Proper motorcycle grip, how to use you hands

[@BretTkacs]

If you want text notification for new videos, text "Tkacs" to 888-306-7782 (now say that 5 times fast... "text Tkacs to"

[@enopio_O]

The helmet to hat transition is so smooth.

[@evaggelospasiakos1521]

That's what I'm looking out for every video. He never misses.

[@TheYorkie1954]

@@evaggelospasiakos1521 is a fantastic technique

[@metalsadman]

so slick 0:49

[@rationalityfirst]

We need a video tutorial on that too.

[@vijaypradeep2095]

That's a signature movement 😂

[@ricardofabia]

Ah... the hat transition. The moment we've been all waiting for. Pure magic.

[@nOOBOFCONSOLe]

me too ,, i actually rewind video 3 times to understand how he did that. ..... may be he is hiding his bald head 🙄🙄

[@jimvanroosmalen6746]

The helmet to hat transition was phenomenal

[@robbrowne8814]

I think that is one of your best videos. Never thought of it before but the explanation is GOLD.

[@lostwithasmile485]

Man, thought the lesson was going to be switching from helmet to hat! That was so smooth!!

[@metalsadman]

0:49 ever so slick. thanks for another informative video.

[@SubuShrestha]

Over the last year, I have watched many Bret Tkacs videos. I have learnt more from these videos than from anything else I have watched or read. And amongst all those videos, this one lifted the fog for me. I watched it yesterday night and put it into practice on an off-road forest ride today (Saturday). Man, oh man what a difference! I felt light on the pegs and my body moved easier, I felt more in control than ever before and yes the elbows do thrust out naturally. Many thanks Bret. Namaste from Nepal.

[@BretTkacs]

The details matter almost as much a attitude

[@gorongo4202]

Great demo to show its not just about contact points with the machine, it’s finesse to master the machine.

[@BretTkacs]

Contact points are guides for beginning but it has to evolve

[@danconatser8699]

You really are a great teacher. Clear explanations. Others will say "just do this" and never tell us the why. Thanks

[@BretTkacs]

I am glad you enjoy my teaching style

[@LisaLadyRider]

Holy Cow! Are you and Canyon Chasers in cahoots are something? Two awesome hand videos in one week. I love it!!

[@adventuredogs3014]

Seriously, Dave and Bret are the two best Moto channels of their kind! And apparently the rule is to grow a beard in the winter.

[@RollinwithRoland]

Another excellent lesson from the Moto-Guru that even an experienced rider such as myself can learn much from. Expert control in that first 55 seconds, with some awesome camera shots too!!!

[@CanyonChasers]

This is an exceptionally good video Bret!

[@BretTkacs]

Thanks

[@jh9855]

What an awesome video. It is true the details matter; be it riding a motorcycle, flying an airplane, or riding a bicycle. The small stuff, is the basis for safe riding, safe flying and other activities. There are many words of wisdom here. Thank you, Bret.

[@brianq103]

Excellent video, Bret! Gary Bailey was teaching this hand position for MX as far back as the 70's. The concept of gripping the bars like you are about to grab a door knob is to my mind the cornerstone of correct riding technique.

[@lovelessissimo]

I was taught to grip the handlebar like it's the handle of a screwdriver and also twist the throttle in the same manner.

[@SimonBrisbane]

Knew I should have bought Rev’it shares. These videos will do wonders for sales. Appreciate Bret’s attention to detail 👌🏼

[@ziranwolf2696]

The fastest cap in the west! Thanks again for some great training. Cheers

[@woshinidaye3979]

Thank you Bret for the wonderful teaching about adv motocycle. Salute to you from a Chinese rider.

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

This jogs my memory of when I used to ride my mountain bike .

[@CraigShawCraigShaw]

I have big hands. With standard grips I feel like I'm gripping the bars too much. So I fitted foam grips over the standard grips, and that has made things much more comfortable off-road and I'm able to get my elbows out more and feel like I still have control on the grips

[@derrickmurphy7729]

Bald is beautiful 😍..Bret was always a good teacher.

[@renauddeneubourg]

As usual, great tips! Tks for sharing them Bret.

[@anthonytempongko1291]

Bret has mastered the smooth / seem less transition from helmet to wearing his hat! Love your videos.

[@bryanreeme8584]

What a great video!.. I have thumb tendin problems and notice that I shift my hands that way more & more.. good stuff!

[@SamiNami]

I like the light color shoulders on the jacket, will feel cooler than many white jackets with black shoulders.

[@EG-tp9vi]

I was doing this before the video. Thank you for providing positive reinforcement. Great video!

[@chrisnaathit]

You make such good videos Please do a tutorial on the helmet to hat transition, and vice versa.

[@BretTkacs]

I've shown every angle, no secret :-)

[@chrisnaathit]

@@BretTkacs I hope you can come to Australia, I'd love to do a ride/tour with you

[@DailyCTO]

I definitely take what I've learned from your videos into consideration on my rides now. We hear a plethora of advice through the years of riding, then one day it just clicks. I've started to intentionally break my bad habits and allow myself to feel more connected to the bike. Thanks again for another tip! Hopefully one of these days I can join one of your international trips, or let me help you setup a training session down here in Baja! :D

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

You're in Baja ? I haven't been there in a decade , can't believe it .

[@DailyCTO]

@@hardworkingamerican8847 yep - c'mon down!

[@RideFree317]

That transition between helment and hat is pretty smooth .

[@ZediMaster]

Awesome vid, Bret. Ride safe, god bless u.

[@buddhabob4168]

Bret... just wanted to a huge thank you for all your videos... like you say in this video about the attention to detail...it is this that had taught me SO much in riding adventure bikes..I'm still very new to riding ADV bikes but watching your videos... going away and practicing what you teach has really helped me to improve my riding... improve my ability to ride these big bikes and most off all be more comfortable and controlled... Thanks again Ride and smile 🤙

[@alvarosolis7837]

Loved it! A good reminder of body position.

[@pmpgonzalez]

Thank you so much for these tips, Bret. Really useful stuff. If you ever come to Portugal, let me know. Small country, unbelievable beautiful roads.

[@robhart3451]

Superb, thank you. One of those vids that really makes you think and analyse your riding technique.

[@murraehaynes3182]

Nice👍 been riding/teaching that for years! I use the analogy of turning a doorknob or using a screwdriver.

[@petebjerkelund5088]

This was an important one. Thank you for helping me, help me to keep upright. Over the years I've chucked myself into things where I have what you've said talking me through it in the back of my head. Have to say that the environment you are in for this video tutorial is the coolest, post-apocalyptic one yet! All the best in South Africa.

[@jeanettemacdonald8392]

Just rewatched this video again. Thanks Bret for such a clear explanation. I love your videos as you always manage to explain and show the fundamentals of adv. riding in such a clear manner. You have had a positive impact on my riding. J

[@serwisfrezarek]

I am the owner of AT dct, and this lesson is very very important to me. It changed the way I ride from poor (dangerous) throttle control to precise / safe throttle control. It gave me a sense of security and a lot of fun to drive. Many thanks Bret. Maybe you could show more how to work with the rear brake and throttle. Not only off road. I think it would be interesting for AT DCT riders

[@laagta3896]

THAT HELMET TO HAT IS JUST SOOO SMOOOOTHHHH

[@WillPower46]

Very good video thank you, I have been riding a lot for 31 years and you have just taught me something I didn't know.

[@elitrinh8436]

I only ride dirt bikes and don’t have an adventure bike but I enjoy watching your content. Reminds me to reinforce the fundamentals.

[@stephenchampion2439]

Yes, as many have said. This is a brilliant video. Personally I never new the relationship between the hand grip and elbows. I can't wait to have a good crack at this now. 10/10 Bret and many thank 👏👏👍👌

[@KTMsteve]

fascinating. the twist also tends to make your elbows rise, perfect position for off road thanks Brett

[@g.j.oyzonjr7616]

Good point to reasses my grip

[@Chromedome053]

Very hard issue to discuss on a video. You did it justice. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu we call it making micro adjustments. You can train the same techniques or ride the same bike for years until the micro adjustments are learned. Videos like this help.

[@troyruscheinski1785]

Awesome training video! 😃👍

[@yOtroLuis]

I struggle with breaking and clutch with the diagonal grip, now I am sure that I have to practice more. Thank you Bret.

[@Ghostrider-71]

Excellent video, great for new riders. Thank you for posting.

[@segsfault]

Thanks alot! This was really helpful, I just wish I had watched this a bit earlier before I fell when sand caught my front wheel. Love From India!

[@fredrikbengtsson4050]

Haha had to rewind that! The “installation” of the hat was incredible smooth 😂

[@ricardoh.3947]

Bret as usual your videos rock!! Big Thank you.

[@RollModel724]

Could you do a video on why some street gear might not be good for adventure.. like how gloves that are good for street slide might be bad for gravel, or why you might want a different kind of boot or jacket if you are only a street rider, etc.

[@davidcauchi2837]

Thanks1 Very informative as I always expect, you have assisted me in becoming a better rider; You also make me smile when you do your Helmet to Hat changeover....its your thing......stay safe....thanks

[@rodrigofabregas7756]

Great video Bret!...thank you!

[@marcomazziamaggi1165]

You Master! Greetings from Paraguay!

[@Yamahog]

Awesome review, Bret. For Me... index finger resting on the clutch lever, index and middle finger resting on the front brake lever, ... that way if I stand up ...or hit a bump, ... The throttle is locked by my hand position , and I'm not fumbling for the clutch lever if I'm bouncing around,.... same insitu on my cruiser,.... elbows loose, mid plane, gripping the bars with ring and pinky fingers, index and middle fingers on the ready over the clutch and bake levers. Stay Safe ... Ciao.

[@jose.escuderow]

night to day for me! Now "my elbows will be ouu", thanks Bret! Regards from Bolivia.

[@SS-jd3zy]

Great video! Adjusted my clutch lever again and trying to fine tune the ergo! Just placticed in Florida sugar sand that combination of finese', relaxing and flowing with the bike is starting to pay off! Amazing what the bike will do if we can free our mind! "There is no spoon"

[@cfortiz2000]

Wow haven’t hear about the hands!! I’ll apply this to my next trip! Thanks a lot

[@Sukhim73]

Hell yeah..this is what exactly I have been waiting to learn. Thank youuuuu.

[@chiliboom6140]

Thanks again for another great video to help myself and fellow riders ride better and safer. I'd love to do your class sometime!

[@Lars_M.]

I'm always fascinated by your videos... Greetings from Germany

[@cvejarsaez]

Very nice video Bret !!!…. I have thousands of kilometers off roads and consider myself a fairly experienced rider, but always your lessons stating simple details make me make a pause and retune my riding technics. Hopefully we can bring you to Route 7 in Chile to have Adventure Bike Training on one of most amazing places in the world. Cheers from Chile !!!

[@dirgharajshrestha]

Nice tips! Great to hear the name of my country 😁🙏🇳🇵

[@frankenstol]

I want to ride my motorcycle with the smoothness of Bret switching from helmet to cap. Another great lesson , thanks !

[@BretTkacs]

😄

[@jfkalim]

Sir, you are one of the reasons I regret I dont live in the US (or South Africa?) so i can get trained by you, but even from YT you have improved my riding tremendously. I have done multiple trainings with BMW and Turatech which I liked but none went into the details that you do, thank you. - A middle aged idiot who started ADv rding on a 1200GS and ended with a KTM 790 R.

[@jdhsingi]

Great tips....thank you for sharing.

[@randygravel2057]

Good stuff. Opening a door wrist angle rotation 🤔

[@gradocchio]

Thank you, i'll try to practice this as both on my motorcycle and bicycle I get numb hands after a bit, likely due to improper grip!

[@REDCLAYHOMESTEAD]

thanks bud, hate I was too broke to come train when you were in Georgia.

[@youssefqassem]

Thank you for all your useful information and great experience you are sharing... Really appreciate it 👍🏼

[@ecalzo]

Always .. always .. always good content top notch info.. top notch lads .. Well done Bret .. Stay smily from italy ..

[@tahirsharif9461]

Another fantastic video Bret. Great, simple tips.

[@49Roadmaster]

Wow, that was a LOT of detailed information to digest so early in the morning while sipping the first cup of coffee. I will have to think about what you said today and replay this later. On a side note, I like what you said about keeping your pinkies always on the grips. Having dupuytren's contractures (The Viking's disease) on both hands I naturally grip with my pinkies. So, while having a cool name for the ailment, AND a genetically created natural grip for ADV riding I was destined to do this type of motorcycle riding. LOL Looking forward to taking a course and possibly a tour with you in the near future, take care and stay safe. Happy anniversary and belated birthday!

[@ketchupsos5817]

Love how Burt always puts that cap on so quick when removing his helmet.

[@chrisfournier6144]

After 41 years of bicycling, dirt biking, road biking as well as track riding I can’t say that hand position on the bars is a secret to riding well. It’s about as natural a thing as possible. No need to complicate it. Smooth control inputs at the bars? 100% agreed - essential to good riding.

[@tHaH4x0r]

1:38 Are you sure the slider on the left (of the video) is for the bars? I believe that is just a palm slider, and is put there as 40% of hand related injuries from motorcycle crashes involve sliding injuries at the palm. This is because when we fall we put our hands forwards, sliding mostly over the outside of the palm. Additionally they protect the scaphoid which is a bone that often breaks in the hand during highsides. That is why also higher end street and sports gloves have these protectors, even though they do not use the same diagonal grip (actually they often teach a straight 'grip' for track riding on sports bikes, so that you can roll the throttle and prevent arm pump).

[@ironchief2346]

Very well explained content.. thanks Bret looking forward for more videos.

[@bikenavbm1229]

came back to this one as reminder, its hard to loose 40 years of doing it wrong the younger generation have so much advantage for the learning curve, but perhaps they loose out elsewhere, thanks again.

[@TravelnTechDM]

Dude...this is pure enlightenment

[@BretTkacs]

Thanks, I hope it makes a world of difference for you.

[@TravelnTechDM]

@@BretTkacs this is the 1stt time a utuber has replied to my comment i m on cloud 9 ..screamin at the top of my voice...bruuuuuuhhhh

[@bevanpyates]

Great information as always, thanks for sharing 👍

[@AKAOmnivore]

Nice outline, one last thing I might have missed you mention is a lot of people end up with a death grip, a relaxed hand works better than white knuckling for many reasons :-)

[@darkwolfx333]

that transition in the beginning from helmet to hat was the true skill you need to teach us chrome domes here XD

[@TsvetanVR]

Thank you! I grew up mountain biking and all of this makes perfect sense to me and it feels natural, I've never thought about how or why I put my hands or bars the way I do but it's good to see I've been doing it the right way all along. I use 2 fingers on the levers to achieve the best balance of precision and grip on both the bars and the levers and also have the least fatigue riding. I've also found general motorcycle advice weird and dumb on many occasions, glad to hear an expert saying that's wrong too. I still believe I can learn a great deal more with some training. Are you planning on doing any in Europe? P.S. Those moto expeditions look very attractive....I may need to start saving up for next year.

[@enduromotorradtouren]

Bret, you got me thinking again. I always try to push my elbows out, helping me manoever and stay in control. Somehow my hand position automatically moves with it. But elbows tend to go down with gravity ;-) You suggest to take care of the hand position first. Seems a lot easier. I will try and report if the snow melts again in Nuremberg. Thanks for your concentration on details, much appreciated, Günter

[@LetsrideJ]

Great video and i agree with the grip postion but there are people that will take this to the extreme so its hard to fully show in a video. To much rear sweep on your bars is going to be bad for your wrists in lots of ways. Height plays a big point in what bars work for you. Not a bmw guy but every Japanese bike seems to be made for around a 5'10" frame which if your tall doesnt work to much backwards sweep because that size has narrower shoulders so your shoulder to grip alignment is going diffrent. Ive been riding on and offroad for 30+ years now and as long as ive been "grown up" at 6'3" ive had to replace bars to something with less sweep. Guess the biggest thing is to realize the stock ergos/setups are likely not going to work for most people and you will need to modifythe bike to correctly fit you, unless your that magic factory setup body type.

[@toltod]

Grip becomes really important. My Revit Dirt gloves have been my favorites and I highly recommend them. Even when i have proper elbow position, light on the grips, 1-2 finger clutch/brake, cramping will set in after long enduro ride. Once cramping starts, its hard to fight off. You try stretching, resting or lighten your grip even more, but that doesn't work on hard single track going through tight trees. I've used wrist supports/braces, but they can cut off circulation if on too tight. Becomes a problem when your trying to keep up with your riding buddies. I also have a forearm stretcher, but whos going to take that on a ride?

[@charleydog2669]

magnesium may help cramps, but has some laxative effect.

[@arnouthpessoa]

best tips i have ever heard! thx so much!

[@kevindossantos6282]

Thank you so much . Couldn't work this out on my own

[@dannykhoury85]

That’s the smoothest helmet to hat transition I’ve ever seen. 0:52 seconds in

[@thestevedoughtyshow27]

Master your motorcycle? Everyone who ever told me they mastered there bike ended up in a box. You live in harmony with it.

[@adventureridersweden5981]

Fantastic video! Thank you!

[@skippynj1979]

Using two fingers on my clutch has changed the the way i ride motorcycle... thank you

[@-MORK-]

Bret - great information. I’ve also found that properly covering the levers (1 or 2 fingers max) aids in proper hand positioning and smooths out throttle inputs. Also - great choice in gloves. Those are my personal favorite street oriented adv glove as they aren’t too bulky with good protection and don’t have any plastic sliders or gimmicks that can hinder dexterity. I also keep a pair of motocross gloves under the seat for when the terrain gets gnarly.

[@DeweyRides]

Very good video. I try to work on, bit dang is it hard to focus on the basics when you get into a tough spot. But I know I need to keep doing it until I get in the right spot just from muscle memory.

[@PWR2800]

Also, Great helmet to hat transition. Deserves its own video.

[@richjones859]

Great vid, that concrete building looks similar to some old shoot house training areas I’ve been in.

[@BretTkacs]

Hmmm 🤫

[@allenhuling598]

Timely video for me, and great explanations....thanks Brett!! Ride safe!

[@instructorautomotopiatraneamt]

0:20 Looks like an Counter-Strike environment.