When do you cover the front brake?

[MikeyDude]

If speed you are going too fast you might skid the front wheel when panic stop. Ride with fish tail better than front skid...

I understand that the opposite is true. If you skid the front tire you can let off of it and regain control. If the rear skids you have to stay on it. If you let off the rear and you "fishtail" you're inviting a high-side. Granted I'm not as experienced as you I'm sure, but I have been taught to rely more on the front and not allow the rear to skid or fish-tail.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[Loonette]

Do you hover your foot over the brake pedal in your car as well? It just doesn't make sense to me to cover the brake lever for anything more than the ocassional cautionary moment, such as at an intersection with antsy cagers. But to each their own...

Cheers,
Loonette

[Z (fka Sweet Tooth)]

It was drilled into me at the MSF not to cover it and I made it a habit not to. I'll only do it as mentioned as a cautionary moment.

[MrGompers]

It was drilled into me at the MSF to use all four fingers while using or covering the front brake. I had a bad habit of only using three. That habit is gone now.

[VermilionX]

i don't apply all the stuff i learned form the MSF.

some of them are not as good the ones i've been thought by other sportbike riders or read from books about sport riding.

[TeamONEinc]

My MSF instructors at the Saddleback college in Cali drilled the idea to never cover the front brake. They said that when we encounter situations where immediate reaction is necessary, that the MAJORITY (not all i assume) that cover the front brake automatically will brake when in some situations, its not necessary and can in fact worsen things. I have a habit of covering the clutch. I have not had to face anything other than swerving out of the way to avoid idiots or obstacles on the road....thank God.

[Kal]

When motoring round town I habitually cover the front brake with the first and second fingers, the rear brake with my foot, the clutch and gear pedal. My throttle is pinned open by the third and forth fingers of my right hand.

I like having my throttle open. My bad habits include using the rear brake and changing down when I see a situation start to develop. I don't use the front anywhere near as much as I should.

When I am zipping down open roads with good visibility I dont tend to cover anything - just wrap the throttle.

Worst thing I've done on an open road at speed? Used my right hand to pull back my left sleeve and checked my watch to see what time it was. I was asking for it that day.

[JustJames]

If speed you are going too fast you might skid the front wheel when panic stop. Ride with fish tail better than front skid...

I understand that the opposite is true. If you skid the front tire you can let off of it and regain control. If the rear skids you have to stay on it. If you let off the rear and you "fishtail" you're inviting a high-side. Granted I'm not as experienced as you I'm sure, but I have been taught to rely more on the front and not allow the rear to skid or fish-tail.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

You understand correctly in normal situation that is the way to handle when you lost control.

May be just me, I can still control the bike pretty well with rear skid and can still ride out of bad situation, but with front skid I only have two choices stop the bike right there or hit whatever in front of me. I have done a lot of pratice tho, I pratice both brake to the point I know how much pressure to make it skid. In slow speed I prefer using rear brake than front since I know I still can control part of the bike.

[Mag7C]

If speed you are going too fast you might skid the front wheel when panic stop. Ride with fish tail better than front skid...

I understand that the opposite is true. If you skid the front tire you can let off of it and regain control. If the rear skids you have to stay on it. If you let off the rear and you "fishtail" you're inviting a high-side. Granted I'm not as experienced as you I'm sure, but I have been taught to rely more on the front and not allow the rear to skid or fish-tail.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

I think I said this somewhere else, but I've had multiple rear skid experiences, and one front skid. The rear skids can be ridden out if you just keep pressure on the brake. It's releasing the rear when in a skid that causes the high-side. My one front skid was on my old bike and resulted in an instant splat to the ground before I even had time to react. So I don't care what the MSF people say... I'd much rather fishtail than lock up the front.

[dieziege]

Some books strongly encourage covering the front brake w/ 2 fingers at all times, including on curves... but they are talking about performance (competitive) riding where the brakes are used whenever needed including deep in curves, not MSF riding where the brakes are used only when the bike is going in a straight line.

Other (less performance-oriented) books say don't cover but use 2 fingers on the front brakes unless you are riding a pre-99 harley or other bike with marginal front brakes, in which case you'll need all four fingers on the brake.

MSF basic rider course drills 4-fingers and not covering the front brake, but I suspect part of the reason is that they want to be able to judge when you reach for the brake and can't do that if your hand is already there.

When I rode bicycles (mountain and BMX) a lot, I always covered the brakes with two fingers. The brake levers were designed for two finger use, and it was frequently necessary to hit the brakes quickly.... I was fighting those habits all through the MSF course....and, free from the baleful glare of RiderCoaches, I'll go back to two fingering the front brake but not really cover it.

BTW: I made a point of skidding the front and rear tires during the basic rider course... the rear quickly fishtailed and I rode it to a stop. Locking the front felt about the same on a motorcycle as on a bicycle... you haven't really lost control, but the only thing balancing the bike is you and it tells you in no uncertain terms, "I *will* go down if you aren't quick."