Code Break - Hanging Off in Style  By Keith Code, Photography by
Dan Mahony  This column began three years ago with another
titled, "Knuckle to Knee Dragging." It tracked the evolution of
the five phases that riding styles have gone through from the
1960s to the present. While overviews are great, they rarely
solve my students' problems of getting a knee on the ground. The
subject needed more study: What are all the elements of current
body positioning?  In the '60s, Harley Davidson-began
development of the KRTT roadracer based on a 750cc flathead
V-twin. By '70 it could go 150 mph. It, and the other bikes of
the day, had their seats, tanks, pegs and controls positioned
for the straight-up, knees-to-tank riding style of that era.
With relatively minor reconfigurations of those components,
those bikes would feel as comfortable and as ride-able as
anything built today. Bikes from any era can be adjusted to suit
all riding styles. But leathers from that period would create
serious restrictions to hanging off.  R