Had the Opportunity to Test the ABS Yesterday - Triumph Forum: Triumph Rat Motorcycle Forums
» Main Menu

Discussion Forums
 » Twins
 » Tiger
 » General
 » RAT

Features
 » Blogs

Motorcycle.com Links

Contribute
 » Photo

Motorcycle Forums
» Insurance
» Sponsors

Thunderbird Cruiser Chat Cruiser chat for the the Thunderbird twin

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-21-2009, 09:28 AM   #1 (permalink)
Lifetime Premium
Site Supporter
Formula Extreme
Favourite Bike: Triumph Thunderbird
 
hypervista's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Northern Virginia - USA
Posts: 633
Had the Opportunity to Test the ABS Yesterday

So, there I am cruising on a nice four lane divided road that winds it's way through a residential neighborhood on the way home from the office yesterday afternoon. The school buses were making the rounds. I was in the left lane behind a guy in a Lexis. Rounding a bend I saw a school bus about 50 yards ahead. As we approached, the bus turned on the flashing yellows (a prelude to flashing red).

The guy in the Lexis decides to "punch it" in order to get past the bus before the flashing reds came on so he wouldn't have to wait the half hour while the crumb crunchers lolly gagged their way off the school bus. I thought, "not a bad idea" so I rolled on the throttle. You know where I'm going here.... Well, Mr. Indecisive Lexis Driver decides at the last moment he'd better stop after all and slams on the brakes. I instinctively grapped full hands worth of clutch and brake while simultaneously hitting the back brake and moved slightly left to avoid Mr. Indecisive's rear bumber. I immediately felt the pulsing ABS system and realized I would have surely locked them up in the panic had I not had good ol' ABS riding shotgun.

I was clearly at fault for not giving myself enough distance between the Lexus and my TBird and the situation was made worse by the fact he decided to hard break just as I was rolling on the throttle...

I sat there and watched the brats file off the bus and thanked my trusty TBird ABS! Those ABS rings may be fuggly, but not as fuggly as bent chrome forks and busted headlight...
hypervista is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Advertisement
 
Old 10-21-2009, 09:54 AM   #2 (permalink)
Member
Grand Prix 125
Favourite Bike: 2010 teebird
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: colderado and aridzona
Posts: 40
Other Motorcycle: 01 bonnie
many years ago, when I took my first drivers road test, the instructor taught me a lesson: Yellow is caution, slow down, NOT SPEED UP TO GET THROUGH BEFORE A RED!
he almost failed me cause I ran a yellow. I was smug, then realized how close i was to failing the whole test. looks like ABS are made for you (and hte lexus driver).
silverbird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2009, 10:40 AM   #3 (permalink)
Lifetime Premium
Site Supporter
Formula Extreme
Favourite Bike: Triumph Thunderbird
 
hypervista's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Northern Virginia - USA
Posts: 633
Guilty. It was definitely a wake-up call for me.
hypervista is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2009, 08:02 PM   #4 (permalink)
Senior Member
Formula Extreme
Favourite Bike: 2010 KTM Adventure 990 R
 
Rayzor61's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Yardley, PA, USA
Posts: 411
Other Motorcycle: 05 Speed triple (4th one)
Extra Motorcycle: Working on it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by hypervista View Post
Guilty. It was definitely a wake-up call for me.
More like a well self taught lesson. I would have tried to jump the bus!
__________________
Buy as many bikes as you can before you die, and try to live!
Rayzor61 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2009, 11:16 AM   #5 (permalink)
Senior Member
SuperSport
Favourite Bike: 2010 Triumph Thunderbird
 
engage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 1,022
I'm glad to hear you didn't end up splayed across the backside of the Lexus and that your ABS brakes worked nicely.

My only regret is that my Tbird doesn't have ABS, but it would have cost me a summer's worth of riding.

I suspect I'll end up purchasing a new Bird in a few years with ABS...
engage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2009, 12:53 PM   #6 (permalink)
Senior Member
Commentator
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: L.A., Ca.
Posts: 8,846
Thankfully you and the bike came thru. I dread hearing the first inevitable "i dropped my bird post". glad you didn't!
dazco is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Advertisement
 
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Equal opportunity RAT? hogwylde Biker Hang-Out 85 08-08-2010 10:52 AM
Took a test ride yesterday.... Vernonpedro Twins Talk 4 06-30-2008 02:08 PM
Yesterday I test rode an F800S Thefallenone Sprint Forum 4 04-29-2007 11:28 AM
Photo opportunity Binnsy Twins Talk 6 11-21-2006 08:46 PM
Test rode the Rocket yesterday! 6485 Speed Triple Forum 19 05-31-2006 09:51 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.2

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:47 AM.



Motorcycle News, Videos and Reviews
Kawasaki Forum Ducati Forum Harley Davidson Yamaha R1 BMW S1000RR Forum
Vulcan Forums Ducati Monster V-Rod Forum Yamaha R6 Kawasaki Z1000
Kawasaki ZX Forum Honda 600RR Harley Forum YZF-R6 Forum Sportbike Forum
Kawasaki ZX-10R Honda 1000RR Suzuki SV Yamaha FZ8 Can Am Spyder
Kawasaki KLR 650 Honda RC51 Suzuki V-Strom Star Motorcycles Aprilia Forum
Kawasaki Versys Honda Fury Suzuki GSXR Triumph Forum KTM Forum
Kawasaki EX-500 Honda Goldwing GSX-R Forum Triumph 675 Victory Forums

Garage Plus vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.3.2