Front ABS Test

[FJRocket]

I was watching him. In fact could see them both. Two high school aged kids. In a white Ford. I watched them coming to the intersection.

I've been covering the brake lever more and more lately. Not because I'm a Nervous Nellie, but because it actually makes my wrist and shoulder feel better. And it's smart. Good thing, too...

You ever have those moments? That intuition thing kick in? Time seems to slow down? I never saw the kids eyes. I thought, "he's not going to stop, or he's going to pull out on me, or he's going to do both". I was not disappointed.

I was on the front brake lever and off the throttle. Watching. Waiting to get fucked over by this kid and his pal loligagging in mom's car. Sure enough, just when I thought he was stopped and turning his head to actually look down the road my way, he looked the other way and bolted out in front of me.

Fortunately, I was ahead of the game this time. I wasn't far enough ahead, though, to avoid over grabbing the brake lever. Well, maybe I have just never had to get that much on it.

Once everything was under control, I laid on the Blasters. He probably thought a coal truck was running him over! I thought the kid was going to run off the road! Little Prick. Hope he shit his pants, and learned his lesson.

This is the first time I've felt the front ABS kick in. As I was stopping very short of hitting the white car, I thought it was interesting how well the bike was stopping and how little the front ABS ratcheted compared to the rear brake. I've had the rear ABS kick in many times, mostly on gravel or wet pavement, and thought it a little too easy and early in activation. And annoyingly harsh (gets your attention!).

After the experience yesterday, I think the front ABS is BANG ON, and does a better job than I could of controlling an emergency stop. This bike is just fantastic. Not only goes like a bat out of hell, but stops on a dime, too. Did I mention that I love this bike?

We've all probably had experiences like this, and probably more than once. I just was surprised at how well the ABS worked and made a non issue of of the short stop. I just hope we all don't get too many opportunities to make impromptu ABS tests.

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

The link that convinced me on MC ABS is below. If you don't want to read it scroll down to the charts. Various skilled riders in a comparison test. Even the best riders on gravel, flooded water, and sand took hundreds of feet more to stop without ABS. In the best of conditions ABS only a few feet further. Excellent comparison test. Good your Turkey spotter was on it's mark. Ride Safe, TJ

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

 

[lawinter]

We all could learn from these kinds of incidences, sometimes I wish the 03's had ABS. I have a better chance with the idiots trying to kill me than with telling the Boss I need a new motorcycle. Lesson I take from your near miss is never daydream on a motorcycle cuz everybody is actively trying to kill me.

Stay safe

Larry

 

[Woodstock]

I'll be the first one to ask...

Were you wearing a helmet? <_<

 

[FJRocket]

No, I had on a tank top, shorts and flip flops, though. I did remember my sunscreen. Make you feel any better? :bleh:

Yep, trying not to fade away after riding in that kind of heat is tough. Vigilance is key, but especially difficult if you get hot, tired and dehydrated.

I have a buddy who got T-boned on his brand new Harley Ultra. Chucklehead kid pulled out on him from a side drive. No one got hurt, thankfully, but my buddy really doesn't like riding on secondary roads any longer. He'd rather be on the Super Slab. Not my kind of fun, usually. But you can understand his hesitance, and the theory that you are less likely to get hammered by a cage T-boning you. BTW, my buddy was hit hard enough that the frame was bent on his Ultra and wiped out the whole left side of the bike, but he never went down and sustained NO injuries. The bag and engine guard spared him, especially his leg. I think when Harley starts getting ABS on their dressers, he'll trade. I think ABS may have kept him out of the accident.

We all take our chances every day. You assess your risk, take your chances and hope the stars are aligned in your favor.

When the ABS kicks in on the front, do both breaks pulse simultaneously, or do they brake alternately? I was wondering if that's why the sound (or feel) wasn't as pronounced as the rear brake.

 

[Woodstock]

No, I had on a tank top, shorts and flip flops, though.

Just out of curiousity, doesn't shifting in flip-flops rip the tops of your feet up?

You're right, you take your chances, if not wearing gear sufficiently improves the motorcycleing experience for you, go for it. I still think it's stupid, but that's my opinion. :bleh:

I do support your right to ride like that, though. Let's not get into medical bills issues, because it's a slipery slope (and rathole). One can also make a pretty good argument that health-care costs are less, because without helmet and gear, you're just dead. Period. With helmet only, you may survive a while, but cost a whole lot to keep what's left of your body around. With helmet and gear, you stand a better chance of walking out of a hospital. Anyway, just my 2cents, like I said, I support your right to do what I think is dumb. LOL.

 

[FJRocket]

Shifting's not that hard in flip flops.

But if you drag the pegs, you usually don't have to worry about trimming your toenails. :haha:

Anybody know about how the front ABS pulses?

 

[Woodstock]

Anybody know about how the front ABS pulses?

I'm almost positive they pulse together. If you follow the brake lines up from the front calipers on an ABS, they meet (at the infamous superbrace-banjo-bolt area) before going back toward the modulator. Also, if the point of the pulsing is to actually release a bit so that the wheel can grab a little traction, it wouldn't do any good to alternate.

 

[FJRocket]

Thanks for that, Woodstock! Makes perfect sense that they work together feeding from the same banjo bolt. Just glad it worked, and worked very well indeed!

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

The Front & Back brakes on a FJR work independently. They are not linked. TJ

 

[FJRocket]

Thanks TJ, that makes sense too! Woody was talking about the two front calipers working together since the main line to each is fed from the same dreaded superbrace crunching banjo bolt.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

sounds like both good riding and good braking. I bet that kid sure is glad to be still driving.

When I was a kid I ALMOST sideswiped a bike...thank goodness I looked over my left and saw him just in time to change my direction and miss him. From that day on I always look at least twice when switching lanes. I haven't hit a bike yet ;-)

I was, however, hit by a bike. He was squeezing me between me and another car going around a tight turn and his fairing hit my side mirror. He almost tank slapped his way under my car but he pulled it off thank goodness. I hope that rider learned his lesson from that! Something about sharing lanes with two cars doing 65 on a mountain freeway just doesn't make sense to me. It seemed he was more concerned with speeding away so he wouldn't have to pay for my mirror. heh...for every jerk car driver, how many jerk riders are there?

 

[Pappy]

Wow! Great read. Bookmarked!!!

 

[Warchild]

No, I had on a tank top, shorts and flip flops, though.

Um... flipflops? :huh:

Now, Matt..... you're pulling our collective legs here, ain't 'cha? :erm:

I'm sure no safety nazi, but I got a few photos the will change your mind about good footwear while riding. Wanna see them?

Prolly best not to view them before a meal....

 

[rogerfjrfaster]

Supossedly by 07 all bikes will have ABS according to one of the motorcycling magazines. Dont remember which one and yes I cant spell worth a sh9t. :haha: :clap:

rogerfjrfaster

 

[06FJRAEPILOT]

No, I had on a tank top, shorts and flip flops, though.

Just out of curiousity, doesn't shifting in flip-flops rip the tops of your feet up?

You're right, you take your chances, if not wearing gear sufficiently improves the motorcycleing experience for you, go for it. I still think it's stupid, but that's my opinion. :bleh:

I do support your right to ride like that, though. Let's not get into medical bills issues, because it's a slipery slope (and rathole). One can also make a pretty good argument that health-care costs are less, because without helmet and gear, you're just dead. Period. With helmet only, you may survive a while, but cost a whole lot to keep what's left of your body around. With helmet and gear, you stand a better chance of walking out of a hospital. Anyway, just my 2cents, like I said, I support your right to do what I think is dumb. LOL.

Just think, you can ride barefoot on the 06 "AE"!!

 

[Pending]

shit! I met Mr. FJRocket, rode to EOM with him, & rode 3 more days, & rode back with him. No way he was wearing a tank top, shorts and flip flops like he claimed.

 

[FJRocket]

No, I had on a tank top, shorts and flip flops, though.

Um... flipflops? :huh:

Now, Matt..... you're pulling our collective legs here, ain't 'cha? :erm:

I'm sure no safety nazi, but I got a few photos the will change your mind about good footwear while riding. Wanna see them?

Prolly best not to view them before a meal....

Sheesh, someone is really dredging through the archives!

WC, I haven't ridden in flip flops, even on a bicycle, in 30 years. I don't even own a tank top. I have to admit that I have ridden in shorts and tennis shoes on occasion, but that's in grandma mode.

Having done some "serious" riding, I'd feel pretty naked without the gear on at high speed and cutting curves. My helmet, leathers and I are becoming fast friends.

"Kids, don't try this at home, or anywhere else" should be applied to tank tops and flip flops. Heck, I'd get hurt just walking in those things.

 

[designeraccd]

I vividly remember "Mr. Cool' coming around the corner by my house in shorts, tank top and cheep sneeker: he managed to find a small patch of sand...down he went. He wasn't purrtee when he got up...unless you are into sushi-raw meat. DFO