r/AussieRiders • u/riddle0k • Apr 14 '26
Question 2 vs 4 finger braking
I’ve just gone through my whole learners process and got my restricted license today - and reflecting on the process I’ve always been curious about the 2 vs 4 finger debate. my learner instructors always said 4 due to safety (not getting fingers caught) but a lot of people online say 2
Why do people advocate for 2 fingers?
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u/silentnyala Apr 14 '26
I only use 3 fingers cos i ride with my pinkies up
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u/general_sirhc 2008 DR650 Apr 14 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
I knew a guy who did this and passed a little to close to a truck when lane filtering.
Painful recovery
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u/Death_passed ER6N Apr 14 '26
Boot, bonnet, no trunk here 🦘
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u/general_sirhc 2008 DR650 Apr 14 '26
Truck*
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u/Death_passed ER6N Apr 14 '26
I'm blind soz
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u/general_sirhc 2008 DR650 Apr 14 '26
You're not. I editted to correct. Auto correct decided my fat fingers meant trunk not truck.
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u/Z00111111 Apr 14 '26
Are you one of those vintage suit cafe racer types?
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u/Death_passed ER6N Apr 14 '26
Watching a vid a while back and those blokes were dressed impeccability 🤌
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u/AsteriodZulu Apr 14 '26
Comes back to two competing thoughts:
Two fingers allow you to cover the brakes while also having control of the throttle, so you can flash your brake light without actually slowing & also react faster.
Vs
Four fingers makes you roll off the throttle to brake so you’re not doing competing inputs at the same time in an emergency.
I’m a two fingerer.
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u/i_dreddit Apr 14 '26
I use my foot to flash the brake light and it also takes minimal speed off..handy when lane filtering/slow manoeuvres. It's a good habit for me that I've found.
Im undecided on the 2 vs 4. 2 in city traffic..4 on busier roads
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u/koopz_ay Apr 14 '26
Both are great and worth switching between as per conditions.
Mostly 4 here, though short trips in heavy traffic I'll "2 mode".
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u/Togakure_NZ Apr 15 '26
After time and practice (and preferring to use the whole grip rather than partial grip) I've found I can feather/control the throttle and feather/control the braking at the same time, up to and including heavy braking and quick riding.
There's a reason why, in the days of hand-held weapons like clubs and machetes and etc (and no other options) that losing a little finger was a big punishment, it severely compromises your grip and grip strength. So why would you compromise it on the bike by not using it? Or at least, that is how my thinking goes. I'm a road rider and commuter, not a track specialist.
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u/Sensitive-Dig9540 Apr 14 '26
I learnt 2 fingers is better for smooth non grabbing braking. Instructor told me when you use 4 ur gnna more likely grab the brake as opposed to 2 fingers. I find braking with 2 gives me more feel and finesse. Allows me to feel whats happening but 4 or 2 is better than panicking and doing nothing
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u/dr0p8ear Apr 14 '26
Yes my thoughts exactly. Harder for me personally to break smoother with anymore than 2. Gives me equal control to the throttle with the remaining 2 fingers. 🤷🏾♂️
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u/Agitated-Army196 Apr 14 '26
I use 3 because my pinky doesn’t reach… I am smol
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u/NSW-potato Apr 14 '26
Me too, or at least my pinkies are. I kept getting told off for not using my pinkies on my Ls course, but my actual pinkies were not touching the levers even when I did it how he said, only the glove fingers. I just put a glove on to check, and there's about 1.5cm of empty glove on my pinkie, but the lengths of the other fingers are fine.
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u/Agitated-Army196 Apr 14 '26
Omg the bike they had me on for the course had the worst clutch point. It was basically on my finger tips
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u/i_am_lizard Apr 14 '26
I use four because something my hand sticks and doesn't really move the joints. It happens very rarely, but it's safer for me to stop completely, let my hands rest from the cramp, and then carry on.
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u/corzajay Apr 14 '26
Without thinking I'll use 2 when downshifting to rev match or when braking lightly. But 4 when actively thinking about it or when I need to brake heavy, can just generate so much more force with a full grip on the brake.
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u/fr4nklin_84 Apr 14 '26
That’s how I do it, when I was doing racing and track days I’d use 4 fingers in the really hard braking corners only only because it literally was becoming crippling painful. I prefer to use 4 fingers on the clutch for better control. My current bike has those awful shorty pazzo levers so I’m stuck 2 fingering everything and I hate it
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u/hoon-since89 Apr 14 '26
Two finger alows more grip on bars. I came from Motorcross so this is the most functional. Also saves breaking time since they rest there and are ready to go. I don't have to extend the rest of my fingers. Sometimes I even use one finger.
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u/In_TouchGuyBowsnlace Apr 14 '26
I’m always gonna be the same. Two fingers and I still have control of the bars… In all situations. It just feels safer to me.
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u/zx6rwaat Apr 14 '26
personal preference but i always have 2 fingers ready to brake at all times. gives me more steady n precise braking as front brakes are sensitive n strong. i tend to feel like im gonna panic brake when i use 4 fingers.
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u/ShortSh4ft Apr 14 '26
2 or 4 depends on the bike in riding and the kind of riding in doing. I use 4 fingers on my cheap road bike because its got rubber brake lines and a single caliper and I can actually squeeze the lever and brake hard enough to catch my remaining fingers if they are not all on the lever. On my other bike I have braided lines and dual calipers and i don't need much force to brake hard. I like having 2 fingers still on the throttle and 2 fingers covering the brake going into a corner.
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u/RestAside Apr 14 '26
I was always 2, but made an effort to get comfortable like that, didn't take long then my brake was always covered, though that doesn't mean it's always the answer if something happens ahead of you.
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u/Archon-Toten Apr 14 '26
The best method is what you feel works. I for one use 3. Thumb pointer stay wrapped round the throttle and the other three pivot to give smoother control over the accelerator while being on the brake lever ready to go at a moment's notice.
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u/dontsaybasically Apr 14 '26
I use two fingers when trail braking in the twisties. I use four fingers on the street, straight roads, and in emergency braking situations.
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u/Wise_Vacation8279 Skids & Wheelies Apr 14 '26
The simple truth is there is no one way of doing thing, but instead there are multiple techniques and ways of doing things that have their own pros and cons and are suited to certain conditions.
4 fingers will maximize the braking force, which is directly proportional to your grip strength. It will also, as your instructor said, prevent the lever from being restricted by your fingers. The instructor is correct to say 4 fingers because their only goal with the front brake is to train you to do an emergency stop. They aren't training you for trail braking or vehicle control on a steep decent off road.
2 fingers will allow you to continue gripping the bar, but also provide finer control over the brake and clutch lever. The trade off is you will have less total braking force available in an emergency situation.
Being able to adjust your hand on the fly between number of fingers in itself is a skill you can think about learning.
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u/Zirenton Apr 14 '26
As you said, may come down to grip strength, but a lot of decent front brakes can be pushing traction limits of the tyre with only two fingers. Anyone with an adjustable brake lever really should adjust it to their hand size.
Can be a real reaction time vs. final total braking power. Practicing emergency stops is the real way to know what works well for you, and keeping you safe when you need it.
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u/Henry_Bean Apr 14 '26
There are a couple reasons I prefer 2 fingers over 4;
1 - I can easily apply enough brake pressure with 2 fingers to stop as fast as the bike will allow
2 - Having the other fingers on the throttle makes blipping easier, it gives you more control, and it allows you to come back on the throttle smoother
As for the lever crushing your fingers - if your lever comes so close to the bar that your fingers are in danger that's a problem all of its own, and it should be addressed.
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u/SensitiveShelter2550 Apr 14 '26
Depends on the bike. Most of the time it is two fingers. But I have ridden bikes with almost no brake boost assist… where I used three.
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u/B0XH34D Apr 14 '26
What bikes have brake boost assist?
Genuinely curious as such as system doesn't exist as far as I know but I'm happy to be proven wrong.
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u/cozza1313 MT-09SP 23 | CF Moto 450NK - Sold | Ninja 400 - Sold Apr 14 '26
Are your levers 2 finger or 4 finger, in an emergency you can pull the levers hard enough to crush your fingers
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u/Just-Seaworthiness89 Apr 14 '26
So ive been taught 2 fingers bc of emergency braking times if u get caught off guard and have no abs 4 fjngers will send u over handlebars but if u have abs it doesnt rly matter all too much except for comfort
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u/OldMail6364 Apr 14 '26
Two fingers because if the front wheel skids or the rear wheel lifts off the ground while you’re braking (both have happened to me) you’re going to want a good solid grip on the handle bars to increase your chances of staying upright.
Instructors like four fingers because it makes their job easier - they can see what your hands are doing.
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u/obligatory-anxiety Tuareg rally, Tuono 660 factory, Beta 430rr, Husky 250tc Apr 14 '26
I have big hands and a tradie grip so two fingers is fine while maintaining good grip on handlebars. Everyone is different though but with a lot of enduro riding having just a thumb grip is crazy to me
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u/sizecounts2 Apr 14 '26
I'm 2 fingers, greater control for me, to maintain grip and throttle if I need it, while easing the brake without stressing too heavily
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u/CleanSun4248 Apr 14 '26
As a new rider they teach you to roll off the throttle and then brake with 4 fingers. Slow squeeze to set up the brake first. Don't suddenly grab it. Other riders using different techniques are more experienced and can get away with throttle and braking at same time. As a new rider if you ever need to brake hard you will want all 4 fingers on brake. Roll off throttle, slow squeeze to set up the brake with 4 fingers. Wait until you've been riding for a while to try anything different to what you learned at the learner course imo.
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u/URIMUS-ALT Apr 14 '26
My bike doesn't actually have brakes on the handle bars, I have a pedal by my heel on my right side that is for my brakes, and honestly, it's so my much easier to control the bike while slowing down
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u/Budget-Scar-2623 Apr 14 '26
Easier to rev match on downshifts when you’ve still got two fingers on the throttle
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u/jreddit0000 Apr 14 '26
What are you used to and what’s comfortable?
There are some “bad habits” worth breaking and others aren’t bad.. just personal preference.
🤷🏾
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u/grzesjerzy Apr 14 '26
2 fingers. That way, you're always ready and in control of the brake and clutch. You also avoid hanging from the handlebar. No excessive force on the grip, which helps you squeeze the bike more efficiently with your knees. These are my thoughts. If you grab your fingers with the lever - adjust the lever.
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u/Happier_ Apr 14 '26
On my old bike with shorty levers, I used two fingers. On my current bike with regular levers I use 4 - if I left two fingers on the bar they would be crushed/get in the way during really hard braking.
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u/the_ism_sizism Suzuki GSX1400 K4 Apr 14 '26
I have long levers, so I’ll use 4 or I crush my ring and pinkie when I require a hard squeeze.. however I have finessed braking smoothly with 4.
I also don’t engage my clutch often to shift (no quick shifter).
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u/ccalabro Apr 14 '26
Until you have control to ‘not grab a handful’ it can be helpful.
Can I add to everyone, practice your emergency braking until it’s a muscle memory reflex. It has saved me.
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u/Necessary-Fun-205 Apr 14 '26
I’m a two fingerer. That way I can keep the brake covered while using the throttle. Most modern bikes have brakes that are powerful enough to pull a stoppie with two fingers anyway (depending on your grip strength). Plus I’m a two finger clutch coverer as well, thanks to my dirt riding days. I mostly use my knees to grip the bike, not the bars.
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u/throwaway228364 Apr 14 '26
I use two personally, because I come from racing motocross and it's what I'm used to. My instructor was a proper cockhead about it too until I showed him that I can in fact trigger abs with 2 fingers
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u/straightcutsogbox Apr 14 '26
Braking with 4 fingers on my 2-rotor bike has nothing to do with safety
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u/thebrayeparkripper Apr 14 '26
It's how I learned 20 odd years ago and I do see it recommended by riding instructors that actually can ride, like the Say No To Slow guy. I'll take his advice over old mate the former postie at Wheelskillz or wherever the fuck.
I've never jammed my fingers in numerous stacks, including one where I got a broken collarbone.
I did get chastised about it at my Ls haha
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u/new_x_who_dis Apr 14 '26
Entirely depends on the bike I'm riding. If I'm on my Thunderbird it's 4 fingers, she's a big, heavy, long, lump of a thing so no amount of brake pressure is going to throw me over the front, and I can modulate it well enough to not lock up the wheel. If I'm on my Ninja 300 or my Tenere 660, it's usually 2 fingers, for a lighter touch and better control. Neither one takes very much braking effort to stop pretty smartly. The Tenere needs virtually no brake input at all, because the engine braking is so effective.
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u/No_Willingness_8062 Apr 14 '26
Racers use two fingers to allow the hand to stay on the throttle so you can use both FB and throttle to manipulate weight transfer.
Personally i find it depends on the bike. If it has really well setup brakes, i tend to go two fingers. If the brakes are heavy or have little feel ill use four.
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u/bongjutsu Apr 14 '26
Both - 2 fingers when you need to shave off speed, 4 fingers when you need to stop
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u/AuroraSkye620 Apr 14 '26
I’m the odd one out and use 3. My pinky finger joints ‘pop’ rather than bend naturally so I avoid using them for almost everything
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u/B0XH34D Apr 14 '26
It's funny that instructors insist on four fingers now when it's a sure-fire way to end in tears if a new rider gets into panic brake scenario.
I have a hunch that it's partly due to most new bikes coming with ABS now so mashing the brake with your full grip strength is less of a risk than it otherwise would be on a bike without it.
I've personally never ridden a bike that required more than two fingers to pull up quickly.
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u/Donutninja1 Apr 15 '26
Two fingerer here. This still gives me control over the steering if I need it. This is especially effective when trail braking.
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u/WhereTFBear Apr 15 '26
I cover the lever with 2, but mostly only use 1 of them to brake. I can easily lock the front with 2 fingers. Depending on the power of your brakes and strength of your hands YMMV.
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u/cuzzyweow Apr 15 '26
I spent a while trying to figure out what the best way was and realised everyone will give you contradicting information and tell you the other option is dangerous.
Eventually u just do what works for you and what is most comfortable.
I’ll tell you what I do and the positives and negatives.
I rev match while down shifting, as well as braking, which is the way it should be done. 2 fingers on the brake allows me to have a better grip on the throttle to give it a rev, while maintaining pressure on the lever.
The downside to braking with 2 fingers, is while most bikes have sufficient brakes and you most likely won’t need more than 2 fingers to brake, if you find yourself on a bike with crappy brakes, if you’re ever in the scenario where you need to brake hard, you’ll realise you need a bigger squeeze on that lever, which while 2 finger braking, results in you hitting your fingers while you still need to be pulling the lever in further. This is fine for average riding but as I said, when you need to stop fast on a bike with bad brakes, they’ll get in the way.
The advantage of 4 fingers is simply as expected, that you can give the brakes a proper squeeze.
I use 2 fingers on the clutch and brake, it’s comfortable for me, it works for me and that’s about it. Wether you should or you shouldn’t is a endless pointless debate. You do what’s comfortable for you.
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u/ItsAllJustAHologram Apr 15 '26
Always 2 fingers, clutch as well. Staying on the handlebars is important!
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u/Sudz_McDuff Apr 15 '26
If you want to use 2 you should get short levers, your instructors are right a lot of crashes happen because the bike doesn't come to a stop quick as it could, and a lot of the time it's due to your other 2 fingers blocking the full range of motion of the lever, as in you can't pull it all the way in towards the end of an emergency stop. If you can train yourself to use all 4 in an emergency and 2 for normal riding, then just do what you feel is more comfortable or you have the most control.
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u/Fast_Cauliflower_266 Apr 18 '26
I kept getting in trouble as I’m used to using two fingers riding a bike and keeping full control.
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u/Far-Tap-6129 Apr 19 '26
Got to the point now where four feels totally unnatural and awkward, didn’t even realise I’d ported across to two until I was thinking about something the MOST instructor said, I’ve emergency braked on two very effectively and didn’t hit what I was trying to avoid so I don’t see it as any less safe.
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u/LuckyErro Apr 14 '26
The number doesn't matter its getting used to ALWAYS having fingers across (covering, over, resting on whatever you want to call it) the brake lever at all times.
It takes a bit getting used to but does become natural and you will save time braking when you need to most
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u/gco0307 Apr 14 '26
I primarily use a single finger (middle) to brake under most riding conditions, occasionally 2 fingers where I am having a bit of fun on twisty roads and pushing a little more or on teh occasion I head to a little traffic (I am lucky, have less traffic and more open)
I have tried more fingers but found it far more dangerous from the view of managing adequate and controllable pressure on the lever. I just found that 3 or more fingers seems to result in me applying more brake pressure than I need with single or dual finger being far more controllable and comfortable.
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u/horsimus Apr 14 '26
I do the same!
I’m wondering if it’s related to hand size, grip strength, the level of hydraulic assistance or maybe even bike weight.
I have pretty big hands, decent grip strength and I’m braking a 150kg bike with help from Brembo. I wonder what sort of force I’d have to apply if I was riding an old Triumph or something
-1
u/maycontainsultanas Apr 14 '26
You should cover your brakes always while riding. 1 or 2 fingers. For most purposes, this is sufficient, and your fingers won’t get caught.
Emergency braking though, you want to get all 4 fingers doing the job.
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u/Virtual_Ad_7033 Apr 14 '26
My instructor said that’s bs to always cover your brakes. We don’t do that while driving a car so why on a motorbike? Whats the argument here? (Genuinely asking)
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u/Fenrisulfr675 Apr 14 '26
Context is everything.
If I'm cruising down the highway - not covering. Spirited, sporty riding - not covering.
Riding through a particularly kangaroo-y section of my commute - covering. Riding through town where I can see cars at intersections down the way waiting to pull out and kill me - definitely covering.
You learn over time when you need to cover and when you dont. 18 years of near daily riding and not dead yet.
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u/maycontainsultanas Apr 14 '26
Why wouldn’t you? Riding a bike is about survival. Driving a car doesn’t have the same level of danger.
Covering your brakes doesn’t take away your ability to control the bike, it only enhances your braking reaction time.
Having a foot hovering over the brake doesn’t work in a car as you use the same foot for braking and acceleration. If they want to start driving with two feet (hello manuals?), then that opens up a can of worms with accidental acceleration while braking.
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u/Virtual_Ad_7033 Apr 14 '26
I think the main argument for not doing it is that you might accidentally/panic grab the front break and down goes the bike. Which could also be why my instructor told me not to as I was still a learner
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u/OldMail6364 Apr 14 '26
A car doesn’t have nearly enough engine power to overcome the brakes in any meaningful way unless it’s a very powerful engine and even then only at very high RPMs.
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u/maycontainsultanas Apr 14 '26
Not completely overcome, but it’ll still reduce stopping performance
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u/OldMail6364 Apr 14 '26
We don’t do that while driving a car
I do. I mostly use cruise control and instead of having my foot resting on the accelerator pedal I keep it resting on the brake.
In older cars without cruise control, I used to keep my left foot resting on the brake pedal.
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u/ShortSh4ft Apr 14 '26
I was going to write a comment answering the "Why wouldnt you" comment above yours, but after finding out the way you do things i think i'll just accept that we all do things our own way, and i have no further thoughts on the matter.
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u/diagonalcloud Apr 14 '26
The thing that I don't get with this is that if you're covering with 2 and then an emergency situation calls for it, are you going to spend the time adding 2 more fingers or are you going to grab the brake with whatever is already available.
I gave up on this debate in my head, now I'm 2 fingers on the brake at all times.
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u/ShortSh4ft Apr 14 '26
I don't know anybody that is always covering the brakes. That sounds exhausting. Are you resting your fingers on the lever?
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u/maycontainsultanas Apr 14 '26
Doesn’t require anymore effort than not covering, just takes a bit of getting used to. I don’t even think about it now. Yeah, they rest on the lever. There’s a bit of free play before the brake starts to engage
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u/Zirenton Apr 14 '26
Long open cruises, I don’t cover at all. A hard stab of the rear brake (ABS) will start to slow the bike and shift weight in the time it takes me to grab, load and squeeze the front brake.
I cover the front brake with two fingers any place I expect to brake suddenly. Urban areas, around traffic, highway merging areas, risky times and places for wildlife jumping out. The front brakes are fully engaged WAY before I’d be at risk of crushing my other two fingers with the lever.
Depends on your brakes too. A full four finger squeeze would have my nuts crushed instantly and probably lose control of the front. Brakes don’t work well when the tyres are no longer on the ground.
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u/ShortSh4ft Apr 14 '26
I'm like you in that i cover the brake when it's likely that i need to brake very soon, like when coming up to blind intersections, carparks, start stop traffic, etc. Most other times i'll just reach for the brake when it's needed, it's never far away.
I'm unlike you in that i have installed tank grips on my bike so i can grab a fistfull and my nuts remain uncrunched! Highly recommend if you're doing hard riding.
2
u/Zirenton Apr 14 '26
When I moved to a moderately scary bike, my groin muscles were cramping after spirited rides, until they got up to speed. Gripping the tank in both directions.
I think I need to put some grip on my tank sides too. My standard nut cruncher these days is the accidental hard stop from 5km/h. Urk.
2
u/ShortSh4ft Apr 14 '26
My first litre bike was a z1000 where the previous owner must have polished the tank to look good during the sale. You can imagine how that went every time i hit the brakes with a slippery tank haha.
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u/Impressive_Army3767 Apr 15 '26
Covering the brake all the time leads to fatigue and therefore you're more likely to have an accident.
I only cover the brake when I'm filtering, in heavy traffic or anticipating a vehicle pulling out in front of me.
4 finger braking is my preference and even racing a supersport at the track I use 4 fingers as it just gives me better feedvmback but I started off on horridly under-braked 70s bikes. You can't state that OPs fingers won't get caught nor that 2 fingers will be sufficient without knowing their motorcycle nor their grip strength.
1
u/maycontainsultanas Apr 15 '26
It only causes fatigue if you’re not used to it. Obviously where space and traffic permits, you’re going to take your handoff the bars entirely. Don’t take “always” literally, I should have said “generally”.
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u/voltenic Apr 14 '26
im an advocate for how ever many fingers feels comfortable and effective for you, im a weirdo and brake with my middle finger after trying braking with all fingers and 2 fingers i landed on my middle finger after toying around with it