11-11-2016, 01:45 AM
(11-10-2016, 10:05 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: " So, the car's ABS did zero to help this totally unskilled driver". I had a front row seat here."Yes, the car had ABS. It was a late-model Altima. I looked into this because I was surprised at what happened. I researched the year/model. The car is not, and has never been, available without ABS. Cars with ABS, contrary to popular belief, can and do skid under certain circumstances. I see it all the time. I, like most of us, own a car or two with ABS. I can get the wheels to lock on dry pavement and on the dirt.
If the Altima driver locked up all 4 wheels with smoke coming off the tires he did not have ABS, and the reason he lost control. A skidding object ( car or motorcycle) is an out of control vehicle, as you described.
A combination of skill and God's generosity has saved me more than once. Can't say it was all skill, there was obviously some divine intervention involved. The shakes afterwards were totally on me though. I have braked to the threshold of lock up many times though. It can be done with enough experience.
ABS is not perfect nor is it always a lifesaver and that's what the story illustrates. The driver stomped the brakes to the floor and also failed to steer the car properly.
That car spun around in complete 360-degree circles, several times, reversing direction as I stated. At one point I nearly could have reached out and touched it.
Sure, there will be some who just don't believe it, they think I am making this up, or couldn't possibly have pulled off this kind of save. That's OK. Believe it or don't believe it, doesn't matter.
It really is high time that more people took an interest in truly understanding the safety systems on our vehicles and what they can and can't do. ABS doesn't prevent lockup on a car under every circumstance, and it won't stop you faster on a motorcycle.
The sooner riders understand these things the sooner they'll divest themselves of a false sense of security and ride accordingly.
The only thing I am interested in is rider education, training, and safety, through better control of the motorcycle and better choices and strategies while riding.
I respect anyone's passion for whatever aspect of motorcycling they want to reflect through their involvement with their motorcycles. When we look at Nick Ienatsch as an example (and by no means am I a "fan" of Nick, we certainly don't agree on everything), here's a guy who has evolved over the decades and who has put safety, training, and education out there as his highest priority in terms of his journalistic output.
He and I share a very similar background, we started racing at the same club, we rode the same roads, we worked with the same people on many occasions, sometimes concurrently. Nick is right about safe riding and I present his words, along with Keith Code's, for the consideration of the over 3,000 members of this forum who are trying to sort out how to survive 30-40 years of motorcycling.
(11-10-2016, 10:13 PM)Django_imp Wrote: If your bike has ABS, it's a good ride to train to break as hard as possible just before locking, no harm, if you overdo.Yes, find a nice, clean stretch of pavement with no traffic and work on it.
Work up to it slowly.
The Ferret has reported, IIRC, he has still never gotten his bike to the state where the ABS has activated. So I'd guess it can be braked quite aggressively before it kicks in.
The key is learning to brake and turn at the same time.
In an emergency stop, we often need to slow dramatically and then release some or all braking in order to swerve. We can't swerve hard and still brake.
Many of these riding schools have drills where this is practiced but not to any great extent.
Talking about it on a forum can't pass along the skill, only practice.
Learning to do this on a heavy bike like the CB1100 is out of the question. One needs some light, small motorcycle, like a small dual-sport/ADV machine around 200cc or so, to work with. But many or most won't ever have that opportunity.
The only other option is to get as familiar with your CB1100 as you can, and adjust your riding habits to keep you as far from having to pull off a save or emergency maneuver as possible.
(11-10-2016, 05:23 AM)Rebel73_imp Wrote: You can train all you want to be proficient at braking, but at the moment of truth, when panic and adrenaline kick in, are you sure you won't lock them up? The statistics are out there. Riders with ABS are 33% less likely to be in a fatal crash.Yes you can, and I wish more riders would. One single track day with good outfit can forever transform a rider's skill set.