Two fingers or not two fingers - that is the question

Is it nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of misfortune for using one or two fingers?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
OR <o></o>
is it better to use all the fingers that you may have available on your hands?? <o></o>
Lots of arguments both for and against have been seen by this reader so what is the consensus? Is it a hard and fast rule or does it 'depend' on the situation?? <o></o>
<o>Defend your choice </o>

What kind of oil do you use?

Massage oil

the problem with using two fingers is what happens when you pull the lever real and there is still avaiable traction but not enough distance.....your unused fingers are trapped between lever and bar and you cant squeeze any further...And beleive it or not but the most power in the hand is utilised when you use the pinky...

The lever never varies on my LC4E and it can't trap my fingers no matter how hard I pull. Well maybe it could. But I will never find out because it is either going to instantly lock the front or do a spectacular stoppie if I pull hard.

So power is the last thing I want. Finesse at the lever is way more relevant than power on that bike. So, for me on that bike, it is one in the dirt and two on the street. And even using two is overkill. That KTM has wicked good brakes

One finger iz all I needz ta git her off.

All four on my motorcycles, neither of which have super powerful brakes. I would modify that as necessary depending on the brakes/machine -- on my mountain bike with hydraulic disc brakes I only use two.


Oh, and contrary to popular belief, I have no problem blipping the throttle for smooth downshifts while squeezing the front brake at the same time.

I will also cover the brake in suspicious situations or through crowded intersections/etc with all four fingers but I don't cover the brake constantly.

Get a bike from this century!

yup, gotta love good brakes and (relatively) light bikes. One finger in the dirt, two in the street here.

The poll seems to be missing my option. 2 fingers - but only out when needing to brake or anticipation of needing to brake. I cover the brakes anytime I go through an intersection where there are cars waiting to proceed. But, out on the interstate, all by myself, all my fingers stay on the grip.

I was gonna tell him to bleed his brakes.

I'm always ready to brake in an instant by covering both my clutch and brake levers with 2 fingers at all times and on all the bikes I've owned, 2 was/is always enough WHOA! power to get the task accomplished.
My opinion (as applied to myself, so the touchy crowd doesn't take offense) is that if more then 2 are needed, I wasn't riding pro-actively enough and my head must've been up my ass.

Noticing others habits/opinions around here, I understand WHY ABS has become so popular:eek1

It depends on what I'm riding.

One on some.

Two on others and then there are the ones that like:




Index finger over the brake lever 90% of the time for me... Even while droning down the slab. It is what is the most comfortable for ME due to breaking my right hand a couple of times (non moto related)

For me it's constantly changing,
I go with whatever my guts and perceptions tell me to do, cover the brake, clutch, horn, highbeam, throttle, whatever might be needed.

There's no option for me too...

Thumb and index finger grabbing the throttle, three "oustide" fingers covering the brake lever at all times.

I use middle, ring and pinkie on the brake. All four on the clutch.

I have BMW's servo boosted brakes. I use 2 fingers at speed, and only one when in a parking lot, unless I want to be lifting the bike. Practicing for eventual failure, I can be going 60 and turn off the key, and still make enough brake pressure to stop very well with 2 fingers and one foot.

Rod

Four fingers and my thumb on both levers every time.

Noting the simian appearance of the majority of your countrymen I am surprised, nay, distraught at the exclusion of the foot as a usefull tool!








Me... whatever I feel like at the time!

My middle finger is aways occupied gesturing at other motorists... so that just leaves my index finger for braking.

Is that bad form?

Something I learned through racing...

If you leave your hands/fingers on the brake, you're gonna brake when you shouldn't be and often when a throttle response is more appropriate for a hairy situation

Take for example:
If you are in a turn and you are overrunning... chopping the throttle or hitting the brakes is gonna stand you up and put you into a world of hurt. Only when you make the conscious decision to stand it up and run off should you be hitting the brakes mid-turn unless you are practiced at using your brakes to settle up your suspension momentarily.

And when I do brake, I use all my fingers. A lot more control in that. I always adjusted my brakes such that I could do a 1 finger stoppie if so desired. But still... the whole hand is what I use.