stuart@rochester.UUCP (03/19/86)
In article <7800003@hpfcmt>, gt@hpfcmt writes: > >/***** hpfcmt:net.cycle / lewey!jrg / 1:21 am Mar 6, 1986*/ > >Now that computerized anti-skid brakes are getting pretty common on > >cars (at least the higher priced models) is this trend being seen > >in motorcycles as well? Seems like it could be useful for front/rear > Trust me, there are times when you really need to lock up the brakes. > ... I'm coming from a racer's bias and I don't think you'll see them > on race bikes I am going to contradict gt (I think). When you lock up your brakes you LOSE stopping power. When the wheel isn't turning you're just scraping the tire on the road. That produces less stopping force that when the tire is in rolling contact with the road and you're scraping the disk against the pads. The greatest braking force is produced just SHORT of locking up the wheels. If you lock them up, you instantly lose (1) maximum braking force, and (2) whatever directional control you had, and (3) whatever stability you had. If you're a pro rider or had lots of dirt experience you can (probably) handle the control and stability. Panic city for most people, me included. Now, about anti-lock. What an anti-lock system does is keep the brakes just short of locking. It lets you get up to the maximum braking force and keeps you from losing it by going too far. It does this by sensing the wheel rotation and when the wheel is just about to seize, easing up a little on the brake pressure. The British guy, Setwright, I think it is, who has a column in Rider, wrote within the last couple of years about a test bike he rode maybe 8 or 10 years ago (!) that was equipped with anti-lock. He swore it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have to agree. I haven't ridden a bike with them, but I read reports about them and they look awfully good. When will we see them? I dunno. Gt's right about the race bikes, though. Pro's have good enough equipment, enough experience, and keen control that adding an anti-lock to a race bike would be just excess weight. Now if gt wants to lock the wheels so he can dive into the corner sideways, he's got the option. I'll stay rolling just a tad more sedately, though. :-) Stu Friedberg {seismo,allegra}!rochester!stuart stuart@rochester