how many fingers??

Two on the brake, two on the clutch (with a shortened clutch lever).

Dirt or heavy traffic.

I was taught in my MSF course to cover the clutch, and NOT cover the brake. I have only had to emergency stop on the street once so far, and it was in the rain. Had I had a pre-existing grip on the brake I am not sure what the difference would have been (I still managed to lock 'em both up on an older bike with drum in the rear and dual disk front - 81 CB650C), but they rolled again and I was fine upon massaging the situation mid-slide. At least I did not get all sideways, but I did manage to slide forward quite a ways, through the red light (driving too fast for conditions, sleet/rain and almost frozen pavement with very cold temperatures outside (maybe 35 degrees or a shade less??), lesson firmly and effectively learned).

In MSF class, it rained all that weekend, and the lot they used was slick as owl poo, and during those emergency stop drills on the Buell Blast, I was able to stop pretty danged fast, in fact faster than the instructor anticipated I could. Suppose my fat azz helped, not sure, to retain traction!

In any case, I do therefore cover the clutch (as taught) but I do NOT cover the brake. Not even with one finger. I still get there danged quickly when needed, and have seen no reason to lay fingers across it while idling along at all. Besides, what happens if you hit a bump or mis-shift, something, with fingers on the brake lever? It seems you would be applying brakes unintentionally, to me. Maybe it is just that I am new (riding since only mid-December 2012), but I still do it as taught in class. Clutch only, no brake coverage. So far, it has worked just fine.

For the most part my fingers are on my throttle, I usually have a two fingers covering my clutch, Unless I'm in a heavy congest traffic situation, then I cover the front brake as needed.

This for me...

That's weird... i never cover the clutch on the streetbike, only the brakes. I don't see the point in covering the clutch.

Same here.

Jim

Yep. My KTM will easily put the rear tire skyward with a lightish pull of the index finger. If i grabbed a fist full it would be instant lockup.

My CB350F, like you said, both hands wouldn't be enough.

Usually 3, two in the pink and one in the stink!

I have medium size hands, I can barely reach the brake lever with one finger stretched, couldn't ride like that with the throttle open at all. On street master cylinders if I set the reach for 1 finger, the lever would be crushing my other fingers when braking hard. Although there was one bike I rode where I could actually brake with 1 finger, a husaberg supermoto with a 6 piston caliper and oversized front rotor.

And it only took until post 48......

The MSF BRC course curriculum is state-mandatory in CT for new licenses. And by the book, putting your any less than all fingers other than your thumb on the clutch or brake lever is a no-no. They will watch you and grade you down if they see that- covering or actually using the lever.

Rationale- whether its always true or not- is that something attached to those finger now under the lever could prevent you from engaging either the clutch or brake as far as possible.

I have been 2-fingering for my whole life on the trails, moreso going with smaller levers. I got yelled at over and over and was graded down on my final test score for it.

There are two types of braking

1. Stopping
2. Slowing down

If you decide you are stopping grab with 4.

If you are slowing down grab with 4 or less, or whatever you have on the lever.

If you need 4 fingers just to slow down you need to get your bike looked at.

I don't think keeping a few fingers on the lever prevents you from grabbing with 4 if you decide you are stopping and when you are not stopping, helps greatly with controlling the bike and using the throttle while using the brake.

As for the clutch side do you really need to pull the lever all the way in disengage the clutch ?! Definitely 2 fingers all the time - much greater control.

Last thing I would say is stopping is highly over rated - chances are it won't save you and will probably get you into more trouble. If you find yourself going into stopping mode you probably made an earlier mistake and should learn to avoid that instead of braking with 4 fingers and doing hand exercises so you can bend the levers.

Read this thread from post #103 onward.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=828490&page=7

Therefore the "One Finger Braker" under my name. Some folks on here get twisted up about this.......in a real comical, please STFU, way.

Two fingers on both with shortly adjustable levers, and I adjust them so they are far enough out that I can stop with two fingers without the clutch hitting my gloves (Held or A*) and the brake is the same. I switch to four only if I get stuck at a light or something.

I alway's use 2 fingers on the front brake, especially when I have to slow down Now. It takes too much time to get 4 fingers on the lever, and isn't necessary with 320 mm discs and sintered pads. I think the 4 finger proponents probably never rode dirt bikes, where 2 fingers are the norm. Just adjust your levers so you don't squash the other fingers...

I cover the front brake with 2 fingers. I live in deer country. 2 is enough to easily lock the brake, so I still have to be careful in emergency stops. The lever never moves enough to crush my other fingers. If I get out on the open highway, I will ease up and move my hands around.

I taught my wife to do this, then heard she would be criticized for it in her upcoming BRC course, so she had to unlearn it real quick.

4 fingers here. I'm just not strong enough for full braking with only 2 fingers. Maybe I could do it but I would have much less feel. Also I cover the brake with 4 fingers in potentially risky situations.

However if someone does it in another way, that's ok to me. It's just how it works best for me.

Better yet, the newer carbon compounds pads and monoblock radials calipers. I LOVE the newer braking technology.

....they have so much stopping power with such great feel

I change it up often. If I need throttle when I am pulling off from an incline I will use two. When just covering the front brake I use two. When coming to a nice easy stop or quick stop I will often use four.

The index alone does not work for me on the GS since it is too short.

I often cover or hold when stopped with two fingers. The instructor got on me about this during only certain drills because he did not want me to reflexively grab the front brake. Other times it was necessary.