Covering your front brake when you ride?

Agreed. If there is the possibility of encountering cross traffic, the front brake is covered, as it is while riding the twisties. Otherwise? No.

I've only ridden for 30 years, but I cover the front brake 100% of the time. I've never hit anything. Ever. I'm not slow and currently ride 1600 miles per month.

So maybe it's only .1 seconds. At the previously mentioned speed of 45 mph that is 6.6'. I'll take it. I've avoided certain collision by 6' many times over the years.

Booger finger and thumb around the throttle along with my palm resting on it. Middle, ring and pinky covering the brake - and I ride one of those snatchy Triumphs myself.

I've always ridden that way. Had to ride one of my kid's bike after he busted the front lever. Too strange, as I'm sure anyone just going for a ride the way I do it would feel.

Not to say my way is right, it's just one data point to answer the OP question.

I'm always covering my front brake with my index finger. I also keep an index finger on clutch as well. MTB/Moto habits die hard. It's amazing how much actual braking can be done with one finger, especially with linked brakes. I don't even really think about it anymore, it's just habit.

How many fingers do you guys have over that side of the world ???
I'd like to see a six finger cover

Having been brought up on dirt bikes, covering the brake & clutch most times seems comfortable & ready for anything.
Do what works for yourself. If it doesn't work, pick it up & start again

You just need to click on the "watch with Youtube" link. Anyhow, here's the direct link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huGexZrovco&feature=player_embedded

Ok. went for a ride tonight.

4 finger braking is really aggressive. Could lock the front tire way too easy. 2 fingers is all I need for my bike to stoppie and activate the ABS. If you need more than 2, time for better brakes/pads/levers.

Full hand on the throttle made it hard to keep the throttle steady. made it easy to get lazy about my weight on the bars.

Nope, I'm keeping 2 fingers on the brake 100% of the time. Glad I got to learn it right, when I was a newb, and not have to deal with all of these habits now.

I only cover the rear brake during hard acceleration or wheelies. In a panic stop, both of my bikes transition weight forward so quickly it's a non-issue. Only my DRZ really needs help from the rear brake, the Ducati lifts the rear tire quickly.

I do the same thing in corners...as the throttle is coming in, the front brakes are being slowly released.

In an emergency, everything takes time. On the average, perception/reaction time is about 2-2.5 seconds.....to see, and then recognize the danger. To decide on a plan of action....to physically perform the steps necessary to execute that plan....every 10th of a second counts. If you can take 2/10ths of a second OUT of the equation as your fingers were already over the brake, that can Only be a Good Thing !!

I cover my front brake with two fingers all the time, even when I'm unlikely to suddenly need to brake (on a fairly traffic-free highway, for instance).

I just prefer the position because it gives me more precise throttle control. Dunno exactly why, maybe keeping one or two fingers on something that doesn't rotate relative to the throttle grip sort of "orients" my hand more exactly. Having a crampbuster also helps with precise throttle control.

Stick with it, it's not something that's mastered overnight. If you were to take a poll of whether people use 1, 2, or 4 fingers to simultaneously brake and control the throttle I'd be willing to put my money on 2 fingers (1st and 2nd finger) being the most common. To me its the most natural way, but others who do it differently will obviously disagree.

If someone who had never done it before asked me how long to become proficient at it, and do it without thinking, I'd be guessing in the weeks, certainly not just a day. Hence the suggestion to just stick at it. Naturally all this is on the basis the front brake on your bike can be pulled up with 2 fingers. It's been over 40 years since I owned a bike that couldn't (single disk, single piston caliper CB750). Four fingers still made no difference. That's why you had to be good at downshifting, no brakes.

Well I'll be. I just realized I've got a dial on my brake lever that enables me to bring it closer to the grip. That might make a world of difference. If it stops raining long enough today, maybe I'll check it out.

Again, thanks for all the responses.

He can do that on the clutch.

I remember reading a study done by some US police force motorcycle division a few years back, the finding was that covering the front brake would have prevented at least 50% of motorcycle accidents.

I remember reading a study done by some BS police force division a few years back, the finding was that covering the backspace key would have prevented at least 50% of BS posts.

Did you know, that 85% of Harleys ever made, are still on the road???


The other 15% made it home!!!!

It takes awhile because new physical skills need to be learned and new muscles used. It may help to increase the front brake efficiency by changing pad materials and installing stainless braid or Kevlar brake lines. A change in grip material also may be needed. I've found that softer, more tacky grips reduce the need to grip tightly to control the throttle. I like the soft Kevlar Renthals. I get enough friction just using my palm against them when cruising.

Not everyone is a finger-bodybuilder. Maybe I could brake into ABS with two fingers if I tried really hard, but it's sure that it would decrease control and increase fatigue.
Also my right index finger is my main working tool and therefore stressed more than enough, in fact I use it only very little when braking. Mostly I use the other three, it's the better part of the lever to have to use less force anyways. (For the force you can apply with your fingers/hand: Once I had a try on an old BMW K75. The throttle was so stiff my arm hurt after a few kilometres from holding it.)

What the fuck? 2 to 2.5 seconds? Normally it's ONE second. 2 seconds it is if you have been looking somewhere else and have to turn your head first.
Gamers easily reach times of 0.8s and some get down to 0.5s.
Of course one doesn't wait for a "plan" to start to move. In general one starts the movement by instinct/muscle memory and afterwards decides if it's safe to stop the initiated movement.

That's a completely different question. In my experience throttle control isn't a problem but steering at low speeds under low traction conditions is easier with both hands. When you have to perform both it comes natural to use two fingers to brake slightly. Under these conditions you brake less so force to apply the brakes isn't so crucial and one can effort to change some of that control back to the handlebar.

But the initial question wasn't about braking and steering on loose ground at the same time but about having the brakes covered all the time.

I come from a trials and freeride mountain bike background, and have been riding dirbikes since I was 8yrs old.

I cover the brake and clutch with one finger ALL the time, and can fully control the clutch and do stoppies with just one finger on the brake lever. Standing, sitting, trail or street...it doesn't matter. It's what I do.
It's not uncomfortable--it is now VERY natural for me.

Going back to my first quote-- I DO cover my brake when approaching intersections or when I see possible danger. I don't cover the brake all the time, but a cage offers a lot more protection than a bike...

I really don't like this attitude of you cagers. The cage is much more dangerous to others than a bike but you think it's ok to be lazy just because you are safe and don't care about the others.

Yes, I tend to cover both, two fingers, especially in the twisties.

This seems to be going the way of every countersteering thread that's ever been written.

So........


Here's to covering the front brake:




Now go outside and ride FFS.

Lots of slo-mo shots in the MotoGP race yesterday. Lots of MotoGP racers (including the winner) NOT covering their front brakes. Struck me as interesting, if only because we have a number of "I do it because they do it in MotoGP" folks here.