How many fingers do you brake with?

**Two Smoker** · 21st April 2005, 18:38

When racing all four (no matter which bike) On the street, RG= all four GSX-R = 1 and 2

**sels1** · 21st April 2005, 23:10

Originally Posted by Jim2

One of us is doing it right and the other one is a copy cat.

One of us is doing it right and the other two are copycats

**Stevo** · 22nd April 2005, 01:51

I have read this whole thread and still have no idea what I do. Most of the time I don't use brakes on my road bike. I mean sure I do round town intersections etc but generally not too much. Basically I like to go fast and hold a good steady pace.
Besides I might wear them out, which to fix would cost money that could otherwise be spent to make the race bike go FASTER!!!!!!!
Honestly, I don't really think about braking enough to know what I do it just happens. I practice stopping in a hurry periodically just for amusement, and so I know the feel of the brakes etc

**Ned** · 22nd April 2005, 17:04

4 fingers. Used to use 2 but too often I got into situations where i had to move the 3rd and 4th finger out of the way under heavy braking. Figured out in the end that the time it takes to move to full hand braking could be the time difference between safety and a collision.

Full hand braking now feels comfortable and safe and anyway... Rossi does it

**Sutage** · 22nd April 2005, 21:31

Because im still learning i grip the throttle and keep index and third finger extended so that the only way i can brake is by realising the throttle completely, i found it a pretty effective way of learning breaks and that you have to release throttle before break unless you wanna lose control

**pommie girl** · 22nd April 2005, 21:40

Yup, use all four, but I've got small girlie hands and have to actually change my hand position to reach for the brake - plus, only just got my right hand out of cast from the last accident and have limited movement, which compounds the prob...

**Lee Rusty** · 22nd April 2005, 21:59

anyone using two fingers only if your other fingers are behind the lever they are at risk

Try this try pulling brake lever back as far as you can with two fingers - now try with all four - it will come further back.

now that is extreme, but consider this,

If you drop your bike with two fingers behind the lever. add your weight to the weight of your bike, add some more for the forward momentum (probably someone with be able to work out the times factor at different speeds) and consider the fact that the handlebars are the widest point of your bike and will stike the ground first.

Still want your fingers in there.

Try this - it will feel unnatural at first but it is worth trying to see if you get a good result - keep all four fingers over the brake so they can not get jammed - use the pinky and ring finger to operate your brake while keeping the other two in reserve for emergency braking.
Using the fingers at the end of the lever (furtheresr from the brake lever fulcrum) will mean less effort for best braking, particually on modern bikes which have such good brakes.

Give it a go - let me know if you like it. It does take some getting used to but is worth it I reckon.

**James Deuce** · 22nd April 2005, 22:21

Originally Posted by Lee Rusty

anyone using two fingers only if your other fingers are behind the lever they are at risk

Try this try pulling brake lever back as far as you can with two fingers - now try with all four - it will come further back.

now that is extreme, but consider this,

If you drop your bike with two fingers behind the lever. add your weight to the weight of your bike, add some more for the forward momentum (probably someone with be able to work out the times factor at different speeds) and consider the fact that the handlebars are the widest point of your bike and will stike the ground first.

Still want your fingers in there.

Try this - it will feel unnatural at first but it is worth trying to see if you get a good result - keep all four fingers over the brake so they can not get jammed - use the pinky and ring finger to operate your brake while keeping the other two in reserve for emergency braking.
Using the fingers at the end of the lever (furtheresr from the brake lever fulcrum) will mean less effort for best braking, particually on modern bikes which have such good brakes.

Give it a go - let me know if you like it. It does take some getting used to but is worth it I reckon.

Thanks to thoracic outlet syndrome, due to compression fractures of c4 and 5 I can't actually really feel what the outer fingers of my right hand are doing, sounds like a nice idea, but the reality is that my index and middle finger are always going to give me the best braking feel. I've trained my outer two fingers to stay curled on the throttle so I know where they are.

I think the important thing to realise is that no one method works the same for every person. Every teacher worth their salt knows how to adapt a lesson to fit a student.

The great thing about this thread is that there is a discussion going on that lets people realise that they CAN try different things if something isn't working for them.

**Zed** · 22nd April 2005, 22:26

Originally Posted by gav

So what do other people use?

I had to go riding to recall just what fingers I use to brake and I found that I have adopted the "outside three finger" methodology most of the time.

I don't think that any particular way is the most correct because we all develop our own unique style of riding over time which incorporates different methods of braking, cornering, gear changing, wheelying, etc, that suits us!

**Sensei** · 22nd April 2005, 22:35

2 finger's under 160k , 3 over 200k's

SENSEI

**Zed** · 22nd April 2005, 22:43

Originally Posted by Sensei 509

2 finger's under 160k , 3 over 200k's

SENSEI

Yeah right Sensei, I saw your name down on the "foot brake only" user list!! My foot brake is pretty much redundant...unless I'm on a hill start that is!

**Sensei** · 22nd April 2005, 22:47

Yea ZED don't ya use the back with your finger's LOL .

**Ned** · 23rd April 2005, 00:40

Originally Posted by Sensei 509

2 finger's under 160k , 3 over 200k's

SENSEI

err... no fingers 160 to 200? Or middle finger?

**FEINT** · 23rd April 2005, 08:38

I use the first 2 fingers. I saw Nakano use the last 3 fingers, I haven't had the time to try that yet..

**Ixion** · 23rd April 2005, 08:47

It's going to depend on the bike. How heavy the brakes are, how wide the lever span etc. On the BMW I cover with index and long fingers, brake hard with 3 . My pinky isn't long enough to reach the brake lever !

But on Li'l Rat Bike I cover with long finger and brake hard with long and ring. Maybe adding the pinky just because it falls in place.

On the T500 it is whole hand always. Heavy 8 inch 2LS drum brake.