Who's covering the brake and clutch while riding

**centaurus** · 19th November 2009, 10:09

My first bike here in NZ was a Honda NSR250. Being a 2 stroke and me being very very novice, when the bike was hitting the power band I felt it was faster than my reaction times so I got used to covering both the clutch and the brake levers with two fingers to reduce my reaction time.

In time I moved off the NSR but I kept the habit of keeping two fingers on the clutch and brake. At the end of the day I'm not supposed to hang on the handlebars anyway (I use my legs to hold on the bike) and it did get me out of a few hairy situations by drastically reducing my reaction time.

My question is how many people do this regularly or all the time and what are your opinions on the subject.

**Trudes** · 19th November 2009, 10:14

Since having 2 stroke buckets it's now a habit to cover the clutch. I only cover the brake if I'm riding through somewhere where I think I may need it at any moment ie small shitty towns.

**Headbanger** · 19th November 2009, 10:16

Never.

Though I've also never had the poor grace to pilot a 250cc 2-stoke road bike.

**slofox** · 19th November 2009, 10:17

Only if I am in heavy traffic - usually in the city...

**Dropped** · 19th November 2009, 10:17

I ride a 2 stroke as well. But only sometimes i cover both the brake and clutch main coz im lazy lol.

**george formby** · 19th November 2009, 10:21

In traffic & on demanding (swervy) roads I cover brake & clutch coz I'm using them. Sat on the main highway in light traffic or on motorways hands on the grips coz it's comfier.

**KiwiGs** · 19th November 2009, 10:23

Around town, normally two fingers on each.
Open road normally just the brake, because I don’t use the clutch.....

**ZK-Awesome** · 19th November 2009, 10:36

I find that two fingers on the brake of my bike just doesn't get enough force through the lever for any serious stopping force (the GB has pretty poor brakes though). Anyone cover their brake lever with four fingers, and just use your thumb and palm to work the throttle?

**Cheshire Cat** · 19th November 2009, 10:39

using two fingers to brake is dangerous. if you have to pull the lever right in you're not going to get the full effect of the brake cause your fingers are in the way and you might break them.

**BOGAR** · 19th November 2009, 10:43

As said by other I cover the break only when I feel the need to but I have been doing it more often on the open roads to get used to the feel of it.
I don't cover the clutch as if I have to stop in a hurry I just pull it in and concentrate on the breaking. Hopefully I'm in a good enough gear to be able to ride out of most situations.

**vtec** · 19th November 2009, 11:18

I might be missing something here. I cover the brake, but have no idea why you'd need to cover the clutch??

**centaurus** · 19th November 2009, 11:23

Originally Posted by vtec

I might be missing something here. I cover the brake, but have no idea why you'd need to cover the clutch??

I don't know about others but in my case, I cover the clutch in case of an emergency stop. If it's really an emergency stop, even though pulling the clutch in happens later than when breaking starts, if breaking is done properly, it will still be too soon to react.

On my NSR I've had a few emergency stops from 40kph or so to standstill and covering the clutch came in handy.

**Laxi** · 19th November 2009, 11:26

but if you've got two fingers on the clutch and brake, what do you give the car drivers???

**Laxi** · 19th November 2009, 11:34

Originally Posted by Headbanger

I've never had any grace

fixed

**Starky307** · 19th November 2009, 11:50

I have always ridden with two fingers on the clutch and brake, this came from my off road "heritage" and I've taken it to the road.

I've tried riding without any fingers on the leavers but it feels so wrong and my other fingers feel cramped and complain that they are being squashed on the grips.

What ever feels best I guess.