QUOTE “I put forward an argument that riders were loosing the skills that should be ingrained in us as second nature .....In the interest of safety and learning,,, I would like a few volunteers to do a simple braking test and post up the results, for us to debate."
We all know the results of your test before you do it. A good to average rider will 9 times out of ten stop shorter without ABS than with ABS, on or off the tar.
It’s easy a few runs will prove it. BUT...... that’s a few runs were the target is to brake as quickly as possible; the first few you will mess-up until you get it right. But you have 10 chances to get it right.
NOW answer this question how many practice runs do you get in an emergency, when say A TRACOR has done a u-turn directly in front of you.
What is ABS for:- Anti-lock braking system (ABS) is an automobile safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to maintain tractive contact with the road surface according to driver inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up (ceasing rotation) and avoiding uncontrolled skidding, while keeping full control of the vehicle.
We also all know that.
As far as I am concerned ABS is for the inexperienced rider/driver that grabs a fist full of brakes in a panic mode or for the experienced rider:- when you have been is the saddle for hours and hours, distracted or for that unexpected diesel patch or sand on the corner, for when I am not 110% focused on stopping (remember for the test, you will be 110% wide awake and ready and 10 chances).
That’s when you need ABS, when you are not ready to stop suddenly, when all the conditions are against you and you need all the concentration just to keep the bike up right to give the rubber a chance to stop you.
Bikes 700 and below not to critical, but for the bigger heavier bikes ABS will make a big difference in an expected emergency.
A experienced friend of mine was killed on a superbike, (he rode into the side of a massive yellow truck) , he believed ABS was for “girls and inexperienced riders”, he ALWAYS switched ABS and traction control off, his skid marks were measured than 120 meters - dead straight, the experts believed the speed he was going – if he had ABS on, he could of turned out of danger and not skid uncontrolled straight to his death.
ABS is here to stay and ALL bikes will have them soon. It will never go away.
Shit happens to the best of us, it is a known fact you can’t be focused all the time and that is when ABS will save you.