There has always been a huge debate on hanging off a bike and trying to get your knee down. On the track with a modern motorcycle it’s needed and that has never really been in doubt. However, when we start doing it on the road then the debate really hots up!

Let’s get a few things straight first of all. Hanging off on the road and in particular in roundabouts is good fun if your friend has camera stills or video.

But in truth, hanging off on the open road is rarely needed and to be honest, if you did need to – well I am sorry, but you are going way too fast and should really get a track bike!

Today’s bikes handle so well that the need to get your body down the inside of the bike has been moved to a much, much higher speed, a speed that would be reckless on nearly every road – with the exception of the Isle of Man TT. Even then, it is only on a few of the turns on the 37.73 circuit where you will see the likes of John McGuiness with his knee buried deep into the Tarmac. Here, hanging off and getting the knee on the floor is all about a racer’s ability to judge his lean angle, which is the true reason for knee sliders.

For example, when I worked as a test rider for MCN a set of sliders would last one photo shoot. When I raced, they would last a season…

On the road, moving your body weight slightly to the inside of the corner will help you keep the bike a little more upright and therefore offer just a little more grip. But this is not a full-on hang-off style.

Some of the smoothest and fastest riders you will come across on the road sit bolt upright and you will be hard pushed to out run them if you insist on hanging off in all and every possible kind of corner out there. They are, of course, bike cops on Honda ST’s fully loaded with all manor of heavy radio and other equipment - with limited ground clearance and on skinny tyres. If anyone needed to keep the bike more upright by hanging off then it’s these guys!

There are times and places you might want to get off the inside of the bike. The track for definite - there are fewer hazards, the surface is consistent and you will know where and how each turn is going. And, as a result you will go faster and need to overcome the forces generated by such high cornering speeds.

For fun, on roundabouts, it’s just a laugh and if you can do it and your mates can’t then that’s one nil for you.

However, don’t be surprise if you are kneeing it and Vincent Vertical comes onto the roundabout blot upright and rides all the way around the outside of you and buggers off into the distance…