Quote:
Originally Posted by Xist
Many people think that computerization is always better. Several people have told me that autotragics shift more intelligently than I do.
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What automatics can't do is anticipate the next action. How would it know to downshift in anticipation for a corner, for instance? How does it know to downshift in preparation for passing another vehicle?
Quote:
Originally Posted by JSH
The place for autobraking is the same on a motorcycle as on a car - when the driver / rider isn't paying attention for some reason.
I find your stance on ABS vs traction control odd. You admit that you can't react as quickly to a loss of traction under power as a the computer but don't see the same benefit for a loss of traction under braking? Either way the machine is always watching for slip and can modulate faster than a human.
Just adding up my street crashes from 25 years and more than 100K miles of riding. 3 crashes that could be easily prevented by ABS, 1 crash that could have easily been prevented by traction control, 1 crash that couldn't be prevented by either.
This is my go-to test for ABS vs non-ABS. A bit old but ABS system have only gotten better.
If you want to skip to the results:
Non ABS 1: 92 meters (BMW Touring Rider)
Non ABS 2: 59 meters (British Superstock racer)
Non ABS 3: 66 meters (MCN tester)
ABS: 75 meter (BMW Touring Rider) - 17 meters
ABS: 42 meters (British Superstock racer) - 15 meters
ABS: 61 meters (MCN Tester) - 5 meters
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There's far less opportunity for distraction on a motorcycle because one can't fidget with their phone, get distracted by yelling kids, watch a movie on a screen, etc, etc. I won't even have a phone call with people while on the bike because riding takes too much concentration to give the person on the other end of the line the attention they should be getting. I also won't have more than 1 beer and ride.
Because people don't see bikes, it demands a higher level of awareness. If everyone started off riding motorcycles their car driving habits would be much better. Assume nobody sees you, continuously plan escape routes, keep your eyes on the road, look where you want to go, not 15ft ahead...
I'm not interested in ABS, but I wouldn't be opposed to it being equipped on my bike.
That test is bogus, or the riders aren't experienced. I can flip my bike over the front handlebars braking in the wet before it would lose traction. I've done a track day in the wet before (the only time I didn't wreck). The problem I had wasn't in braking, but accelerating out of a turn and the back end getting squirrely.
One of my wrecks may have been prevented by ABS... it was among my first laps on a track, and the instructor wanted to slow me down so he got ahead of me and then braked coming out of a turn where we are rolling onto the throttle. I grabbed too much front brake and it washed out. All of my other wrecks have been low-sides due to loss of rear wheel traction. (except one was caused from my muffler striking the corner curbing on the track, and another one was catching air on a bump and the suspension not being settled as I entered the corner).
Perhaps technology has improved, but early iterations of ABS could not stop a vehicle quicker, it merely preserved directional control. I don't know if it's now capable of stopping quicker too. I could see PWM frequency being fast enough and sensor feedback precise enough to maximize available traction...