Leg Dangle

[slocumjoseph]

I’ve stated in previous posts that I’m not a motorbike rider. So although I love the spectacle and drama of the races I can’t understand much of the technical and technique part. The leg dangle is one. I know Rossi first used it and thought perhaps it’s for extra drag under braking or maybe it changes the centre of gravity. Since then it’s all over the track but not 100%. If it made a dramatic difference, to be competitive every rider would have to use that braking technique. So I tried to find an answer on Wiki clevernet. Apparently there is no definitive answer. It’s certainly not for style. Does this mean it will be out of fashion and not used in the future?

 

[DXX]

A great way to twist your foot 180 degrees if you get it wrong.

 

[Pezz]

I always thought it was more to make make it slightly harder for a rider behind to pass. Make their bike seem slightly wider and force an inside overtake attempt to be positioned slightly tighter to the apex and not quite where the following rider to be and therefore aborting or braking earlier and not being able to pass. The dangling leg is always the inside where more overtakes happen. Rossi being the rider he was would do anything to get even a tiny edge. Even dangling before a rider was close but doing it every now and then to put them in a situation where they don't know if he's going to do it or not. It does also have a tiny effect on drag but only tiny

 

[JOG]

A great way to twist your foot 180 degrees if you get it wrong.

Or the full 360 degrees if you get it wrong properly!!!