EMERGENCY STOP
The Highway Code says the braking distance from 60mph is 55m — though it said that in 1959. With modern bikes, our riders should stop quicker… shouldn’t they? A single attempt H2 SX 41.8m
As was revealed to me en route to Bruntingthorpe by an unsuspecting and blameless car pulling out of a junction, under normal (or even spirited) riding, the H2’s fourpots and integrated ABS are adequate with plenty of bite and feel. But start getting giddy and you discover what a big old boy it is. And just one crash stop is enough to also reveal the H2 won’t do many before fade sets in. SH
TRACER 900 39.14m
The Tracer 900GT has strong four-piston brakes and better forks than the standard model. But the ABS feels surprisingly loose in a panic crash-stop. I mean, it’s not bad: the bike stops very sharply and in control, but I can hear the front tyre chirping and feel it hopping as the brakes are released and reapplied. Not a chance that I could stop any quicker without it, though. MFG
TIGER 1200 42.59m
I’m not looking forward to this test. In 2004 I threw a bike down the back straight on my fifth 100-0mph emergency stop of the day… but it didn’t have ABS. The Tiger’s system is very effective. Roll up, grip the tank with my knees and grasp the lever firmly and — click click — the magic ABS has done something, but all I’ve done is stop quickly. Easy. SW
CB1000R+ 48.02m
I was expecting to feel the CB1000R’S brake lever pulsing, but I think nerves kicked in before the ABS. I did a controlled stop but not fast enough to win this test. It made a nice change to do something I try to avoid and find out just how quickly both I and the CB can bring it all to a halt. CB
SV650X 51.04m
Something else I’d done recently as part of my test. I hit the SV’S brakes as hard as I dared and, as I’d discovered at the Café Racer Cup, its stoppers are impressive. No drama, no wheels lifting, no tyres locking and no ABS chatter (so I probably should have squeezed harder) but the SV stopped quickly and with confidence. JB
F850GS 42.24m
Hard braking on the F850GS causes a lot of dive in the non-adjustable forks. That said the brakes are more than adequate for its chassis and weight, and they got the stopping done with no fuss. I know a pro rider can sometimes stop slightly quicker without ABS, but I’m glad of the technology. GA