Why a finger on the clutch mid corner?

Spies stated in his OTT interview he doesn't use the clutch at all anymore during backshifts. The computer does it, matching revs and all. He just goes bang, bang, bang and tips it in.

 

Ahh yeah, I've heard that before. Very cool. I've never ridden 2 smokes myself.

 

hahahahaa...that's exactly it! Besides the older racers, I do it as a hold over from my motocross days (which still are). I took a Gary Bailey school some 12-13 years ago, and had already developed that habit, but had it ground in again!

 

I just figured you were all flipping me off.

As far as the leg thing goes...saw someone at Fontana this weekend doing it on an SV, disappointed I didn't get a pic of it

 

I swear...even though I said I would...it wasn't me!

 

I think it was Brian. if it was him it did not work, he kept blowing turn 3

 

LOL....I was gonna do it....just in spit...but Bones was in the wrong corner in F2.

 

Do any of you cover the brake lever too?
Is that a habit I should try to break?

 

yep, both

 

Uhm, never really thought about it til now.

 

I always thought it was a way to slightly cut power to the rear wheel if need be without chopping the throttle.

 

This is why I do it (owned many Kaw triples). Also, I've never had a bike with a slipper clutch, so sometimes if I have to drag the clutch at corner entry. On top of those things, I've always ridden on the street covering the brake and the clutch, so it carried over from there.

 

I actually sometimes have two fingers on the brake and clutch, and sometimes one on the brake and clutch. It depends on if I will be braking hard in the next section or just trail braking, and what is comfortable.

 

Yup!

 

I thought the rear brake was used for that?

 

It's funny how old habits hang on. I started roadracing on a Kawasaki triple in `72 after some cross country, scrambles and flat tracking. All on two-strokes. Keeping the clutch "instantly available" was something your learned or you took up needlepoint.


To this day, riding cross-country, two-up, enjoying the passing tableau, I still have two fingers covering the clutch lever and the brake lever. On a BMW boxer twin. Which are not noted for seizing up and spitting you off…

 

I've done the leg dangling thing a couple of times before all this hoopla. It was never meant on purpose...it would just happen when I was entering corners and really hard on the binders. When I attempted to reposition my foot...the g force of the over the top braking would cause me to miss the peg and just hold it out there until I was stable enough to bring it back on.

 

:wow:I'd LOVE to ride a bike like that!!! I'd probably STILL be slow though

 

yeah sure, thats what they all say. .. LOL J/K

I did see the video on spies saying he dont use the clutch when downshiffiting, hell the only time he prob uses it is on the start and at the end pulling in off the track...

 

Three valid reasons listed so far in this thread.

1. In case of a problem such as an engine seizure.
2. In order to control engine braking.
3. Probably less common, but I think some use it to modulate power on exit.