ABS with or without
#21
I really appreciate all the comments.... The reason I was asking is that this is the first bike I've had with it (08 retired police road king) and it acts really weird. When slowing down to a traffic light, I can feel it "pulsing" at about a 1/2 to 3/4 second interval. If I increase the braking any, it will sometimes "chirp" the back tire. I just don't like the uneven feeling of the pulsing. It doesn't do it every time, only when I'm braking a touch more aggressively. If I slow down gradually, starting 8 or 10 car lengths back, it doesn't seem to do it. And I'm not the kind of guy that races up to a red light then tries to stop in the last 50 feet. I ride fairly conservatively.
From all the comments, it sounds as if there is something wrong with my system. Maybe a bad wheel speed sensor or something?
From all the comments, it sounds as if there is something wrong with my system. Maybe a bad wheel speed sensor or something?
My advice would be, if you have ANY doubt about your brakes, and aren't comfortable addressing it yourself, take it to a qualified wrench that you trust. I wouldn't d*ck around with brake issues. Too much at stake.
#22
I really appreciate all the comments.... The reason I was asking is that this is the first bike I've had with it (08 retired police road king) and it acts really weird. When slowing down to a traffic light, I can feel it "pulsing" at about a 1/2 to 3/4 second interval. If I increase the braking any, it will sometimes "chirp" the back tire. I just don't like the uneven feeling of the pulsing. It doesn't do it every time, only when I'm braking a touch more aggressively. If I slow down gradually, starting 8 or 10 car lengths back, it doesn't seem to do it. And I'm not the kind of guy that races up to a red light then tries to stop in the last 50 feet. I ride fairly conservatively.
From all the comments, it sounds as if there is something wrong with my system. Maybe a bad wheel speed sensor or something?
From all the comments, it sounds as if there is something wrong with my system. Maybe a bad wheel speed sensor or something?
#23
ABS doesn't do anything until you get to the point of lockup... Thats when you'll be glad you have it. Up to that point theres no difference at all. Sometimes it doesnt matter how good you are... A hard braking situation and a little loose sand on the road and down you go... Nothing you can do - but with ABS theres that litle bit of extra insurance to get you through those rare events. I didnt go looking for a bike that had it but Ive been glad a time or two that it does
#25
ABS doesn't do anything until you get to the point of lockup... Thats when you'll be glad you have it. Up to that point theres no difference at all. Sometimes it doesnt matter how good you are... A hard braking situation and a little loose sand on the road and down you go... Nothing you can do - but with ABS theres that litle bit of extra insurance to get you through those rare events. I didnt go looking for a bike that had it but Ive been glad a time or two that it does
#26
I really appreciate all the comments.... The reason I was asking is that this is the first bike I've had with it (08 retired police road king) and it acts really weird. When slowing down to a traffic light, I can feel it "pulsing" at about a 1/2 to 3/4 second interval. If I increase the braking any, it will sometimes "chirp" the back tire. I just don't like the uneven feeling of the pulsing. It doesn't do it every time, only when I'm braking a touch more aggressively. If I slow down gradually, starting 8 or 10 car lengths back, it doesn't seem to do it. And I'm not the kind of guy that races up to a red light then tries to stop in the last 50 feet. I ride fairly conservatively.
From all the comments, it sounds as if there is something wrong with my system. Maybe a bad wheel speed sensor or something?
From all the comments, it sounds as if there is something wrong with my system. Maybe a bad wheel speed sensor or something?
My question for you is are yo a heavy rear brake user? Most of your braking, anywhere from 75-90% of your braking is done with your front wheel. Quick little lesson from motor school.
When you brake, your inertia is still moving forward. As you slow, that inertia starts to compress the front suspension. As the suspension comresses that weight transfer applies pressure to your front wheel. That pressure actually flattens out the tire some putting more rubber in contact with the raod. Considering how much tire contact patch a motorcycle has any increase is good. While the weight is movig forward onto the front, the exact opposite is happening to the rear. That tire is getting light and creating a smaller contact patch. If you apply too much force with the rear and not enough with the front you will easily induce rear lockup, except with the ABS it won't lock, so you have activation. Unlike a sport bike, you will not get a HD tourer to stand on the front tire so don't be afraid to use the front brake. Don't use two fingers on the front, use all four and try to get your fingers all the way out to the end, or ball, on the lever. This will give you the most mechanical advantage. Becasue most people use their left foot to brake in an atuomobile, the tendancy is to use too much rear brake in a panic/hard stop; just a matter of instinct.
Good luck
Neil
RDMC
#27
#29
ABS- just a note: I was riding 2-up 50 m.p.h. down a country road when several deer ran into the road right in front of us. I hit both front and back brakes hard(reaction). My bike stopped on a dime. Without ABS I would of hit the road/deer hard and took a dirt nap! Just my opinion. Ride safe.
I've been on the street for over 40 years and as good as I thought I could stop a motorcycle, that technology has my back like I never thought possible.
#30
I think some people are so sure of their braking skill that they feel ABS is sort of demeaning. An analogy would be automatic transmissions on motorcycles.
If Al Gore had invented the internet decades ago, people would have posted about the same resistance to change from manual to automatic transmissions. Now almost everything, even big trucks and busses, has automatic transmissions. And a lot of people don't know how to drive a stick.
I think the day will come when ABS is as common as automatic transmissions and nobody will give it a second thought. Just as a lot of people ride motorcycles today that wouldn't have considered doing that in the past.
If Al Gore had invented the internet decades ago, people would have posted about the same resistance to change from manual to automatic transmissions. Now almost everything, even big trucks and busses, has automatic transmissions. And a lot of people don't know how to drive a stick.
I think the day will come when ABS is as common as automatic transmissions and nobody will give it a second thought. Just as a lot of people ride motorcycles today that wouldn't have considered doing that in the past.
Last edited by rjg883c; 04-06-2014 at 09:43 PM.