One of the major keys to smooth corner entry speed is linked to your ability to brake and downshift at the same time, even with the advent of slipper clutches. This requires not only the correct timing to match the rear wheel speed and engine speed as your drop through the ratios, but also the ability to use the brake lever and rev the throttle at the same time.

This is one of the reasons why all top road riders and racers only use one, two or three fingers on the front brake. We have seen Rossi using four fingers but his MotoGP bike probably does the shifting and matching for him, like a BMW M3 car. However, for us, we should use the thumb and spare fingers to blip the throttle smoothly while using the front lever.

First timers and those who don’t really understand the control needed with your fingers will find that they ‘pump’ the front brake as they blip the throttle. This is why you will see many different ways of holding both lever and grip. It is almost impossible to brake with all four fingers (Rossi excepted) and still accurately manipulate the throttle and therefore the revs. Three fingers is a little easier but not by much. The most common method is to use your index and forefingers, leaving the third and little digits alone with the thumb to operate the throttle.

There are less conventional methods. John Reynolds has been filmed using just his middle finger when he rode for Red Bull Ducati. Mind you, if you have felt how powerful modern racing brakes are you can see why he didn’t need to use more than one!

This is something we should all use and do because running into a turn with the back end chattering or the rear wheel locking up every time you shift is a major distraction to our sense of speed to say the least!

It would be much better to use that attention for looking into the turn, braking smoother, finding a turn point, defining a line and so on.

So, once you have found the finger configuration that suits you the best – i.e. you can brake and blip without ‘pulsing’ the front lever, the correct procedure should be:

1. Start braking

2. Clutch in

3. Select gear

4. Blip throttle

5. Clutch out

Adjust the span width on your lever (if you have one) so that the action of blipping doesn’t interfere with the smoothness of your braking.

The signs to use if your revs are not quite right are:

1. Too higher revs. The bike will lurch forward as you let the clutch out

2. Too lower revs. The rear wheel will chatter.

3. Poor braking. The bike will surge on and off as you blip.