Braking and ABS... I believe!

[Tolstoy]

I'd like to hear more stories about how ABS saved the day.

Well, ...............okay Spalkin. But just one.

Last spring on my first FJR. ( <<Long story.)

Long sweeping on-rampto the right, up over a rise, and then down as it dumps you onto the highway.

TWO lanes. Solid white down the center. Right lane is metered, 2 cars per green, stacked up, about 30 cars long, filling most of the ramps length, up and over.

Left lane is for carpoolers AND bikes, and sign says DO NOT STOP in this lane. Most Californians will be familiar with this scenario.

My left, "express" lane is completely clear, so I'm accelerating up the rise to merge with freeway traffic, AND being watchful for anyone even THINKING about pulling out of the right hand lane because they've just figured out they've got 2 people in the car, and they are in the wrong lane and they suck.

I'm up to about 50mph as I come up on the front of the line stopped at the light. And -----you guessed it. This car was about the 3rd one from the front, at a dead stop, and BANG! she cranks her wheel hard left(of course no signal) and yanks her car across the wide, freshly painted, solid white friggin' line, just as I'm coming up on her.

That's an excellent account of your ABS "adventure". I could absolutely picture the entire scenario as you described it. Well done, and I'm glad you escaped unscathed.

I haven't tried out the ABS on my new 08 yet, as I'm riding pretty conservatively while getting acquainted with it. Your story, though, gives me confidence that the ABS will be there for me, when the need arises.

I had the front covered, and grabbed it probably too hard, while hustling my foot to the rear brake. I still would have hit her, had I not veered onto the debris covered left shoulder as I came up beside her. And there wasn't much shoulder, and a signpost right there, and I've almost emptied my bladder as I realize I'll probably survive this, and go on by her, thumbing my teenie, high-pitched, barely audible, stock horn, and of course gesturing back as I accelerate again to merge into speeding traffic.

I'm certain that without ABS, I'd have gone under her, over her, or through her back window. I'm certain I'd have locked up both, gone out of control, and had a really bad day. But neither wheel locked or skidded, and I maintained control of the bike, if not my bodily functions. I love ABS. Really.

Okay, going to take a ride out and look at the Pacific Ocean. Happy Saturday all.

 

[Tolstoy]

I'd like to hear more stories about how ABS saved the day.

Well, ...............okay Spalkin. But just one.

Last spring on my first FJR. ( <<Long story.)

Long sweeping on-rampto the right, up over a rise, and then down as it dumps you onto the highway.

TWO lanes. Solid white down the center. Right lane is metered, 2 cars per green, stacked up, about 30 cars long, filling most of the ramps length, up and over.

Left lane is for carpoolers AND bikes, and sign says DO NOT STOP in this lane. Most Californians will be familiar with this scenario.

My left, "express" lane is completely clear, so I'm accelerating up the rise to merge with freeway traffic, AND being watchful for anyone even THINKING about pulling out of the right hand lane because they've just figured out they've got 2 people in the car, and they are in the wrong lane and they suck.

I'm up to about 50mph as I come up on the front of the line stopped at the light. And -----you guessed it. This car was about the 3rd one from the front, at a dead stop, and BANG! she cranks her wheel hard left(of course no signal) and yanks her car across the wide, freshly painted, solid white friggin' line, just as I'm coming up on her.

I had the front covered, and grabbed it probably too hard, while hustling my foot to the rear brake. I still would have hit her, had I not veered onto the debris covered left shoulder as I came up beside her. And there wasn't much shoulder, and a signpost right there, and I've almost emptied my bladder as I realize I'll probably survive this, and go on by her, thumbing my teenie, high-pitched, barely audible, stock horn, and of course gesturing back as I accelerate again to merge into speeding traffic.

I'm certain that without ABS, I'd have gone under her, over her, or through her back window. I'm certain I'd have locked up both, gone out of control, and had a really bad day. But neither wheel locked or skidded, and I maintained control of the bike, if not my bodily functions. I love ABS. Really.

Okay, going to take a ride out and look at the Pacific Ocean. Happy Saturday all.

Whoops! In the preceding post I accidentaly inserted my reply right in the middle of your story.

This is how I intended it to look.

That's an excellent account of your ABS "adventure". I could absolutely picture the entire scenario as you described it. Well done, and I'm glad you escaped unscathed.

I haven't tried out the ABS on my new 08 yet, as I'm riding pretty conservatively while getting acquainted with it. Your story, though, gives me confidence that the ABS will be there for me, when the need arises.

 

[palerider]

One more thing I forgot to address: Yes, it is quite easy to get 100% out of the front brake in a panic situation. If your first instinct is to grab that lever like nobodies business, and you trust that the tire will not slip, the adrenalin of the situation will allow you to get amazing braking going. Been there, done that, avoided t-boning the soccer Mom in the SUV that pulled across the road in front of me.

The last thing anybody wants in an emergency is 100% of the front or the rear brake. 100% is a lock it up. If traction is compromised by oil or some other agent, than it's going to be easier to get that 100%.

ABS is designed to prevent you from getting 100%. Under most real-world conditions, ABS is going to stop the average rider sooner without loss of control. I think that the real concern here is in encouraging new riders not to use the rear brake. In an emergency, any additional braking, no matter how small, will mean less injury, and ABS will make a rear skid and lockup less likely, meaning more stopping power.