over the last few years i keep coming accross bikers on adventure bikes standing on there pegs.
as soon as they leave the tarmac they seem to be brain washed into thinking they will have more control standing.i have seen some serious states,wobbly and very uncomfortable looking shapes totally out of control.
i would love to know how this myth all started as its dangerous for novice riders nevermind the huge costs when they drop there pride and joy.
hopefully some readers will question the next time they decide to stand up and save themselves from injury and a skinny wallet.

I guess it depends on the who, when and where. It's pretty hard to conclusively say that standing on pegs is better or worse as I have had situations where it would have been impossible, read deasterous to stay seated and standing was the only option, if I was seated, it would've caused an accident, but the inverse is also true. More than happy to share my examples if it would sway the argument...

I guess people that stand-up on the pegs in normal conditions either are trying to stretch their legs or think that they are in some kind of Dakar Rally.

Standing-up on the pegs does have significant advantages in terms of reducing impact to the spine on rough terrain, as your knees are absorbing what the suspension can not. That said, to become good at it you have to practise it... like anything.

Statistically speaking, I don't think there is any evidence or empirical data that standing on pegs as opposed to sitting down causes more accidents. But I have been known to be wrong.

But of course not all bikes are suited to standing...

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Simon Pavey, you know, the bloke who rode the Paris Dakar a few times, he taught me to stand up (at great expense). You could also take a look at people who've done a bit of off roading like Dougie Lampkin. It isn't the awful seat or any embarrassing lack of fibre in their diet that makes them stand up you know

It's not the be all and end all of off road riding but in terms of getting your weight in the right place and getting some stability off road I think we can safely say it works (and is probably the biggest step in that direction short of getting a sidecar). It's the second thing they teach you on the off road courses, (picking the bike up is first), it lowers the acting centre of gravity as the load acts on the pegs not the seat and stays there.

Imagine balancing a bowling ball on your head as you walk, that's your bum on the seat. Now take the ball in both hands and raise it above your head. It's more stable because despite going higher the load is via your lower, wider shoulders. Your legs of course are better at this sort of thing that your arms.

Andy

I find it much easier to stand when off road as it allows the bike to "squirm" between my legs rather than me "squirm" with the bike - much easier just topoint the front wheel where you want to go and let the back end dance it's own tune without my backside dancing with it.

That said - if it is a particularly long off road ride I tend to take occcassional breathers and sit down for a while on the smoother stretches, but it is very much a personal thing but it also depends on just how bad the road is.

Just like anything, standing up without knowing what you are doing can be dangerous, especially on a bike not suited for it. But done properly on a bike suited for it that has been setup correctly ... I personally am convinced it makes off-pavement riding easier and safer. I spend a lot of time in my travels sitting down on dirt roads simply because I'm lazy. And because standing really doesn't give very much benefit on the average dirt road unless you're shielding your spine from bumps. But when I do stand up I can typically control the bike easier, react quicker, see better, and take less abuse from bumps. When I do go down, I'm also usually in a safer position if I'm standing than if I'm sitting. That said, I've been in situations where standing is impossible and others where it would have been a bad idea. And at least one time in Peru I could easily have been dead if I had been sitting down.

I should note that I've also had good teachers and spend lots of time practicing, even now when I'm traveling. I also have a bike designed for off-road use and setup to be good at it.

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All responders have it right. My DL is hard to control when standing because it's not set up correctly (and too heavy anyway for off-road, but that's another story). My KLR is often easier and/or more safe, depending--but it does help to apply certain riding skills, without which there's no advantage. A true off-road bike is much more safe standing, even in my own inept hands--but it still has to be set up for your size, reach, etc.

I don't stand up unless it seems likely to help (or to stretch, see over traffic, or play around). On good gravel or dirt, seldom. Among densely-clustered potholes or other riding impediments, I'll stand even on the DL. Variety is the spice of life (or something).

Mark

if riding a proper enduro bike i would agree with the above but certainly not on a 1200 gs,xl 1000 or v-storm.those backends do not dance they just sit it out(speaking for myself of course)
check out the new posts as they explain where i am coming from.

Afraid I totally disagree, when I had a large 'adventure bike' I stood up regularly for a variety of reasons and it never compromised my safety, in fact it felt easier to control, I wasn't getting kicked in the arse every time I hit something big and had better visibility.

I was what you would call a 'novice' - I had done about 500 miles on a motorbike before I set off on my first big trip, I'd never heard of Simon Pavey and no-one taught me to stand up off-road, it just felt easier, safer and instinctive.

I also spent a fair amount of time standing up on tarmac but that was more due to a very sore arse than improving handling.

On my last trip I never stood up because the bikewas too short and it pitched the weight too far forward (it was a 125 step-through though).

I'd say whether or not to stand up should depend on what you're riding, the surface and how you feel about it - not whether someone has told you to stand up or to sit down, you'd be just as likely to have a problem from sitting down when you shouldn't be (especially if you need to jump clear).

There is one exception though - whatever you do try and keep your feet on the pegs unless you actually need to put them down - it's much much harder to break your ankle that way!

all valid points.
although when i say standing thats what i mean.legs straight and there head and shoulders directly above the bars very unstable and rigid with no body movement.its a very common sight these days for some unknown reason.
simon pavey on the other hand is a delight to watch..knees bent,exchanging weight from one peg to the other and lots of calculated body movement.he is a professional after all.
the situations i refer to are guys standing when there is no benefit or gains to be had apart from fatigue and no control.plus side we get the odd laugh out of it without offending anybody of course.
its made me curious as we/i have only noticed this in the last few years out of nearly thirty years (novice)off roading.charlie and ewan could be the culprits.maybe its only a uk thing we may never know.
thanks for the replys .

I think it probably started because it's, erm, not actually a myth.

Worth noting that someone stood up can look completely out of shape (body not in line with bike) but it's that ability to move which is giving them the control. Someone sat down will look perfectly natural, right up to the point they are lying on the floor.

Equally, riding all day down a well-graded gravel road, I'd not stand up all the time (for a start, it gets a bit windy at 60+ mph). I'd do whatever felt comfortable.

If you want to change people's minds and lead a new revolution of sitting-down riding regardless of terrain/circumstances you might want to provide a bit more justification.

I would like to add here one other point.
When temperatures get over 30C, it is good way to cool down a bit.

-Hemuli

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By "Out of control", can I assume either you feel out of control standing on the pegs of your bike or you think others look it?

What's the difference between in and out of control? If it's in=not falling off and out=fell off, then I have to say that this isn't the case. Several times, I've felt perfectly in control the nanosecond before I was sliding down the (paved or unpaved) road. In these situations, it had nothing to do with standing or sitting, but more to do with not taking the correct line, not concentrating or hitting some diesel.

FWIW, I subscribe to the mantra "sit when you can, stand when you have to". I laugh when I see (usually riding a certain brand and wearing expensive riding suits of another certain brand) standing with legs and arms straight on a bike. I suppose they think they look the part, so that's fine too though.

As far as standing on pegs technique goes, below is a pic I took of Marc Coma on his way to winning the 2006 Dakar race. I think it can be assumed that his technique is text-book stuff.

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It is not just bikes, I stand up when driving my tractor over rough ground and getting bounced around.

Mountain biking, too. A lot of what's involved is the opportunity to rapidly shift weight forward and back, side to side as needed. Hard to do when you're comfortably seated.

I went on a rideout with the XT500/Thumper Club boys earlier this year at the annual international meet. One guy had a 660 Tenere with all the Touratech kit (3 box luggage system, tank panniers, proper overland spec) although from talking to him all he ever did was go campsite-style camping in the UK.

I followed him on the rideout and he stood most of the way. This was on decent tarmac roads. It was very funny to watch. I think a lot of it is just the Dakar image - Stephane Peterhansel does it, so it shows you are 'in the know'.

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