1 Simple Change Could Save Your Life 

Roll off the gas, fingers on the lever. every time. even if i don't think i need it. The improvement in confidence and control took me from being "surprised" when something happens to being "smug" that i already have the control i need in my hand to resolve the situation. Adding 2% to the brakes when you're already using them at 5% is way easier than going from my whole hand on the grip, rushing and trying to magically find exactly 7%

Almost lost my best bud to an intersection crash. One big reason why I do what I do.

I cover the front brake with two fingers probably 90% of the time. I also tend to be hyper aware and when I see a vehicle approaching from the side at an intersection, whether controlled or not, I roll off the throttle a tad and get myself ready for them to pull out just in case. When I was learning to drive a car my dad always told me "it came out of nowhere" is an excuse for "I wasn't paying attention close enough". Covering the brake is a very important fundamental skill, it's the first step in being able to stop quickly. Learning to progressively brake smoothly is much easier once you are comfortable covering the brake.

I've ridden with the front brake "covered" for thirty years or more. I'm sure that is what the pros like Keith Code and Jason Pridmore always taught. I'm shocked to hear that is not what they teach in the "motorcycle safety" courses. Glad I never bothered. Talk of percentages has never been useful for me, either for traction or braking. The key is squeezing, not grabbing. I like to look for an opportunity to practice emergency stopping on every ride, just to establish muscle memory. I do three sequential stops, starting with an easy one, and braking harder with each of the second and third stops. Keeps me ready. No, I don't do this in town. It may seem extreme, but I really don't want to hit something if practice can prevent it. With intersections, another key is expecting trouble. It is not always possible, but I try to prepare for trouble at every intersection, get in ready, set state, and try to look for cross traffic not stopping. I watch for traffic approaching from behind when I'm stopped. Riding is dangerous. That's why I like it. But I try to reduce the danger where I can.

Oddly enough, that's what I have always done on my mountain bike, especially on single track or downhill. When I did this during my very first motorcycle course I was told, no no no, bad. Let's see if I can unlearn what felt unnatural for me to begin with. Love your content btw, I've learnt heaps!

I have been grinding gears for fifty years and I have always used this configuration to cover my front break. I tend to cover my rear break too when I roll up on an intersection. I have been trail breaking to line up my corners as long as I can remember, but had no idea what it was called until I saw this guys videos! The fighter pilot analogy is spot on. Situational awareness (along with sobriety and a little hi viz action) is what will save your life. Ride safe!

another great video Dave. Yep, I am a massive proponent of covering the front brake. I got into an argument recently with an instructor when I went to do a refresher course. He tried to tell me that covering the brake was a track only thing and had zero place on the street. I responded that I felt sorry for any of his new students and left.

Great video Dave, thanks for sharing!

On my MSF equivalent course we were told (repeatedly over 40 hours mandatory training!) that we should not cover break to avoid panic-break. And to keep motorcycle in neutral on stop lights. I really really quickly realized were dumbest ideas ever...

I use this exact braking technique. I can feel the front weight transfer, and once that happens I know I can squeeze the front brake slightly harder.The other thing I do is grab the bike with my legs and tighten my core. This way my weight isn’t slung onto my arms. The claw technique is perfect.

Holding the brake lever with the index and middle fingers means you apply force close to the pivot point; limiting the power. Some Dog-leg levers bring these finger further to the right but I can understand why so many people use all 4 fingers so they can apply force further from the pivot point. Remember, not every bike is fitted with top-of-range Brembos. There were bikes with brakes that had the pivot on the outside (at the bar end). Wonder why this wasn't continued.

I was scolded for pistol gripping during my final licence practice. To pass I had to only hold the throttle. Being competent I complied to pass, but back on the road it was covering break most of the time.

Very good video. I cover the front brake with two fingers too and, in top of that, I brake a little with the rear brake when release the throttle. It helps to keep the geometry of the bike more stable and the transition of weights smoother. Thanks Dave!

Amazing video on a small but important detail. I learned and refined the "peace sign" method of covering the brakes from lane filtering in downtown L.A. freeway traffic. There are times where my work commute requires me to cover the front brake for 30-40 minutes at a time with intense focus on my surroundings as I filter. The "peace sign" method gives me the most feeling of control, reaction time and reduced hand fatigue. I also noticed that this grip gives me the most leverage to turn my handlebars for swerving, since the gripping fingers are on the outside creating a long lever.

Might sound silly, but I saw this method of keeping the front brake covered on you tube when still learning and at an early stage it became natural for me to cover the front brake whenever on a bike, even when moving it around my driveway and it has saved me on occasions, great advice, stay safe.

I’ve always been one to cover my brakes 24/7. Comes naturally for riding bikes all my life. I also like to engine brake with rear brake and I stop crazy fast if needed. I practice to not just get the muscle memory or fluid reactions and movement but to fully master the feel and capabilities of my motorcycle. It’s all second nature. Every season I always practice some more, one should never stop learning to better themselves for the ride :)

Another very good video Dave with lots of helpful information. 6 months ago I returned to riding a motorcycle after a 35 year break. I definitely try to cover my front brake for most of the time, but not all the time i.e. when I’m out a good clear road, as here in the UK when it’s cold I need to feel the heated grips on those two fingers! I know that I definitely need to keep practising getting that first 5% of front brake right and not grab it so fast in a panic. I can do this no problem when I practice but not so well otherwise. Hopefully over time I’ll get it. I think one of the reasons for this is that I’ve been riding bicycles for so long and I’ve had a habit of grabbing both brakes when needing to stop quickly. Thanks again for passing on your knowledge and hopefully helping us all to learn more and become better riders.

Bravo! Too many channels spend way too much time discussing why new riders cannot be taught certain techniques, analyzing crash videos ad nauseum or beating their chests about how they can get a knee down in a parking lot. Your channel consistently provides the best advice for safe practical street riding that all riding levels should learn and apply. Excellent post.

The best mantra for me was: Load the tire before you work the tire.

On point as usual, excellent video. I've been covering the front brake intuitively since very early on before I started having discussions with more advanced riders. Some of my buddies said their track instructor told them not to cover the front brake, and that may work fine at the track with unchanging corners and no intersections, but they're taking this knowledge to the street and that's where the disconnect exists.

I went through the Australian basic rider course roughly 6 yrs ago and the instructor loudly harangued anyone for covering the break lever. As soon as I was on my own riding I started covering the lever when I wasn't on wide open roads. I practiced emergency stops on sandy road surfaces to get a feel for each of my bikes limits of grip and whenever I replace a set of tyres. As always your advice is spot on and delivered brilliantly.

As a new rider, this technique was "inadvertently" shown to me, while shopping for a motorcycle, after having the completed the MSF course. I was honestly a bit more convinced I didn't want to ride, after having "successfully passed" the course. My "biggest issue" in the class was actually rolling on the throttle while applying the front brake. I "knew" what was going wrong, tokd the instructir about it, and got no feedback on how to correct it. I realized that, perhaps, when I got my own bike, (if I chose to do so), was to rotate the front brake lever up, so that pulling on the lever would cause me to roll the throttle back. While the instructor agreed this would be helpful, it wasn't until visiting a motorcycle store and talking to a salesman and through some demonstration, I saw out the corner if my eye that he only used two fingers to pull the brake lever. (I, by the way, was using all 4 fingers, whhile my thumb was still wrapped around the throttle). I, in amazement, and having a lightbulb moment when my eye caught that, asked him to do it again. He did, and again used 2 fingers! OMG! The mental connection!!! I then explained to him why I asked him to do it and the problem I had in the course, because I realized, my issue could actually "kill me" on the road! The primary videos of yours I've watched were about running wide in corners because I would say, that has been my biggest issue, probably also partly because of that lesson in class about NOT braking in corners. Honestly, I didn't heed that advice in class, because to and for me, i felt safer doing so. It was after getting my own bike, then getting in the road, that I went back to their technique and began having that very frustrating problem, (fortunately, in safe spaces, where my methid of corrctiin was slowing more before and into the turns - which was also problematic, because to make that type of turn, caused me to slow too much when I was actually out in traffic and STILL had me run wide a few times). I realize after watching your videos, that trail braking was what I was doing in class, (which was a term I don't believe we even covered - but also had me kinda flying through turns in class), but is also my solution out here in the road. And using 2 fingers is the proper method of doing that and applying the front brake! I have found that I can effectively brake and control the throttle using the 2 fingers and the rear brake simultaneously, where appropriate and truly appreciate the wisdom and common sense techniques shared in your videos! THANKS for what you do! Though I acknowledge I'm still a new rider with skills to build, you help build my confidence indoing so each time I go out to ride and each ride is skill building practice! Thanks again!

Having your brake lever position is a key point to reducing abruptness going to the brake. As you said, when you roll off the throttle, your two fingers should start taking up that first 5% of pressure on the brake. Same for going back to the throttle. As you get to the point where the throttle begins to open, your fingers should be coming off the last 5% of brake. Each time I ride I work on this skill and trail braking. It takes consistent practice to be smooth, and it builds muscle memory. So when you find yourself in an unexpected situation, it's not a ham fist grab on the brake. Important to note that getting into and releasing that 5% can be done very quickly, just not abruptly. Riding this way has caused quite a few situations that could have become bad, to be non issues.

This is how I taught myself to ride (covering the brake) just to be told at my "experienced rider" MSF course that I was wrong, lol! I will start covering the brake again! I find that my throttle control is smoother this way as well.

Great teaching. I started covering the front brake way back when you taught me trail braking. Trail braking is probably the best thing I ever learned along with "wait fir the weight" referring to front emergency braking. This "covering the brake" just comes naturally now. You have taught me so much! Thank you! 👍

I have learned a lot from you You explain everything so well I also watch MC Rider and Motojitso Have not ridden since I was 30 no one taught anything here’s the keys good luck Now l am 70 and want to ride again I dream about riding Thank you for sharing your knowledge

I've always covered the brakes, BUT I used to do it with my middle finger and my ring finger. This thing now breaks my hand in two, but I was used to it, so I felt uncomfortable using my first two fingers. The problem is that when I started practicing the trail breaking (thanks to your videos) i found out that I cannot figure it out. I was unable to roll the throttle and brake at the same time. I've switched to the first two fingers and after a bit of adaptation it worked like a charm. So my little advice is this: if the majority of Pro riders do something give it a try, but most importantly, give your body the time to accept it. A little detail like squeezing the brakes with the first two fingers or the second and the third has a domino effect on everything else. But if you are used to the wrong technique, you'll find yourself uncomfortable with the correct one at least for the first time.

Great video and an important subject-just last weekend in the mountains of Northern Thailand I was traveling in a group ride when a 25kg dog ran full throttle across the road on a B line for my front tire. He was trying to cross the road (or commit suicide) fortunately for me I was covering my front brake - squeezed in an emergency stop…managed to slow in a straight line from 90 KPH to 60KPH in real time I saw the dog realize what was happening and using all four legs power away. The only reason I did not hit that dog is because I was covering the front brake with those two fingers….

I am grateful for this channel and how you address topics such as this one. It's extremely important that the newbies (and us "experienced" riders) not become complacent. Complacency is a dangerous thing out here.

Been doing this for years in and around town. Tend only to do it on the highway when it's busy. 🤓 Ride safely 🤓 💙

I've only been riding about 3 months, naturally I've come across situations where we have to brake hard (deer, cars, ect) videos like this have taught me to practice braking techniques and I was able to avoid all of the problems ahead of me so far. Thanks for these videos and keep up the good work bro!

comming from dirt bikes to street, I always covered the brake.

Saved a crash just yesterday at an intersection. Dude ran the red, braking fingers were in place...all i had to do was squeeze. Honestly careful attention to my braking has dramatically changed my riding.

Rolling off the throttle and having two fingers roll on to the brake lever is a technique taught by Champ U. It's a good habit to have.

New rider here, just started intentionally doing this and it certainly helps improve my sense of security on the road. As an added bonus, this immediately improved my throttle control as well. Makes it much easier to dial in small adjustments to the throttle and manage shifts having the fingers on the brake as a reference point.

I have always two fingers on the break lever. And I don't remember when I start with this habit.

The problem as you mentioned is 'abruptness'. I've been covering the front brake just as you described. My problem was the car pulled out in front of me I swerved and 'abruptly' hit my front brake and down I went. It was like a two finger spasm/panic lol. So learning how NOT to have a spasm/panic while covering the front brake is where experience comes in. That mistake cost me a few thousand bucks, a broke thumb, bruised ribs. I'll continue drilling in the parking lots, thanks!

Years of dirt riding improved my scanning for hazards, but made me overuse the back brake for a street bike. I needed to start using the front brake a lot more for pavement, especially a bike with 2 front rotors/disks that quickly makes the back tire light or off the pavement surface.

Smoothness pays the piper.

Honestly, by far, the best content for teaching new riders. You cover specific topics others don’t consider. Thank you!

Been doing this since i started riding. But i wont lie, some of the other riders look at me sideways when they see me. 😂😂😂

I do not agree with this tehnique, because, a lot riders in emergency situations will grab the front brake and lock the front or rear wheel more likely if they have fingers over the lever all the time. I believe, we, as riders should more focus on mental readiness, and what i mean by that is, we should constatly scan the road, and when we approach to the intersection we have to be mentaly ready to react, and not to panic, and if you have good braking tehnique, that 0,1sec will not make difference, especially if you adjust your speed to the enviroment, if you arrive at intersection at 150km/h, fingers on, or off the lever want make any difference. And if you ride for longer period of time(1h, 2h...), this tehnique, figers over the lever all the time will make you more tired, and tired means you have less focus. I apply this tehnique, fingers over the lever, only while driving through heavy traffic, and slow speed when you are constantly ready to brake, but on open road, i do not agree with this tehnique.

Now I fully understand why we need to put our two fingers always on the front break lever, watching from Pila, Laguna, Philippines, Godbless!

Great tip. I ride 100% of the time - even when training on the range - with 2 fingers over the brake. The only problem that I had was cramping when I first started. I concentrated on moving the throttle tube with my last two fingers until that was smooth, and the cramps went away. The other tip for me was to relax my thumb while on the throttle and use more of a "screw driver" grip for a more relaxed hand.

Left hand trigger finger on the high beam and thumb on the horn as well.

I used to cover the front brake lever when approaching traffic and intersections, but I've adjusted my riding to the point that I feel awkward if I don't have the brake covered all of the time. I believe that slow hands/loose hands are the key to smooth inputs and reactions, both from myself and from my motorcycle. Each time I ride and find myself in a situation where braking quickly is needed, I have to remind myself not to just grab a handful, but to gently and quickly squeeze that lever. Riding in what's called "Yellow Stage" by DDFM, greatly helps to avoid situations where panic braking is the result of a flight or fight reaction.

Sorry but I disagree. Just on the cover the brakes ALL the time, everything else was perfectly fine. The problem isn’t the couple of tenths lost in the reaching, if you travel with such a small margin of safety between getting kill or not your doing something wrong with your speed, positioning, planning and preventing or simply you’re zoning out. That position is incredibly fatiguing to hold when 98% of your everyday seat time you spend with constant throttle and roll off engine braking. For me the answer to most problems is watching a good chunk of crashes online and start to recognize patterns, watch 10/20 cars ahead, scanning, recognize potential threats, plan escape paths, etc. and only THEN cover your brakes, when you find yourself in a potentially risky situation. No need to strain or fatigue your carpal muscles

The responsibility of learning & becoming experienced in the craft of riding is the rider.

Some of popular riding advices are not ideal but they are given only to prevent beginners to make terrible mistakes. They are necessary at the beginner level, but it’s also necessary to OUTgrow from them as soon as possible. They are actually hazardous for street riding. Like an accessory sidewheel on a bicycle.

when in traffic or you think you entering a interesting zone, take up the slack on brake levers, have your thumb covering the horn, you will rapidly improve your response time.

I'm thinking that the contents of this superb video will save lives and/or prevent injuries. Thank you! Well done!

Excellent information, thank you so much 👍🏼

I have been using the method for a while, saved my ass one time at least. It gives me more confidence while riding and spotting unexpected hazards on the road, meaning I am already ready for whatever is going to happen. Keep up the excellent work, thanks.

last time when i was on the highway on my bike , i was just checking for tea shop and suddenly i saw a cow around 4 meter in front of me . i got panicked and could not pull the front or back brake and was waiting to hit the cow at its belly .. how can i manage these situations in future . please advise

While I entirely agree with your point there is a problem riding in colder/winter conditions - my fingers get too cold and I have to wrap them around my heated grips. I know the solution is to get heated gloves but this is another bit of equipment to charge or connect before you can start your ride.

My gloves won’t let me take those two fingers off the break lever. They’ve stiffened up in that position. ✌️

I hope 1 billion riders see this video. Getting intimate with the front brake is what’s going to save your ass more than any other riding technique.

your vocals are very right channel dominant on this video - please check your microphone or mixing settings

Great video. Food for thought and practice

Bless you for all the good work you do an accurate and correct explanation continue so thank you very much

Good point. I realised, doing a skid pan course, there is no such thing as emergency braking on a bike. There's just proper controlled braking, that's all ;-)

i like that anatomy part of explanation, radius part and ulnar part, useful, tks for your vid

I had my right hand finger position like this. 100% like you explain on this video. To reduce risk when something unexpected happen on the road. And my donkey friend laugh at me, im glad you make a video to explain about this finger position. Keep the safety riding my brother ✌🏻

Ive learned to do it this way, and it feels very safe. Once, I was lane splitting at a traffic light , came by a cargo van with obstructed view. All of a sudden a father and his son crossed the street and got in front of me. I was riding slow and covering the brake, but it avoided running them over. Would ve been tragic... so pelase ALWAYS cover the damn brake

So true and important skill to learn... In 2013 I was cruising downhill on the Dolomites and right after a blind right semi corner there was a SUV coming towards me completely on my lane while the driver was overtaking a bicyclist AND AT THE SAME TIME probably trying to figure out which brand was the bicycle (...). I had a small hesitation before braking... I just rolled off the throttle for half a second, I believe and only after that, I started to brake hard. It was enough, because the driver's friends scream at him, he looked at me (with eyes and mouth wide open) and he STOP in my lane, blocking it almost completely. Rock wall on my right, open cliff on the left: I tried to stop my Tuono V2 (no abs) but I just needed some extra meters, so finally I hit the car with my left shoulder (broken) and hit and destroy the huge mirror with my chin (full face helmet). My left arm was paralyzed for half an hour and slowly I recovered moving one finger at a time in the following hours at the hospital. The helmet did his job and I was lucky because the crash was at low speed, in the end but ... damn I almost made it: I lost that half a second in the begininng!

Yes, I’m a cyclist as ride all the time with 1 finger ready in each brake. At the basic course they told me to not touch the front brake, I was so confused!

Thanks a lot for this kinda important information, trust me I'm going to be a professional rider so soon

Funny we all got yelled at for doing that in the msf course.

2 + seconds to reach and engage the breaks is exaggerated. It takes sub 1 sec for a practiced hand. Practice 2 finger engagement after every roll off. Cover breaks when traffic conditions warrent.

While I was in the process of getting my licence in the UK, I was told not to cover the lever by an instructor at a test centre.... this was shortly after grabbing a handful of front brake in the wet, locking the wheel and almost dropping it practising emergency stops. If ever there was a situation where covering and gently applying that first 5% would have been applicable, that was it. Didn't pass that day, went home and put on fresh pants.... !

Yes I cover all the time...I made myself do it early on probably about a year after I first started riding....it felt a bit unnatural at first but soon enough becomes second nature and I believe it has saved me from disaster once or twice! Good advice indeed.

nice movie lots good advice

I have been doing this technique for a very long times.and proven very effective at times.i just added an upgrade since watching your video about trailbraking.thanks a lot.

This is absolutely WRONG !! It’s promoting cowardice technique and will back fire on most riders. The correct way to slow down in heavy traffic is to FIRST CUT THE GAS (so the engine settles)..then quickly but “gently” APPLY BACK WHEEL BRAKE So you can finally separate two dominant fingers and APPLY THE FRONT WHEEL BRAKE EVENLY IN PROPORTION TO THE THE BACK WHEEL “SPEED” this can be achieved in less than a second. If not the motorcycle “will”pivot and loose control. Hope the information in this video is reviewed.. I’m very disappointed.

Great advice in a learner friendly teaching style. There are many things in life that are subtle AND powerful. Subtle application of the front break at the right time helps moves you from a beginner to advanced rider. It’s a skill, skills are learned, let’s practice! Love your stuff! Love It!

I missed your videos! I love your channel!

Fantastic summary - thank you !!

I remember the MSF course saying to cover both levers back in 2008. I’ve done that ever since.

This is all very good stuff, but it you're so concerned with safety, why do you, and so many other riders, prefer to kit yourself out in solid black or dark colours? Apart from the bike headlight you, and to some degree the bike, are not very visible to a driver. Add to that a driver distracted by their music, phone, screaming kids, or maybe a misted up or dirty side window and bang, you're toast even if you follow the good advice in this video. I wear black leathers on a black/grey bike. So I wear a yellow hi viz waist-coat and a yellow crash helmet. As well as being more visible to a dozing motorist, they probably think I'm a Police rider, even better. This is surely the greatest bit of advice to give ANY motorcyclist as well being a cheap fix and requiring no skills to execute. It's no consolation being "right" when you're laying in the road with a broken leg.

'Hear, hear!' (as the nobs say in Parliament here). It's great to see you recommend not just keeping fingers over the front brake, but also advising new riders to ensure they adjust lever reach to suit their fingers! I have freakishly small childlike hands and when I started riding as a spotty 16 year old, 38 years ago, I always had problems blipping / rev matching - not to mention emergency braking - which fortunately I never had to do until I'd learnt to adjust my levers... Doing so made riding so much easier and safer. However neither the motorcycle training or the dealer I bought my first bike from ever mentioned the importance of such adjustments! Keep up the good work. 👍

love your videos, thank you !! I remember having those 2 fingers on the brakes while taking a 'getting into motorcycle season training mindset' ( I do this yearly when season starts. Leaving in Canada December to March no 2 wheels for me ) the instructor said 'no fingers on the breaks, full hand on gas' - hehe. I guess he was trying to level the class(?) not sure. I still keep my 2 fingers on the front break.

I start doing this but having only one finger on break and clutch. After i reached with other fingers the brake is already 5-10% engaged and starting to focus on back brake. As i know limits of my bike and tires, only 2-3 times get the front wobble. I never been so scared on strait road as when you have to stop and front tire start to shake, so glad i have such wide handlebar.

Always covering the front brakes and knowing how to use it properly makes me feel a better rider

can you point an exercise and stretch, to prepare your hand and forearm for keep you two fingers in the brake, gas roll the throttle on and off, without get arm pump. Why is so hard to understand that people need to prepare themselves mentally and physically before go to ride a motorcycle. as always great job.

Thank you for video, but my biggest rule of thumb it's slow speed according to areas, traffic. Many intersections ?! Go slow. To much traffic go slow. Urban areas ? Go slow. Want to ride fast ? Track days. Public Streets are NOT racing tracks. Cheers ride safe.

One guy who make riding simple and safe. Love your videos. Watching from South Africa

I would like to see the MSF Beginner's Course address what they REALLY do: They do NOT teach a new rider to be a motorcycle rider... One weekend, come on! They teach a new rider, HOW TO LEARN to BECOME a motorcycle rider. When I sold motorcycles at a Triumph dealership, I tried to get new riders to take the MSF Beginner’s Course BEFORE buying a bike. Then, buy a used SMALL bike. Then, at the beginning of the next season, take the MSF Beginner ‘s Course, AGAIN. Then, talk to me about a Triumph. Later that second year, take the MSF Advanced Course. Then, it was time to start talking about going to a Track Day Course. Learning should never end. One sleepy August afternoont, a 16 year old kid came running into the store, shortly followed by his Grandmother, saying, “Take it easy boys. He’s not buying anything. He’s done all his chores, and I said he could LOOK at motorcycles as a reward. The owner of the store talked to the kid, enjoying the kid’s energy (both of us remember being that kid and drooling over motorcycles). I talked to the Grandma. I talked her into signing the kid up for an MSF Couse, because as excited as he was, a friend was going to let him ride his bike, and let’s make sure he has some training. Then, I said, “and you should take the course with him.” She exclaimed, WHY?!” I said, “So when you walk past his door with a laundry basket, and you hear the word “… wheelie…”., you can enter that conversation as a MOTORCYCLIST.” I got them both signed for an MSF Course that weekend. Monday, the grandma came into the shop by herself, and asked, “What bike do I buy him?” I said, “Nothing we sell.” I sent her to the Honda shop for a used Honda 250 Nighthawk. That Wednesday, they showed up for our Wednesday Night Ride, with the grandma on the back. The next summer, she bought a new Triumph T-Bird Sport for the kid and kept the Nighthawk for herself.

Anatomy lessons, fighter pilot visual scanning lessons, and a KTM prominent in one of your videos. Wow. The times they are a-changin. Effective front brake control however - is an eternal truth. Preach it Dave!

When I started riding, there was no such thing as riding schools. I started on mini bikes, then a Suziki 200, then a Honda 175, then a Honda 350, then a Kaw 650, then a Honda CB1000, then a 1997 Valkyrie, then a BMW K1200LT, Then a Honda Rebel 1100 DCT. The whole point is, start on something small no matter how big your balls are, then graduate to your "dream bike". If you start on anything bigger than 500cc, you are a fool. Start small, then when you feel that it is no longer fun, move up. Don't start at the top and crash. Don't let your big balls/mouth kill you.

Got a crocked middle finger from my old sports days. I cover my brake, but even with the lever adjusted as close as I can without squeezing on my ring/pinky fingers, I am still needing to move my whole hand forward on the grip to pull the lever. Any suggestions?

I literally cannot ride without my fingers on the brake lever. If I do, I feel like I'm riding without a helmet. To me, it feels unnatural not to do it. And I have guys like you and Fast Eddie to thank for it.

i mean i cover my front brake with my right hand and get my left thumb on my horn whenever approaching an uncontrolled intersection or even one where i have the green cuz you never know when some tuner boy is going to whip out and ignore a red on a turn. WAY MORE THAN THE FRONT BRAKE THE HORN HAS SAVED MY LIFE AND MY BIKE WHY DOES NO ONE TALK ABOUT THE HORN. watch for someone inching forward in an intersection as youre approaching. i guarantee you they dont see you. HIT THAT HORN and watch the way their car jerks as they realize youre there and stomp their brake. just a little super polite double tap to say "hey im here!"

Da best! As usual. Pro-world peace!

Passed my basic rider course yesterday. My instructor said "Keep working on those skills". So here I am!

What an amazing job on these videos. I had a friend that was a very experienced rider. He kept me alive for my first year or so on a sportbike. These videos are literally saving lives.

I cover the front brake with 2 fingers (as I had on mountain bike), but I have two problems with this: 1. I can get numb fingers. 2. To pass my local course, they want to see me off the brake, and then visually see me cover the brake with 4 fingers and take up the slack, for almost any reason, real or imagined.

I have been doing two training sessions sessions a year since starting to ride 4 years ago. In each one they have had the attendees practice emergency braking at speeds from 30 to 80kmph. It is only through practising the skill that we can develop confidence in our ability and that confidence and skill will be essential when we need it for real.

Hey, from Santorini Island. I saw a lot of riders , that they care more about the horn finger, than the brake finger................ Stay safe . just pretend you are invisible for other drivers .

Man, WHAT a content, very good- THANKS!! Just one small caveat, many schools are offering the intermediate and the advanced courses for drivers with riding experience beyond the basics. I moved to the US in 2018 and had a Motorcycle license and riding experience back in my home country and I did the intermediate course straight away, and will sign-up for the advanced one. For the riding school I attend to, they do teach the threshold braking + squeezing them VERSUS just having your fingers there to a situation you might need, that in order to shorten the reaction time.

Besides always having my fingers on the brake lever, I always pre tension it when approaching intersections, filtering trough (stopped) traffic and basically any time I think there might be a chance I'll need to brake quickly. You'd be surprised how fast and consistently you can stop when your brakes are already under a slight pressure. Your suspension is compressed, your brake pads are squeezing against the disc, and your front tire is firmly hugging the road. Under those conditions, you can brake so well that you'll stop worrying about sliding and you'll start worrying about flipping over 😅