Anti-lock brake system question

[ShawnD]

Does the front & rear brakes work independently of each other when either wheel locks up, meaning, if I lock up the front wheel, only the front wheel gets the ABS activated?

 

[Itgoes]

Does the front & rear brakes work independently of each other when either wheel locks up, meaning, if I lock up the front wheel, only the front wheel gets the ABS activated?

Yes.

 

[Itgoes]

Yes.

In my experience it is very easy to kick in the ABS in the rear. The rear brake has kind of a "wooden" feel to me and when you use it with any real urgency you will feel the antilocks system activate.

I've only felt the front go to work maybe a half a dozen times. It's much more exciting you will get a real good shudder in the front end as the brakes pulse. That's if you are in a high traction surface and the front tire is biting.

I've heard that the antilocks really suck on cobblestone.....which makes sense if you think about it.

 

[Itgoes]

Personally I love the antilock brakes. To know you can grab the brakes as hard as you want and not worry about locking up a wheel is fantastic. Anyone who's panic stopped and locked up their front wheel I think would have to agree you're usually down in milliseconds when that happens. Broken collarbone time or worse.

I don't ride the VMax in the rain on purpose but I would think the antilocks are big benefit in that type of weather.

I wouldn't buy another bike without them if they are available on that particular model.

 

[ShawnD]

Thanks Mark. I had a reason for asking about if each tire worked independently. Ordered a set of stainless lines but only for the front. Got a call from the business I ordered from, told me when they ordered them from Galfer they highly recommended buying the rear lines claiming they weren't sure they would work the same because of the difference in pressure between stock rubber lines & the braided ones. I'm calling BS on that. If they work independent of each other I don't see how it can pose a problem. Rear brakes only contribute a small percentage of the braking effort if you're doing it right so I don't see a need to increase it's performance. You're right about it being a bit wooden. I have rearsets & they improve that a bit, a little more travel helps moderate better but I tend to use the rear brake only to throw weight forward. I don't add more to it...the front brake is the one that gets more progressive squeeze when the situation dictates. I've never had a bike with abs before & I'm not knocking it. But I've never locked the front on any bike in the 35 years of riding so I'm not going to say I'll never do without it either. It might keep me from sliding on asphalt but abs isn't guaranteed to give you the best stopping distances. It even says that much in the service manual. I used to think bikes had an advantage over auto's in braking. Was very much surprised to find nearly the exact opposite is true. And that doesn't take into account a person's reaction time, which will probably have more impact on whether or not you're going to hit something that can possibly outbreak you. Don't watch the guy in front of you, watch the guy in front of him, put more distance between you & the car ahead, keep the brakes serviced, etc. I'll trust that more than trying to figure out exactly how much I can squeeze that lever before a wheel is going to lock. I read one review of the bike that stated ABS systems vary from bike to bike, but specifically stating on the vmax they tested, both wheels locked up for a split second before the system kicked in & restored traction. He didn't loose it but said it did catch him by surprise. But that scenario will ONLY work in a straight line since ABS doesn't have any bearing on if the tire starts to slide sideways...it's only when the wheel stops turning ABS will do anything.

 

[The One]

Thanks Mark. I had a reason for asking about if each tire worked independently. Ordered a set of stainless lines but only for the front. Got a call from the business I ordered from, told me when they ordered them from Galfer they highly recommended buying the rear lines claiming they weren't sure they would work the same because of the difference in pressure between stock rubber lines & the braided ones. I'm calling BS on that. If they work independent of each other I don't see how it can pose a problem. Rear brakes only contribute a small percentage of the braking effort if you're doing it right so I don't see a need to increase it's performance. You're right about it being a bit wooden. I have rearsets & they improve that a bit, a little more travel helps moderate better but I tend to use the rear brake only to throw weight forward. I don't add more to it...the front brake is the one that gets more progressive squeeze when the situation dictates. I've never had a bike with abs before & I'm not knocking it. But I've never locked the front on any bike in the 35 years of riding so I'm not going to say I'll never do without it either. It might keep me from sliding on asphalt but abs isn't guaranteed to give you the best stopping distances. It even says that much in the service manual. I used to think bikes had an advantage over auto's in braking. Was very much surprised to find nearly the exact opposite is true. And that doesn't take into account a person's reaction time, which will probably have more impact on whether or not you're going to hit something that can possibly outbreak you. Don't watch the guy in front of you, watch the guy in front of him, put more distance between you & the car ahead, keep the brakes serviced, etc. I'll trust that more than trying to figure out exactly how much I can squeeze that lever before a wheel is going to lock. I read one review of the bike that stated ABS systems vary from bike to bike, but specifically stating on the vmax they tested, both wheels locked up for a split second before the system kicked in & restored traction. He didn't loose it but said it did catch him by surprise. But that scenario will ONLY work in a straight line since ABS doesn't have any bearing on if the tire starts to slide sideways...it's only when the wheel stops turning ABS will do anything.

The VMax has Combo-brakes...so if you hit the front brakes hard the system will use the rear brake as well, I have felt it so I am 100% on that...easy test otherwise...just place your foot so you just feel the pedal and then hit the front brakes hard and then you will feel a movement in the pedal!