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Stopping distance Bike Vs Car
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Americans think that a bike can stop quicker than a car. According to
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In general, less mass = easier to stop.
However:
A super duper oil tanker (ship) can stop quicker than a Harley.
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me the bike will take longer to stop under all conditions, and the car
will be close to the shortest stopping distance of a bike all the time
because you just press the pedal instead of all the other factors
arider has to think about and finesse.
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If the car has perfect brakes and sticky tyres it will stop better
than a bike, as the bike will stoppie first. On the other hand,
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Total bollocks.
Standard bike with quality brakes and tyres will stop quicker than a
standard car with quality brakes and tyres.
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Never watched a speed hill climb where there are cars and bikes at the
same event have you?
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Nice 'facts' there. Care to point us to the (reliable) source?
Or are you making it all up as you go along?
I know which one my money is on.
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a Vauxhall with OEM tyres has no perceptible braking effect at all.
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There are a few magazine reports that say the bike stops quicker but
has anyone seen any real test of this?
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I'd rather emergency stop in my nice ABS car than on my 600 bandit. I can
stop pretty quickly with both, but I've done a number of emergency stops and
I don't like the way my legs feel after doing it on the bike.
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Excuse my ignorance.
"legs feel"?
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As in "I don't like my legs feeling the way they feel after quite a scary
incident".
I don't often do emergency stops on the bike for fun, although I do
occasionally test my ability when it's safe to do so. Do it all the time in
the car though, but that's just my driving style.
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I'd say my bike stops in a shorter distance, but only in a straight line.
I once saw a test on a very wet track where a F1 car with slicks stopped
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And I've got to go and have a lie down:)
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quicker than a normal car with wet tyres on. Totally irrelevant I know.
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This came up because they think drivers should watch out for
Motorcyclists because they can stop so quickly the driver will be
caught unawares.
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In my motorcycle training course this summer, after we had all practiced
emergency stops from 50kph, the instructor did the same in his car, and
stopped in about 2/3 of the distance the best had managed on bikes. The car
was a Mercedes SLK, though.
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And the bikers were, presumably, all novices. Proves nothing.
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Well, not really. The first to do it, obviously, was the instructor, and
most people managed to come quite close to his stopping distance. 50kph
in a straight line on a dry road isn't all that fast, after all, once
you've done it a few times.
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What impresses me, now that I've got a bike with ABS[1], is just how
hard one can brake in wet conditions. I haven't cut the ABS in yet.
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I have vivid memories of Alex Ferrier going flat out in the rain
towards the Creg then turning round to face me and saying "isn't ABS
great".
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[1] I presume it's working.
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I was on a bike with ABS (F650) and after a few goes I was happily
slamming on the brakes and letting the ABS look after the consequences.
The most surprising bit at first was the way the front end bounded up
when the ABS released the brake, presumably more marked because the F650
has fairly long suspension travel.
I have an RT now, and I have to admit I've not dared to push it that
hard. I will, but maybe not until next year now.
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Chaps may find this interesting:
Lifted from BMW Club Mag, who lifted it from Motorad.
ABS comparison 100kph dists in meters.
Bike Dry Poor Wet Wet
Road Surface Variable
R1200R 37.4 42.9 43.0 58.0
K1200S 39.8 46.8 40.9 58.5
F800S 40.7 48.9 44.2 53.0
KTM990
Adventure 41.8 48.1 46.4 58.0
CBF1000 43.0 49.1 44.1 59.9
Duc ST3s 39.3 51.5 46.6 60.5
Varadero 40.7 49.2 44.8 63.5
VStrom650 41.6 52.5 44.8 63.3
Sprint ST 44.0 52.0 45.1 63.1
ZZR1400 41.7 52.6 45.0 69.0
FJR1300A 49.1 54.4 50.3 69.4
There are various notes and comments on some of the bikes, which, if
anyone's interested I'll put up.
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On the R-GS, the only time that the ABS has cut in during normal riding[1]
is whilst riding down very steep Alpine roads. This is more to do with
weight transfer than slippery tarmac though.
[1] where normal riding includes the occasional emergency stop
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Do you want me to test it in France?
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Don't worry, you'll find out.
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