Four finger braking: Yes or no?

[butcher bergs]

Curious.

I'll tell the story later.

Multiple choice.

[brewmaster]

If it is a Hardly maybe......

[butterblood]

never.
Always two on the clutch and brake.

[TimD]

Definitely never use 4 on the brake, its easy to brake at or beyond the limit with 2.

[LaRNZ]

1 finger on the brake, 2 on the clutch

[Honclfibr]

Two fingers on the brake, two fingers on the clutch, thumb and forefinger around the throttle.

My levers are my security blanket, I don't feel truly comfortable on a bike unless my fingertips are in contact with both levers at all times.

[OreoGaborio]

MSF teaches 4 fingers, so that's GOTTA be right.

I use two..... except for when I'm riding Rye's KZ1000

[MattyC]

I use two. My bike comes with nasty very sensitive 6 piston calipers. Four fingers would be asking for trouble if I accidentally grabbed a whole load of brake.

[vfr99999]

never four asking for trouble

[Paul_E_D]

I use four, and I rode a GP bike for years that had the best stopping power in the business. I have much more feel with more fingers in contact with the lever. The information about the limit is transmitted partly through the lever. One finger would never allow me to recognize a lockup in time to save it, or control a stoppie in heavy traffic in T3. It also allowed me to use all the power available when needed.

IMO you can't really be braking to the bikes potential with one finger with steel rotors...

[Karaya One]

Four fingers, and still alive after all these years.

[DucDave]

I use all five. Takes some practice to get the opposable thumb to wrap around the lever but its worth it...

[RandyO]

I figger if you can't brake with all 4, your hamfisted

so many hamfisted riders, no wonder ABS is a good idea for most

what's the sport in yousing your brakes anyway, usually, I follow the flintstone method and drag my feet

[Evil_Weasel]

i also primarily use four fingers. i feel like it gives me better feel and modualtion (though i'm sure it's all in my head). as an added bonus it keeps me from gripping the bars too tight at turn in.

like honkie, i usually have my fingers touching the levers and my palms open on the bars...you can't death grip if you are barely holding on. though when hard on the gas i will occasionally have to close my hands.

[TBOX]

Four fingers here. IMO, if you are worried about flipping over by using more than two you are doing something wrong. Firm progressive squeeze not grab and hope. To me a two finger squeeze is the same as extending your pinkie finger while holding a drinking glass.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

Sort of four, Looks like all 4 But only 2 are Really touching the lever Middle and ring,

[brewmaster]

Two for me. I can get all the feel and stopping power to do the job.

[mikeb]

4 fingers, anything else feels unnatural. i've never had a problem over braking due to too many fingers on the lever.

[NinjaMegz]

Four fingers here. IMO, if you are worried about flipping over by using more than two you are doing something wrong. Firm progressive squeeze not grab and hope. To me a two finger squeeze is the same as extending your pinkie finger while holding a drinking glass.

Thanks Teach!!!

[Doc]

I use 2 unless I am teaching the MSF Basic course.

[eboos]

2 fingers on the brake (1 always covering, a habit formed by riding freestyle BMX for years) 4 on the clutch.

[TBOX]

Just looking out for my best student ever (NinjaMegz)

[Honclfibr]

Everyone has their preferred technique I suppose. For me, the number of fingers squeezing the lever is much less important than always covering the front brake.

This means that I'm always just a finger-squeeze away from braking and can start braking in the middle of throttle input as I'm rolling off, which allows me to brake sooner and thus more progressive. Having to roll off then reach up and grab the lever with four fingers seems awkward and abrupt to me, especially when I'm riding two up (which most of my street riding has been lately) where I really want to brake early and lightly when possible.

When I think about it, I suppose in hard braking situations my forefinger may end up on the brake lever once I've finished rolling off, not really a conscious decision, if I need more braking leverage it's there. The pinkie doesn't really count, does it? It may be on the lever or not, it really doesn't have much effect on braking force the way I squeeze the lever

This reminds me...I remember at a trackday once asking Ken C what gear he was in through turn 1 at Loudon...his response? "The right one."

[GixerJockey]

[QUOTE=eboos;537231]2 fingers on the brake (1 always covering, a habit formed by riding freestyle BMX for years) QUOTE]

Yup... I was also the roudy kid with the huge half-pipe in the backyard...

Guilty here too. It was a habbit I got into while still pedaling a bike...

[seth399]

I use one finger....sometimes 2

I voted WTF