Premium Member rowdy Posted September 3, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 3, 2016 I'm curious because I used to ride with my arches on the pegs, but since I put on rear sets I find it more comfortable to ride with the balls of my feet on the foot pegs. I feel like I have better control of the bike that way too. Why can't left turners see us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator mjh937 Posted September 3, 2016 Global Moderator Share Posted September 3, 2016 I like to move around as I ride. Sometimes I put my feet on the passenger pegs when I am cruising on the highway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member hippiebikerchick Posted September 3, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 3, 2016 Balls. LOL. My bike is stock and if I use arches I'm touching the brake pedal. Illegitimi non carborundum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member i28 Posted September 4, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 4, 2016 For some reason I make better turns when I've got the balls of my feet on the foot pegs. I'm kind of a newb so I'm trying to figure out my style and why I do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robborboy Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 For some reason I make better turns when I've got the balls of my feet on the foot pegs. I'm kind of a newb so I'm trying to figure out my style and why I do that. sort of like fencing. It feels more natural loading the pay a with the balls of your feet and sort of lunging, that in turn inspires more confidence thus it feels more responsive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamster Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Most people ride on their balls (lol) when carving and turning, . I guess it is more aggressive and allows you to switch from one side to another easier. Safe riding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangaddict Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Arches when shifting and braking. Balls when cruising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 2wheeler Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Arches I started riding in the 70's in the dirt - mostly on homemade motocross tracks. Arches was good enough for Roger DeCoster (you young'ns should Google him), it is good enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 A fraction of a second at speed can = many more feet traveled so I like to keep my arches on the pegs and my balls at the ready over the shifter/brake in case I have to suddenly down shift/brake in an an emergency stop. Your balls are important. My balls have helped me a number of times in a tight fix. I know what my balls are for and I get maximum use out of them. You should, too! 8-| Beemer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member i28 Posted September 4, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 4, 2016 ...in case I have to suddenly down shift/brake in an an emergency stop... Interestingly enough, I read this yesterday. "The study found that downshifting added about 10 feet to stopping distances"http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/effective-braking-street-survival Not saying they're right but it's something worth researching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybmx Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Riding on track, arch is not an option. So balls for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator mjh937 Posted September 4, 2016 Global Moderator Share Posted September 4, 2016 Interesting read, and I find when I am practicing emergency stops it is easier not to downshift so I can concentrate on maximum braking. I think @Beemer might be referring to downshifting to accelerate out of a bad situation, not necessarily to stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ralph Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 I put and ride Arch but really you should use balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member phicurious86 Posted September 4, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 4, 2016 If I'm just cruising the highway I'll switch up from arches to ball to give my legs and feet a stretch. Otherwise I'm on the balls. Feels really weird and slow trying to ride through anything twisty on the arches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 I was just joking about riding on the arches, I ride on the balls. I just got back from a ride and tried doing that and it just isn't natural to me. As a matter of fact it feels a little dangerous with my soles just above the shift lever and brake pedal. A couple times while trying it I hit some small bumps and my foot made contact with the shift lever. It didn't hit it hard enough to make it down shift but I wonder if that could happen. I wouldn't want it to drop down a gear unexpectedly and harshly. As far as the down shifting while braking hard goes I learned to do that riding dirt. I can lock up the rear end, hard front brake, clutch in and down shift to match my speed as I'm slowing down just in case I need to get back on the gas hard to escape trouble. If you do nothing but hit the brakes hard and suddenly have to go fast but you're in too high a gear you then have to have extra time to get into the right low gear and that could be too late. Maybe those people that tested it weren't well practiced at it. There's nothing hard about it, you get on the brakes hard first and downshift afterwards. Piece of cake. Beemer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member i28 Posted September 5, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 5, 2016 It's more like your heels are on the footpegs (and not really the arches) but you also stick your feet out like 45 degrees so your feet aren't hovering above the brake/shift pedal.http://www.fasturns.com/Valentino%20Rossi%20-%20current%20body%20position.jpg His left foot is on the heel and his right foot is on the ball (for clearance). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member i28 Posted September 5, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 5, 2016 Interesting read, and I find when I am practicing emergency stops it is easier not to downshift so I can concentrate on maximum braking. I think @beemer might be referring to downshifting to accelerate out of a bad situation, not necessarily to stop. I agree with you. The only time you may want to downshift is if you may put yourself in a place where you can possibly get rear ended while braking. The California version of the MSF (the MCT - based off of Total Control) had us downshift while emergency braking. There was also another video Beemer posted where he was avoiding a potential hazard and downshifted a few gears. That's what I was also thinking of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member norcal616 Posted September 5, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 5, 2016 Balls of my feet ever since I stopped riding crotch rockets and went to dirt bikes for years... I will admit when I had a crotch rocket years ago it was more like keeping your arches on the pegs...the natural body position of a crotch rocket let's me place me feet like that...the FZ-07 natural body position is 98% like a dirt bike unless your one of the very very few who want to have a crotch rocket like seating position on the fz-07 2015 fz-07- Hordpower Edition...2015 fj-09- 120whp- Graves Exhaust w/Woolich Race Kit- tuned by 2WDW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybmx Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 It's more like your heels are on the footpegs (and not really the arches) but you also stick your feet out like 45 degrees so your feet aren't hovering above the brake/shift pedal. http://www.fasturns.com/Valentino%20Rossi%20-%20current%20body%20position.jpg His left foot is on the heel and his right foot is on the ball (for clearance). His left on that photo like that probably because he needed to shift in that corner. Otherwise he rides balls on the pegs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member avanti Posted September 9, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted September 9, 2016 It's NOT a bicycle!!! Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member rowdy Posted September 9, 2016 Author Premium Member Share Posted September 9, 2016 It's NOT a bicycle!!! Go figure.Only a Fred would ride a bicycle with the arches of their feet. Why can't left turners see us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 even bicycles you use the balls. oh you mean the kind with flat, square pedals? I use balls on them too but shoot I haven't owned a bicycle in 20 years that wasn't clipless. And even in my sneaks I put the ball of my foot on top of the Look's. Not a very secure perch by any measure... The Doctore has his left leg turned somewhat sideways and is jamming the heel of his boot hard into the heel guard because he's using it to hold his weight from sliding off. His inboard leg actually doesn't have a lot of force in it - mostly relaxed. If you try to use the inboard leg to hold yourself up, you will get tired very quickly, your quads will scream, and you core and upper body will be much more rigid and stiff which will hinder your ability to be smooth at the controls. He's using his palms and butt to sense traction conditions and you can't do that if you're not relaxed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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