Re: Motorcycle ABS soon to become the norm

[Bob Hadden <kbhadden@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Great post Steve.  The cycle canada guys gave a very good description 
of why abs is a good thing. Thanks for the info.

Bob Hadden '05R12GS (Linked ABS), '62R27 (not)

On Mar 1, 2005, at 1:52 PM, Steve Makohin wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Takeo Fukui, president of Honda Motor Co., recently announced that by 
> the end of 2007 (a scant 22 months away), every new Honda sport bike, 
> touring bike, and large scooter would be introduced with a linked 
> braking system and ABS. This info, as reported by Cycle Canada (March 
> '05 issue, page 7) goes on to say that "by the end of 2010, every 
> Honda motorcycle over 250 cc, with the exception of dirt bikes, will 
> be available with linked ABS. Dual-sport models will also be offered 
> with the design."
>
> The ACEM (Association des Constructeurs Europeens de Motorcycle), 
> which includes every major Japanese motorcycle manufacturer and 
> European brands, announced that by the end of 2010, half of all models 
> sold by represented companies will have "advanced braking systems." 
> Harley-Davidson, who is not an ACEM member and whose loyal customer 
> base despises the idea of ABS almost as much as fuel injection or 
> overhead cams, has bowed to the influence of Unit Sales by developing 
> ABS in response to Authority demand for this feature.
>
> The CC article gives a nod to ABS-bashers who assert that a skilled 
> rider without ABS can outbrake an ABS-equipped bike, with unspoken 
> caveats including good traction conditions, and giving the skilled 
> rider several practice runs to assess the actual limits of traction. 
> Given a "real life" emergency in which the actual limits of traction 
> are uncertain and/or the traction is poor, and the rider is given a 
> single chance to respond, ABS outshines humans. According to studies, 
> "[humans] don't perform at our best in an extreme emergency; our 
> brains tend to simplify and reduce, focusing on a single action. With 
> a conventional motorcycle, there is no single action that will result 
> in efficient emergency braking -- by definition it's an example of 
> multitasking -- but a linked braking system with ABS comes pretty 
> close to offering a solution."
>
> With widespread application of ABS on bikes, expect lighter, smaller, 
> less expensive ABS units to be made, as well as units that are tuned 
> for performance riding with faster cycle times.
>
> You can find Cycle Canada online at www.cyclecanadamagazine.net. I 
> highly recommend it as being informed, unbiased, well-written, and 
> intelligent. Hell, they were even saying that BMW oilheads were 
> enjoyable bikes back in the days when the rags couldn't find anything 
> good to say about them. I am not associated with Cycle Canada or their 
> relations.
>
> -Steve Makohin
> '01 R1100S/ABS

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