Looking for racers who want to go faster

Hello everyone, making this post with Sean's permission.

Not a racer, but love riding and have been doing occasional track days with TeamPromotion for some years. Member of other online forums - with the same screen name.

Last year, I invented Motorcycle Foot Anchors which allow to go faster in turns, quicken the turn-in rate, improve stability, and increase rider confidence. I've been testing my invention on the street and track since Summer of 2013, with very positive results. All details can be found at www.fasturns.com with lots of info, pictures, FAQ's, test rider impressions, etc. And, of course I am ready to answer any questions you may have.

I am looking for a racer who will seriously consider utilizing Foot Anchors on his/her bike. By seriously I mean that I will have to measure and come up with the specific design for that bike model/rearsets, then get the materials, machine, drill, etc. myself, which takes days if not weeks, so I don't mind doing it if someone will give it a seriously good shot. Just to give you an idea, I was quoted $1100-$1300 to make a set for my bike, at which point I had no choice but to buy whatever lathe, milling machine, and other equipment I could afford, learn how to use it, and finally make what you see in the pictures.

If there is only one person who ends up willing to try, I will make it for free, and hope that you win.

If by any chance there will be a number of people with similar bikes willing to try (e.g. all ride R6), I am working on the arrangement with a machine shop. Still waiting for them on pricing for 10, 15, and 20 sets - assuming that all sets are almost identical. I am willing to give it away for cost - just so that you could try it.

I am pretty confident a mid pack racer would move to a podium, or will even win a race, and a back marker will get to top 6.

I reside on Long Island, NY, so close proximity would be a big plus. However, as long as I can find the same bike, I can measure everything and produce a kit which will fit most any bike.

The manager of Island Powersports dealership (Long Island, NY), who is a former racer, was kind enough to allow me to come any time, measure any bike, and test fitment of my prototypes on any of their bikes - and they have a huge inventory. BTW, others in motorcycling community privately recognized merits of this invention, although there were some who expressed skepticism.

If anyone has doubts or questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I really believe Foot Anchors will change how we ride sportbikes in the same way hanging off technique changed that many years ago.

Igor G.

 

That's actually a pretty cool idea IMHO. Best of luck.

 

I need all the help I can get as a first year expert guy! I ride an R6 with Woodcraft rear sets. Currently reading the link as I'm not quite sure what in the hell these foot anchors are.

 

I'm curious as to how difficult the transition is during a chicane? Not a racer, just wondering.

Is there any safety factor involved with the foot getting stuck during a crash?

I'm not trying to knock it, looks like a great idea to improve rider stability.

 

Read up on it. Looks cool as shit. I'll try it. I'm nowhere near NY though (DC). What do you need me to do?

 

What about size 14 and shifting? Seems like the transition back and forth would be harder since you would be more on the tank...

 

Constructive criticism: I think you're trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist. Being "anchored" to the bike creates a safety concern for me as well.

 

I'm certainly intrigued.

 

who quoted $1300 to make a plate with a peg?

 

I'm trying to picture what would happen in a highside. Not sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing.

 

One machine shop quoted $1100, another machinist quoted $1300. There is more than meets the eye.

Many good questions and concerns. All of your questions already answered in FAQ section. I would encourage to go over them.

Safety concern: indentation on the foot anchor is key - it looks a bit like a thread. It holds your foot in lateral direction (prevents movement away from the bike) but only when upward pressure is present. However, the moment you relax your foot (e.g. stop pressing upward or about to crash) - the foot slides out effortlessly. If you really want to move your foot/leg up from under the foot anchor, there is absolutely no way to prevent it.

S-transitions: tested many times on the street and the track (turns 3 and 4 at Thunderbolt, NJMP for example). No problem at all once you develop reflexes for the footwork. I actually could be more aggressive in this S-transition with foot anchors. I can pick myself up quickly, and throw to the other side without a concern and then arrest the turn-in with throttle so I don't hit the ground.

Positioning of foot anchors: depending on your preference, body size, riding style, etc. you can position them for your convenience. It took me about 20 min to figure it out, I stopped on the highway a couple of times, and changed position in about 2 min each time. This is something that every rider needs to figure out. Personally, I left about 1/4" wiggle room for my left foot when it's above the shifter and under the left foot anchor after trying a few different positions. Same for the right side.

Quicker turn-in: I can literally throw my body to the inside of a turn accelerating the turn-in additionally to normal steering input, especially useful in the wet because this is not using up traction.

Once you experience how the bike starts pulling to the inside, like on the banking so you almost hit the inside curb once or twice, and have to add more speed to avoid it - you'll be laughing in your helmet like I did.

If you have big feet: that's why there are so many holes in the plate - to accommodate various foot sizes and preferences.

Foot Anchors try to fix non-existent problem: I carefully researched MotoGP footage and other races. So often, a racer falls off the bike or almost falls off the bike because of a wiggle or minor slide/shake for this exact reason - unable to hold on to the bike while leaned. I also pruposefuly rode in the rain over tar snakes a number of times to see how would I feel during minor slides. It was laughable - the bike wiggles, I continue singing a song with a smile and nothing happens.

Also, you notice how most everyone has their butt off the seat, but the upper body ending with the head goes right back to the bike and positioned above the tank. That's because a rider is likely to fall off - there is nothing to hold on to the bike (and we know that handlebars are not an option unless you want to ride with headshakes/slappers all the time).

Highside: Didn't test myself, but researched many slow motion videos. Identified three typical highside scenarios, and in each of them the foot should be released. If there is a slight delay, a rider would not fly as high as it usually happens and will not cartwheel as badly as it usually happens. A valid concern, and I have no test data to back it up.

 

I'm all for new proven concepts to help improve riding skills, especially on track......maybe I'm just old school but what I was taught was to stay on the balls of your feet in relation to foot position on the pegs, you can move quicker/easier side to side. Only time I understand putting your heal on the peg is exiting a turn on the outside peg to push to get the bike up-right quicker.....

I maybe way off base here, but I too am intrigued....

 

we need a highside volunteer! sounds like an interesting idea.

 

Ultimately, in whatever direction this thread goes will be interesting.

-jim

 

A valid concern. Remember there are no changes in what you inside foot does - still on the balls of the foot.

Highside volunteer needed: I tried. It wouldn't. Too stable. LOL

General comment: I gave it a lot of testing, a lot of thinking, and bouncing off of other people - former racers, track coaches, race club members. There was a bit of skepticism, but overall it was like "heck, yea, I've always had this issue, and this would solve it". And if I didn't experience all of that myself I wouldn't be such a believer. And in general anything new like that would seem strange, and like "what the heck is this?"

 

It's certainly an interesting topic. There are a few corners on a track where I'll essentially take my outer foot off the peg completely for a moment, forcing me to weight the inside peg, to increase ease of turn-in.

The JDSA teaches movement on the pegs, as weighting the inside peg entering a corner can make a significant difference.

 

Intriguing idea. It could also add protection for controls in lowside. I can easily see where it could cause problems though. Such as if the rider came off the back of the bike the footpeg becomes a fulcrum with their toe under this thing. Ouch.

 

Maybe if you're wrestling a GSXR1100, but most of the stuff I've ridden drops on it's side faster than what my brain can comprehend anyways.