Which Bike Do You Think Is The Best
12-04-2003, 08:55 AM
#11
Registered User
s20009000, you can disable ABS on every bike I've seen by pulling a fuse or doing a funky start-up procedure. That is, for those times when you really want to do something stupid. Sure the system weighs 12 - 20 extra pounds but I weight a lot more that that!
Welshman, even for something as moderate as the VFR Helibars are a must for me.
Welshman, even for something as moderate as the VFR Helibars are a must for me.
12-04-2003, 04:03 PM
#19
Registered User
I wasn't going to get into the ABS good/bad thing since I thought you were half-joking! Or at least talking track-only.
If you think you can brake better without ABS on the street you're just nuts! No way you can manually maintain max threshold traveling over oil, grit, and a changing substrate (e.g. manhole covers, plastic stripes, bumps). And that doesn't even get into wet conditions!
I'll give you that under controlled conditions you can (may) stop shorter without ABS. You may also dump on your @ss. But the street is NOT controlled. Why do you think they outlaw anti-freeze mix in track bikes?
ABS lets you perform repeatable near-max effort stops with not much skill and ZERO panic. I said "not much skill" rather than zero since even with ABS you want weight transfer before it kicks in.
Thinking ABS is a disadvantage on the street is on the same mental plane as not using the front brake, like some old-timers I know.
Before you mention it, I'll agree completely that fully linked brakes are a bad idea. But I'm warming to the concept of linking the front to some of the rear. I can't imagine a circumstance using the front that it would hurt to have some rear too (but not vice versa).
If you think you can brake better without ABS on the street you're just nuts! No way you can manually maintain max threshold traveling over oil, grit, and a changing substrate (e.g. manhole covers, plastic stripes, bumps). And that doesn't even get into wet conditions!
I'll give you that under controlled conditions you can (may) stop shorter without ABS. You may also dump on your @ss. But the street is NOT controlled. Why do you think they outlaw anti-freeze mix in track bikes?
ABS lets you perform repeatable near-max effort stops with not much skill and ZERO panic. I said "not much skill" rather than zero since even with ABS you want weight transfer before it kicks in.
Thinking ABS is a disadvantage on the street is on the same mental plane as not using the front brake, like some old-timers I know.
Before you mention it, I'll agree completely that fully linked brakes are a bad idea. But I'm warming to the concept of linking the front to some of the rear. I can't imagine a circumstance using the front that it would hurt to have some rear too (but not vice versa).
