knee dragging

Term used to describe the act of motorcycle roadracing, in which the rider's inside knee often comes in contact with the track surface while cornering and with the motorcycle leaned over. Knee dragging is more likely when the rider is hanging off of the motorcycle - a technique used to minimize the lean angle of the machine and thereby maximize tire traction. For this purpose, leather roadracing suits incorporate knee pucks (also known as knee sliders) on the outside of each leg, just below the knee.
Billy was knee dragging all over Road Atlanta last weekend.
by razer December 21, 2006
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trail braking

Late braking technique used by expert motorcycle roadracers in which the brakes continue to be applied beyond the point at which the motorcycle has been leaned over and has entered the corner. Trail braking is used primarily to delay the onset of braking for a particular corner as long as possible, and thereby overtake another rider. The technique requires a great deal of finesse and skill in order to avoid the loss of front wheel traction, which usually results in a low side crash.
Any attempt at trail braking by a novice rider, although usually unintentional, almost invariably results in a low side crash.
by razer December 22, 2006
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center of mass

The point in a system of bodies or an extended body at which the mass of the system may be considered to be concentrated and at which external forces may be considered to be applied. Also called barycenter or centroid.
In general, an object with a lower center of mass is more stable. This explains why weebles wobble but they don't fall down.
by razer December 22, 2006
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cornering

Term used to describe the act of riding a high performance motorcycle through a corner (or curve) of a closed race track or road course. An expert rider is able to corner his machine at high velocity by increasing the lean angle of the motorcycle while at the same time hanging off of the machine, a technique that is often accompanied by knee dragging.
Cornering is the most difficult skill to master in the sport of motorcycle roadracing.
by razer December 21, 2006
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low side

Motorcycle roadracing term used to describe a crash in which the bike is leaned over while cornering and falls down towards the inside (i.e. the low side). A low side usually occurs when front wheel traction is suddenly lost.

The flip side of this (no pun intended) is a high side crash.
Billy lost the front going into Turn 1 and low sided.
by razer December 22, 2006
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schiavo

The act of willfully and purposefully murdering a human being in a cruel manner and with the assistance and sanction of state authorities. schiavo•ing, schiavo•ed
Through careful planning and cold calculation, Dick managed to schiavo his defenseless, bedridden wife for profit as well as his own convenience.
by razer April 07, 2005
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lean angle

Motorcycle roadracing term for the angle between the center plane of the motorcycle and the vertical plane. The more the motorcycle is leaned over, the greater the lean angle. High lean angles are necessary when cornering a motorcycle at high velocity, but too great a lean angle results in loss of traction and often a crash. Riders employ a technique called hanging off in order to alter the rider-motorcycle system's center of mass and thereby minimize the lean angle necessary to negotiate a corner at a given velocity.
Establishing and maintaining the correct amount of lean angle is a balancing act that a motorcycle roadracer must master in order to ride fast.
by razer December 22, 2006
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