Fingers up at intersections - Covering the front brake on closed throttle.

[O]

Kirby 1923 mentioned this article in another thread, and I thought it warranted its own.  Great safety advice:

http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/06/02/ienatsch-tuesday-fingers-up-motorcycle-riding-tips-to-navigate-intersections/

From the article:
"It isn’t just how well you stop your bike, it’s also how long it takes to get the brake pads against the brake rotors, get the fork springs loaded, get the tire loaded. At 60 mph, you cover 88 feet per second. In the quarter-second it takes to reach the brake and load the fork, you’ve traveled 22 ft."

Ride safe everyone!
-Owen

[twhitaker]

I've been doing that for nearly 40 years. 

[clubman]

Misunderstood the topic. Finger up at intersection is usually what I get when I'm in my Freightliner. Now I'll have to go back and read the article. 

[O]

Misunderstood the topic. Finger up at intersection is usually what I get when I'm in my Freightliner. Now I'll have to go back and read the article. 

Realized after I posted that that subject line might be misconstrued, but who doesn't love a double entendre subject title?   

[rocker59]

Misunderstood the topic. Finger up at intersection is usually what I get when I'm in my Freightliner. Now I'll have to go back and read the article. 

It's an article about covering the front brake lever whenever you've rolled off the throttle.

I've been doing since I was a teenager.  But I've also been reading Ienatsch since then, too...

[rocker59]

Realized after I posted that that subject line might be misconstrued, but who doesn't love a double entendre subject title?   

I just fixed it.

[O]

Realized after I posted that that subject line might be misconstrued, but who doesn't love a double entendre subject title? 

 

I just fixed it.

Guess that answers my question.

Thanks for the deobfuscation, Rocker.

[AJ Huff]

I didn't know there was another way to do it.

-AJ

[Guzzistajohn]

Numerous trials training schools taught me early to keep all the controls covered all the time. Never understood even putting both feet down when stopped. Brake needs to stay covered. Bike in gear @ stop lights. No exceptions.

[canuguzzi]

Maybe in the rest of the world, here a lot of riders stop at a light and then take both hands off the bars, start adjusting things and then put both hands on their hips and wait for the yellow light on the cross street.

Almost always pocket rockets.

Just relaying an observation.

[Dharma Bum]

I've observed the same thing with the sport bike riders.  Seems to be a pose, it's rare to see them going down the street with both hands on the bars, usually the left hand is on their hip or on the tank.  I've followed them down the street and watch them reach up to shift and immediately take their left hand off the bar.  It's funny to watch them do that two or three times before the next stoplight.

[Dharma Bum]

Yeah, I'll go with scenario number 2!

[lucydad]

You guys are just so good.  Frankly I struggle with my small hands at times especially on the V7r with non-adjustable levers.
No problem on Triumph, it adjusts both clutch and front brake:  easier to keep covered.  And we sport bike guys like to pose and look cool...

[Yukonica]

The one commonality I'm reading is; almost everyone in this forum has been riding for a long time. I was first on my brother's Honda 50 cub when I was 7 years old. Good habits have been part of the recipe allowing us to arrive at this point. In town I almost always have my index finger on the lever. At stops my right foot goes down. I can't mock the sport set... I was one of them. My current bike has clip-ons and rearsets. On the highway I occasionally ride with my clutch hand off the bar. But I can also grip the tank with my knees and maneuver the bike by transferring weight on my feet. (probably a little more difficult with your feet out in front a la cruiser.)
The ones that make me cringe are people who put feet down at a stoplight with their feet in front of the pegs.
It's like "hey ! wanna see me break my ankles?"

[SteveAZ]

I had an older guy teach me about leaving it in gear and covering the controls at lights when I was just off of dirt bikes as a kid. That combined with lining up with a forward escape route and watching the mirrors served me well a couple of times and got me out of possibly getting rear ended at lights. Now I live in California and I just filter up to the front, but I still cover the controls.

The people I see that I don't understand are the "how long can I leave my brake foot off the peg as I take off after the light turns green" guys. They are obviously folks who put both feet down at a light but they leave the rear brake foot dangling in the air for a long time as they take off from the light. Always seems so strange to me.

 

[Kev m]

On the highway I occasionally ride with my clutch hand off the bar. But I can also grip the tank with my knees and maneuver the bike by transferring weight on my feet. (probably a little more difficult with your feet out in front a la cruiser.)

I believe Keith Code's no BS bike would demonstrate you're fooling yourself and even then any real maneuvering is still being done by the remaining hand on the bars and subtle steering inputs.

[bpreynolds]

I've used both brakes for as long as I remember and not sure how/why I even got started.  Maybe somewhere back there in my dirt riding days in Appalachia where you really HAVE to use and even work both breaks when descending a hill and other things to keep from sliding.  Dunno.  But my hands usually stay there with the controls even after stopping.  Most of the time.  Hey I just noticed we got some cool new emoticons with the new board so I'm gonna use one here that makes no sense whatsoever.  What is this supposed to mean?   

[Kev m]

Hey I just noticed we got some cool new emoticons with the new board so I'm gonna use one here that makes no sense whatsoever.  What is this supposed to mean?   

Actually, it means don't take your left hand off the clutch grip to adjust your beanie helmet cause you'll die...

[Yukonica]

I believe Keith Code's no BS bike would demonstrate you're fooling yourself and even then any real maneuvering is still being done by the remaining hand on the bars and subtle steering inputs.

Could well be the real physics as you say... never really analyzed it. But :), how does it explain how I can weave down the road with both hands off while I crack a beer? 

[kirby1923]

Could well be the real physics as you say... never really analyzed it. But :), how does it explain how I can weave down the road with both hands off while I crack a beer? 

No counter steer no steer, its a fact. By shifting you weight you are effecting a small counter steer. That's not steering/turning the bike, it's like you said its weaving.

I've seen Codes bike in action personally, it will make you a believer.

[cruzziguzzi]

After reading this, I note that without any conscious training or decision making that on closing the throttle, I get two fingers on the brake lever and a full prep-grab of the clutch... every time.

I guess somewhere along the line I equated closing the throttle with stopping and down-shifting as the next priorities dictate.

Kinda thought this was going to be another thread on secret (1%er) signals though.

Todd.

[papatom]

I like the guys riding in town, in traffic with their boots up on the highway pegs.  Hope they can find the front brake in an emergency, but hey, at least they think they look cool. 

[father guzzi obrian]

Hey I just noticed we got some cool new emoticons with the new board so I'm gonna use one here that makes no sense whatsoever.   

Still no shrug emoticon for Chuck from Indiana? 

[Sasquatch Jim]

  I've been keeping fingers covering the levers since 1965 when my first two wheeler was a BMW R-26.
  At a long stoplight I go into neutral so as to not have the bike unexpectedly lurch into moving traffic.
  Had that happen once in 65 when the clutch cable broke while I was waiting for the light to change.
  Instant application of brakes killed the engine before I got 3 feet forward.
  Even in neutral I keep fingers covering the levers incase of a needed quick evasion.

[redrider]

Some of the time with the front and always ready to press the pedal for attention grabbing the folks to the rear. I've noticed a lot less "stop 2 inches from my plate" since the Hyperlights install.