Technically speaking everyone uses ABS... either be it mechanical or
mental... so which type do you identify with???
Mechanical... An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a system on
motorcycles which prevents the wheels from locking while braking. The
purpose of this is to allow the rider to maintain steering control
under heavy braking and, in some situations, to shorten braking
distances by allowing the rider to hit the brake fully without the
fear of skidding or loss of control. Disadvantages of the system
include increased braking distances under certain conditions and the
creation of a "false sense of security" among riders who do not
understand the operation and limitations of threshold braking or their bikes...
Cost 800 weight penality 20lbs
Mental... An alert rider on a reasonable light weight motorcycle
equipped with the latest designed braking system and skilled in the
threshold braking technique... The purpose of this is to allow the
rider to maintain steering control under heavy braking and, in some
situations, to shorten braking distances by allowing the rider to
modulate the brakes fully without the fear of skidding or loss of
control... Disadvantages of the system include increased braking
distances under certain conditions and the creation of a "false sense
of security" among riders who push beyond their limits of mental
ABS...
Cost 0.0 weight penality 0.0
If you aren't sure you can judge available traction, speed and distance, or
don't want to think about it that much, then by all means rely on ABS. but
if you wish to brake hard and still have some skin in the game then read
on...
Step 1
Sort your bike out... check tire pressures and condition, suspension
settings, brake condition, then find a smooth, straight, clean bit of road
without too much camber. Do a few runs braking fairly hard to warm the
tires and get a feel for how it handles. As you line up for your first hard
stop, you need to be relaxed... If you find yourself pitching forward, grip
the tank with your knees to hold your weight off the bars...
Step 2
The initial phase is important because how you first apply the brakes
determines how the bike reacts. Your brakes are not an on/off switch.
You're looking for a smooth initial application that transfers weight on to
the front tire without suddenly compressing the suspension. If you just
grab on the lever, the suspension bottoms out, and then it can't absorb
any more movement. Something has to give and it's usually the tire which
may begin to break traction... So be smooth and be firm... that's the key...
Step 3
Having transferred the weight onto the front tire, you've given yourself
bags of extra grip. To use it, you need to increase the pressure on the
lever progressively. On any modern Sportsbike and most all Standards you
should be able brake hard enough for the rear wheel to lift off the ground.
If it starts hopping that's because the engine is locking it up... clutch in or
slipped and it should stop...
This is hard as you can brake in normal conditions. At this point, the rear
brake's no use to you at all. This is not a stoppie, by the way, that's a
separate stunt...
Step 4
Once you're up to full braking effort, you still have to assess what's going
in you path. If you're about to cross a patch of oil or cross a patch of dirt,
you'll want to release the lever pressure slightly, then increase it again as
the extra risk is passed. You need to be relaxed enough so that if you feel
the wheel locking, you can let lever off until it spins again, then get back
up to braking pressure. The only way to make this an instinctive reaction is
to practise deliberately locking and releasing the brake... if you don't wish
to risk your prize then Keith Code has a special bike built just for you called
the Panic Brake Trainer...
Step 5
As you come almost to the point of stopping, you'll obviously need to
actuate the clutch lever in to avoid stalling you can do this as soon as you
start to brake, but why not use the engine braking for it will help you keep
control. Secondly, slightly slightly release the braking pressure at the very
last moment. This gives the suspension a chance to return to normal
otherwise you come to a halt, and the forks bounce up from full travel,
which can unbalance you as try to put your foot down and stop... mercy
you don't want to avoid an accident and then drop the bike like a
beginner...
How about your BIKE???
I trust it's in good shape, well-adjusted, and with plenty of life left in brake
pads and tires. Wrong tires pressures or worn tires can destroy braking feel
and performance
HANDS???
Some people use all four fingers on the brake lever, and some prefer two or
three. One is a possible with the latest race brakes but I find that the less
fingers the harder to get the fine control I need on the track... so I
alternate between two on the street and four on the track... no one is
going to criticize the number of fingers as long as you can brake in the
shortest distance possible listed in the owners manual...
SURFACE???
Constantly changing... after all... it's the perverted highway... so you need
to keep changing your braking pressure, and be prepared to let the brakes
off altogether over really slippery bits...
ARMS
Don't lock them straight... for you'll lose feel and control. Brace your body
weight by taking weight through the foot pegs and gripping the tank dents
between your knees...
CLUTCH
Leave it engaged until the very last moment it should help you stop quicker
and more in control if you use the engine braking. If the engine starts to
lock the back wheel up, slip the clutch slightly exactly as you would when
you pull away... now if your prize sports a slipper clutch then it will limit the
engine braking automatically for you...
BRAIN
Thinking to itself, "Do I need to stop? Couldn't I just bleed off a little speed
and ride round the problem? Where are my escape routes?" If you plan
well enough ahead then you should hardly ever need to do an emergency
stop. You should always be aware of your position in relation to the
perverted traffic full of cagers out slaughtering the fine art of driving...
EYES
Constantly looking for another way out of trouble... don't look at the
problem or you'll ride straight towards it... rather focus on your escape route...
In conclusion... think of ABS as Able Braking Skills... like tax your brain not your bike...
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