ABS brakes - testing, testing, 1, 2, ...

One of the reasons I'm riding a Silverwing is the ABS.

I've been ridng bikes from 49 to 1000cc for fourty years now, and have had my fair share of scary moments and worse. Since breaking a couple of vertebrae (while cross-country skiing!!!) I have to carry on with the spinal cord unprotected on L3, L4 & L5, due to the removal of the spinous processes. If I had any common sense, I would stay away form motorbike riding...

Instead of giving up my most precious activity, I choose a motorbike with ABS brakes, hoping this would help to prevent kissing the pavement once more.

I can't / don't want to remember how many times I've hit the deck over the years, but I remember my first and last time falling off. The first time (1972) was less than a mile away from where I picked up my first moped. On wet cobblestones, I used a fraction too much of the front brake and wheeeeeeeeeee there went the brand new Puch Skytrack. The last time was in 2001, when my Hyosung didn't have the amount of ground clearance I was counting on...

Anyway, what I meant to say is that nowadays I ride a Silverwing with ABS, and that yesterday I had the honour and priviledge to feel the system working for the first time, when some URO (unidentified running object) crossed the road in a wooded area, where the tarmac was moist. In a reflex I squeezed both levers, knocked my knees against the glove boxes and DIDN'T hit mother earth, missing the rodent by inches. So thanks to the ABS, the three of us -me, my SW and the squirrel/rat/whatover- got away with it.

This is always going to sound bad but it's simply my response to your own comments! Not intended to offend. Just don't want inexperienced riders to assume ABS is the be all and end all of braking!!!

OK caveat out of the way, my response!

As long as folk realise ABS doesn't stop accidents!!!! It's an aid to braking and doesn't remove the human aspect of riding. Too many folk are reliant on technology to bale them out of the guano!

Both examples of your 'off's' were down to your errors and not the bike nor the systems it operates!!!!

I agree that for 'most' of my tumbles, I was the one to blame. As an unexperienced 16-year old I went down a couple of times, learning it the hard way.

Later on, I started off-roading and got hooked on trial riding -Montesa Cota- where I learned a lot about handling motorbikes. By the time of the spinal injury (mid nineties), I had totaled some 250.000 Miles on two wheels, a large number of them on governement BMW's. (that 's one way to turn your hobby into a job)

ABS may not be a substitute for experience, it certainly is a very welcome addition.

rodenbach wrote:

ABS may not be a substitute for experience, it certainly is a very welcome addition.

No argument for me on that one.

If I'm honest I was quite anti ABS at first, regards being fitted to bikes that is. I couldn't get into my head how they would work on two wheelers. Many questions going through my head like what happens if there is a pressure differential between the rear and front end? What if there is a problem with the electronics? Accidents in the waiting!

However, riding the 'Wing' has cured me of the doubts I held. Used sensibly, hard braking in many situations is definitely a benefit.

I wasn't so keen on ABS myself, remembering the garage bill to fix it on my previous car (SAAB)...

Since I'm only riding the SW for a month or so and have done about 1100km (700 Miles) it was my first encounter with the ABS being activated. And if my feeling was correct, it only happened in the left lever, not in the front brake.

I guess ABS makes more sense on a two-wheeler than on a car: I've never seen a car fall, due to blocking a wheel. If you over-brake in a car, you can release the pedal and brake again. On a motorbike chances are that you go down before you get time to release the brake(s), certainly on a wet, slippery surface.

One can ride as prudent as can possibly be, when an animal (or a child !) suddenly decides to cross the road, ABS is a welcome tool to help stopping in a safe way. I'm converted, that's for sure.

rodenbach wrote:

ABS is a welcome tool to help stopping in a safe way.

That's it in a nutshell!

rodenbach wrote:

Since breaking a couple of vertebrae (while cross-country skiing!!!) I have to carry on with the spinal cord unprotected on L3, L4 & L5, due to the removal of the spinous processes.

Do you wear anything like a Lett Back Prototector??

I ride in a Dutch brand MC-jacket (Damen) with build in spine protector.

rodenbach wrote:

I ride in a Dutch brand MC-jacket (Damen) with build in spine protector.

The armour in Damen jackets is British, made by Knox here in Cumbria. I wear a full length 8 plate Knox Aegis back protector, and Mrs M has the smaller full length 5 plate Aegis.

Knox products are very nice.

The was an item in the newspaper about Beech Marten (Martes foina) that have been killed by traffic. I guess it was this kind of critter that got away with jumping in front of my wheels.



"Four rare beech martens killed in a short period of time"

ABS is a system that just works! Planes have had similar systems since 1929. My dad was a USAF pilot and he explained that planes have used this for years. They were called anti-skid brakes.

The beauty is ABS is automatic; operator doesn't need to turn it on or anything, just do something stupid and there it is . Most of my get-offs over the years have been due to too much speed, gravel on the road, and taking corners too fast. Inattention as well. I have never had a serious issue in the many heavy rainstorms, why? Because I am aware and very cautious... Now that I am older I am MUCH more cautious (things hurt more now).

If you want to exercise your ABS system (a car mechanic told me this), simply drive on a dirt road and pull the levers HARD until bike stops. If the system is working properly you should feel a slight pulsing in the levers. That is the ABS pulsing the brake to keep from locking.

Thanks for your contribution, Glenn.

It seems most of us folks here on the forum are 'a bit' older than the average motorbike rider. Perhaps it is because of the safety and comfort the SW offers?

I ride a lot more cautious than in my younger days: I've got so many 'memorabilia' from the past four decades on two wheels, that I don't need any new ones. (scars, aches and funny lumps on my bones)

I know the pulsating feeling of a car's brake pedal, when the ABS takes over, but this was the first time I could feel it in my hand. A gentle pulsation, that's all.

A lot better than squeeling tires and then ... ^SMACK