Covering the front brake... or not?

[mowgli]

When I did my basic skills course I hadn't ridden for years so I was pleased to find things came flooding back easily. While doing the carpark circuit I was pulled up by the instructor and asked why I was covering the front brake. I had no idea really but was surprised to get a telling off. The explanation made sense and was something along these lines.

When faced with a sudden event it is common for riders to tense up and tighten their grip on whatever they're holding. If you're covering the brake then this often means hauling on the font brake which could lead to you dropping the bike if you're not going straight. He had a right to be concerned because I was riding one of his newer loaners. It was better in his view to practise braking properly such that you could find the brake quickly rather than cover it to gain a few tenths of a second advantage.
Perhaps his advice was aimed at noobs but since then I've made a point of not covering the front brake. I've also discovered KB and found a wealth of info that has helped me hugely. One thing I've noticed though is people talking about covering the front brake and sometimes clutch when filtering and lane splitting.

My question is (yes I am getting to my point finally) what is considered best practice among experienced riders? Is there a case for covering the front brake or is it generally a bad idea?

Update: Well for mine and others' benefit I thought I'd summarise the main points brought out in this thread.

1. Covering the brakes is a matter of personal choice - some do, some don't. In general terms if you're expecting to brake soon then covering the brakes may not be a bad idea.
2. Covering the brakes on the open road should be unnecessary if you're paying attention to the road ahead.
3. Covering the brakes and/or clutch reduces your grip on the handlebars which may become a problem if you encounter a pothole or debris on the road unexpectedly.
4. If you cover brakes you must be careful not to hold the throttle open when braking as this increases braking distance.
5. If you cover the brakes with fewer than four fingers you must check and adjust the brake lever to make sure the remaining fingers won't be trapped and prevent full braking in an emergency.

If I've misunderstood any of the points above please set me straight by referring to points by number.

[sAsLEX]

I always cover the front brake with at least one finger on the road, but generally two which is all I use for braking, and some people will lament me for not using a whole hand as they grew up in the days of drum brakes and large t shirts being the most effective stopping measures.


But the reason I cover the front brake is it takes on average at least a third of a second to react to a visual stimulus, one can then squeeze the brakes if required, but not covering you have to then start moving you fingers out to the brake lever and then start squeezing. More time = more distance covered could = crash.

[Motig]

With you on that sAsLEX. Its something I've always done cos those few vital seconds make all the difference between hitting that car that pulls out in front of you or stopping short. Just a good habit I feel ( mind you I still keep my fingers resting on the clutch lever too! 2 stroke habit from the 70's). And besides you've got to put them somewhere!:niceone:

[James Deuce]

I'll use one or two to adjust speed, but four when I need to stop quickly. Four fingers gives you way more fine control and gives you a far greater range of progressive force when required.

In reality covering the brake doesn't improve your reaction times. People will argue that it does but most incidents happen in ways that can be predicted well before they start encroaching on your personal happiness. I'm trying to ride these days (old) without using the brake. It makes for a more gentle, though just as rapid, journey with less stress.

The best thing you can do is practice. Find empty country roads and work on minimising your braking distance at 50, 70, 80, and 100km/hr. Find somewhere where you can practice standing a bike up mid-corner and then braking hard (actually a race track is good for that and I wish they'd bring back the road oriented riding courses they used to do at Manfield, instead of the track day fang), and then combining front and rear brakes.

[scracha]

Downside of covering the brake with a finger or two is when you need to stop fast and end up trapping fingers.

[rainman]

I cover the front brake (with all my fingers, so as to avoid trapping) when lane splitting as the typically shorter reaction times make this seem a good idea to me, and when I didn't I wound up stomping the back brake and losing traction.

Yes, I realise there are other braking options besides stomping the back or grabbing the front..... but in a "situation" one does not always think clearly :)

On the open road and in normal around town traffic I don't usually cover the front brake. I find that covering the brake makes my hand cramp after a while.

[Ixion]

Both those who counsel against covering, because of the risk of an adrenaline prompted over reaction, and those who advise covering when (eg) lane splitting, are correct.

The difference is in whether one is expecting to possibly have to brake hard in the next few minutes. When lanesplitting, the expectation of having to do a fast stop in the next few moments is always there. So when the situation does arise there is no adrenline rush, no over braking. And the fractional second saved (it is no more) is worth while. When riding the open road, having no expectation of having to suddenly stop, the sudden impetus of an emergency will initiate reactions which may, because one is unprepared, be disproportionate.

Cover if you expect trouble in the next few minutes. Don't otherwise.

[mowgli]

Cover if you expect trouble in the next few minutes. Don't otherwise.

Now that sounds like advice worth following. Thanks all for helping out a beginner.

[The Stranger]

Having observed hundreds of emergency braking sessions one thing is surprisingly common with those that cover the brake. That is, omitting to drop the throttle.
These people are very obvious by the very long stopping distance - usually double (or more) what most of the others achieve. Doesn't help when the engine is fighting the brake.

[dipshit]

Having observed hundreds of emergency braking sessions one thing is surprisingly common with those that cover the brake. That is, omitting to drop the throttle.


This is why I like to rest the *tip* of one finger on the top of the break lever... so as I roll the throttle off, the finger is extended over the lever further to begin breaking before bringing another finger onto the lever.

[onearmedbandit]

I cover all the time, either with one or two fingers. I've had some moments when you get that 'pucker' feeling, but never tensed up enough to just grab the front brakes.

[sAsLEX]

Downside of covering the brake with a finger or two is when you need to stop fast and end up trapping fingers.

How?


Please explain this?


I mean a well maintained, well bled set of brakes will get no way near the bars.


Plus if your that concerned about the ring and little finger you can buy stubbie brake levers for the two finger brakers amongst us.

[Mikkel]

I don't cover my front brake unless I expect to stop shortly.

As mentioned, if you want to stop quickly you need to throttle off (and disengage your clutch) before pulling the brakes. You can not do that properly if you engage the brakes while being ON the throttle.

Besides reaction time is a lot of things. You need to IDENTIFY and ANALYSE your situation before you get on the brakes. As such having your brake lever covered is not going to help much I reckon.

If you are expecting to stop, make sure to keep both brake and clutch levers covered!


How?


Please explain this?


I mean a well maintained, well bled set of brakes will get no way near the bars.


Plus if your that concerned about the ring and little finger you can buy stubbie brake levers for the two finger brakers amongst us.

That depends quite a lot upon what setting you put your brake lever on. I select the one that will let me have the full range of motion just without touching the handlebar itself...

[dino3310]

i only cover the front in the tight stuff like the thames caost road in the busier months or tight traffic comuting around town.

[laRIKin]

I only cover the brake if I think I may need it in a hurry and when I do I cover the clutch as well.

In a real panick stop, you will be surprised how hard you grab and how far the lever will move.
A lot more than normal braking, try it.

I had a car pull out on me and was crushing some of my fingers and knew I could not stop braking to get them out.
I still tapped the cars front wheel in trying to stop in time, which I did.

To me it is silly to cover it all the time. Long straight roads?why?
One reason is if you get a bad head shake (tankslapper) or hit a pot hole you will want the best grip you can on the bars that you can get.

My 2cents worth.

[99TLS]

Downside of covering the brake with a finger or two is when you need to stop fast and end up trapping fingers.

have never had this problem

[onearmedbandit]

have never had this problem

Neither. My lever will never touch the handlebar, nor trap any of my fingers in between.

[Ducman]

If you cover the brake just ensure you use the same number of fingers you would normally need to brake to your maximum. for example if you normally use two fingers to brake "cover" with two, if you have one finger on the brake in an emerency that is all you will be able to use to stop and you may not have the strength to stop as quickly with only one finger on the lever!

[NordieBoy]

I mean a well maintained, well bled set of brakes will get no way near the bars.

They may not have braided lines.

[NordieBoy]

have never had this problem

My favorite pair of gloves (Icon Hooligan) have quite pronounced finger protection and stop the lever before it's really started moving.

[laRIKin]

In a real panick stop, you will be surprised how hard you grab and how far the lever will move.
A lot more than normal braking, try it.

I had a car pull out on me and was crushing some of my fingers and knew I could not stop braking to get them out.
I still tapped the cars front wheel in trying to stop in time, which I did.


have never had this problem


Neither. My lever will never touch the handlebar, nor trap any of my fingers in between.

Well like I said, I have.
It was on an older bike 1988 Moto Guzzi MKIV.
Under normal braking I never did this. (crush my fingers)

But as I was riding trials again I got use to riding like this.
That is leaving two fingers on the braking lever.

A car pulled out from a side street and I had to jump hard on every thing I had and still tapped the cars wheel.
Trust me I was crushing my fingers enough for me to shake my hand after wards.

Now a more modern bike with better brakes etc, this is a problem.
And maybe it was the way the levers were set up and maybe the brakes had old fluid and needed bleeding or just my old bikes brakes.
But not all of us are riding modern state of the art bikes with state of art brakes.

[Hitcher]

I got into the habit some years ago of covering brake and clutch all the time. In addition to enhancing braking response times, covering the brake stops my hand "creeping" around the throttle and becoming too pinched on my wrist. The only disadvantage I have discovered from this practice is suboptimal heated handgrip performance in really cold weather.

[Mikkel]

Well, I don't know if this applies to other bikes but..., on my ZXR250 I have 4 settings (or is it 5?) for my brake lever position. On the closest setting I can touch it against the handlebar if I squeeze the handlebar very tightly.

If I set it on the 3rd closest setting I can squeeze the brakelever with all my strength and there's still a 1-2 cm gap. That's where I leave it at when I'm riding...

[NighthawkNZ]

I had to think on this do I or do I not... :scratch: Deppends on my ridding mood, and if I am in tight twisties or not, I will cover the front brake with say 2 fingers... and will use it do buttoning off or controling of speed into the twisties... of if unsure of the road layout

My profile pic shows me doing it so I guess I do... ;) natural instint I suspose, but have another pic on a sweeper and I am not doing it...

[babyblade250rr]

I don't usually cover the brake under normal conditions, Generally when im out on the twisties in the country side i cover the front brake with a couple of fingers just incase i need to correct a line, But being careful to just feather the brake mid corner if need be as the R6 likes to stand up straight mid corner with the front brake on just a wee bit hard.

[slowpoke]

Surely the braking action depends on the situation inviolved?
The instructor was commenting on a carpark manouvering situation, during which the student would have been probably practising slow tight circuits, cornering and throttle control. In this situation it is textbook practise not to have one hand doing two finely controlled motions (braking and throttle control) when you've got a right foot available to take up the braking duties. It is also textbook practise not to use the front brake when cornering and a carpark exercise mainly involves cornering.
From my perspective I reckon the braking situation needs to be assessed before brakes are applied (gravel, oil, white lines, wet road etc). If you are covering the front brake during normal riding then chances are your first reaction is gonna be to heave on the front brake whether it's the right thing to do or not. You'll probably get away with it but I don't know that it's a good habit.