ABS Brakes

[Wolfsbane]

Wheel lock - something that strikes fear into all bikers' hearts.

 

So, what do you guys think about ABS on bikes? Other possible advantages/disadvantages? Price of installation? Which bikes come with it installed as standard?

 

All comments welcome.

[angeldogleslie]

hmmm ABS is an electronically controlled system, thus dun think its possible to be mounted onto carbureted bikes. Probably its more feasible to be on a fuel injected bike.

 

I'm not really sure lar but perhaps somebody can clarify on the above mentioned matter ?

 

Anyway you should check out the fazer 07, there's an abs model for it.

 

ps - abs technology for bikes had already been made available to bikes for quite a while already. Just that manufacturers had been slow in implementing them onto the more conventional bikes.

[compfused]

What if your front tire is like a few cm way from hitting a car..Jam the brakes but the tyre never stop?

[myxilplix]

ABS has nothing to do with engine management, doesn't matter if the bike is carbed or FI. It's a seperate module just for the brakes and has been around for years.

 

It would be good for the normal motorcyclist whose first reaction in an emergency is to jam the brakes and go flying. Might also help in adverse road conditions.

 

But i don't trust all this electronic stuff and would rather rely on myself, and i sure as hell don't want ABS when riding on track/fast roads. Same goes for Honda's CBS/linked brakes.

[Tourer]

I think it has its pros and cons... Good for newbies who have tendency to lock up their wheels but proven less effective for veterans who have good braking feel for their bikes.

[Wolfsbane]

ABS is a system that, when it senses that ur wheel is about to lock, disallows ur brake from biting onto the wheel constantly, but "pulses" the brake pressure on-off-on-off many times a second. This allows max braking while keeping the tyre right on the edge, close to losing traction but not actually doing so.

 

I don't think this increases braking distance significantly, if at all. Anyone else care to share?

 

Personally, the only disadvantage i can see is the weight of the device, which will make a difference on the track, but not in everyday riding. Find it weird that such a potentially lifesaving device is not commonly used on bikes. (Most newer cars on the road have it i think)

 

myxilplix: so ABS can be added on to any bike? Ok...besides the 07 Fazer any other bike comes with it as stock? If I want it added on do most bike shops carry it? Thanks bro

[Tourer]

Actually... No.

 

When I went for BMW's driving course, they compared the difference between a car with TCS/ABS activated and without. Apparently the car with ABS had longer braking distance but was smooth and stable when coming to a stop, the car without had a shorter stopping distance but was losing abit of control.

 

The difference was quite significant, almost a few feet.

[myxilplix]

Off the top of my head BMW bikes are available with ABS, and also Honda's VFR800 has had an ABS model available for quite long already. Can't remember any others but then again it's almost 5am in the morning.

[Strong Eagle]

ABS is independent of the engine, doesn't matter if it is EFI or carbeurated.

 

Motorcycle Consumer News ran a test last year using experienced track riders. Most of the arguments against ABS are that the rider is skilled enough to control the brakes in all situations.

 

The test proved otherwise. Even highly skilled riders locked the wheels in certain emergency situations. The bottom line: ABS is a definite winner and is a real safety enhancement.

 

Yes, the braking distances can be slightly longer with ABS and there are just a very few circumstances where ABS might not be so good but on the whole I wish I had ABS on my bike.

[DM]

i'd rather lock my tire. that way, i'll learn not to brake late/ ride too fast.

[Tourer]

Originally posted by enfant@February 06, 2007 10:47 am

i'd rather lock my tire. that way, i'll learn not to brake late/ ride too fast.

That's quite a warped mentality... Haha... You don't need to lock your tires to learn not to brake late or ride fast.

 

I'd rather not die.

[Strong Eagle]

Originally posted by enfant@February 06, 2007 10:47 am

i'd rather lock my tire. that way, i'll learn not to brake late/ ride too fast.

Yah... and if your rear wheel drifts out of line with the front wheel then you release the back brake, expect a fun highside to go along with it.

[headcharge]

the 2007 CB600F Hornet also got ABS model. http://www.honda.co.uk/performanceArt/

[Guest czh2002sg]

personally i try to pulse my braking even when its more convenient and smoother to brake to a complete stop. Through constant indoctrination of pulsing the brakes manually to a stop ALWAYS, hopefully in emergency situations I'll react in the same way. So far recovered twice from rear slide in cornering at junctions, think it was cause of drain cover i missed. Hopefully dun have to put my theory to the test at all.

[Wolfsbane]

Originally posted by tourer84@February 06, 2007 12:17 pm

That's quite a warped mentality... Haha... You don't need to lock your tires to learn not to brake late or ride fast.

 

I'd rather not die.

Agree. Too high a price to pay for learning the lesson..

 

 

myxilplix: Thx for the info. Wow u're also the crazy night owl kind haha.

[ramen71]

ABS needed for bike..especially riding during rainy day..st1300 come with it..

[DM]

imho, ABS is only useful in countries where there is snow. some foreign riders need to risk riding on roads with patches of ice thus the ABS braking comes into play. i've locked my rear plenty of times and experienced tankslaps, that is why i ride like a wuss now. 90% of my experiences with a locked rear tyre happened in dry weather because i misjudged a traffic light/ entered a bend too fast before spotting an incoming vehicle/ braked hard to avoid hitting another hardbraking vehicle in the front.

 

i just feel that ABS is additional weight/ costs imposed on riders who don't need it in a tropical climate but of course, there are singaporeans who swear on it, to each his own.

[angu]

I came across this report:

 

http://www.ibmwr.org/prodreview/abstests.html

 

Appearantly, on wet pavement even the experiened riders were drastcally helped by ABS.

 

Also note that this article is from 1992 !! Surely, ABS performance must have improved since then?

[zod]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/anti-lock-brake.htm

 

Fact 1 : On high-traction surfaces such as bitumen, or concrete, whether wet or dry, most ABS-equipped cars are able to attain braking distances better (i.e. shorter) than those that would be easily possible without the benefit of ABS.

 

Fact 2 : In gravel and deep snow, ABS tends to increase braking distances. On these surfaces, locked wheels dig in and stop the vehicle more quickly. ABS prevents this from occurring.

[Guest nE0]

Originally posted by zod@February 16, 2007 03:12 pm

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/anti-lock-brake.htm

 

Fact 1 : On high-traction surfaces such as bitumen, or concrete, whether wet or dry, most ABS-equipped cars are able to attain braking distances better (i.e. shorter) than those that would be easily possible without the benefit of ABS.

 

Fact 2 : In gravel and deep snow, ABS tends to increase braking distances. On these surfaces, locked wheels dig in and stop the vehicle more quickly. ABS prevents this from occurring.

Fact 3 : ABS stops a bike much better than fairings and engine casings.

[Wolfsbane]

Originally posted by nE0@February 17, 2007 03:43 am

Fact 3 : ABS stops a bike much better than fairings and engine casings.

I thought fairing was to make the bike more aerodynamic. How does it help in stopping?

[DM]

anyway, i got those opinions from the dealership. that was his reason for abs bikes not being popular over here. if anyone noticed, it's the continental bike companies which started putting ABS into their bikes because of the use in Europe (where it snows).

The japanese manufacturers started doing it as well to get a larger share of the pie in the european/ american market.

[marzocchi]

Originally posted by Wolfsbane@February 17, 2007 12:13 pm

I thought fairing was to make the bike more aerodynamic. How does it help in stopping?

lol.....read between the lines again dude.

[Cerius]

Originally posted by Wolfsbane@February 17, 2007 12:13 pm

I thought fairing was to make the bike more aerodynamic. How does it help in stopping?

when u get into an accident, what stops yr bike from skidding too far? =P

[compfused]

Originally posted by Cerius@February 18, 2007 02:54 pm

when u get into an accident, what stops yr bike from skidding too far? =P

You..Provided you still hang on to the bars..And also withstand the excruciating pain of your flesh grinding (slidin) on the tar mac..