ABS - How Important?

[BamaRider]

Since you brought it up that's something else I'ver never understood..Why do firemen run into burning buildings when they have no reason to believe there is anyone inside?

 

 

Well, I dunno why Phil does it, but I did it because fighting fires was just plain FUN for a adrenaline junkie.

 

Now back to the controversey

[tallman]

m---phase3

 

I don't think you "need" ABS.

 

I personally don't like it.

In the last few years(100,000 miles) the ABS on my bikes has engaged twice. Both times it almost killed me.

Being more aware and riding safer is much more important than ABS.

 

But I think the real problem I have with ABS is that I don't want some guys in a cublicle somewhere to design a system that decides how fast I can stop and then farm it out to the lowest bidder to get implemented. It's bad enough the rest of the bike is made that way. I want to control my own life and am willing to except the responsibility for it and my pillion. The only thing that would be worse would be for me to depend on it and then it not perform the way I expected.

 

Whip

 

ABS almost killed you?

Please explain?

 

As far as overcoming survival instincts, if that weren't possible, suicide wouldn't exist.

I'm w/SuperJake here, the time involved is different (you don't have .3 seconds to decide to run into a building).

[Jake]

I'm w/SuperJake here, the time involved is different (you don't have .3 seconds to decide to run into a building).

That is so very nice of you to say, Tim. The important thing is that we all learn from this, and get along. Enjoy your weekend!

[artig]

It probably has no relevance at all for this thread, but I found it interesting that Bike magazine has an article about tyres and grip in the June issue. One of the points was "How hard can you brake on road tyres?". To find out, they compared a Triumph 675, on BT014s, theoretically one of the fastest-stopping motorcycles you can buy, with an ABS-equipped R1200GS on Dunlop Trailmax. Braking was from 100mph to 20mph on a normal, straight, level road.

 

The Triumph slowed smoothly and controllably, with just a hint of fishtailing from the rear and a chirp from the front as it crossed a patch of broken surface. Shifting back in the seat was essential to avoid stoppies.

 

The BMW was a lot more dramatic. Not only did it take a certain level of blind faith to slam the ABS on at 100mph, the computer made a much more erratic job of bringing the bike to a halt, with lots of suspension judder and clatter.

 

The Triumph managed a best of 359ft. The BMW was 343ft. Both took 4.2s for the slowdown, with an average 0.9g deceleration.

 

In this case it seems that 'grabbing a handful' did lead to a shorter stopping distance than the controlled braking effort. Although no test was done on the BMW with ABS disabled.

[philbytx]

+1

Anyone used to riding an ancient Brit bike with SLS or TLS front brakes knows all about threshhold braking...and sometimes the lack thereof

[Lawman]

In this case it seems that 'grabbing a handful' did lead to a shorter stopping distance than the controlled braking effort.

 

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Not really surprising and not definitive either. In theory, the lighter bike with the same size front tire should stop better but, there are control issues in that the shorter wheelbase will more quickly transfer all the weight to the front wheel (stoppie) and that will reduce the effectiveness of the rear brake and may require that the front brake be modulated short of the traction limit to avoid mouse trapping the rider.

 

This is an area that hasn't even been explored yet. I'll open it to the forum at the risk of generating even more controversy and dissent. BTW, for my bikes, I alread know the answer, as does Russell and RD Frantz and more than a few others. Just what is the best way to apply the brakes? I'll keep it simple and let's limit the discussion to an RT, brake system notwithstanding.

[russell_bynum]

This is an area that hasn't even been explored yet. I'll open it to the forum at the risk of generating even more controversy and dissent. BTW, for my bikes, I alread know the answer, as does Russell and RD Frantz and more than a few others. Just what is the best way to apply the brakes? I'll keep it simple and let's limit the discussion to an RT, brake system notwithstanding.

 

 

This should be entertaining.

[ghaverkamp]

Just what is the best way to apply the brakes?

 

Pull the lever on the right, and press the pedal on the right.

 

(If the rules were changed, I might have said pull the lever on the left and the lever on the right, seeing as I have no pedal.)

[Ken H.]

Just what is the best way to apply the brakes? I'll keep it simple and let's limit the discussion to an RT, brake system notwithstanding.

I saw someone draw some S-curves on a graph once (might have been Dick Frantz) that showed two curves, one for the rear application pressure, the other for the front, pressure over time. While hard to describe in text, basically indicated start the stop with the rear brake first. Then add in progressively more front, and as the rear starts to unload, begin to decease the rear. As the stop comes to an end begin to decrease the front while adding more rear back in, finishing primarily with the rear. Realize there is no begin and end of either, just transitional overlaps from rear to front and back to rear.

 

I think that's pretty much the way I do it. Although I won't claim it's best of practice.

[Lawman]

Just what is the best way to apply the brakes?

 

Pull the lever on the right

 

If there is any more to it than that I probably can't do it.