ABS vs Upgraded Brakes

[BA BUSA]

I think that is an over simplification of ABS. Race bikes have ABS these days and they use it in the wet and the dry. what ABS does is make really good stops in all sorts of situations. Do you need it? Maybe, but its better at stopping than we are over 10 stops, and its going to keep getting better.

The ABS system on a $1,000,000 MotoGP bike
is not the same as you will find on a Hayabusa.
Many of today's racers would prefer to turn
off the traction control, ABS, telemetry, etc etc...and just race.

 

[fallenarch]

True but it would not be there if it didn't work. Ride don't want to get rid of electronics because they don't work, it's the oppsite. It makes everyone equal because the bike is so skillful.

 

[BA BUSA]

True but it would not be there if it didn't work. Ride don't want to get rid of electronics because they don't work, it's the oppsite. It makes everyone equal because the bike is so skillful.

The electronics make the race bike easier to ride (control) not
faster, some of the best riders are faster WITHOUT all the Techno
mumbo jumbo...the computers and sensors make the weaker
riders faster and safer. The factories don't want anybody to get
killed, or to have their big$$$ machine all wadded up.

 

[Great White North EH]

I know I am a newbie but for what it's worth my much beloved 01 has a nice set of Galfer brakes front and rear with steel braided lines and the are GREAT!! Predictable smooth yet very firm positive control even under heavy use they shed the heat and do not fade. I feel like they work well with the rest of the bike, suspension and so on I have total faith in then as I dive into a corner or when something unexpected comes my way.
I welcome the opinions of my brethren.

 

[Telboy2000]

The ABS system on a $1,000,000 MotoGP .

What ABS...if they had state of the art ABS then no-one would loose the front on the brakes into corners...KTM have an ABS system that on their road bikes prevents lowsides so IF ABS was allowed in racing they'd all have it.

 

[fallenarch]

The electronics make the race bike easier to ride (control) not
faster, some of the best riders are faster WITHOUT all the Techno
mumbo jumbo...the computers and sensors make the weaker
riders faster and safer. The factories don't want anybody to get
killed, or to have their big$$$ machine all wadded up.

Not so buddy. If you look at racing video from just 10 years ago there were lots of massive high sides. Those were pretty much gone until a couple of years ago when teams started cutting back on TC to allow riders to slide the rear wheel around corners. Rider aids make good riders faster, proven fact (proven mainly by the fact that every single one of them is using them). When you see Mark Marquez break speed records he is doing it with a lot of electronics controlling traction, engine backpressure, engine response, etc. MotoGP bikes even have GPS now so that their electronic aids can be customized to each corner on the track! Electronics allow bikes to do things they never could before. A lot of this is simply due to being able to change the bike's performance to work better with different track condition. Look at track records pre-electronics and post-electronics and you will see a large jump in lower times. With the possible exception of tuning the resonance of frame members for constructive flex, there have not been any major revolutionary changes in the mechanical technologies of MotoGP bikes in nearly a decade. These faster lap times are coming from electronics.

I'm not an electronics lover, I like the idea of keeping things mechanical so the best man wins. But the debate over electronics on making bikes faster and safer is already been won by electronics.

 

[BA BUSA]

Oh, ok...so all I need to go fast is some new fangeled wiz
bang computer and a bunch of sensors...lol

 

[fallenarch]

That's what you need to go faster, but that doesn't mean you can go as fast as a MotoGP rider. Every rider on that grid is light years more talented than any of us mortals. But the fastest MotoGP guys openly admit that the fastest riders are the ones who can use the electronics to their advantage and style of riding. If I went out and bought myself a 2015 Repsol Honda MotoGP bike I would probably find it unridable! The electronics on race bikes make things possible that would not be possible without rider aids. For example running a 260 hp motor in a bike that weighs 350 lbs. Without electronics a rider's life expectancy would be about 4 races! Today riders have to be able to adapt themselves to the riding styles that can leverage the electronics and get at the potential of these machines. Unfortunately this includes things like rider weight and height. This is why riders who would have possibly been world champions 10 years ago can barely stay up with the MotoGP grid. Examples are Nicky Haden (who actually was world champion pre-electronics, but was dumped by Honda for Pedrosa because Nicky was too heavy) & Cal Crutchlow. This makes Rossi's current performance even more remarkable because he is very big for a top 5 MotoGP rider.

Is this technology a good thing? I don't know but a lot of racers are going to move to WSB because it's a class that lets many size rider with many styles compete and win. Good debate though my friend.

Ride safely!

 

[BA BUSA]

Your preaching to the choir Brother