SV650 K6 rumours?

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Is it legal to have the option to switch it off?

Yes. BMW's ABS system is switchable and also several performance cars are too. The benefit here is that if in the dry you like more control then it can be off and if it starts to rain then you can switch it on - your choice.


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[northwind]

I'd love ABS for mine... For a toy it's a drawback but for those of us who use the bike for the dauily grind it could literally be a lifesaver. I reckon in a real world road riding situation I'd stop faster with ABS every time- there's been a few tests where realyl experienced riders have been able to beat the ABS, but only in planned braking runs, not "Oh dear, a u-turning taxi" situations.

Precisely.


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I don't think there's any difference in the disks. You just have that extra notched ring for the sensor to pick up whats going on. I also dont think there's much difference in service costs, unless you have servos like on some BMs but could be wrong there. I know mine's more tricky to service due to some brake mullarkey but don't think its the ABS per-se. On mine its switch-off-able for gravel etc.

A lot of the BM old-school seem to dislike the ABS idea, but I think that may also be aimed at the servo-assisted systems which the fat old b******s claim fails and causes all sorts of complications. Who knows......

There's also the 'an experienced rider shouldnt need it argument' and it can make you complacent. Both complete rubbish IMO. Just because I've got ABS doesnt make me complacent and experienced riders still suffer the totally unexpected. WHo knows again.....

Personally I'd rather have ABS help me save it.

Anyway, the main thing is what shape and colour it will be

I heard the next model will be called the KY

ABS ? Linked brakes ? Not for me thanks. I am by no means a great and experienced rider but if I am in control of a vehicle I want it to be just that. The idea of an automated system kicking in unrequested does not appeal in the slightest. I have never locked the front in an emergency stop, but have still lifted the rear in such situations so obviously pulled the lever hard enough without electronic help. Each to their own but please don't remove my choice.

Good god, I hope that ABS or, god forbid - traction control, never comes anywhere near a bike I will ever ride!

I don't like it much in cars due to the fact that I actually know how to drive and brake properly.

At the moment, my (company) car - a 51 reg Ford Mondeo 2.0 litre Duratec Estate - is off the road and I have my Boss' 52 reg Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI... as the Passat is worth more money (new & second hand) and is considered the better car, I was somewhat shocked the forst time I drove it to find that it is frankly, IMO, Bloody awful!
It has a really stiff, rigid chassis but that is mated to soft, wallowy suspension (I imagine to improve the ride) which means it won't go round corners properly as it tries to fall over or throw you into a hedge!
It gets around the rolling problem with shed-loads of electronics, in the form of traction control and stability control. BUT it's rather primitive & it will cut the power (when not wanted!) and then just re-apply it at full whack again! That, in the wet, nearly caused me to have a head-on collision, as I was going round a left-hander, the front right tyre started to slide a little and a little understeer started. So I apply a little more throttle to power out of it but the traction control doesn't like that, so it cuts the power, then re applies it again! Pushing me a good 2 or 3 feet into the opposite lane - where there was a big Mercedes estate hurtling towards me!
So - I turn them off now but they don't turn off completely as the power doesn't do what my right foot is doing!!
The Mondeo handles MUCH better as it has a better chassis/suspension set up and doesn't rely on any electronics to make it acceptable to the masses.

Later the same day, I had chutz in the car... We were going down a 40mph road near us, it's vaguely steep down hill and round a corner with poor visibility. It was also wet.
There turned out to be roadworks on the road but there were no warning signs until you had turned the corner, leaving you with pretty much no stopping distance...

I applied the brake.

The wheels didn't slide but the ABS cut in - cue a big slide.

Re-apply the brake again - cue the ABS again & another slide.

And again...

And again!!

Were it not for the fact that I know how to brake and steer in a skid situation in a car, I would have been in the back of the car in front...

Also - if it were not for the ABS, I would have stopped about 5 metres earlier!

What speed was I doing?

LESS than the speed limit!!


The ABS in my Mondeo is better but not by much. I have never really found ABS in cars to be all it's made out to be. Don't get me wrong - it has stopped me well one or two times - but more often than not, it simply removed my ability to stop properly or feel what the hell is going on with the brakes!

I know car manufacturers are trying to save people from themselves, and looking at the driving of the majority of people on the roads each day, I can see why - But as I have found, it could be more harm than good.

People should learn how to use their brakes and how to handle a vehicle NOT rely on a computer stopping them from making a right royal ****-up!

Sorry for the rant but as chutz will confirm - I hate that car with a passion and it did try to kill us both yesterday!

[northwind]

You're not comparing like with like though... A car that doesn't handle doesn't handle, regardless of what electronics you bolt to it. It's the rubbish suspension, not the electronics, that are the problem.

And frankly, it sounds like the ABS was knackered...

Does ABS help with braking whilst cornering?

On Sunday I had my first front wheel skid whilst having to break very hard very late on the curve approaching a roundabout. I managed (just) to keep the bike up and not hit anything but it was close.

By the way, I know it is inadvisable to break whilst turning - but I had no real alternative here!

Thoughts?

Martin

Only ever locked the wheels once (in the micra) when slowing down way too fast after I'd only had it a few months. Went into a massive slide, clouds of white smoke. uh oh... took foot off brake, reapplied more lightly and stopped (before ploughing into the elise in front that I'd been trying to keep up with)

Bloke in elise then turns around - "do you need any toilet paper!?" - "no thanks!"