I've been practicing keeping my hands relaxed while having a finger or two on each lever. Good thing, too, as I nearly had a run-in with an elderly driver the other day. But that's another story.

So the question. Any general sense on where to adjust the lever reach so as to keep the throttle hand relaxed? Sometimes I can't quite hold it steady and get into small surges on the throttle. Not terribly smooth riding, that. I'm thinking if the first joint kind of hangs over, that should feel okay. But I haven't made the adjustment, yet.

I did find that if I started with my right hand curled farther over the grip that the reach is easier. But that didn't feel good either, and I couldn't maintain it.

I have mine adjusted in about a quarter or 3/8 inch. I have medium-large hands for a girl; I suppose they'd be kind of small for a guy. You want to have it in far enough so you can reach the lever easily but not so far that it bottoms out. (Obviously!)

To be honest, I do not cover the brake all the time. It's too difficult. I cover the brake when I sense there is a risk. So, if I'm toodling down an empty highway, no cover. When I come up behind a truck, I'll cover until I pass the truck. In town, I'll tend to cover near intersections and clumps of traffic. I use my judgment, in other words.

Sachi hit it on the head there.

Covering the brake is a great habit to get into. Traveling 60 MPH is 88 feet per second. It will take you 1 second to get your fingers on the brake, providing you don't fumble it. That 88 feet can be a life saver. Trust me on that one. It's a good idea to cover it up all the time. The only time I don't cover is when I'm out on rural roads with an exceptional line of sight, no traffic, and no intersections.

I set it so I rest the first joint of my fingers on the leading edge of the lever. I always have one or two fingers on both the clutch and brake levers all of the time. It is a habit I picked from motocross. I have tried to ride without covering the levers and I just cannot do it anymore. :?

I've tried to cover at all times; I just don't have the hand strength to do it. Do those of you who do that have long fingers/big hands? I wonder if it makes a difference.

I've tried to cover at all times; I just don't have the hand strength to do it. Do those of you who do that have long fingers/big hands? I wonder if it makes a difference.
It definitely makes a difference, particularly on the throttle hand for me. I actually bought aftermarket levers that had more/better adjustment so there was no finger stretch to the levers.

...It will take you 1 second to get your fingers on the brake, providing you don't fumble it...
1 second? Maybe if I'm chewing ludes like pezz... :lol:
As for where to put the lever, it just needs to be comfortable. Like Sachi, I only cover in situations that warrant it... sometimes I'll just leave my middle finger out there but after a while it gets annoying and isn't really necessary.

Ideally, you should be alert and scanning for danger always, covering when there is even the slightest possibility of need. IMHO if lots of brake or throttle is needed to get out of / avoid trouble - probably several opportunities were missed to never be in the situation in the first place :wink:

...It will take you 1 second to get your fingers on the brake, providing you don't fumble it...
1 second? Maybe if I'm chewing ludes like pezz... :lol:
As for where to put the lever, it just needs to be comfortable. Like Sachi, I only cover in situations that warrant it... sometimes I'll just leave my middle finger out there but after a while it gets annoying and isn't really necessary.

Ideally, you should be alert and scanning for danger always, covering when there is even the slightest possibility of need. IMHO if lots of brake or throttle is needed to get out of / avoid trouble - probably several opportunities were missed to never be in the situation in the first place :wink:
To each his own. If you take the MSF ERC, they will teach you to look 12 seconds out at all times and always keep the brake covered. They know best so that's what I follow.

To each his own. If you take the MSF ERC, they will teach you to look 12 seconds out at all times and always keep the brake covered. They know best so that's what I follow.
Ken, of course! It's what I do and what followed, my humble opinion. I hope it sound only that way!

Have you taken the second part of the MSF course? As I understand it, the philosophy on some points gets tweeked a bit there.

Mech77 - weren't you gonna take the Advance Rider Course recently?

Thanks for all the feedback, folks. I've been trying to cover all the time and just found that, for my right hand, a reasonable throttle position (in traffic, that is) extends my fingers uncomfortably. So when I get down the road about five minutes or so, my hand is hurting. Not the best way to ride, IMHO. And probably why I have occasionally have trouble keeping a smooth throttle. Anyway, looks like it's time to break out the wrenches. Maybe I'll get some fancy levers, too. :)

To each his own. If you take the MSF ERC, they will teach you to look 12 seconds out at all times and always keep the brake covered. They know best so that's what I follow.
It is indeed best (if you can) to cover the brake at all times. I can't. I've tried. I get so worn out I spend my time paying attention to my right hand, not to traffic. In my situation, covering at all times would make my riding less safe, not more safe. So . . . everyone needs to *think* about what works and what doesn't, and why. And then make the best choices for their own circumstances.

Having two fingers on both clutch and break at all times has become such a habit and I do it without even noticing it. When I first started practicing this technique, my hands/wrists would get really tired and even hurt. After a little while it became second nature. Just keep at it.

Id guess its more like .1 second to get your fingers on the lever. Thats a typical reaction time.

I think it is important to cover the levers, but if it makes your riding worse because you dont have a good grip on the bars or its making your hands hurt, you may be doing more harm to your riding than good.

I think what Sachi said makes sense, cover when your spidey-sense tingles and alerts you to danger.

Brakes are for sissies.

yeppers I sure am starts the beginning of next month :thumbsup

...to cover the brake at all times. I can't. I've tried. I get so worn out I spend my time paying attention to my right hand, not to traffic...
Keeping two fingers over brake at all times is tiring and cramps my hands (which are rather large by the way). So like you said earlier, I only cover brake and clutch when near traffic, road hazzards or funky forrest creatures on the sides of the road. I had an incodent with a rabbit the third week I had the bike... Buggs lost.
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I definitely use my judgment instead of keeping them covered all the time...my hand would hurt like a mother if I did that, plus there is no grip on your levers, so you could slip off and end up somewhere you don't want to be. If you're that worried about the 1 second (more like half a second) reaction time to get your fingers moved forward a half an inch, you can always at least start slowing with your rear brake....since you're supposed to use them both at the same time anyway :) That's my two cents, now I'm broke.

To each his own. If you take the MSF ERC, they will teach you to look 12 seconds out at all times and always keep the brake covered. They know best so that's what I follow.
Ken, of course! It's what I do and what followed, my humble opinion. I hope it sound only that way!

Have you taken the second part of the MSF course? As I understand it, the philosophy on some points gets tweeked a bit there.

Mech77 - weren't you gonna take the Advance Rider Course recently?
I took the BRC years ago and thought the Experienced Rider Class (ERC) would be fun. It's one day, 6 hours, about one hour of classroom and 5 hours of Pre-Ride checks, Preparation, Stopping Distances, S E E, Rider Radar, Car/ Motorcycle and Motorcycle Only Crashes, Traction Patches, Alcohol and the Safety Oval.

The MSF’s ERC range activities practice slow speed control, limited space maneuvers, cornering judgment and finesse, braking quickly--straight-line and curves, and swerving to reinforce the skills found essentially absent in accident involved motorcyclists.

Highly recommend this class - it's fun, informative, inexpensive ($125), and will reduce your insurance premium.

You're totally right about being preoccupied with covering. If it's that distracting, then it's counterproductive and maybe even dangerous. For those that have to stretch to get around the leve, check out Pazzo for a more comfortable lever.

I'm signed up to take the Experienced Rider Class in a couple of weeks. I get tuition free since my college runs the program. 8) Sounds like some good stuff.

I have tried not covering all the time, but then I have a hard time getting a good position back. So far, it seems best for me not to change. Don't know about the rest of you, but I only need one finger to stop the bike in normal traffic situations, so that's how I cover.

Anyway, some of you said reaction time isn't that big a deal. Well, the other day, I was going through an intersection on a back road where the one I was on had right-of-way and the other road had stop signs for both directions. Coming out of the curve just preceding, I was doing about 30mph and keeping a sharp eye out. Elderly driver on the left looks at me, hits the brakes, then zooms into the middle of the intersection and stops dead just as I'm about 15 yards away. If I didn't have the levers covered, I would have sailed over the hood of the car or gone through a fence into a cow pasture. As it was, I came to a full stop briefly, gave the other driver a full two-second gaze, and took off unscathed. I'm just glad there was no other traffic and that I was prepared.

...road where the one I was on had right-of-way...
Funny thing about "right of way"... it isn't yours until someone gives it to you...especially when car beats bike every time. It isn't a right/wrong thing, it's a alive/dead thing. Glad you were alert and it sorted out :thumbsup

Here in FLA, you can't take it - it must be yielded to you and you'll get a ticket if something happens and it appears you tried to take it when not yielded. :thinking I’m sure there are other states that are the same.

Well, I wasn't clear. The road I was on has NO stop signs, it's a through-street. So, in fact, I DID have the right-of-way. The traffic laws here aren't noticeably different from Florida. The intersection only has two stop signs, not four. Believe me, I'm NOT in the habit of powering through stop signs!

Basically, the other driver came to the stop sign and looked like he or she was about to just roll through (California roll, anyone?). The driver did clearly see me, because brakes were firmly applied judging by how far the nose of the car dove. No problem to this point. But then the driver pulled into the intersection and stopped dead in the middle! :shock: In broad daylight, I'm not speeding or difficult to see, but there you go. Anyway, it takes way longer to tell it than it did to happen.

...it takes way longer to tell it than it did to happen.
:lol: Always :lol:

Get those levers adjusted... :thumbsup

I always cover the clutch and brake. With index finger each side. Habit from a decade and a half or so of competitive trials and moutain biking. It is uncomfortable for me to NOT cover the levers.

most of the time I brake with one finger, two at most. I use all four digits when operating the clutch.

You guys owe me .02

You guys owe me .02

Check's in the mail. :D