I have been wanting/thinking about/hoping for better lockup prevention for my brakes, especially the rear brakes, on my Road Glide. I have practiced quick/emergency stops, but I still occasionally chirp the rear tire. I think this is especially easy to do on Touring bikes with that big pedal, as the weight shifts to the front wheel in a quick stop. I have yet to do a real life all-out emergecny stop, but my fear would be, at higher speeds, locking up the rear, instictively (but incorrectly) letting off, and high-siding.

Everyone seems to like the abs systems on Hondas and Beemers. Harley's system on the 05 and later Police models gets lower reviews, from what I can tell, plus it takes up 1/2 a saddlebag. I've read that retro-fitting the Harley abs to a non-abs bike would be very expensive, if even possible at all. I also know that many folks, especially many "oldertimers", think that abs does not belong on motorcycles.

I have however, come across a device that may have some potential, at least for me. Here is the website:

www.lifesavertcb.com

Incidentally, tcb stands for traction control braking.

When I found the website, I read up on it, and then called the company. I ended up having them send me a unit for me to test on my glide. I have no affiliation with this company, and I am offereing my results to provide information for anyone who may be interested. The device, as I understand it, basically reduces pressure spikes in the brake line pressure, spikes that tend to lead to wheel lock-up. It is not a true anti-lock braking system, that micro-second by micro-second, controls pressure and reverses actual lock-up. However, it looks to me like it might be a reasonally priced add-on that could actually work/help.

After reading and researching some on riding safely, it seems to me that improper braking accounts for many accidents. I was out just last Sunday. I was doing about 45 on a country backroad, and I approached an intersection. I had good visability, and could see a car approaching from the left that would arrive at the intersection about the same time as me. She had a stop sign; I did not. I slowed a little, downshifted, and covered the brake. Just as I neared the intersection, it looked as if she was going to turn left in front of me (imagine that). My instinct was to slow quickly, and I applied both brakes. In doing so, I momentarily locked up my rear brake. She did see me, and then stopped quickly, but was out in the road a little. I then continued on. It was by no means an emergecny stop, just a quick slow-down. Even if she had pulled out in front of me, I was slow enough at that point that I could have avoided her. My point is though, that if and when (actually when) I need to stop right now because a car or a deer or a tire or etc., etc. is in my way, I fear locking up the brakes, especially the rear.

These tcb devices come in four ranges, listed as colors, of pressure spike reduction:

Green - allows the most amount of wheel "slip"/least likelyhood of lockup (mainly for light/dirt bikes)
Red - allows moderate wheel "slip", but less than the green
Orange - allows even less wheel "slip"
Blue - allows the least amount of wheel "slip"

Read "slip" as sort of anti-lock braking.

I have worked it out with the tcb folks to work on my rear brakes first, and then move to the front. My inital thought is that I want more "slip" on the rear, and alot less "slip" on the front. So, I have a "red" that I just installed on my rear brake. If and when I move to the front, I will go with the blue. I want kickbutt brakes up front, and brakes that will be hard to lock-up on the rear. Yet, I want the rears to be effective, and to work well at low speeds, and during parking lot/friction zone riding. 90% of our braking comes from up front on our touring bikes (2 calipers/disks up front vs. 1 in the rear, and due to weight trasnsfer to the front wheel).

 

Interesting post! I hit a deer last year. Cruising at 75 a deer came from "nowhere". I panicked, never got to the front brake just locked up the rear. I was very fortunate in that I was well balanced and going straight. I let off the brake just as I hit the deer, probably 30mph and was able to stay up. Although I used most of the three lans and ended up on the shoulder.

I would not like an abs. But I would consider a proportional braking system. That said, I guess I'd try anything that would help stopping or slowing more safely. A friend told me of a BMW that you could barke moderatly in a corner in the rain and stay up.

Thanks for the detail and please continue as you learn more

 

Very interesting....please keep us posted on your findings

Karl

 

I can't imagine only having ABS on the rear. it seems like not having ABS on the front that it could be a real problem if you got on the front binders more than the rear.

I don't understand how the ABS system works so it may not be a problem.

I have been wondering about having ABS on my '03 Ultra Classic. I've already had to lock up the rear a couple of time to avoid a collision.

 

Ever take the beginner MSF course? They teach you how to brake in a safe manner while in "panic" mode. One exercise is using the rear brake only, just to show how inefficient this practice is......and one locks up the tire and skids to a stop.
I'd like you to try this maneuver and report back. Do it in an empty parking lot. Eyes straight ahead, head up, shift into second. Pull in the clutch and hit the rear brake hard enough to lock-up the rear and skid to a stop and put your left foot down. Love to hear about the effectiveness of this little device.

Thanks for the tip on the website.......sure will take a hard look.

 

OK, got a little seat time with the tcb. Also did some testing (before and after). Here are my initial results:

Prior to putting the tcb on, I went out to the local high school parking lot and set up a practice area. Laid out a 100' tape measure, starting at a white line on a crosswalk. Put cones along the tape every 10'. I decided to start by doing rear brake only stops, from 20, 30, and 40 mph. (Note - I would never attempt to stop with the rear brake only, except from very low speeds. I was doing this only to test the device). I did 2 practice runs at each speed, just to get the feel. I tried to stop as fast as I could without locking up the rear tire. I also noted if I did lock up the rear, even briefly, for each stop. Here is the info for each stop, and an average. I tried to start my braking just as my front tire hit the white line (0'). After I stopped, I got off the bike, and measured to the closest foot, from the front tire:

Note - I had never practiced this type of stop.

20 MPH

31' No lock-up
27' No lock-up
25' No lock-up
28' Brief lock-up
32' Brief lock-up

Average distance, 20 MPH, rear brake only, Pre-tcb - 28.6'

30 MPH

72' No lock-up
60' No lock-up
67' Brief lock-up
63' Brief lock-up
62' Brief lock-up

Average distance, 30 MPH, rear brake only, Pre-tcb - 64.8'

Decided not to do the 40 MPH rear-only test. Thought I would have run well over 100', and didn't want to risk lockup at that speed.

Next, I did two full/"panic" stop practices (front/rear brakes), at each of the three speeds:

Note - I have practiced this type of stop several times previously.

20 MPH

14' No lock-up
12' No lock-up

Average - 13'

30 MPH

36' Brief lock-up
37' No lock-up

Average - 36.5'

40 MPH

66' No lock-up
68' No lock-up

Average - 67'



Now, Here are those same tests, done with the tcb on the rear. For the record, I tried to make everything as similar as possible. Same exact test location. Filled up the gas tank just prior, just as in the first tests. 36 psi front, 38 psi rear, just as before. Hot day, dry pavement, etc. Here are the results:

20 MPH

25' Brief lock-up
30' Brief lock-up
31' Brief lock-up
29' No lock-up
26' No lock-up

Average distance, 20 MPH, rear brake only, After tcb - 28.2'

30 MPH

55' Brief lock-up
59' Brief lock-up
55' No lock-up
60' Brief lock-up
55' No lock-up

Average distance, 30 MPH, rear brake only, After tcb - 56.8'

Again, decided not to do the 40 MPH rear-only test. Same reasons as before.

Again, I did two full/"panic" stop practices (front/rear brakes), at each of the three speeds with the tcb:

20 MPH

15' No lock-up
15' No lock-up

Average - 15'

30 MPH

33' No lock-up
30' Brief lock-up

Average - 31.5'

40 MPH

59' No lock-up
53' Brief front lock-up

Average - 56'

Figuring it all out, My thoughts:

What does all this mean? I was suprised how easily the rear locks up, with or without the tcb installed, using only the rear brake. I could not feel much seat of the pants difference in how easily it locked up with or without the device. However, I stopped quicker with the device installed. Maybe it was the cumualative practice? Maybe not? Again, I had practiced "panic" stops, so using both brakes to stop quickly was not new to me. I stopped shorter with the device on.

I was also much more consistent in using both brakes, than when just using the rear brake, which is to be expected.

I think I would like to try the "green" tcb on the rear before moving on. I want to see if that reduces the tendancy for the rear to lockup even further.

 

Great post and test efforts. Appreciate the work! Interesting results........keep us informed. Very good point on the practice............every time I ride I practice something, whether it is a tighter turn, smoother stop, whatever.

 

I'm a Sheriff's Deputy and although I am not a Motor Officer, I do know many friends who are. I have spoken to many who speak about threshold braking and how they don't need ABS. On the other hand I have seen many cops lay down a bike by locking the rear and or front brake. No matter how many times you practice braking, you cannot overcome the "Oh Sheeeet" factor when something pulls out or runs out in front of you. Your gut reaction is to brake and do it suddenly. I was behind a rider on a Harley Ultra a few years ago on a group ride. A deer ran out in front of him and he locked up the front since his feet were on the highway pegs, then let off. The front end got squirrly so he locked up the rear. By now he was all over the road and slid into an oncoming pickup head on. This guy was an experienced rider too.

I have checked into the HD system, which is not available yet. They are testing it out with the Police bikes and have had some problems the last few years. This little gizmo you have shown us looks promising. Do you know of any HD magazines that have tested it?

P.S. I would pay about 2K to have ABS installed. It is worth it to me.

 

I have some seat time on a BMW 1150RT with ABS. In a panic situation it is amazing how quickly I could get that bike down from speed, seriously amazing. I feel it was great insurance, and luckily except for practicing panic stops it was something I don't think I ever had to use (it was difficult to tell when it had engaged so perhaps it did save my butt unknowingly to me).

I would absolutely pay extra for it on my Road Glide, and likely move up to a newer model Road Glide should they offer it in the near future. I consider myself an experienced rider with good braking skills, however you just never know whats going to happen on the road and all it takes is once to make it all worth it to me.

 

Doug, thanks for a tremendous post!!
I really appreciate all your effort and will be watching the other responses. I sure hope MoCo is paying attention to this issue. I have an '06 Road Glide that I love, with way more aftermarket stuff done to it than I would be willing to admit to my wife. However, I would take a bath on the bike, and go buy a new one in a heartbeat, if HD came out with a first-rate abs system on its new models.
("Walking away from a potential accident... Priceless!!!")