Test/Practice/Describe Front Brake ABS activiation (GSF650SA) | GTAMotorcycle.com

Test/Practice/Describe Front Brake ABS activiation (GSF650SA)

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aataulla

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So i bought a "new" used bike Bandit 650 (2007 model GSF650SA - 4cyl, FI, ABS) the pre-facelift GSX650F this season and have got 2000km on it. Getting more comfortable on it every day and loving it as a massive upgrade from a carburettor based Ninja 250. Tried all the sport and touring bikes to get to this decision closest competitor FZ6R didnt have ABS was lighter but not as comfortable. Both are excellent bikes though.

Anyway to the point: For those of you who (a) have ABS bikes and (b) have been able to get the front one to kick: Can you (i) describe the sensation, sounds, feeling on your bike (name and model please)

Rear ABS activation on the GSF650 is a repetitive loud clunking with strong kickback on the brake pedal. I've never been able to get the front to kick in. I have a habit of braking progressively and typically meet very aggressive braking targets in parking lots without jamming on the front. I am in the school of thought that as long as the rears work, there is no ABS fault, there is no need to get obsessed with activating/testing the front. Just practice braking and hope ABS keeps you safe when you panic brake. Yes I understand there is evidence to support ABS can be a negative when braking in *some* conditions, so lets keep this discussion to personal experiences with ABS on specific models rather than personal opinion of ABS in general :)
 
On my K13S the abs seems to be fairy subtle (unlike it's traction control), no feeling through the levers but you can hear a bit of a howl but that is all. No disrespect but my guess is your soozook ABS is not quite as refined (not that BMW is always refined).
 
On a tour in Europe through the Alps I was on a rented 2012 Kawasaki Versys with Abs. It kicked in a few times, and to be honest, felt like a warped front disc under hard braking. The lever had a wee bit of feedback, nothing that would cause you to come off the lever and let it roll.

I had a Honda VFR interceptor with ABS and I had to really really brake hard to engage it, so I think I only ever recall needing it on Route 144 in Pennsylvania on a downhill stretch when a deer ran out in front of me. Again it felt like chattering from the front with a bit of lever feedback.

When instructing, we were given a Honda CBR250 with ABS to demonstrate in front of the students, and I had to ride and brake about seven times before I felt comfortable enough to grab a handful of brake and completely trust the front braking. The abs was brilliant and again felt like a warped disc with a touch of lever feedback.
 
Nice to see another fellow bandit rider.

I have a '12 650f. Not sure if they updated the brakes for the 08+ bandits from the previous gen. I test the brakes beyond threshold at the start of the season in an empty parking lot and have activated the abs on the front wheel. You really need to squeeze hard to activate the front. The feeling I get when front abs activated is heavy pulsating with clunking noises. Trust me.... You'll feel it when it's activated.

Next time you test the front don't hesitate to grab the hell out of the front lever.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2
 
That is the hard part, that trust.
 
I would suggest that you do NOT make it a habit of using rear brakes as your primary reaction.
In fact try not to use it at all unless:
1. you have a passenger and coming to a stop
2. you are on gravel
3. it's wet and you are slowing
4. you are riding slowly (gas station or parking lot) then only use the rear brake if you have to
 
Really depends on the bike. Can't feel any kick out of my RSV4 or the CBR I tried... and I did provoke ABS (not the smartest thing but how can you trust what you don't know). You will feel the brakes back off, though...

On the flip side, I've felt them on a mid-2000s BMW and it was plainly obvious that ABS was working... lever pulse and chassis pulse.

So the point is: not all ABS setups are the same, and I'd guess that ABS on a more budget-minded bike like the Bandit would be more obvious.
 
If you're just wanting to know whether it's working or not all you have to do is look at the light in the dash.IF it comes on when you turn the key on(bulb check) and goes out shortly thereafter or when the bike starts to move then it's working.If the light doesn't come on for a bulb check then someone probably pulled the bulb to cover up the fact that it's not working.The fact that you said the back was definitely working meens that the front will work or the light would be on all the time.BTW on my 04 1800 Wing there is no noise,clunking,banging etc... but you can feel the bike sort of surging as the pressure is being dumped/applied/dumped/applied to the wheel that is trying to lock up.
 
-D- said:
I would suggest that you do NOT make it a habit of using rear brakes as your primary reaction.
In fact try not to use it at all unless:
1. you have a passenger and coming to a stop
2. you are on gravel
3. it's wet and you are slowing
4. you are riding slowly (gas station or parking lot) then only use the rear brake if you have to
Click to expand...

It really depends on the bike and the riding style. Dualsports, cruisers etc. It's more of a 60/40 split, and on some bikes a 50/50. Of course you recommend engine braking so it acts as a rear brake so you would need to lighten up on the rear.

I'm on a Versys 650 without ABS and it likes rear brake to shorten up the stopping distance and adds stability.
A common newb mistake is to downshift and use too much engine braking combined with rear brake. It causes a rear end lock up and possible fish tail.

Linked ABS is brilliant for Street bikes.
 
Rotten_Ronnie said:
It really depends on the bike and the riding style. Dualsports, cruisers etc. It's more of a 60/40 split, and on some bikes a 50/50. Of course you recommend engine braking so it acts as a rear brake so you would need to lighten up on the rear.

I'm on a Versys 650 without ABS and it likes rear brake to shorten up the stopping distance and adds stability.
A common newb mistake is to downshift and use too much engine braking combined with rear brake. It causes a rear end lock up and possible fish tail.

Linked ABS is brilliant for Street bikes.
Click to expand...

You are correct. I was referring to sport bikes primarily.
 
On the Ninja 300, i've found it's fairly hard to actually get it to activate. The only time I was able to get the front to activate was on a paving stone road, it had next to none or no lever feedback. All the feedback was felt through the front end wobbling up and down as it pulsed the brakes. The rear end was even harder to get to activate, and I could only get it to kick on, on a road covered in rafts of wet leaves (going slow, for SCIENCE) where there was also no lever feedback felt, and I could feel the back end wobbling left and right as it was trying to brake on the super slick surface.
 
Joots said:
On the Ninja 300, i've found it's fairly hard to actually get it to activate. The only time I was able to get the front to activate was on a paving stone road, it had next to none or no lever feedback. All the feedback was felt through the front end wobbling up and down as it pulsed the brakes. The rear end was even harder to get to activate, and I could only get it to kick on, on a road covered in rafts of wet leaves (going slow, for SCIENCE) where there was also no lever feedback felt, and I could feel the back end wobbling left and right as it was trying to brake on the super slick surface.
Click to expand...

... For science... I love it! :-D
 
My F800R has ABS and I can feel it in the pedal and the lever when it activates. For me it just feels like a gentle pulsing in the leaver. I got a chance to test it out at one of the track / street riding schools I took this season. It's not terribly intrusive when you just mash on the brakes you can feel it working but it's not as scary as say the ABS in my car which feels like the hulk is trying to punch through my floorboards lol
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