ABS: just in case you're interested

it works fine

hit the back of a van today.

no damage. abs had a dicky fit but no locked wheels. that was in sport mode at 40mph. was very impressed how stable the bike stayed under HEAVY braking ;D the R1 would have locked up i think ???

(some silly woman decided to turn right last minute, the van slammed on, i just needed about another foot of road which i didn't have. bounced off the bumper of the van, luckily no damage and the van driver was just concerned i was ok not pissed off with me. no marks on the van, the bike or me)

That was a result then! I can remember doing similar into the back of a car 17 years ago on an RXS100. All it did was crease the front mudguard.

Gee... lucky escape there. Good to hear you and the bike are okay.

I've said it before on here,almost same thing happened to me! I stopped with about an inch to spare! On my RC,it would of been a different story! But yes,the ABS is unreal! I'd never have a bike without now.

i do wonder though, the abs increases the stopping distance, if i braked heavy on the R1 and managed to not lock my wheels i might not have bounced off the vans bumper, i might have stopped in time??

don't get me wrong, it felt much safer and i am completely converted, will always want ABS and today proved it.

Stargirl link=topic=590.msg5652#msg5652 date=1331409528 said:

i do wonder though, the abs increases the stopping distance, if i braked heavy on the R1 and managed to not lock my wheels i might not have bounced off the vans bumper, i might have stopped in time??

don't get me wrong, it felt much safer and i am completely converted, will always want ABS and today proved it.

Click to expand...

Unless your a real pro,there is the threshold method,but with ABS today,I doubt any street rider could out break the system? I'm a very late break type of person,and there is no way my RC would stop quicker.

Glad to hear that you're fine.

Wow, glad you and the bike are ok. Plus the van driver was very understanding to as that would not of helped if he got out and started shouting etc. Never had a bike with abs but I'm sure on a car it stops working below a certain speed. So when you did the "oh shit" first grab on the front lever it defiantly stopped the front wheel tucking for sure but think it would of come off as the speed dropped. But I have been known to be wrong

comforting feed back, but more importantly glad you came away unscathed

Boardsofnorfolk link=topic=590.msg5654#msg5654 date=1331410275 said:

Stargirl link=topic=590.msg5652#msg5652 date=1331409528 said:

i do wonder though, the abs increases the stopping distance, if i braked heavy on the R1 and managed to not lock my wheels i might not have bounced off the vans bumper, i might have stopped in time??

don't get me wrong, it felt much safer and i am completely converted, will always want ABS and today proved it.

Click to expand...

Unless your a real pro,there is the threshold method,but with ABS today,I doubt any street rider could out break the system? I'm a very late break type of person,and there is no way my RC would stop quicker.

Click to expand...

I can definitely stop in a shorter distance without the ABS on.

The real point of ABS is to stop the wheel locking up, eg if, when on the brakes, suddenly the front has less traction eg due to diesel or other patch of crap on the road.

My last "off" a few years ago was my own fault. I was meandering along just a mile from home when the van in front anchored up at a crossing. By the time I worked out what was happening I grabbed a handful of front brake which locked the front and spat me off. I was only doing about 20mph and didn't touch the van but knackered my shoulder which took over a year to get back to reasonable. That was an 08 Blade without ABS and I'll never have another bike without ABS. I know it was my own fault but sometimes I need saving from myself

Then again I've had 3 ABS bikes since then and as far as I know the ABS has never kicked in once.

Allan

awg, thats exactly what ABS is for, and why I believe it is great to have on a bike. However it definitely should not be relied on, especially with regard to stopping in a shorter distance, this it will not do.


Also how many people here regularly practise an emergency stop? I believe that you should do this at least once every ride.

Also do you really know the distance you need to stop at 30mph, 40mph? If someone placed a cone down ever 5 meters do you really know which one you would stop at?

If not how do you know you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear? You should always ride at a speed to allow you to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. How can this be done if you dont really know (and I do not mean the figures on the back of the highway code).

Remember it is possible to lock and slide the front wheel under braking and not go down, even with the rear in the air. However the chances of staying upright in this situation are greatly improved the faster the back wheel is spinning, which is why I say you should not use the back brake during an emergency stop, the front is powerful enough to lift the back wheel into the air, if the back brake is applied this will lock the back wheel = BAD.

I did the i2i MC1 training day a few years back. learnt how to brake safely in a distance i wouldn't have believed possible - even when i then went on to do ROSPA they were surprised with the stopping distance i could manage, however in "real life" you just don't how you will react. however i got a lot faster after that day even though it was only slow speed training, because i knew i could stop i knew i could go faster if that makes sense.

tbh i was a bit nervous today back out on the bike. i don't want to try that again. it might not end so well.

i remember pulling into the right hand lane and then thinking "oh shit" and going on the brakes knowing i was going to struggle in that distance. i didn't even think about having ABS until i was on the brakes and then i knew i couldn't stop in time. im reasonably confident if i had been on my cbr i'd have stopped in time.

it was definitely a lesson learnt.

Another reason why you should brake the correct way all the time. And make sure you practise emergency stops regularly. Muscle memory and all that.

Just glad to hear your ok

The real point of ABS is to stop the wheel locking up, eg if, when on the brakes, suddenly the front has less traction eg due to diesel or other patch of crap on the road.

Click to expand...

and if it was some twit pulling out if front of you and the need to grab a handful of brakes and you still have speed to scrub off, remember that ABS will give you some chance of maintaining steering control, so try and steer around the obstacle if possible and safe to do so - obviously try not to have a head on with any on-coming traffic!

For my riding and choice of bike, I'll always choose one with ABS.

Glad, you are okay SG

Godzilla link=topic=590.msg5686#msg5686 date=1331474983 said:

Boardsofnorfolk link=topic=590.msg5654#msg5654 date=1331410275 said:

Stargirl link=topic=590.msg5652#msg5652 date=1331409528 said:

i do wonder though, the abs increases the stopping distance, if i braked heavy on the R1 and managed to not lock my wheels i might not have bounced off the vans bumper, i might have stopped in time??

don't get me wrong, it felt much safer and i am completely converted, will always want ABS and today proved it.

Click to expand...

Unless your a real pro,there is the threshold method,but with ABS today,I doubt any street rider could out break the system? I'm a very late break type of person,and there is no way my RC would stop quicker.

Click to expand...

I can definitely stop in a shorter distance without the ABS on.

The real point of ABS is to stop the wheel locking up, eg if, when on the brakes, suddenly the front has less traction eg due to diesel or other patch of crap on the road.

Click to expand...

I know what the real point of ABS is,but I was comparing it to my RC,and trust me it wouldn't of stopped faster than my BMW. Like I said before I will never go back,it's nice to grab a handful of break lever,and not even think about locking it. And being in full control.

Boardsofnorfolk link=topic=590.msg5705#msg5705 date=1331493644 said:

Godzilla link=topic=590.msg5686#msg5686 date=1331474983 said:

Boardsofnorfolk link=topic=590.msg5654#msg5654 date=1331410275 said:

Stargirl link=topic=590.msg5652#msg5652 date=1331409528 said:

i do wonder though, the abs increases the stopping distance, if i braked heavy on the R1 and managed to not lock my wheels i might not have bounced off the vans bumper, i might have stopped in time??

don't get me wrong, it felt much safer and i am completely converted, will always want ABS and today proved it.

Click to expand...

Unless your a real pro,there is the threshold method,but with ABS today,I doubt any street rider could out break the system? I'm a very late break type of person,and there is no way my RC would stop quicker.

Click to expand...

I can definitely stop in a shorter distance without the ABS on.

The real point of ABS is to stop the wheel locking up, eg if, when on the brakes, suddenly the front has less traction eg due to diesel or other patch of crap on the road.

Click to expand...

I know what the real point of ABS is,but I was comparing it to my RC,and trust me it wouldn't of stopped faster than my BMW. Like I said before I will never go back,it's nice to grab a handful of break lever,and not even think about locking it. And being in full control.

Click to expand...

I wasnt being critical.