off to Mompox today so practice is inevitable-happy days
Not sure if it just me, or most/any older guys, but after not riding for 45 years and working in an office environment, though i did a lot of running, when i got back into riding I had a hard time. Though i remembered how to move, I could not do it. Though my feet were placed correctly, I could not get the hip hinge part correct, corrupting my riding position and making everything, from adjusting the suspension, to feeling comfortable in corners, very inconsistent and difficult. It has taken me about three years of exercise, stretching and riding to finally feel my weight be in the places from my 1970s memories. The point is, the leg strength and hip flexibility required to attain the proper position is often pointed out but rarely mentioned as being unattainable for more than a few minutes without training.
This is not lost on me. I had to learn this too. It didn’t come naturally to me, but maybe that’s a good video!
@@BrakeMagazine I guess if it were easy, everyone would do it!
Its helped me quite a lot.
Liking the new Leatt suit!
Me too. It's comfy and warm now that winter is here!
Great content as always 🤟 What tyres are you using on the V-Strom ?
By pushing your heels down, you are giving up some spring-ability in your lower legs. this is probably fine for most gravel road riding, but when you get into more rough terrain it is helpful to have more flexibility and be able to move more independently from your bike. You can also see in the opening shots that none of them are pushing their heels down to the point of no flex in the ankle.
Agreed, it’s a dynamic state. You can’t permanently give up all ankle “suspension”.
In the opening clip, none of them are in the 'starting' position. It's a fluid thing for sure, but it's important to understand that these basic technique videos are the position you start and finish in, not a static thing.
Pushing the heels down till lockout of the ankle is common Motorcross and enduro riding advice and actually a good practice, the rougher it gets. But it is not a position you want to stay in. It's just a starting point to move around on the bike from there. You don't want to land after a big jump in this position
Another excellent video, I've noticed you on a vstrom 800de for a couple of vids now. Is there a review in the works?
Absolutely. Already shot. Just need to edit it!
Helpful- as an older rider, I have been working through some basic hand/foot habits ingrained through decades of riding. Some bad.
It takes time. Life is a journey!
Very interesting. I use Twin Pegs which gives me a stable and comfortable platform for standing a lot. Never considered this aspect. Will need to flip one of the pegs up and test it out.
I’ve never seen these. Are they adjustable at all?
@@BrakeMagazine No, but you can pin the rear peg up if you like and they don't get in the way when you want to hang off the bike a little in the twisties. They're not cheap, but I would put them on all my bikes as I absolutely love them.
Indeed it feels like this is the best way to position our feet. But my problem is in technical sections where I need to cover the rear brake! What's the best way to place the feet in this scenario? Cover the brake with the right foot and stand on your ball with the left foot? Most f the time you need to brake with the rear.
Excellent video...FYI if the engine starts chopping with feet in this position, your heel could be activating side stand engine cut out...ask me how I know!
It does on some bikes for sure. It totally depends on how sensitive the side stand switch it. Some brands are starting to notice this needs solutions. The new GS has a really clever one.
The first time it happens is super confusing thought hey!
Awesome video. Still waiting on that vstrom 800 de video lol
I'm working on it 😂
This is completely true nevertheless i would like to add another point of rotation crucial to the complete technique, our knee, which is not completely static as it can move between the footrest and the heel line, but must remain as much as possible pressing the bike, so maybe it sees its freedom limited.However, this knee attitude is what allows us to support the weight of the body in movement without the need to hold on to the handlebars, as well as allowing us to have total freedom of movement with the hip.the movement back an forth should result to fluid driving and free from exaggeration and sudden movements.also knees shouldn't move too much, but that there are exceptions. In addition to the legs, our arms also dictate the limit of our movement, as we should never have our elbows blocked or straight, so as to never lose control of the front wheel. In the same way, and on the same bike, a taller rider will be able to reach further back than a shorter rider, and not just because he has longer legs. An adventure bike, with its normally wide and split seat, will tend not to let us reach as far back as an enduro bike, for example. On te point of pulling the foot back on the footrest and creating a point of rotation and energy absorption in the body this is important since i have that it solves our problems, of both impact and imbalance. but to add to that the tips of our feets should be pointed inward to maximize knee grip..
I have strained my Achilles this way though... Back when I actually used to ride more jumps and whatnot on an MX track I guess. But on my adventure bike I don't like wearing my MX boots which do help, because they scratch and ding the side cases. I prefer to just be able to jump on my ADV bike as I am 90 /10 street bias on the ADV bike. And wearing a size 14.5 Wide she doesn't help with finding good boots for a decent price.
Thanks Lell, what are your thoughts about pivot pegs in this?
Mmm, they’re okay. I don’t personally like them but that’s probably cos I’ve always ridden without them. I find the stack height above the pivot point a bit high compared to a bicycle and it’s a bit awkward, but that’s not saying they’re a bad product. Lots of people fall in love with them.
💪🏾 It really does sound like a great idea and I am definitely going to start using this technique and posture, however, I have concerns in regard to Tomac's achilles.. Any suggestions or advice pertaining prevention?
Make sure you don’t over jump a super cross ryhtym. Honestly, it’s not a common issue. How many SX riders have you heard of having the problem?
@@BrakeMagazine Fair enough 🤦🏾♂️ it's just that exactly what happened to him would've been my paranoia - unless the boot doesn't typically allow such over-stressing. At any rate thanks for your speedy response 🏁
I shall now subscribe 😉
Most high end boots don’t allow for it, they have limited motion.
This video should have had the title 'Stand on your Balls'...
Amazing 😂
*Dude, you’re a stand up comedian!*
Yes great point, though it requires some practice. Without this technique your legs can really get tired after a few minutes of standing as I discovered it on my rides.
Absolutely! However, in time it'll flip the other way. Riding feet flat and legs a little too bent will destroy your legs pretty quickly :)
It looks like your heels are standing on top of a side stand when you go heels down. I noticed some bikes have issue, i noticed it the most on Kove 450 rally on both sides. How to deal with that? Is there a workaround? What would be a suggested position in that case?
It's pretty common, yes. TBH, on most bikes it doesn't make a difference and on the few it does, I kick my heel out slightly.
how is the v strom 800 compered to the t7 ? will there be any review of the v strom 800 de ?
Yes! Coming soon. It’s different to a T7. More rounded but less capable off road. Far superior road/touring bike. Enjoying it a lot.
Really interested in the Suzuki you are riding, any chance of a review please? I love the look but not sure about 230kgs off road!
+1!! Would love to see a review of the 800DE! Your opinion would be greatly appreciated!
Coming soon. :D
Fantastic 👍
It's alright if you have long legs to give enough clearance from your seat, I don't and I haven't found a way to lift the pegs up yet :( (putting ankles down lower)
I agree, it is harder but it can still be learnt 😌
Now you know why Eli Tomac severed his achilles heel. Most won't suffer his injury, but it is the proper attack position. MX boots, like ski boots should have a limiting flex point. Something that will be able to tie in the toe to shin. Spreading the force over a larger area. Rather than isolating it to the ankle.
I mean, it’s an extreme example, of an athlete going through repetition of extreme forces. It’s also pretty rare. Most pros ride like this and don’t blow the Achilles right.
I agree. It puts your Achilles tendon in a very vulnerable position. I was riding a dirtbike in a ditch with full motocross boots, and hit an unexpected compression , forcing my heel downward abruptly, and I'm sure I put a tear in it, which was quite painful, but I'm lucky I didn't snap it. I wasn't even riding fast or hard.
Achilles injuries are way more complex than most people understand. People regularly blow achillies from small jumps off boxes etc, but it's quite often not the root cause.
With tomcat, it's likely that this was something that has been coming for a long time. Repeated micro injuries or something like that or just pure bad luck.
Achilles injuries aren't that common in MX despite the huge forces pro riders go throughand almost all MX pro's have a similar basic technique so using him as an example of why not to ride on your toes isn't particularly logical.
It is however a good reason to wear a boot with some sort of protection and limitation in the ankle flex.
@@nealmathews2185
I see you have the same issue I do but I haven't heard any talk of this online. 1:22 THE SIDE STAND GETS IN THE WAY! As my heals drop it pushes down on the side stand and it automatically cuts power or stalls the bike when I'm going through some gnarly bits on my 890 adventure. It's absolutely frustrating and quite dangerous, ultimately forcing me to ride improperly on the arch of my feet instead of on my toes. Is there any way around this? Does anyone else have this issue? It's happened to me on multiple adv bikes but there seems to be no talk of it.
It’s a pretty common problem on ADV bikes and it’s shit for sure. I normally kick my heel out it I can, or disable the side stand switch.
I'm 6'5 with a size 13 (48 euro) boot. How can I avoid hitting my heels on the exhaust of my Tenere 700 while riding heels down without buying planks for footpegs? I know your familiar with that bike so I was curious to know your technique. Thanks
Not possible. Your foot is gonna rub. I’ve had the same problem my entire adult life. Size 47 boots.
I placed one of those thermal shields on that location to avoid burning my shoes...
Good shout!@@marchonegger3487
I don’t disagree, however heels down for a day of riding adventure bikes is exhausting and fatiguing. I prefer to only go to that position when challenging sections of the trail occur. 😎🤙
It stops being tiring when your calves open up. Takes time but I agree.
Need to be careful about your left heel pushing the stand down as there is often an engine cut off switch. It's visible in this video so the Suzuki switch must not be too sensitive. This sensitive switch is also why some bike cut out after you land after getting airborne.
Agreed
As an ex-motocrosser it also needs to be said: please do yourself a favor and only use this technique when riding with proper offroad boots. If you do this with any type of "bendy shoe" you might hurt yourself
Why? It’s no different to downhill mtb technique where riders go though huge forces wearing trainers.
Boots will save you at the extreme end but for 99% of adventure riding riding on your toes isn’t a problem. The bigger concern is the shit boots not being strong from impact or twisting.
@@BrakeMagazine the difference is that mtb flat pedals are much larger than a motorcycle footpeg and they are able to rock back-and-forth with the motion of your foot, and the sole of your shoe wont necessarily be bending around it as much. Motorcycle footpegs arent quite as large and/or movable, give it enough time and the shoe will start to give in and "bend" around the footpeg, forcing you to compensate it with the muscles of your feet, which arent necessarily trained for this, specially at the achilles. MX boots with hard flat soles will keep your feet straight onto a "platform", which gives a lot more hold onto the pegs. Yes if you are trained enough like MTBers or a seasoned motorcycle rider or just very in shape and you know what youre doing, then by all means, do it. But proper gear, specially hard soled boots, will most likely prevent injuries for the less experienced riders. My 2 cents as an ex-mxer and bicycle shop owner...
All good points tbh@@Driftuner
I found I was not good at turning left especially slow tight turn.
And I noticed my right knee was way forward while turning, because I was subconsciouslly trying to drag rear brake.
Once I started to consciously put right foot right place, keep ankle low and knee above footpeg, it became much comfortable than before💪
Thanks for sharing!
What about going uphill and accelerating. I assume that completely changes things as being on the balls of your feet then feels like it's trying to pull you off the bike and arms suffer
Depends a bit on the hill really, but mostly, it's still the same.
"We want our heels lower than our toes" - Try telling my ankles that!
I still ride on the balls of my feet ;-)
I can have a chat with your ankles if you want 😂 I get it's not always possible!
@@BrakeMagazine Hahaha, it's worth a shot! I'll have them zoom you 🤣
"Little old non-pro me!" TBH I'd be happy to have your 'limited' ability! 😁👌
It can be done!
@BrakeMagazine Nah! Too late for me buddy, I'm 70 now, I shall just wobble along, getting in everyone's way till the end! 😁
At least you're still able to enjoy wobbling!
@@kenbrooks7794
The problem I have with this is that my center of gravity is behind the footpegs, and I then have to pull on the handle bars to not fall backwards.. Does anybody else know what I mean? And maybe a solution?
It shouldn’t be. Your COG is determined mostly by your hip position not your foot position. If you’re unsure of what I mean we have some pretty detailed tutorials of standing position
Thanks for the response, and the awesome videos! I thought the hanging back was inevitable, perhaps because of my height (6''5), but I'll keep working on it!@@BrakeMagazine
Not at all :) The hing point has to be your hips and you may run into some mobility limitations at first. @@OneShotKill3r
4:06 that's what she said
Same as riding a horse, heels down is always drilled in by any riding coach
Exactly the same!
Suzuki and Yamaha really got their kickstands in the right place as you can see at 01:21 when his foot presses the kickstand down.
I've never been on this Suzuki, but the T7's kickstand has a switch to kill the engine. Guess what happens when you're riding on the balls of your feet? You push the kickstand down and the engine cuts out.
Engineering geenyus.
All Euro compliant bikes do. Some bikes are just more sensitive. The Suzuki is not sensitive thankfully
@@BrakeMagazine good to hear. I did a two day ride on a T7 and it was miserable because of that damn kickstand. I bought an 890... no issues... though its kickstand design is crap too.
It's the same principle as riding horses. Interesting.
It’s a very similar technique all round.
that sidestand is in the way...
Thanks, I hadn’t spotted that 😂
Please give credit to ryno regarding the hips. Call it money butt
I’m not sure he invented that, he just shouts the loudest 😂😂 Man is a legend though!
NJ: ALL YOUR BLOODS ARE BELONG TO US!
Great post - based on what you have suggested here, I am interested in knowing your opinion on Steg Pegz. I was considering them for next season (the supposedly help to fight fatigue on long standing stretches), but seem like they might be interfering in adopting more of a heel down technique like you explained here.
I think stage pegs are a great product for certain uses. I've never ridden with them, but they're one of the few 'gimmick' style products that's become beloved by pro riders and that's pretty unique for an off the wall idea. They've even heavily influenced modern Dakar bike design.
If you're riding long stretches in the sand, or whoops then they're awesome and my understanding is they don't greatly affect your basic position. :)
Hi if you think of buying PEGS I would recommend pivot pegs first. Step pegs I have to and I as am always running a mosko 10 on the back they are not of big use.
@@BrakeMagazine Yeah, the rear side plastics / fairings on some rally bikes basically hold your feet and act as pegs. Really great design that more bikes should adopt.
I ride heels down and on the balls....but I cant ride like any of you guys😂
I didn't promise gold 😂
@@BrakeMagazine I luf gooooold
Defo nil boredom - nil desperandum
Weird! I'm watching Lehto's Law but all the comments are from a motorcycle channel. I'm wondering where this comment ends up. If you can see this, let me know what channel you're watching.
Yeah…. Ask Eli Tomac and his destroyed Achilles Heel how your technique works….
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️