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ABS on the '07s...

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86K views 93 replies 52 participants last post by  stantaur  
M
#1 · (Edited)
Monday afternoon I found myself with my thighs on my tank, my chest on my gauge cluster, and a great view of my front end at full compression thinking "Wow, I am so f*****g glad I bought the model with ABS"...

I bought this bike back in October, the ABS was more of an accident than anything else. The last '07 naked on the showroom floor just happened to be an ABS model. I was debating on waiting to see if a used one rolled in, or trying to get financing on a brand new one. I'd like to say the ABS on the new one made my choice, but it was really the finance manager shoe-horning me into a 0 down, <200 a month payment. This is my first bike, most of my previous experience comes from tooling around the neighborhood on a friend's (old) 450 cruiser, not quite the same as blasting through the city on a SV650.

Since I've bought the bike I ride with a friend who's had 20+ years of riding twice a week. We'd been doing parking lot practice for the things you don't really want to do in traffic, and he'd never been really happy with my panic stop practice. I'm not really comfortable blasting through parking lots higher than 20-ish. Monday afternoon, we decided to take the long way to our favorite coffee shop. Approaching the traffic light at Sabino and Kolb, the light went yellow, and my friend revved his engine up. I saw him throttle up, so I did too. I had forgotten that light has a particularly short yellow, until I realized I had just passed my friend.

I vaguely remember thinking to "squeeze, not grab" the brake, unfortunately I had already grabbed a handful of brake, was shoving the foot brake down, and was working on a down shift before I finished "squeeze". The front end slammed down, my skinny (115 lbs) ass was thrown forward, and that's when I had the moment I described above. I have to say, the SV has a very nice front end, but I really think I'd like dual lights better. Somehow, in a moment of clarity, or absolute insanity, I remembered "You go where you look, don't ride the front tire" so I snapped my head up, and stared at the white line marking the stop point. I very intensely watched the line get closer, and closer, until my front tire met it, and the front end sprang back up. I managed to get myself upright and my foot down, and that's when my buddy rolled up and yelled "I told you that bike would stop fast."

So, as to how well the ABS works. Well, I didn't slide into the intersection. That's always a plus. I've been driving cab the last few years, just over half the cars have ABS, and about a third actually have a working controller unit. Normally in a car the only indication I triggered the ABS is the little blinky light on the dash. This time I couldn't actually see my gauges, with my chest being thrown over the bars, so I couldn't tell you what the light looks like. I did notice at points it felt like the bike was actually sliding. I would assume that's the ABS releasing the brake and then reapplying it. I thought at first it was the brake locking and then being released, but looking over my shoulder (road surface was very sun bleached concrete) I didn't see any black patches. My buddy said he noticed at points the front end rose slightly, and then went back down. Apparently the process is more visible on a sub 400 lb bike than a car.

So far I haven't willingly taken the bike out in the rain, or got caught in it. The ABS works pretty well on dry concrete, so I imagine it'd work just as well (or better) on asphalt. Initially I wasn't thrilled about the higher sticker price, I'd even debated waiting for the '08s. Having pulled that stop yesterday, without doing an endo, I'd say my position has changed. The extra $500 isn't a whole lot over a 5 year financing plan. I feel more confident on the bike now, I'd heard horror stories of people locking up the front wheel. Doesn't seem to be an issue with ABS, in fact, next week I might practice my trail braking...Nexus242

Edit, it occured to me to mention we'd been doing about 45 approaching the intersection
 
#2 ·
after seeing videos of how well motorcycle ABS systems work on youtube, I am also very impressed. If i were to buy a sport touring bike it would definately be an abs model. Next time grip your tank with your thighs to control your weight when you're making sudden speed changes on the bike.
 
B
#24 ·
I did the same thing, I don't know how many years though when I bought mine new in 2005 I got some APR special and put $500 down and only pay $100 a month, but I did landscaping and it was seasonal so it worked for me. kinda does suck when you think about it... but ehh i got a bike to ride to w/e
 
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M
#7 · (Edited)
Well, normally I try to predict what's going to happen (after 2 years driving a cab I usually know when a bonehead is going to do something stupid before he does.) In this case, my friend wanted to make me panic stop and tricked me pretty good. I was also referring to looks, as opposed to function. At 115 lbs I can probably just toss some cartridge emulators in and not worry about the rest until it starts to wear out.

Edited because Ebrown types fast: Yeah, I went through Suzuki. It's not optimal, and there's no early payment penalty, so writing a check for more than the minimum just pays the bike off sooner. I just wanted a monthly minimum below $200. Cab business slows down in the summer out here, having a buffer is always nice. I also opted for a service plan, because I can be notoriously lazy (and it lowered my interest).
 
G
#8 ·
I was looking forward to getting my 08 with abs, however, the ABS model didn't make is to Oz. Very disappointing, specially my friend just had an accident where a person pulled out in front of her and she skidded. ABS would of probably saved her from wrecking. Thankfully the body armor saved her from major damage.
 
#12 ·
Good story - I wish mine had ABS.


As a side note, you may want to train yourself to avoid hesitation and commit to a maneuver. If you've got room to stop comfortably, do it. If not, roll it on. Using this method should/will result in never having to run a red, and never venturing outside your comfort margins.

And, trying to do 20+ in a parking lot is just asking for trouble (and giving bikers everywhere a bad image).
 
M
#13 ·
I'm glad that people still read this sticky. While I appreciate the advice Dave (I really do) since November I've bought a book (Twist of the Wrist), spent some time with a (now former) co-worker who used to instruct for MSF courses and kept up on my parking lot practice. I have been meaning to rewrite this article because I've taken the bike out in the wet and the rain, I just haven't actually attempted to trigger the ABS under those conditions. I'm usually heading to work and not really thinking about it.
On a side note, for anyone in Tucson, I really like the north eastern most parking lot at the El Con. Because of Dodge it's pretty segregated from the rest of the lot.
 
D
#15 · (Edited)
The SVs ABS is so completely worth it. I have had that puppy kick in while leaned over on the track, and a few other times when I absolutely needed it. (Yes, real racers don't usually use their rear brake, while leaned over, on the track. I am a Track Day novice, and like all people, I make mistakes sometimes.)

[UPDATE 2008-08-21] As mentioned in y'all's comments below: the system works with both wheels. The ABS pump doesn't look like it is attached to the front brake lines, and the brakes aren't linked, and I never fealt it work in front, so I believed that it only worked in back, but I was incorrect. Rear-wheel lockups cause lowsides, so there would be some benefit even if it only worked in the rear, but I was incorrect nonetheless. Thank you for the comments. Here is a Suzuki video that demonstrates: http://www.suzuki-gb.co.uk/extra/000057/ [/UPDATE]

I have some of my thoughts about motorcycle safety here:

http://dangerismymiddlename.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/anti-lock-brakes-for-motorcycles-part-deux/

http://dangerismymiddlename.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/anti-lock-brakes-for-motorcycles/

http://dangerismymiddlename.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/hondas-gold-wing-airbag/

http://dangerismymiddlename.wordpress.com/2008/01/25/countersteering/

http://dangerismymiddlename.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/deer-whistles-do-not-work/
 
E
#17 ·
ive been on an sv with abs and its not good for the experienced rider, you lack control in certain ways, sometimes its better to skid out when doing evasive maneuvers. but i guess it comes down to prefeance
 
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D
#20 ·
I am sure the ABS is on both front and rear brakes it would not make much sense to put just on rears since most of your stopping power is with the front anyway. And I will say when mine kicked in I felt the oscillation through the front brake lever which I use almost exclusively in routine stopping.
 
M
#21 ·
Great read on the ABS and is one of the things I'd be ordering or buying once I get my SV.
The links were a great read and downloaded the MSF pdf files for further perusing.
I plan on an '08 model so I hope that the ABS feature will be available to me since I've not rode a bike in about 15 years.
MSF courses coming and then the purchase.

Thanks again for the read.
 
#22 ·
Thanks for the story. I wanted ABS but wasn't been able to find it anywhere... I got a good deal on a non-ABS '08, so I decided not to wait anymore.

The Suzuki dealers told me that people just don't want to pay $600 extra on a $6k bike for ABS. Seems like it's well worth it to me (especially since the '07 was an extra $1k).
 
#26 ·
While doing some general maintenance of tightening stuff up, I went ahead and traced the brake lines on my 08 SV N ABS.

The brake line from the front reservoir goes to a fitting on the frame connected to a hard line going to the ABS pump located where non-ABS models have their battery box. Another hard line goes from the ABS pump back to the front of the bike, where the hose connects it to the brake line to the calipers.

The rear is similar. The line from the reservoir goes to the ABS module and comes back to the caliper.

Just a thought... aftermarket SS brakelines may not work on ABS models.

tk
 
V
#28 ·
I don't see why not.

As long as you can replace the existing line with an SS of same length. On a car, when SS lines are installed, the hard lines are kept, only the flex line is replaced.

My LSL handlebar kit has a replacement SS line that goes from the MC to the fitting on the frame. I have to figure out how to disconnect it from the fitting and replace the line with the SS one.

One thing that I read in the Haynes manual that covers ABS models, I will require a vacuum pump to bleed/empty the system.
 
U
#34 ·
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