Another wonderful thread on ABS, linked brakes, and servos...
Who would'a thunk it!
Put me down in the pro-properly trained and practiced braking before all else category...
It never ceases to amaze me how many people prefer relying on some sort of "system" to save them rather than take the time to learn proper braking techniques at the limit... What's next for riders like that? Do you want BMW to computer-control your throttle application and cornering inputs for you, too?
Just where, exactly, does one draw the line between an individual actually *RIDING* the motorcycle and becoming a no more than a passenger?
No offense intended to those making some of the following statements, but come on...
Ones like:
Hmmmm... You are applying the brakes, but because the computer-controlled, servo-assisted, BMW thought-managed braking gets *confused* you are suddenly left with less than full braking capability, even if you wanted it, and it is *NOT DANGEROUS*?In hard braking on a rough surface, the ABS has been known to fully release and let the bike coast, at least briefly. This has happened to me twice on rough San Francisco streets. I don't particularly consider it dangerous but I know it can happen.
What exactly would it be then?
And then there's this one:
A couple of things here...When I'm filtering in trafic on the way to work. I cover the rear brake because my hands are busy with the controls. And I could never get on the front brake quick enough.
If you are lane-splitting and "filtering" and you don't already have two fingers *covering* the front brake you are greatly increasing your risk factor. In fact, riding in any heavy traffic situation without *covering* the front brake lever is a recipe for disaster sooner or later...
Your hands are busy with the controls???
Are you saying you cannot work the throttle and the front brake simultaneously? If that's the case you need to learn... It is pretty essential for proper downshifting and corner entry technique, and is one of the most basic skills for operating a motorcycle safely.
Properly practiced braking techniques will assure you can easily get to the front brake "quick enough". Your first two fingers on your right hand are much faster reacting than your right foot and leg. Don't believe it? Try Google...
And then there's this one:
To be quite frank, Pat, I am surprised... Somebody with your mileage on bikes, and the variety of bikes you have owned, preferring any sort of linked braking system baffles me... particularly if you like to ride fast. One of the greatest things about motorcycles is being able to have full capability of modulating between front and rear brakes at your own discretion. That is unless you honestly believe that some engineer in Germany, who has never met you or ridden where you ride, knows far better than you all the varying conditions you might encounter in your riding experience...I MUCH prefer the option of a fully linked front and control of the rear-brake-only via the peddle. On the other hand, a peddle operated fully-linked with the front-brake-only option (like my old Moto Guzzi) would be cool! Or the option of turning it off altogether would be nice too!!!
Wouldn't it be sweet if BMW could give us what H&K introduced in it's semi-autos?
With regard to servos, let's just say my ignorance has been the source of my bliss. My servos NEVER revealed themselves to me as grabby, touchy, noisy, annoying, etc.
And if you never noticed the servos then I have to conclude you either didn't ever use the brakes on any of your bikes *HARD*, or either never had a bike with decent brakes. I think even the majority of the pro-BMW Servo-Assist ABS faithful would freely admit that the system is hardly *transparent* by even any wild stretch of the imagination...
But leave it to the Darth-Man (Dave) to fully grasp the situation, and put a logical conclusion so concisely with:
Yep, Darth... Coasting when one wants (or needs) to be braking seems pretty risky to me, too!Hmmm...seems like coasting when you need to be braking would be dangerous by definition.
Moving on... Again, I mean no offense when commenting on some of these statements, but I had to actually *LAUGH* out loud at this one:
For *WHO*, exactly???On the rough surfaces in question, when wheel hop locks the front, it's a choice of losing braking for a short period, or going down.
35 years riding motorcycles, and racing them 22 of those, and *NOT ONE TIME* has such an occurence of wheel chatter, wheel hop, or even locking the front wheel ever happened to me and caused me to go down or lose control... Of course, I firmly believe in practicing, practicing, practicing, practicing, and even practicing some more at proper riding and braking techniques, and I even used ot teach 'em!
So I ask again... For *WHO*, exactly? Have you actually experienced "going down" due to such an occurence, or are you guessing?
Please folks... Chime in if you have actually crashed due to such occurences, but otherwise... Well...
I don't *mind* a properly engineered ABS system - i.e. one that is completely transparent, non-linked, and not *over-programmed* to actually remove braking capability even if the rider decides he needs it - but a servo-assisted, linked system that can actually have you coasting on some some surfaces is not the answer.
Remember, even a locked wheel has more retardation going on than a freely rolling one, and it's the responsibility of the *RIDER* to learn how to keep the bike upright with either wheel locked.
One quick question for those proponents of Beemer's servo-assisted, linked, ABS systems - Are you interested in actually learning proper braking techniques, or would you simply prefer not to learn to ride proficiently and leave the control aspects of the motorcycle to BMW?
Cheers!
Dallara
