Findings on Motorcycle AntiLock Brakes

[RoadKill]

Thought you might find this interesting.

 

 

Study: Antilocks Trim Fatal Motorcycle Crashes

WASHINGTON (AP)--Antilock brakes could help motorcycle riders avoid fatal crashes, according to a study by the insurance industry.

 

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Wednesday that the fatal crash rate involving motorcycles equipped with optional antilock brakes, or ABS, was 38 percent lower than the rate involving similar motorcycles without the systems.

Antilock brakes, like their counterparts on cars and trucks, help motorcycle riders stop their bikes abruptly without locking up the wheels or fishtailing. The system evaluates the brake pressure multiple times per second, allowing motorcycle riders to fully brake both wheels in an emergency situation and avoid hitting the pavement.

Antilocks are more typically found on touring bikes and have been available on a limited number of motorcycles since BMW AG introduced ABS on the K100 in 1988.

"Even though adding antilocks won't make motorcycling as safe as going by car, it's something manufacturers can do to reduce the risk of traveling on two wheels instead of four," said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Rob Dingman, president and CEO of the American Motorcyclist Association, said the study shows the potential of antilock brakes, but it also underscores the need for a "long-overdue" federal study of the causes of motorcycle crashes.

"Our members would welcome an ABS option on more models, but there must be a broader strategy to reduce motorcycle accidents and fatalities that includes increased education and motorist awareness," Dingman said.

Safety officials have been concerned about a steady rise in motorcycle deaths. More than 5,100 motorcyclists died in 2007, compared with 2,294 fatalities in 1998. The deaths have climbed as vehicle miles traveled have grown by more than 20 percent during the period and motorcycle registrations have surpassed 6 million, compared with 3.8 million in 1998.

In the report, researchers studied eight motorcycles that offer antilock brakes as an option. They found there were 6.6 fatal crashes per 10,000 registered motorcycles without antilocks in 2005-2006. The rate for the same bikes equipped with antilocks was 4.1, or 38 percent lower, during the same period.

In a second study, the IIHS found that antilock brakes appeared to reduce collision claims — insurance losses were 21 percent lower for motorcycles with antilock brakes compared with similar motorcycles without the equipment. The findings were based on a data set of 72,000 insured years of 2003-2007 model year Honda, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha bikes.

IIHS said antilocks were standard or optional equipment on about 40 motorcycles from the 2008 model year; top manufacturers include BMW, Harley-Davidson Inc., and Honda Motor Co.

ABS typically adds about $1,000 or more to the cost of a motorcycle.

Ty van Hooydonk, the Motorcycle Industry Council's director of product communications, said ABS can be effective for some riders but it depends on factors such as road conditions, skill level and the type of riding involved.

"For a number of experienced enthusiasts out there, they're able to stop with a non-ABS motorcycle quicker than they are with an ABS-equipped motorcycle," van Hooydonk said. "It's all very situational."

Ray Zimmerman, executive director of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, said ABS could be very valuable when trying to bring a bike to a stop on slick and icy roads.

Zimmerman, of Ellisville, Mo., said he has been riding motorcycles for more than four decades and logged nearly 250,000 miles on BMW motorcycles. His ABS system has come in handy on two occasions, and he's glad he had it.

"You keep a bike from swerving out of control one time, and it's worth (it)," he said.

[FutureVentures]

Great, just what I need, another reason to look at buying a Voyager next year!

 

[RoadKill]

Great, just what I need, another reason to look at buying a Voyager next year!

 

 

Glad I could be of servce!

[rsstar]

When I went looking for a new bike anti lock brakes was one thing I really wanted. And then when I saw the airbag model Wing, I knew what I wanted. I had read a report about the airbag saving a guy in Florida; but that's not the main reason I wanted the airbag. I liked the clean look of the false tank area with the radio controls moved to the left side of the fairing. Well, all the safety features in the world won't help you if you get BROAD-SIDED!! But I still think the anti-lock brakes and the airbag are life savers for bikes!!!!!

[loehring]

Well, all the safety features in the world won't help you if you get BROAD-SIDED!! But I still think the anti-lock brakes and the airbag are life savers for bikes!!!!!

 

Add 2 more wheels and a roll cage and it's even safer. (Ooops. That's a car) I see nothing wrong with as many true safety features as possible but let's not forget that the most important safety feature on any bike is right between your ears. I would be really interested in a study that would show the number of accidents that were avoidable if the rider reacted properly. My guess would be that a large number, while not officially the riders fault were avoidable if the rider were following the rules that we all should know and follow. I get a sick feeling every time I read about an accident but I try to see if I feel it could have been avoided. Was the rider going too fast or following too close? Was he/she out of position? Did he give the cage every opportunity to see him?

 

Anti-lock brakes are great but it's more important for us to keep our heads in the game and that's free.

 

Just my .02

 

(Thanks for posting the aticle. This is great information)

[Eddie]

This subject has been on the local news for a couple of days . My wife asked me if my bike has ABS. I said "no" they dont offer it on the RSV. She said ( are you ready for this ) you should get a new bike. wow I said that's what Ive been thinking.

[Mariner Fan]

I really want ABS for my next bike. Hopefully, it will be a third gen. Venture.

[RoadKill]

This subject has been on the local news for a couple of days . My wife asked me if my bike has ABS. I said "no" they dont offer it on the RSV. She said ( are you ready for this ) you should get a new bike. wow I said that's what Ive been thinking.

 

Wing or a new Voyager??

[Snarley Bill]

i have no use whatsoever for anti lock brakes. i had a crash in a mini van ,head on into a suv one night because i could not stop with the anti lock brakes. they take away all of your personal ability to control the brakes. i was standing on the brakes as hard as i could and just kept rolling. one hell of a feeling. no brake control at all. i figure skill and not panicking in a stop is an important asset. most bikes excluding sport bikes have to much rear brake to start with. the rear brake on a bike is of very little use in a panic stop and will get you in trouble very fast. sport bike rear brake are designed for trail braking only and it is next to impossible to lock up the rear wheel. my answer to abs, is learn how to use your brakes in an emergency situation. it is part of being a good rider. abs is a bandaid for inexperience. just my 2 cents. snarley bill

[Condor]

i have no use whatsoever for anti lock brakes. i had a crash in a mini van ,head on into a suv one night because i could not stop with the anti lock brakes. they take away all of your personal ability to control the brakes. i was standing on the brakes as hard as i could and just kept rolling. one hell of a feeling. no brake control at all. i figure skill and not panicking in a stop is an important asset. most bikes excluding sport bikes have to much rear brake to start with. the rear brake on a bike is of very little use in a panic stop and will get you in trouble very fast. sport bike rear brake are designed for trail braking only and it is next to impossible to lock up the rear wheel. my answer to abs, is learn how to use your brakes in an emergency situation. it is part of being a good rider. abs is a bandaid for inexperience. just my 2 cents. snarley bill

 

With Anti's you can't apply them, then take your foot off, and then re-apply. They'll feel like there's nothing there. Unfortunately those of us that have been around a few years have developed our own anti-skid system, and it sure can get you in trouble when using anti-locks. I like the idea of anti-locks for nothing more than to keep the rear tire from locking up and the bike high siding. Now that can get painfull....

[saddlebum]

I will pass on the ABS In my truck I disabled it because it takes longer to stop and on more than one ocassion it scared the @@@@ out of me. Many tuck drivers I have known had rear end collisions that they swear would not have happend were it not for that ABS garbage. Its only useful purpose is to be able to manouver the vehicle while braking, something which a good driver should be able to do anyway

[got2mnytoys]

I have had, and still have friends that ride bikes with abs brakes and have seen the rear tire skid when stopping hard at lower speeds, and only time I've lost a bike in a skid has been at lower speeds(but sure my time is coming) seems like at higher speeds a sliding rear tire is more controllable but haven't seen a abs front tire skid yet (and I use front only unless emergency, then its lock down both) I read or dreamed that abs doesn't work at lower speeds think it was like 12 mph.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has conducted several studies trying to determine if cars equipped with ABS are involved in more or fewer fatal accidents. It turns out that in a 1996 study, vehicles equipped with ABS were overall no less likely to be involved in fatal accidents than vehicles without. The study actually stated that although cars with ABS were less likely to be involved in accidents fatal to the occupants of other cars, they are more likely to be involved in accidents fatal to the occupants of the ABS car, especially single-vehicle accidents.this may not hold true to motorcycles but then again it may

[Squeeze]

i have no use whatsoever for anti lock brakes. i had a crash in a mini van ,head on into a suv one night because i could not stop with the anti lock brakes. they take away all of your personal ability to control the brakes. i was standing on the brakes as hard as i could and just kept rolling. one hell of a feeling. no brake control at all. i figure skill and not panicking in a stop is an important asset. most bikes excluding sport bikes have to much rear brake to start with. the rear brake on a bike is of very little use in a panic stop and will get you in trouble very fast. sport bike rear brake are designed for trail braking only and it is next to impossible to lock up the rear wheel. my answer to abs, is learn how to use your brakes in an emergency situation. it is part of being a good rider. abs is a bandaid for inexperience. just my 2 cents. snarley bill

 

With Anti's you can't apply them, then take your foot off, and then re-apply. They'll feel like there's nothing there. Unfortunately those of us that have been around a few years have developed our own anti-skid system, and it sure can get you in trouble when using anti-locks. I like the idea of anti-locks for nothing more than to keep the rear tire from locking up and the bike high siding. Now that can get painfull....

 

I totally agree on both of you.

 

Several Years ago, i had a Porsche 928, with little Snow on the Road the Car didn't brake at all, only Foot Massage from the System. I pulled the ABS-Fuse and got out of there with a Brake i can control. It was a very scary Experience.

 

Had similar happend with a Audi 6 4WD with Tiptronic. You can actually drive up a Ski Jumping Hill at 100 mph, there's so much Traction, but don't try to drive downwards only a minor steep Road and want to brake, you WILL need new underwear. I took the Car broadside with the Hand Brake and babyied it to a Stop, took the ABS Fuse out and i was on my Way to the Dealer. They updated the Software to no avail, after a second Software Update, the ABS worked as it should. Due to severall other Mishaps, they lost my Business forever.

 

A experienced and skilled Rider will outbrake any ABS-System on the Market. Honda is mounting the ABs now to the Supersportsbikes, i guess they will make up a better functioning System in 3 Years with all the Experience they gather over Time.

[midnightventure]

Add 2 more wheels and a roll cage and it's even safer. (Ooops. That's a car) I see nothing wrong with as many true safety features as possible but let's not forget that the most important safety feature on any bike is right between your ears. I would be really interested in a study that would show the number of accidents that were avoidable if the rider reacted properly. My guess would be that a large number, while not officially the riders fault were avoidable if the rider were following the rules that we all should know and follow. I get a sick feeling every time I read about an accident but I try to see if I feel it could have been avoided. Was the rider going too fast or following too close? Was he/she out of position? Did he give the cage every opportunity to see him?

 

Anti-lock brakes are great but it's more important for us to keep our heads in the game and that's free.

 

Just my .02

 

Thats easy to say but when the accident finally happens there isn't time to do every thing exactly right. It might be easy to look back after the accident and say if he had done this he would have been ok but when its happening to you there isn't much time to deal with the situation.

[Squeeze]

Add 2 more wheels and a roll cage and it's even safer. (Ooops. That's a car) I see nothing wrong with as many true safety features as possible but let's not forget that the most important safety feature on any bike is right between your ears. I would be really interested in a study that would show the number of accidents that were avoidable if the rider reacted properly. My guess would be that a large number, while not officially the riders fault were avoidable if the rider were following the rules that we all should know and follow. I get a sick feeling every time I read about an accident but I try to see if I feel it could have been avoided. Was the rider going too fast or following too close? Was he/she out of position? Did he give the cage every opportunity to see him?

 

Anti-lock brakes are great but it's more important for us to keep our heads in the game and that's free.

 

Just my .02

 

Thats easy to say but when the accident finally happens there isn't time to do every thing exactly right. It might be easy to look back after the accident and say if he had done this he would have been ok but when its happening to you there isn't much time to deal with the situation.

 

Well, that's why some People practice Maneuvers before the Emergency Situation happens ...

[1sttenor]

I agree with those who say the best antilock brakes are between your ears.

 

A group of us went down to NW Arkansas last week and while in a line of vehicles heading into Eureka Springs we were being passed and lane split by about 20 rice-rockets. I mentioned to the guys we'll probably see them later in Eureka Springs. Well it didn't take that long one of them hit a corner too hot and it was ugly. EMS was already there and he was bloody and on a stretcher. I felt bad for him, but it was obvious that it was totally self inflicted. I was young too, but we didn't have busas when I was young and I'm glad that is the case. Too much HP and adrenalin, not enough going on under the skid-lid.

[CrazyHorse]

I agree about proper braking technique. It's important to learn. I think ABS is a much better option then that crap called linked brakes.

At least with ABS you have individual control of each wheel. I dont like linked on loose surfaces or wet surfaces. A friend of mine has a 1999 BMW K1200LT a really advanced bike for its time ABS, moveable windshield, heatg grips,seats. His bike according to what he says you can turn off the ABS if you want to which I think is great. I wouldnt use it in dry conditions but I would in wet. Why cant other manufactures take a page out thier book?

[Snarley Bill]

I agree about proper braking technique. It's important to learn. I think ABS is a much better option then that crap called linked brakes.

At least with ABS you have individual control of each wheel. I dont like linked on loose surfaces or wet surfaces. A friend of mine has a 1999 BMW K1200LT a really advanced bike for its time ABS, moveable windshield, heatg grips,seats. His bike according to what he says you can turn off the ABS if you want to which I think is great. I wouldnt use it in dry conditions but I would in wet. Why cant other manufactures take a page out thier book?

whats the matter with linked brakes i have linked brakes on my wing. just kidding. in a way you are right. mine work great have never had a problem with them but i do get concerned going down hill on gravel. never had a problem but if i did i would not be able to let off the front brake if the wheel started to slip. the linked brakes with anti dive is a whole new feel. under every day riding conditions and the way honda set it up it works great and feels good stopping with the bike perfectly level. the theory is there is less weight transfer off the rear wheel giving more traction in the rear on a panic stop. the rear brake pedal only works on one caliper in the front. the handle bar lever operates the other one. you really can't tell they are linked, but the anti dive is the best i have ever had. it is very noticeable. would i rather have the brakes unlinked? not really, they work fine for me the way they are. the rear brake controls the antidive. i have learned to control the antidive with the rear brake pedal so i can release it with the brakes on when going over big bumps at parking lot speeds. honda engineered it to work right. i still feel like i have total brake control at all times. just a little leary on gravel once in awhile. bill

[CrazyHorse]

whats the matter with linked brakes i have linked brakes on my wing. just kidding. in a way you are right. mine work great have never had a problem with them but i do get concerned going down hill on gravel. never had a problem but if i did i would not be able to let off the front brake if the wheel started to slip. the linked brakes with anti dive is a whole new feel. under every day riding conditions and the way honda set it up it works great and feels good stopping with the bike perfectly level. the theory is there is less weight transfer off the rear wheel giving more traction in the rear on a panic stop. the rear brake pedal only works on one caliper in the front. the handle bar lever operates the other one. you really can't tell they are linked, but the anti dive is the best i have ever had. it is very noticeable. would i rather have the brakes unlinked? not really, they work fine for me the way they are. the rear brake controls the antidive. i have learned to control the antidive with the rear brake pedal so i can release it with the brakes on when going over big bumps at parking lot speeds. honda engineered it to work right. i still feel like i have total brake control at all times. just a little leary on gravel once in awhile. bill

 

No doubt Honda makes a good product, smooth a glass motor, nice and quiet and the crotch rocket of touring bikes. I've been considering one my buddy has let me drive his 1800 once in awhile trying to convert me. They are quality bikes and they have a huge dealer network, but I have to say I liked my other buddies BMW1200LT a little better not the same power as the GW but more advanced technologically speaking even though its a 1999. Even my GW buddy who worships the GW thought the BMW was a better bike, but he's addicted to the power the GW makes. The thing that kills me about BMW is the lack of dealers, but I love their bikes though Honda is probably a little more reliable. BMW has their linked set up different if I remember right the front brake operates a piston in the rear caliper and the fronts and the rear is by itself which I can deal with better then the Honda/Yamaha set up of the rear brake operating the rear and a front disk. I like the rear brake just operating the rear caliper just for that gravel/wet surface thing and using the rear in turns. I really dont want the front operating in those described conditions unless I want it to. With ABS I don't think you really need linked brakes IMHO.

 

I'll probably end up getting a GW in the future instead of BMW just because of the shear amount of used parts and dealers that can be found.

 

Unless Yamaha wants to build an 1800 that has a sporty look to it rather then the classic look but thats a whole nuther discussion.

Edited October 24, 2008 by CrazyHorse

[midnightventure]

Well, that's why some People practice Maneuvers before the Emergency Situation happens ...

 

And when the lady turns left in front of you all the practice in the world won't tell you if she is going to keep going or stop. If you always knew what they are going to do it would help to decide the right thing to do. Almost accidents usually give a little time. Real life accidents very seldom have much reaction time.

[Snarley Bill]

And when the lady turns left in front of you all the practice in the world won't tell you if she is going to keep going or stop. If you always knew what they are going to do it would help to decide the right thing to do. Almost accidents usually give a little time. Real life accidents very seldom have much reaction time.

the bottom line is all the safety equipment and skill in the world is not fool proof. when the main man wants you he's going to take you. i just protect myself the best i can and try to enjoy my life to the fullest. i try to be safe but not a fanatic about it. there's only one sure way to prevent a motorcycle accident and that is don't ride one. you can get abs ,air bags, wear all the protective clothing in the world and get killed by an avalanche in a twisty. my kind of luck. when my time comes there ain't a thing i can do about it. and it is getting closer every year. bill

[midnightventure]

I do agree that practice is a good thing. I read safety books. I can turn my bike inside 18 ft. I read Larry Grodsky all the time. But I know that given enough time and enough miles that something will probably happen to put me down again. It took 30 years the first time so hopefully it will take 30 years again. But you can't blame the riders when accidents are caused by outside influences. Larry Grodsky was killed and he was the biggest motorcycle safety expert in the country.

I do want to get a motorcycle with ABS but I agree with Snarly Bill that there are times when the ABS causes avehicle not to stop. My GMC Sonoma doesn't stop very good going downhill on washboard surfaces. But it stops much better on ice.

[saddlebum]

It turns out that in a 1996 study, vehicles equipped with ABS were overall no less likely to be involved in fatal accidents than vehicles without. The study actually stated that although cars with ABS were less likely to be involved in accidents fatal to the occupants of other cars, they are more likely to be involved in accidents fatal to the occupants of the ABS car, especially single-vehicle accidents.this may

I seem to be having trouble finding this study I did however find something about passenger car fatalitys involving large trucks . The thing that bothers me is that they fail to mention that in a large number of large truck related accidents it is not usually the truck that is at fault. An early OPP study in ontario some years back noted that trucks where only involved in a small percentage of highway accidents of which only 6% was the truck drivers fault. Problem is cagers are just as careless driving around big rigs as they are around motorcycles. they cut in and out around trucks and slam on brakes like the truck isn't even there (if they cant see a truck how can they be expected to see a bike). Many off the truck drivers who have driven for years both with and without ABS have all said in many of these situations they would have been able to stop faster were it not for the ABS.

However having had a front wheel slide out on me when sand are something was on the pavement I would probably except ABS but only on the front wheel.