2 fingers? 3 Fingers? or FOUR FINGERS!

[mstevens]

when they made me do the 4 finger, i was on the 696.

Was this the MSF ERC?

[Raux]

Was this the MSF ERC?

 it was the basic MSF course.

[mstevens]

it was the basic MSF course.

Weird. As I understand it, the 696's engine is too large for it to allowed in the BRC. Did they make a special exception for you?

[Raux]

don't know. it was through the military... you had to bring your own bike but they did have 250 loaners. shitty little things. a couple of guys used them.

[corndog67]

When I first start out on a ride, I'm 2 fiingers, index and FU finger, after a while, those 2 start going numb and losing the real crisp feel to my Brembos, then I go three.   After about 3 hours riding, I'm losing feel real bad in the first 2 and switch to the 3rd and the pinkie, takes a bit of getting used to, but it's what I have to work with.   I start slowing down after that.

[He Man]

LOL @ the show stopper. 

[Michael]

Look at this video.

... about 20 seconds into the video there is a fingers-on-brake demonstration, but I have no idea what it means.

Has anyone who has taken this class know what was being said?

Advanced Riding School Demo

[rockaduc]

For 90% of the time, I am using 1 or 2 fingers.  I switch to 3 ONLY if I need to REALLY drop anchor!!!  Yes, things do get interesting w/ 3 fingered braking, but once you get used to/anticipate the sensation of the rear getting all light and floaty on you, it's all good.

[Jester]

I use 1 or 2 fingers for normal road riding, but on the track my S2R800 really needs 4 fingers when I'm braking hard into tight turns and need to scrub off lots of speed.  I'll typically go four finger for the stand up hard braking and then trail brake off with only one or two fingers as I'm tipping the bike over and getting on the throttle.  The brakes on the S2R800 are inferior compared to any of the sbks or some other ducati models.  For instance for the same stopping power, I'd only need a finger or two on a 1098 where I need a full fist for the S2R to stop in anywhere near the same distance.

[woodyracing]

2 fingers for me, kinda hard to blip the throttle with just your thumb...

[Cider]

I use two fingers, and I don't know if I could break the habit even if I tried.  It's been sufficient even for my lame SV650 brakes on the track.

[Cloner]

When I took the MSF Experienced Riders Course, the instructor insisted I use four fingers during the emergency stopping drills.  He changed his mind when I did a four-fingered stoppie and put the rear wheel at about his shoulder height and still stopped in fewer feet than the Harley baggers in my class.  He decided two fingers was enough for me.   

For all the reasons here mentioned (comfort, brake modulation, feel, and ability to blip the throttle), I use two fingers, and have for most of 30 years.

[DoubleEagle]

I'm a index finger guy with the front brake.

May go to 2 if I really need to squeeze those calipers.

Still 4 fingers on the clutch.

Dolph       

[giordy]

I've been riding for only a year, and I never thought about using less than 4 fingers... I have a 696 and I guess I learned to break with 4 fingers without locking the wheel. What other reasons are there to use 1, 2 or 3 fingers instead of 4?

[Cider]

I've been riding for only a year, and I never thought about using less than 4 fingers... I have a 696 and I guess I learned to break with 4 fingers without locking the wheel. What other reasons are there to use 1, 2 or 3 fingers instead of 4?

It's really hard to blip if you have four fingers on the lever