Abs

[ChaseH]

Is ABS typically useful on the track? I'm thinking of two bikes now that are similar in many ways except that one has abs the other doesn't offer it.

[faffi]

I think that racers will find pumping brakes a distraction, and when grip is low you need a lot more distance to stop with ABS than without. The only benefit with ABS would be that you will not lock up the front - at least until you start to lean quite a bit.

 

Not all ABS brakes are the same, either. On the Honda VFR800, for instance, ABS will intrude well before you run out of grip on a dry racetrack. Other bikes, like Ducati's race reps, you will literally flip over forwards without the ABS coming in. So the former is made for street riders, to prevent them from having to do anything but slam on the brakes in case of an emergency. The latter is for sport riders who will modulate their own braking, but with the added safety on the road to cover unexpected slick stuff or make it unlikely to lock the front wheel in the wet.

[mugget]

Ahhh... "ABS". Here I was thinking that someone was asking about abs, the muscle group.

 

I would think about it this way - does the fact that you're riding on a racetrack somehow mean that you won't lock the brakes? If there's still a chance you could lock the brakes, then I think the answer is clear that you could benefit from some electronic assistance.

 

And like Eirik says, not all ABS operate in the same way, so that might be something worth looking into. But if you're talking about modern sportsbikes, there shouldn't be any 'pulsing' or movement at the brake lever at all when ABS is activated (as far as I know). Also there's been more than a few tests & reviews done, if you Google for some articles/videos you'll be able to find some comparisons for with/without ABS braking distances etc. (just make sure you're looking up modern bikes, not old ABS systems.)

 

Personally I am fine without ABS, I'm not going to sell my it just to get a newer bike with ABS. But then again I think I've got a ways to go before I start finding the limits of front braking.... But if I was shopping for a new sportsbike I would definitely go all out and want to get a bike packed full of all the electrickery I could find (ABS, traction control, quickshift etc.). Better to have it than not? It's got to at least improve resale value - I think it's pretty safe to say that eventually all bikes will have ABS.

 

The other thing to consider is whether or not it will be a confidence booster, or mental safety net for you. If you're prone to over-confidence, then it may not be best to think about it this way - but for me I will take all the confidence I can get. If I felt that ABS would give me alot more confidence then I would get it based solely on that.

 

Hope that helps.

[faffi]

ABS makes more sense on bikes than on cars IMO, since it's so easy to fall off if one locks a wheel, especially if leaned over a little - or hitting a slick spot unexpectedly. On cars, OTOH, ABS is mostly a a PITA. If you drive on a slick surface and ABS kicks in, it's like the car accelerates. The only benefits with ABS on a car is that the rear won't overtake the rear and that you can steer. But stopping distance on anything but perfect surface will increase once ABS action sets in. That's the same with bikes, BTW, only not falling down usually counts for more than a little added stopping distance. Besides, being able to slam on the brakes instantly will also save stopping distance; with non-ABS on bikes one tend to feel for traction, which again takes time and distance.