fingers on the front brake lever

[feejer222]

2

 

[Knifemaker]

All four, all the time.
Any less is a really bad habit to develop. For all you one, two or three finger brakers, consider what you'd do in a panic situation. Would less than four fingers be enough? Maybe; maybe not. What about a panic situation that occurs WHILE you're braking with one or two fingers. Will you have time to think or reach with the other two or three fingers? Would you not agree there is a difference in the amount of force you apply to the lever depending on how many fingers you have on it?

In the few "panic" braking situations I have been in, when I came to a stop I saw I had all four fingers on the the brake lever...I do not remember doing this, as I mentioned I usualy only use one finger for around town riding. Hence, I would guess that after so many years riding my brain and hand have been trained to do what needs to be done when the time comes.

This I will point out may not work for everyone, and that new riders should learn to use all 4 fingers. In the literature I read from the MSF on this, they themselves suggested that all four fingers be used, but pointed out that many long time/experianced riders are known to keep two fingers on the brake lever at all times.

Alot can depend on the bike, and the strength of the hand on that lever. In a "panic" situation, many riders , mostly newer ones, tend to overbrake the front and lock the wheel. With those FJR's so equiped with ABS , one could argue that if you can get the ABS to kick in with just two fingers, there is no need to use more. That shot of adrenilne your body gets in a "panic" would only add to this, and is usualy the reason many when confronted with sudden danger lock the front wheel and do down.

The major selling point to ABS in my book is that it tends to prevent this.

Saying what is right or wrong here is about as good as asking what oil works best or if deer whistles work. You will just get personal opinions and whatever works for me may not work for someone else.

So new riders, use all four fingers on the brake. And repeating--

All old timers , do whatever makes you feel comfortable.

(except for Bustanut, he should only use his pinky finger , because his other fingers have gotten much much to strong from his constant self abuse .. )

KM

 

[HaulinAshe]

All four, all the time.
Any less is a really bad habit to develop. For all you one, two or three finger brakers, consider what you'd do in a panic situation. Would less than four fingers be enough? Maybe; maybe not. What about a panic situation that occurs WHILE you're braking with one or two fingers. Will you have time to think or reach with the other two or three fingers? Would you not agree there is a difference in the amount of force you apply to the lever depending on how many fingers you have on it? Sometimes you don't have time to THINK about how many fingers and you'll do what you're in the habit of doing. Develop a good habit of using all four.

Gotta step off my soapbox now and give someone else a chance

I'll chalk this one up to another one of those "bad habits" that sets me apart from the crowd. I can easily activate the FJR's ABS with two fingers. I have no idea why I would want to apply MORE pressure.

As far as a panic situation goes, I don't think. Instead I train, I practice, and I react.

 

[SacramentoMike]

My MSF instructor actually slapped my hand when he saw me with two fingers.

An MSF instructor slapped my face once, but I was single then, and I didn't know she even rode a motorcycle.

 

[Scythian]

All four, all the time.
Any less is a really bad habit to develop. For all you one, two or three finger brakers, consider what you'd do in a panic situation. Would less than four fingers be enough?

I raced dirt bikes with a two-finger brake lever for 10 years as a kid. I raced BMX bikes with a two-finger brake lever for years as well.

If you try to force me to use 4 fingers on the lever, I will have to think about it in a panic situation....

I like the two-fingers. I can activate the ABS with two fingers no problem. I wouldn't teach anyone to use two fingers for starters, but that doesn't make using two-fingers wrong.

The MSF teaches to the lowest possible denominator of riders, as they should. I'm no longer the lowest denomination of riders.

 

[Neil San Diego]

An MSF instructor got after me for the same 2-finger approach. He said that you could pinch the other 2 fingers between the grip and lever and not be able to get the full use of the brake. I mentioned that I could easily get to the point of the ABS engaging with only two fingers (in fact I did once in the MSF class) and still not come close to pinching fingers. His comment - that's fine if you only use the FJR. What happens when you ride something different that doesn't have brakes that good? Fair enough answer. I still use two fingers 99% of the time on the FJR - I don’t want to create new issues to think about in an emergency. But I try to be conscious of the 4-finger approach when I'm on anything else now. YMMV.

 

[kulwen]

Last year I needed to stop quickly as a car pulled in front of me. I pinched the crap out of my pinky, so much so I ended up with a blood blister.

Since then, I use all four. In addition I got a smaller braker lever from Bike effects to prevent the problem should I need to stop quickly again.

 

[SPORT]

One or two.

Or 3 or 4....depending on the situation. I almost always have the brake lever covered but only use as much force (number of fingers) as necessary.

Ohhh. You've probably been riding for years without any problem, but...

Riding with (front) brakes covered may not be the best advice to give; of course their are exceptions to this rule.

Imagine for a moment, being shocked with a WHOLE LOT of voltage. Anybody know what the hands do? Right, they close up in a fist and lock. An emergency, while riding a bike, that requires a quick reaction can simulate being shocked. If the brain does not know how to respond accordingly the hands may close up in a fist and lock. If you've covered the brakes, this could be disasterous! For younger riders I always encourage not covering the brakes. This allows time for the body to 'think' of an appropriate response and then act accordingly. As stated above, there are exception to the rule, but for newer riders, this would be a better option.

Oh, as an MSF coach, we do teach the 4-8 fingers unless your using the 6th finger method. However, I also teach that these are 'best practices' and not something worth fighting over.

Is it dog-pile Friday yet...NOPE

 

[Geezer]

I normally do not cover the brake unless I am in traffic or something gets my attention. When stopping I use all four fingers, regardless of whether I was covering the brake or reaching up from the throttle. I use my thumb to grip the throttle to regulate rpm while downshifting. Once stopped I normally keep two fingers on the brake lever. I typically use the front brake to hold even when in an uphill situation.

 

[tstaff]

Always two;

What are we talking about again?

 

[Bustanut joker]

.
-except for Bustanut, he should only use his pinky finger , because his other fingers have gotten much much to strong from his constant self abuse .. )

KM

Ah. So, yer still observing me through the windows here! Guess it's time I stepped up the restraining order! That, or I'll poke a finger through ya :calm:

:jester:

 

[Thumperbike]

Two on the brake and three on the clutch, ALWAYS. Not dealing with that extra few tenths it takes to open the hand and get on the lever has 'helped' a few times.

 

[luvtoride]

I use 3 fingers when braking w/ the front lever. I used to clutch w/ 3 fingers, also... but found that leaving one finger on the bar leads to getting smushed when pulling the clutch lever in.

 

[dcarver]

As long as you can activate the ABS, to me it doesn't matter how many fingers you use. I guess I'm lucky, I can activate ABS with only the index, and do it time after time after time again. It's true, I have the finger of doom. Normally, I use 2; better modulation with two than just one. One tends to be binary. Two has feedback.

 

[kiteman11]

Thumb and index finger loop around the throttle. Middle and next finger catch the brake. Pinkie finger goes along for the ride, but I don't consider it really functional.
For a panic stop I jam the thumb under the throttle and cover the brake lever with all four, squeezing hard until I feel the ABS just begin to trigger, then slip the index finger off and loop the throttle again as I relax some braking. It's an old habit that seems to work for me. Brake as hard as possible, as quickly as possible, then relax braking to a level that meets the need.

Sorry, that was TMI.

Two fingers.

I miss Grumpy too. I would spend a lot less time typing useless crap on this forum if he could ride.

+1 that

 

[BeeLine]

All the bikes I rode in my early years had drum brakes (at least those that had brakes) so four fingers became automatic for me. And you can still work the throttle when using all four.

 

[CRMH Eagle]

Only one finger... the middle one.

 

[painman]

Well you see I use to work in a saw mill then one day I.... oh, well, really I just got stubby fingers and its an effort to reach that dang lever so I only use two. And don't get in the habit of resting them on the lever because it can cause the brakes to engage and you start to smell that burning smell. Don't ask how I know this....PM. <>< :blink:

 

[NightShine]

Two fingers on brakes, four on clutch.

With thumb, ring and pinky wrapped around the throttle, my index and middle fingers serve as an "anchor" point against which to precisely adjust and hold throttle inputs. And as a bonus, on this bike I have no trouble locking the front brakes with just those same two fingers.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

I removed my front brake rotors, calipers, & lever to save weight. I believe in old school...rear brakes are all you need!

Jay

'04 FJR 1300