Electronic Stability Control

[MG-242]

Tomorrow, I have an awesome opportunity to spend the day at the Robert Bosch testing facility experiencing a new stability control system. I don't think I'm allowed to say who the manufacturer is that is applying it, but they have 6 bikes and a Can-Am Spyder for us to test with. Definitely should be a hoot and I think the weather is going to cooperate. A couple of years ago I was invited to test ABS. Very eye-opening and overall, just a great experience. The electronics for the tip-over control on the Can-Am was very impressive.

 

[lawlberg]

Tomorrow, I have an awesome opportunity to spend the day at the Robert Bosch testing facility experiencing a new stability control system. I don't think I'm allowed to say who the manufacturer is that is applying it, but they have 6 bikes and a Can-Am Spyder for us to test with. Definitely should be a hoot and I think the weather is going to cooperate. A couple of years ago I was invited to test ABS. Very eye-opening and overall, just a great experience. The electronics for the tip-over control on the Can-Am was very impressive.

6 bikes and only you? Looks like you need to pick up a friend on your way there. :thumbup:

 

[MG-242]

Nope, I've got some help from a couple of the boys at the AMA. But, if they couldn't make it, I'd definitely bring you along.

Still trying to get a trackday at Mid-Ohio together before the end of the season. Are you still interested?

 

[lawlberg]

Nope, I've got some help from a couple of the boys at the AMA. But, if they couldn't make it, I'd definitely bring you along.

Still trying to get a trackday at Mid-Ohio together before the end of the season. Are you still interested?

Yeah - hasn't happened yet - there'd been some rumors about new ownership at nelsons right around the time I was going to go early this summer and I didn't wind up making it - this summer's been nuts but if the timing works out for Mid-Ohio - I'd love to make it down there.

 

[Cloggy]

Tomorrow, I have an awesome opportunity to spend the day at the Robert Bosch testing facility experiencing a new stability control system. I don't think I'm allowed to say who the manufacturer is that is applying it, but they have 6 bikes and a Can-Am Spyder for us to test with. Definitely should be a hoot and I think the weather is going to cooperate. A couple of years ago I was invited to test ABS. Very eye-opening and overall, just a great experience. The electronics for the tip-over control on the Can-Am was very impressive.

Sounds like a great day, looking forward to hear your opinion. Does it have anything to do with this story? or is another manufacturer using it as well?

 

[Erci]

Sounds like fun, Mike! I got to experience Can-Am's system first hand on several occasions. It's impressive.. but I was kind of wishing I could disable it.. so I could keep inside wheel in the air going into turns :squid: :squid: :squid:

 

[MG-242]

Sounds like a great day, looking forward to hear your opinion. Does it have anything to do with this story? or is another manufacturer using it as well?

Maybe :Flash:

 

[MG-242]

Well, I've procrastinated long enough and have a few minutes to jot down my experience. This has been an outstanding motorcycle month for me. Got to go to the Indy MotoGP, test stability control at Bosch, got some outstanding news from the AMA that I wish I could share but you'll all hear it soon, and I just got invited to ride at the new track at the Corvette Museum. Pretty cool stuff!

So, I went up to the Robert Bosch test facility with the President of the AMA, Rob Dingman and 2 other AMA guys from the government affairs group. Robert Pearce, V-P of Operations for KTM met us there also. After a presentation of the new technologies developed and being developed by Bosch for the motorcycle industry we headed out to the Vehichle Dynamics Area where we had wet asphalt, low Mu Basalt tile, gravel, high Mu asphalt and a basic large open high Mu aspalt skid pad. Bikes available for us were a Buell with outriggers, a couple of KTM 1190 Adventure models, a BMW S1000RR and a CanAm Spyder RSS.

They split us up and the first I got to test with was one of the KTM Adventure bikes doing threshold braking from 50mph on dry asphalt, panic braking from 50mph on dry asphalt, and varying brake applies from 40-50 mph on dry asphalt. I was on the bike for 30 min. and had many attempts. I think most of my stops were closer to 60 mph. They had graduations off to the side of the stopping lanes so you could see your distance. Stopping began at queue cones. They were filming us, but I haven't seen the film yet. The ABS and Electronic Combined Braking System (eCBS) worked flawlessly. I felt I could stand on the rear and grab as much front brake as quickly as I could without the bike doing anything but stopping in an extremely smooth manner.

Next, I was on another of the KTM Adventure bikes doing threshold and panic braking on wet asphalt and gravel. Then, launch control on gravel. It's so hard to bring yourself to grab a handful of brakes on wet pavement and in gravel, but I worked up to it overcoming my fears I think I did a pretty good job. In all cases I was very impressed that the bike behaved in such a docile manner. The bike also has eCBS that shares some of the load as well as preventing a huge weight transfer onto the front. Very cool! And, we were able to play with the different modes that provided different levels of aggressiveness and of course, different lengths for stopping distances.

Next, I was put on the Buell with out-riggers to do threshold and panic braking from about 35mph with and without ABS turned on while riding down a lane with remote sprinklers spraying water onto wet basalt tile, ie. extremely low Mu. Even though you know what's going to happen when you apply the brakes without ABS, it still makes your heart thump like it's going through your chest. They, said when I applied the brakes and it fell over onto the outriggers they could hear me scream! :Flash: Pretty funny - and I was ready for it!!! Next time down with ABS on, and the bike stops like a perfect little gentleman, very smooth, very controlled, and only a very slight vibration of the ABS doing its thing. The tile was so slippery I could hardly get traction to pull away after doing the stops.

Next for me was doing more stops on the BMW S1000RR, threshold braking from 50mph on dry asphalt, panic braking, and varying braking applies from 40-50 mph. Again, most impressive is the anti-lift control (called Rear Wheel Lift mitigation) which prevents stoppies and weight transfer. The BMW also has eCBS. Plus, the BMW is just such a joy to ride. It makes power in a very useful manner.

Next, they put me on the Can-Am Spyder. I rode one 2 yrs ago when I was there for just ABS testing. They're big and heavy and pretty much counter to everything you know about riding motorcycles. They only have a rear foot pedal. Brakes are integrated. I was probably getting tired by this time and it really felt like it took a lot of effort to ride and steer. Anti-lock brakes were similar to the bikes, except longer stopping distances due mostly to the weight. One thing I wanted to experience on it was the anti-tip over control. I think it has something like a 1200cc engine and I could turn the bars full lock and twist the throttle wide open and the stability control would not allow enough power to the wheel to lift the front wheel off the ground. The Spyder also has traction control but with my limited time on it, it was difficult to do much to test it. We also were asked to test the ABS while cornering and there was nothing other than nice smooth braking.

Last up, and the main reason we went, was to test the 2014 KTM Adventure bike with Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC). We had 3 circles of 30m, 50m and 70m radius and were asked to ride each at a specific speed (50, 70, and 80kph respectively) to achieve a 35 degree lean angle and apply brakes. There was a lean angle meter to indicate lean angle after you stopped or stood the bike up. This was another one that I had to work up to. All of my previous experiences and training tells me to straighten before applying maximum braking. But, by then end of my time on the bike I was doing threshold and panic stops while leaned over. Naturally, as you slow you tend to straighten the bike, but I was able to do panic stops while leaned without altering my path of travel by more than a meter at the most. Pretty freaking cool if you ask me.

A few observations - this is just another safety feature. It's not something you'll apply everytime you ride, but when you really need it, it's there. KTM offers MSC on some models as an option for 2014. All of the hardware, pump, sensors, etc. are on the 2013 bikes with ABS and they can be reflashed for MSC. A couple of weeks ago BMW announced they will be offering MSC as well. As an MSF instructor I never use the word 'grab' when talking about braking without the word 'don't' in front of it. But, with this new technology, I've used it over and over. You can literally freaking grab the front brake while leaned. My farthest lean was 43 degrees. One of the engineers there said he was a 48 degrees before we got there and was dragging the toe on his boot.

The AMA magazine, American Motorcyclist will have a full story in the November issue. I've been asked by them and Bosch not to share any pictures at this time, but will try to put something up after the article comes out.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to share my experience. Thanks!!!

 

[Erci]

Exceptionally cool, Mike!

 

[drumbum]

Unlike some purists, I love electronics. I like the ABS and traction control on bikes, maybe the airbags on the goldwing are a bit much... but still, anything that makes riding safer is welcomed to me.

I've heard great great things of the bosch motorcycle ABS system on the KTM 1190. Great to hear bosch is still doing cutting edge things for bikes.

 

[MG-242]

Yep, the folks at Bosch seem to be top notch. It's very refreshing to see the enthusiasm of their entire staff that was with us during our visit.

And you're correct, we need to look at these advances as safety features and not as de-rating the experience of riding.