proper ABS characteristics

I'm getting used to my new 2006 Interceptor with ABS and I thought I'd test the ABS function. I'm unsure if the ABS is actually working! The light comes on at startup and goes off after 6mph is achieved, I tried several quick stops from speed and the brakes did not lock up, so far so good, but when i tried it on some sand on the side of the road, they did have some lockup, but the bike stopped pretty quickly. I tried this numerous times on sand or gravel and the brakes always had some lockup. I expected to see the ABS light come on when they are functioning, but haven't. Does this sound normal to you fellow VFR ABS owners?

 

The ABS only works above a specific speed ... not just for initial activation. I can usually walk my bike forward and the ABS light changes and goes out.

I don't recall the specific speed though.

 

Have you ever tested them? What kind of feel does it give while working? Is it a choppy skidding mess or a seamless didn't even know it was working type of thing? People have told me they didn't like ABS because they tried to stop on some dirt and the bike kept on rolling, which scared them. My tests yesterday had the brakes locking up in the dirt and scaring me! I'm not dropping my new ride!

 

Yup. They pulse like normal ABS ... just maybe a little faster and smoother? I've only been able to get them to do it once and it was VERY short.

It's difficult to get them to activate since you need to be going fast enough, because of that you need to have some cojones to do it. Like you, who wants to risk dropping their ride while testing?

 

I hear that! Lol. Well, I'll just go back to having fun with my new Viffer then. Thanks for the info.

 

According to 8th gen manual, the ABS system starts it's diagnostics at 4 mph, checking the pump motor, then at 10 mph turns off the indicator light if the system is normal. I can tell you the system works flawlessly on dry pavement after a dumb driver stopped unexpectedly. Much groaning, but not much time to think about how it felt a the time. The ABS system is based on the fact that the static co-efficient of friction is much higher than the sliding co-efficient of friction and that a computer can react faster and more precisely than a human. To stop in the shortest possible distance requires sensing the wheel rotation and releasing brakes momentarily to get back to the static C of F. Sand and gravel drastically reduces the static C of F, thus the wheel will lock up easier. Fortunately I cannot comment on trying to stop with sand and gravel on the pavement.

 

Hmm - you may not want to hear this but I think it is worth thinking about what ABS systems do and what they cannot!

ABS generally offers improved vehicle control and decreases stopping distances on wet and dry road surfaces; however, on loose gravel or snow-covered surfaces, ABS can significantly increase braking distance, although still improving vehicle control.

Inherently this means it is not a good idea to choose slippery surfaces like sand, wet grass, gravel, as a place to test whether or not the ABS system is in working order.

I know mine works brilliantly and if your really need to see if your ABS system is serviceable, then only try this AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Make sure you are wearing ATGATT, go out and find a completely empty dead straight road - as people do not expect bikes to slam on their brakes without any warning so really make sure the road is clear.

Then get up to 30mph+ (50kph), hold on tight!!! and then apply a full death grip on the front brake - don't even bother with the rear - the linked brakes will sort that out for you. The bike will stop!!! But only as fast as the available tyre grip will allow. ABS is not magic and cannot defy the laws of gravity or momentum. To be honest in an genuine head-on collision avoidance situation you probably will not even notice the ABS pulsing, as your focus will be elsewhere as you will find your body will be crushing forward and attempting to put an uncomfortable dent in the fuel tank!

The VFR is pretty much a paved road oriented bike - which can be nervous on sand/gravel with a nasty tendency to adopt horizontal parking mode!

There are a few brilliantly skilled riders like Rossi, Marquez etc out there, who have the talent to sense instantly what their tyres(tires) are doing and can make a non ABS equipped bike, out brake a similar bike with ABS. However for the vast majority of lesser skilled riders, the ABS system provides the potential to apply maximum braking whilst ALSO taking avoiding action to potentially swerve around something - that is all.

Take care



SkiMad

 

That's exactly what I've heard and I'm finding that not to be the case at all. My front tire does lock and the bike seems like it doesn't even have ABS on sand/gravel, at that point I've already released the brakes. So I'm left wondering if this system is working or not. I'll have to test it further on my own. The bike seems to stop quite short on sand/gravel.