SAVED - by my ABS!!!

[Steve D UK]

Yep, it's true, but I'm sure that some will disagree anyway.

On my way to work this morning. It was misty and the road was damp and greasy. I was filtering (lane splitting?) at about 15-20 mph between two lanes of stationary traffic when some bloody idiot in the passenger seat of a van in the right hand lane suddenly opens his door to lean out and empty an ashtray full of dog ends (cigarette butts) underneath his van! I was practically on top of him when he did this and just grabbed a big handfull of brake. The ABS worked perfectly. I came that close to the inside of the open door I had to back up to let him shut it - after I'd given him a mouthfull of abuse of course! Probably wouldn't have hurt myself but would have done sone damage to the front of my scoot if I didn't have good ol' ABS.

[Bluebottle]

Glad you are in one piece

[MLavore]

It's good to know that you are alright and didn't sustain any damage to the bike, but it has been proven that ABS does not reduce braking distance. So even without it you would have very likely been okay, although it wouldn't have been as smooth

[ErikDK]

It's good to know that you are alright and didn't sustain any damage to the bike, but it has been proven that ABS does not reduce braking distance. So even without it you would have very likely been okay, although it wouldn't have been as smooth

If you're very trained.

[EthanolBurgman]

It has been proven that ABS does not reduce braking distance. So even without it you would have very likely been okay . . .

What?

[Gbjbany]

Yep, it's true, but I'm sure that some will disagree anyway.

On my way to work this morning. It was misty and the road was damp and greasy. I was filtering (lane splitting?) at about 15-20 mph between two lanes of stationary traffic when some bloody idiot in the passenger seat of a van in the right hand lane suddenly opens his door to lean out and empty an ashtray full of dog ends (cigarette butts) underneath his van! I was practically on top of him when he did this and just grabbed a big handfull of brake. The ABS worked perfectly. I came that close to the inside of the open door I had to back up to let him shut it - after I'd given him a mouthfull of abuse of course! Probably wouldn't have hurt myself but would have done sone damage to the front of my scoot if I didn't have good ol' ABS.

must have been a day for it - Twice yesterday i had people change lanes in front of me ( one guy changed lanes 4 times - i guess he couldnt make his mind up) but whilst trying to avoid him i had taken my eye off the car in front of me and it had stopped - so i quickly grabbed a hand full, now i had plenty of distance but as it was wet and slippy the abs kicked in and made the stop less eventful than i think without. and as a new cyclist i dont have the extensive training others have so i probably overgrabbed !

[MLavore]

It's good to know that you are alright and didn't sustain any damage to the bike, but it has been proven that ABS does not reduce braking distance. So even without it you would have very likely been okay, although it wouldn't have been as smooth

If you're very trained.

Not necessarily, momentum on a motorcycle follows a linear path. It's a little bit different for a car that has two parallel points of contact that can be at different traction levels. (what tends to cause a spin).
By removing and reapplying brakes rapidly you aren't changing any factors then if you were applying brakes hard to begin with. The amount of force down on the brakepad and thus to the ground is the same, the rapid succession just keeps anything else effected by its momentum (rider) from being tossed forward as the transfer of momentum is the same but not constant like it is on non-ABS bikes.

When the brakepads on the ABS clamp down for those brief periods in rapid succession they are gripping full strength the same as you would do in a panic so that does not change, you just have more changes of momentum from front to brakes to front etc, this makes it so that the tires cannot slide any farther than the very brief point in which they are gripped each time. So basically if you were on a road slicker than snot and slammed the ABS brakes, the tires would still slide, but briefly and then return to having adequate grip to allow control. Rinse and Repeat.

Also, human reaction time going into the braking is what would have mattered the most, the 1.5 second average reaction time is what gets most people in trouble.

I supposed I could have explained that better. I am not against ABS by any means, they make panic stops a lot less intense/scary/coronary. Just saying that either way he should have been fine.

[EthanolBurgman]

. . . Also, human reaction time going into the braking is what would have mattered the most, the 1.5 second average reaction time is what gets most people in trouble. . . . Just saying that either way he should have been fine.

Let's see what that might look like . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds4bRTZfS3g

[MLavore]

This is why I like cars that have doors that are locked shut until the vehicle is taken out of drive... It doesn't completely remove the risk but i'd imagine it helps reduce the amount of people opening doors.

[rustynail]

One more anecdote...

I'll not rehash any of the debunking here - as the OP was an active participant in my anti-ABS rant.

Steve D, I'm glad you're okay. Truly.

[Daboo]

. . . Also, human reaction time going into the braking is what would have mattered the most, the 1.5 second average reaction time is what gets most people in trouble. . . . Just saying that either way he should have been fine.

Let's see what that might look like . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds4bRTZfS3g

First, I totally agree with MLavore. At the speed the OP was going, ABS made no difference at all unless he was riding on ice, sand or ball bearings.. You cannot skid the tires at 15-20 mph otherwise. Your reaction time has a far larger factor in the ability to stop in time.

Regarding the YouTube video...no one can anticipate when some jerk will open a door for no reason at all, even if you're looking for it. The cage driver wanted to have the rider hit him. ABS won't help you there either.

I have nothing against ABS, but just because you stopped with ABS installed on your bike, doesn't mean it was a factor at all in every situation. I hit my brakes every time I drive my cages, but I have only used the ABS when I wanted to test the ABS...in snow.

Chris

[Steve D UK]

It was almost the same situation with me as in that youtube video only I was going perhaps a little quicker on a slippery road surface. ABS may not have increased my stopping distance but I'm convinced it was instrumental in keeping the Burg upright and that's the main benefit of ABS on a bike for a relatively inexperienced rider like myself.

[Bluebottle]

ABS gives the confidence to use the full braking capacity of the machine in most circumstances on public roads.

It can be be defeated in certain circumstances, particularly if the rider is skilled and forewarned. ABS becomes a liability on dirt bikes.

[Daboo]

It was almost the same situation with me as in that youtube video only I was going perhaps a little quicker on a slippery road surface. ABS may not have increased my stopping distance but I'm convinced it was instrumental in keeping the Burg upright and that's the main benefit of ABS on a bike for a relatively inexperienced rider like myself.

I don't know what ABS in action feels like on a Burgman. I do know that on the cars I've owned, I can feel the brake pedal vibrate rapidly as they brake|release|brake|release.

Did you feel anything like that?

What is it that a rider feels when ABS kicks in on a Burgman?

Chris

[Buffalo]

You feel a pulsing in the brake lever somewhat like the pulsing of the brake pedal in a car but not a pronounced. You also feel a slight vibration of the whole bike.

[Daboo]

Then was that pulsing felt by Steve D UK? If not, the ABS never activated and the brakes worked as well as the standard brakes do. Which is good because he wasn't hurt.

I'm not saying ABS is beneficial. I'm just saying that not all times when we hit the brakes hard, are we using the ABS. In fact, we probably use it very rarely.

Chris

[Buffalo]

When the ABS kicks in there is no doubt that it has happened. You feel it in the lever and the seat of your pants.

[paulcbrowne]

Can't lock the brakes at 15-20 mph? Try driving through the VA hospital parking lot! I've used my ABS in hard braking in other circumstances, but those low speed incidents when lots of aging drivers are on the move, I've felt it click in several times.

[joe 90]

think i would of stoped and scupped up the fag buts and tossed them back in the van.

[rustynail]

think i would of stoped and scupped up the fag buts and tossed them back in the van.

Me too.

I have a hard time suppressing the urge to toss one back in a car.

[Daboo]

When the ABS kicks in there is no doubt that it has happened. You feel it in the lever and the seat of your pants.

That's why I asked the question of Steve. Did he feel that?

Chris

[Steve D UK]

Definately. You KNOW when the ABS kicks in. I can't say I've had it kick in at high speed but loads of tme at low speeds - especially the rear if you yank it on hard at 20 mph. You get a very rapid hammering/chattering on the associated brake lever.

[rustynail]

I can't say I've had it kick in at high speed but loads of tme at low speeds

Hmmmm...

[Steve D UK]

Thats me. Ride slow, brake hard.

[Gbjbany]

It was almost the same situation with me as in that youtube video only I was going perhaps a little quicker on a slippery road surface. ABS may not have increased my stopping distance but I'm convinced it was instrumental in keeping the Burg upright and that's the main benefit of ABS on a bike for a relatively inexperienced rider like myself.

Exactly my feelings too - and yes I felt the abs and in our work car park have felt them at 20 mph the speed limit when the roads are damp