Post by Mx Life286 on Sept 27, 2005 21:03:59 GMT -5
The hottest buzz in the pits is about Jeremy McGrath's secret starting technique. Or was that Ricky Carmichael's starting secret? Or could it be Kevin Windham's? The MXA test crew first heard the rumors about the new technique from Alpinestars (the makers of Carmichael's, Windham's and McGrath's boots). We laughed at the idea, but the Alpinestars rep showed us a knob built into the back of Alpinestars's new Tech 6 and redesigned Tech 8 that is suppose to facilitate the tricky maneuver. We still doubted that it was true, but then Nick Wey told us he had seen Windham do it at a National and was trying to master the technique. We didn't laugh as hard. Instead, we tracked down Jeremy McGrath and asked him about the trick. Jeremy laughed. "No," said Jeremy, "I don't have a secret starting method. I lift my foot up the same way as everybody else on the planet."
Ricky Carmichael was next on our list, but he just looked at us like we were crazy. Kevin Windham, on the other hand, got a pained expression on his face. We could see that he didn't want to spill the beans when we asked him to explain his secret starting technique. Under pressure, Windham admitted that he did have a different method for shifting gears off the gate. He had heard the rumors, but had tried to avoid the subject. Yes, he would be willing to tell us how to do it.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to shift with your heel. Say what? That is the secret. Instead of lifting your foot, putting it on the footpeg, sticking your toe under the shift lever and then changing gears, Kevin shifts off the gate by knocking the shifter upwards with his heel (or side of the boot) as he lifts his feet off the ground. It allows him to start with both feet down (in front of the footpegs) and make the fastest shift possible.
And Kevin is the only one who does it-except for you.
Second step: Once you launch off the gate, lift your leg straight up. If you are wearing Tech 6 or redesigned Tech 8 boots, you should catch the shift lever on the new plastic knob that Alpinestars built into the boots, but Kevin Windham says he doesn't worry about using his heel-any part of the boot will work.
Third step: After you have knocked the shift lever upward to change gears, keep moving your foot up
and over the shift lever.
Make sure you lift it high enough so that you don't hit the shift lever and accidently kick it back into the gear you just shifted up from.
Fourth step: Slide your foot back on the footpeg so that you're ready for the next shift. That's it, everything you need to start using your heel. Do a few practice starts using the method before you try it out at the start of your next race.
Ricky Carmichael was next on our list, but he just looked at us like we were crazy. Kevin Windham, on the other hand, got a pained expression on his face. We could see that he didn't want to spill the beans when we asked him to explain his secret starting technique. Under pressure, Windham admitted that he did have a different method for shifting gears off the gate. He had heard the rumors, but had tried to avoid the subject. Yes, he would be willing to tell us how to do it.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to shift with your heel. Say what? That is the secret. Instead of lifting your foot, putting it on the footpeg, sticking your toe under the shift lever and then changing gears, Kevin shifts off the gate by knocking the shifter upwards with his heel (or side of the boot) as he lifts his feet off the ground. It allows him to start with both feet down (in front of the footpegs) and make the fastest shift possible.
And Kevin is the only one who does it-except for you.
Second step: Once you launch off the gate, lift your leg straight up. If you are wearing Tech 6 or redesigned Tech 8 boots, you should catch the shift lever on the new plastic knob that Alpinestars built into the boots, but Kevin Windham says he doesn't worry about using his heel-any part of the boot will work.
Third step: After you have knocked the shift lever upward to change gears, keep moving your foot up
and over the shift lever.
Make sure you lift it high enough so that you don't hit the shift lever and accidently kick it back into the gear you just shifted up from.
Fourth step: Slide your foot back on the footpeg so that you're ready for the next shift. That's it, everything you need to start using your heel. Do a few practice starts using the method before you try it out at the start of your next race.