US biker sues Harley in ABS light case

[ChevyFazer]

Is there anything actually describing how he crashed? From what it sounds like to me after thinking about it some more, this guy fells horrible about what happened to his wife and is trying to make himself fell better about what he did by trying to place the blame on someone else

 

[mnuttall87]

This sentence was obviously meant to be read: "There's nothing odd or unique about a non-ABS bike having [an] ABS [light]."

This sentence from the defense does not make logical sense:

"There's nothing odd or unique about a non-ABS bike having ABS."

By definition, there is something indeed odd about something that is not something being something after all. Thin defense indeed.

EDIT: I agree that the rider should have known his equipment, by experience if nothing else. As Kenny pointed out, this guy did not do full force parking lot panic stop practice. If he had, he surely would have either experienced his ABS in action or not.

 

[Motogiro]

I think his suit may also be an attempt at securing monies for medical bills as well as securing money for future care of his wife. I'm not saying he's right and if you think about it our bikes come with little warning stickers that basically say the gov't and manufacturers believe we must be reminded of the obvious so that they can't be sued. :tard:

Regardless of his stupidity or lack of knowledge this is just so sad! I don't think there is one of us that hasn't done things where we look back and know we we're so lucky to get through our lack of knowledge.

 

[turbid]

well as a general rule of the thumb you should read the owners manual and check the functions of the lights etc in the garage before riding off, any way harley should blank out the abs light on the dash, even though its common practice on car clusters to have the full set of icons that do not light if you do not have the options installed. (my 98 (euro)escort is one example)

and i bet they were riding without a helmet, if it wasn't so my beleif is that his poor wife would not have been so badly injured.

 

[SweaterDude]

well its common knowledge that cruisers are the least safe of all bikes mostly due to CRAPPY BRAKING as a result of the massive weight especially a big twin like a harley and depending on which model exactly that he bought might only have one rotor in the front and even with both has a primitive one pot caliper per rotor. Maybe his pipes shoulda been more obnoxious:BLAA:

 

[Nelly]

Am I really alone here in thinking that if a bike doesn't have ABS, then it should definitely NOT have an "ABS" light on the dash, even if it never lights up? Are you kidding me?

Standard procedure is to produce those dashes with a small black plastic plug in lieu of a transparent warning light with "ABS" clearly written on it. Jesus wept.

I'm not saying anything about his particular case/crash, just that it is monumentally stupid for HD to be so lazy and expose themselves to liability risk in a case exactly such as this one.

FAIL HD, big time.

I think that your point is going to be the hard basis of the prostitution (sorry prosecution) case.
I would really like to know what this light looks like on the dash. If it does say ABS, HD will lose. Even if the rider is to blame for the crash. The injustice of justice.
Nelly

 

[04fizzer]

Am I really alone here in thinking that if a bike doesn't have ABS, then it should definitely NOT have an "ABS" light on the dash, even if it never lights up? Are you kidding me?

Standard procedure is to produce those dashes with a small black plastic plug in lieu of a transparent warning light with "ABS" clearly written on it. Jesus wept.

I'm not saying anything about his particular case/crash, just that it is monumentally stupid for HD to be so lazy and expose themselves to liability risk in a case exactly such as this one.

FAIL HD, big time.

Even our US model bikes have a spot where the Euro model puts the immobilizer light. It's a common way to keep manufacturing and production costs down. One part that can be used in multiple places is cheaper than a "custom" one that can only be used in one or 2 places.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

and i bet they were riding without a helmet, if it wasn't so my beleif is that his poor wife would not have been so badly injured.

If it happened in California, they most likely were wearing a helmet, since there is a helmet law. The question is; what type of helmet? Was it D.O.T. approved or was it a non-compliance novelty helmet? Half, 3/4 or full face helmet?

 

[ChevyFazer]

I did some searching on this and found this link In ABS Light Case, Woman Sues And Loses Her Case Against Harley-Davidson at Cyril Huze Post
Apparently this was a old story and the guy lost his case

 

[Motogiro]

I did some searching on this and found this link In ABS Light Case, Woman Sues And Loses Her Case Against Harley-Davidson at Cyril Huze Post
Apparently this was a old story and the guy lost his case

This sounds like the exact same case. Wife with head injuries was riding on the back. Husband said traffic backed up, he used the rear brake thinking it was ABS because of the dash markings and a sales man that ribbed him that the bike had ABS..

 

[oaks]

A couple more articles found via Google news search:

Contentious motorcycle crash case heads to Sacramento jury - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Jury clears Harley-Davidson in accident that left woman with brain injuries - Sacramento City News - sacbee.com

 

[ChevyFazer]

It is the same case but this article was written after the verdict vs the 1st written before verdict

 

[pedge1]

well its common knowledge that cruisers are the least safe of all bikes mostly due to CRAPPY BRAKING as a result of the massive weight especially a big twin like a harley and depending on which model exactly that he bought might only have one rotor in the front and even with both has a primitive one pot caliper per rotor. Maybe his pipes shoulda been more obnoxious:BLAA:

Common knowlege? Look at the stopping data in any cycle mag. The old-teck cruisers have some of the shortest stopping distances. The weight of the cruiser can be an asset in a panic stop, the back brakes can be used to more effect on the big bikes. My Honda VTX1800 will beat my FZ6 in a panic stop.

 

[Motogiro]

Common knowlege? Look at the stopping data in any cycle mag. The old-teck cruisers have some of the shortest stopping distances. The weight of the cruiser can be an asset in a panic stop, the back brakes can be used to more effect on the big bikes. My Honda VTX1800 will beat my FZ6 in a panic stop.

That may be bike specific. The VTX1800 has a dual disk up front and a rear disk brake.
I rode a friends cruiser and it had a single disk in front. I had to do a quick stop and was very surprised at the contortions I had to go through to get it stopped.
He now has a Yamaha Stratoliner and the brakes are good on that bike. Still 800+ pounds?

 

[pedge1]

That may be bike specific. The VTX1800 has a dual disk up front and a rear disk brake.
I rode a friends cruiser and it had a single disk in front. I had to do a quick stop and was very surprised at the contortions I had to go through to get it stopped.
He now has a Yamaha Stratoliner and the brakes are good on that bike. Still 800+ pounds?

I agree. The original post I responded to stated that cruisers as a whole had horrible brakes. I saw where a Harley CVO model had one of the shortest stopping distances that MCN had ever recorded. Some sportbikes have poor brakes too. I love all bikes and didn't agree with the notion that cruisers are less safe than a sport bike because of the brakes. :rockon:

 

[greg]

the obvious point is that he use the REAR brake, even with ABS i doubt he would have stopped in time. I'm sure given some firm but progressive front brake he could have stopped.

 

[Nelly]

Im confused? Are HD in the clear or not? Both articles still speak of settlements and Damages.

Sent from my HTC Desire S

 

[oaks]

Im confused? Are HD in the clear or not? Both articles still speak of settlements and Damages.

Sent from my HTC Desire S

I read the sacbee.com articles as that HD is free and clear. The injured woman was suing HD and its dealer for $2.6 million in damages. She declined a $900,000 out of court settlement (from HD, I assume -- the article doesn't say) before it went to trial. But the jury found HD to be not at fault so she got nothing from them. Now she is applying for government assistance.

There is more about the woman's lawyer, Veen, putting her ex-husband at 1/3rd fault and asks the jury to award him $100 from HD, but it doesn't say why.

 

[chunkygoat]

"chicks love abs" - HAHAha, no wonder he bought a harley


But yes I can see both sides. He certainly should have known his machine, no doubt. But why would Harley put ABS lights on a bikes that don't have anti lock brakes? Seems sketchy to me - "oh its to make sure the ones that DO have ABS have a light!" BULLS**** Its to save money to make a standard speedo cluster for all their bikes.

So its hard to tell who is more wrong - the guy for not knowing the features of his 20,000$ motorcycle - or Harley for trying to save money and making a standard speedo that includes ABS lights on bikes that DON'T have ABS.

And who really says that "chicks love abs"

-Hey babe wanna hop on for a ride? I got abs!

-"Ohh hellllll yeah i LOVE ABS - I'm in"

PWFFF

 

[04fizzer]

"chicks love abs" - HAHAha, no wonder he bought a harley


But yes I can see both sides. He certainly should have known his machine, no doubt. But why would Harley put ABS lights on a bikes that don't have anti lock brakes? Seems sketchy to me - "oh its to make sure the ones that DO have ABS have a light!" BULLS**** Its to save money to make a standard speedo cluster for all their bikes.

So its hard to tell who is more wrong - the guy for not knowing the features of his 20,000$ motorcycle - or Harley for trying to save money and making a standard speedo that includes ABS lights on bikes that DON'T have ABS.

And who really says that "chicks love abs"

-Hey babe wanna hop on for a ride? I got abs!

-"Ohh hellllll yeah i LOVE ABS - I'm in"

PWFFF

It doesn't have the light, it has the icon on the dash only. The ABS models have the light installed so that the icon lights up. This is standard across automotive and motorcycle industries. Even our FZ6's have a spot for the immobilizer light that the European models get.