Bonneville America Forums Forums Rider Safety Forums Riding Technique Covering the brake. Do you use two fingers or four

When I am street riding I've been using two fingers to always cover the brake. But the MSF recommends using all four which of course gives more strength but harder throttle and handlebar control.

What does everyone else do?

I do it like you do it when in traffic. How can anyone use all fingers to cover the brake while riding, and still work the throttle and be able to control the machine? Maybe it works, but not for me.

2 fingers max. I feel I NEED the throttle and steering control. It's not that hard to bring up the rest of the fingers after starting to brake if they are needed.

same, same

From June 2005 Roadbike "Bad To The Bone. Bad Habits are Hard To Break":

"...When you're riding on the street, the proper braking technique is to roll of the throttle and progressively squeeze the front brake with all four fingers. Excuses like {I ride in the city and I need to be prepared at all times} just dont cut it. Motorcycle manufacturers went to a lot of trouble to make the brake levers that can fit all four fingers"

Makes sense?

I agree a good grip on the throttle is good, BUT if you have to emergency brake, and you are pinching two of your finger, possibly preventing full lever travel, then what?

With todays hydrolic brakes I need but one finger to lock up the front wheel,so I ride with my index finger on the brake lever at all times.Course it help if your hands are as big as a ham.

Hey Benny,

Even with two fingers I can lock the front wheel (I practice controlled panic stops every chance I get. After all, I live in Ft. Lauderdale, home to every skill/variety of driving in the US!) and the lever comes no where near bottoming to the grip (and I don't have ham hands! ). Bill, I have seen those hands... Jeez, they're the size of small children for cripes sake!!

I will admit that I only use this 'method' in very tight traffic situations. For instance, 3 lanes, I am in the middle, traffic on both sides and front, and I am coming up the between them. I fully expect each and every one of them to pull into my lane from both sides. I 'cover' the brake in those instances for that extra reaction time I may or may not get, otherwise it's hand on throttle as ImOk points out.

The trick is to use the crook of the thumb and the "top" of the palm of the hand (i.e. just below the bottom of the fingers) to control the throttle - you can get all 4 fingers on the brake lever and still have good throttle control. Steering to the right can still be effected by pushing on the right-hand bar end while working the throttle - try it!!

Regards

Jan

I try not to use my brakes at all.
But, I usually ride with 2 finners on the lever, or you can just use this with 4 finners:

What Phil said. I always cover with at least one finger and more depending upon how sketchy the situation looks. Any situation can become sketchy, so I am always "covered".

Ride Safe. Just had a work friend go down in NY and break his femur in 3 places.

Ryan

I'll cover the brakes, the clutch, the shifter, and the horn when the cagers are crowding me. But when the road is open, I cover nothing! Two fingers for the front brake (four when things appear imminent!), foot over rear brake pedal, two fingers on clutch lever, foot over shifter. Yeah, the thumb and palm is the way to use four fingers on the brake lever. How often have I held the throttle with my palm while exercising my digits? A Lot!

Last months (June? - left it in Hawaii) issue of Motorcyclist had an article about this topice. They advised transistioning between 2-4 fingers depending on the need for throttle response. Today, riding in town I learned that's exactly what I do. I always keep 2 fingers at the ready and move to four when stopping at an intersection, etc.

At highway speeds (45+mph) I dont cover the brake unless I sense something ahead like people braking. It's infeasible to be riding at 70mph and covering the brake plus you need more control of the handlebars on curves and handling wake turbulence from big rigs.

But once I back on the streets I use two fingers.

Moe,

I am like you, I tend to cover everything when in heavy traffic. I only use 2 fingers on the front brakes.

The general idea when braking hard is to get the weight of the bike and rider shifted forward initially by applying the front brake (thus putting more wieght on the front tire), then come in with the rear brakes and then even harder on the front. If you brake too hard initially on the front prior to the weight shift you run the risk of locking up the front tire and then it really doesn't matter what you do with the rear brake.

Tom

Well, on most other bikes I use the 2 finger method, but on these bikes, with the excessive "throw" of the lever, I most always use 4. This is one of the few things about the BAs that I've never been too crazy about. The front brake is adequate, barely, but has never given me a sense of confidence or the "feel" that I think it should have.

Dwight