How many fingers do you brake with?

[gav]

And what ones do you use? I generally use either one or two (fore finger and long one next to it), but was interested to see the on bike shots of Shinya Nakano and he was using his 3 outside fingers and holding onto throttle with his fore finger and thumb. Go on, just try flexing them like that, feel weird to you? Or more natural? Looked abit ungainly I thought, almost like he had to stretch his fingers around the brake lever to get it in position to brake. So what do other people use?

[dveus]

Normally just the middle two.

[gav]

OK, lets ignore the thumb and number them 1,2,3 and 4 (little pinky) I use 1 most sometimes 2, so you use 2 and 3, dveus?

[Waylander]

Apparently I so it like that guy does. Use my outside three fingers moslty but when emergency stopping I use them all. I don't grab the break by any means just pull it in a bit to give me a quik stop with no tire skid. Use the rear brake the most though, to slow down for curves or drop in speed limit, though just letting the throttle go works well aswell.

[John]

I hold two fingers over the brake, one over the clutch(who needs it lol , and slide them to the right when I'm downshifting otherwise I always manage to jam the throttle open with my thumb (dont ask I have no idea).

[Ixion]

I used to ride a BSA. So , force of old habits, I have the brake lever turned around so it's on the inside of the handlebars. That way I can use my foot (all toes) on it for more leverage. Of course, on a BSA even that doesn't actually cause the front brake to slow you down at all.

[dveus]

OK, lets ignore the thumb and number them 1,2,3 and 4 (little pinky) I use 1 most sometimes 2, so you use 2 and 3, dveus?

Yep, its how i used to ride the pushbike and have just kept the same habits.

[FROSTY:Me]

depends totally on the situation. I cruise with 2 fingers on the brake. but when its a planned stop I use 3 fingers.
emergency braking and I use all 4

[James Deuce]

depends totally on the situation. I cruise with 2 fingers on the brake. but when its a planned stop I use 3 fingers.
emergency braking and I use all 4

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

[gav]

Well I could understand on a XJ900 but that R6 won't need 4 fingers Jimthesecond? Have you got an order in for some fairings?

[Motu]

I got a new pair of gloves before Xmas and had to run them in,they felt a bit funny and this caused me to look at my hands on the bars.I appears I don't grip the bar with my right index finger,it comes around and meets the thumb,it's not doing a thing...I changed back to my old gloves and I still do the same,looks like that's how I've been doing it for years.

As for braking - index and middle finger,I'm not a heavy braker...like Ixion I learnt to ride on BSAs,front brakes were a non functioning option.

[bugjuice]

use mostly 2 fingers, unless I really need the anchors, then it's 3. 636 brakes are frikin sharp as it is, so they don't need much pressure to get a result

[James Deuce]

Well I could understand on a XJ900 but that R6 won't need 4 fingers Jimthesecond? Have you got an order in for some fairings?

2 Fingers are fine most of the time, but I have big hands, and my fingers get trapped when I have to squeeze hard. They get trapped behind the brake lever too.

[Keeper]

fingers 1 & 2 (inner two)

as taught by various riding instructors including race instructors...

but hey could be all wrong

[250learna]

i use all 4, but dan again i havent been riding long enough to adjust my style for comfurt