ABS comparison: BMW F 650 GS-BMW R 1200 GS; Honda CBF 600-Honda VFR-ABS

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ABS comparison: BMW F 650 GS-BMW R 1200 GS; Honda CBF 600-Honda VFR-ABS

ABS comparison: BMW F 650 GS / BMW R 1200 GS; Honda CBF 600 / Honda VFR-ABS

Two-class society

BMW and Honda offer their customers much cheaper anti-lock braking systems for their entry-level models than in the upscale two-wheeler class. Are they inferior to the more complex systems of the two-wheeled high society in practice??

Would you like a little more for the new boxer or the K-model? Perhaps ABS with a brake booster, fully or partially integrated brake system and adaptive brake force distribution? Makes 1050 euros. But BMW can also be cheap. For the anti-
blocking system of the F 650 hike 525 euros over the shops-
counter. Honda has a similar policy. With the VFR, which is equipped with a compound brake system as standard, the customer has to shell out 950 euros for the ABS, with the CBF 600 it is available for an additional charge of 600 euros including the main stand. So two-class society at the cash register, but how does it look in real life? For this purpose, MOTORRAD sent the BMW R 1200 GS, F 650 GS, Honda VFR and CBF 600 to a tough comparison test with four different road conditions.
Asphalt dry. All Kandi master this discipline-
data relatively loose. The braking distances of 41 to almost 42 meters are on the same level, but come about in different ways. The large enduro from BMW with a partially integral system? the driver operates the front and rear brakes with the handbrake lever, and only the rear brake with the brake pedal. no longer quite achieves the deceleration values ​​of the previous model, but also no longer lifts the rear wheel when braking hard
so abrupt. Only now and then does it lose contact with the ground briefly, but easily controllable. The system still regulates
of the boxer unevenly with correspondingly pronounced vertical movements. Especially short-legged riders can get into trouble towards the end of the braking when balancing the motorcycle. Only when the handbrake lever is delayed does this tendency increase.
The Honda VFR is completely different with its composite braking system, in which the driver always activates both brakes via the hand lever and the foot brake pedal, but not all pistons. As usual, with the precision of a Swiss clockwork, delayed front and rear, it punches braking distances of a good 41 meters into the asphalt. The driver perceives the high-frequency regulation, but the driving stability remains exemplary. Only when braking hard can the rear wheel briefly lose contact with the road, even with the VFR, although the Honda engineers cut the maximum deceleration to prevent this. Only with the handbrake-
If the lever is delayed, the braking distance is slightly longer.
While the driver in the first two test subjects usually does not feel any reaction in the brake levers, the F 650 signals the control range with pronounced impulses in the hand and foot levers, supported by strong pitching vibrations due to pronounced deceleration fluctuations, but remains properly on track. If you only decelerate with the front brake, your braking distance is significantly longer, a behavior that the CBF 600 also shows. With both, it is therefore advisable to always brake at the front and rear. In the control range, the CBF 600 decelerates comfortably–
best. With a slight pulsation in the brake levers, it instills confidence in the driver even when braking on the last groove. In the measurements with the rear brake, the VFR is clearly superior due to the braking at the front: from 100 km / h it stands almost 35 meters in front of the rest of the field.
Wet cobblestones. An extremely critical condition of the road surface that inspires the driver to respect the brakes and also demands a lot from the technology. Because the best compromise between the shortest possible braking distance and high travel-
stability is much more difficult to achieve under such conditions than in dry conditions. With the drastically reduced coefficient of friction, wheels that lock for a short time are enough to severely impair driving stability. The regulation of the ABS is
extremely demanded. While also in this discipline the brake-
While the four motorcycles travel at a similar level of around 67 to 71 meters when both brakes are applied, there are remarkable differences in driving behavior.
It falls again R. 1200 GS due to proper stability, but rough control intervals, bucks like a rodeo horse, especially towards the end of the braking. If you only delay the GS with the handbrake lever, this tendency increases, but can still be mastered even by less experienced riders. With the VFR, which is sovereign in the dry, the front wheel sometimes slips a lot and then requires the driver to make slight course corrections. The F 650 in turn reacts with strong pitching vibrations. The slight instability that occurs in this case, however, always remains easily controllable. Acts as exemplary-
against the Honda CBF 600 and glides with dreamlike
Safety over the smooth course. Nevertheless, the pilot does not feel the slightest bit of uncertainty.
The more complex composite brake systems of the R 1200 GS and VFR can only show their advantages if the handbrake is only delayed. They lay a distance of up to 24 meters between themselves and the
simpler variants. On the other hand, if the driver presses the footbrake alone, the VFR clears more than 60 meters of ground.
Bad road stretch. In addition to low coefficients of friction, the anti-lock braking systems face tough tests in everyday life. On bad roads with bumps or even bumps-
holes, extreme wheel load fluctuations occur. Despite abrupt loading or unloading of the two wheels, the regulation must
Detect imminent risk of locking and modulate the brake pressure accordingly. A roadway with tilted concrete slabs and steps simulated these requirements.
With a braking distance averaged from a series of measurements of
Theoretically, the R 1200 GS is ahead 58 meters from 100 km / h. But while the other three test subjects always stop in the same area, the braking distances on the R 1200 GS fluctuate greatly. Once it comes to a stop after just 53 meters in order to treat itself to 65 meters the next time it anchors. Obviously, the GS creates a problem that has already been identified by previous tests with the boxer models on third-order roads
is known. Some of these had a long delay there-
to fight break-ins. This symptom can be reproduced on the sawtooth route. At speeds between 60 and 70 km / h, the front wheel slips rapidly, the rear wheel begins to stamp and also signals a standstill. Then the brake releases for an unusually long time, and the motorcycle covers a few meters without braking. If that happens before a bend, it can get pretty critical.
These difficulties are irrelevant when there is a jump in the coefficient of friction. An oil stain on a dry road surface or a bitumen strip when it is wet require quick reactions from the ABS. A discipline,
who do all four systems well, albeit with small differences. The front wheel speed of the R 1200 GS drops sharply, but the hydraulic unit reduces the brake pressure within a very short time and the speed adapts to the speed-
speed again. The Honda CBF 600 reacts similarly. Fortunately, the high slip does not have a serious effect on the driving stability of either. The advantage of the F 650 and VFR, in which the control reacts even more spontaneously to changes in the coefficient of friction, is correspondingly small.
And what does the result look like all in all? The
expensive, complex composite brake systems from BMW and Honda are easier and more comfortable to use, which MOTORRAD honors in the 1000-point evaluation, as well as the equipment with ABS and its function earns points. A compound brake means a lot, especially in poor conditions
Safety plus, such as decelerating with the handbrake alone
impressively demonstrates on wet cobblestones.
The adaptive brake force distribution of the R 1200 GS, which depends on the loading-
state of charge the braking force varies, only comes into action after the first ABS control process, and therefore even before that
slightly longer braking distances. In addition, the brake booster aroused rather divided opinions among the testers. However, if the driver consistently uses the options of the tested anti-lock braking systems in an emergency and uses both brakes
Immediately operated with full force, so the pure anti-lock function
comes into play, the two-class society grows into one
uniform performance society together. The cheaper systems can then definitely keep up. And in some criteria they are even ahead.

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ABS comparison: BMW F 650 GS-BMW R 1200 GS; Honda CBF 600-Honda VFR-ABS

ABS comparison: BMW F 650 GS / BMW R 1200 GS; Honda CBF 600 / Honda VFR-ABS
Two-class society

Asphalt dry

With both wheels braked, the four candidates achieve almost the same deceleration values, but in different ways. The front wheel of the Honda CBF 600 and the VFR slip briefly on dry asphalt. Both anti-lock braking systems then regulate extremely sensitively. The Sys-
systems from BMW, which affects the driving behavior through pronounced pitching vibrations on the F 650 and significant vertical movements on the R 1200 GS. With the front brake alone, the composite brakes show slight advantages. Only with the back
the Honda VFR is also part-integral–
system clearly superior to the R 1200 GS,
could with a different brake force distribution? the foot brake pedal only activates the mitt-
leren both of the three brake pistons in each
the front saddles ?? do even more.

Wet cobblestones

All four achieve amazingly good deceleration values ​​on the slippery surface, which cannot even be achieved without ABS. Although the wheel speed of the CBF
600 drops sharply for a short time, in contrast to the VFR, it shines with outstanding driving stability. With this, strong speed fluctuations always lead to lighter
Instability. This has an effect on the F 650-
Characterized control intervals in the form of pitching oscillations, sporadic drops thanks to the brake pitch compensation of the R 1200 GS Telelever as vertical movements.

Bad road stretch

On the rough road, the wheel speed drops periodically after every joint in the roadway. The high slip at 60 km / h at which the ABS releases the brake for two to three tenths of a second is clearly visible on the R 1200 GS. The average lag is still higher than that of the competition. Depending on the condition of the road surface, it fluctuates between 6.0 and 7.2 m / s2 over several measurements. The maximum value of the BMW F 650 and the Hondas cannot keep up with the GS
the series of measurements, however, with far smaller ones
Deviations. Although the R 1200 GS
has the shortest braking distances, it can come up with unpleasant surprises in certain situations. Like the F 650, which, only when the front is decelerated, requires significantly more braking distance. Your front wheel device
again and again in high slip.

Jump in coefficient of friction

The Honda’s front wheel reaches the transition from dry, grippy asphalt to watered, slippery special surface
CBF 600 has almost 80 percent slip and needs almost three tenths of a second to get back up to speed. That costs braking distance, but surprisingly does not affect driving stability. Also
When changing the road surface, the R 1200 GS wastes time and therefore braking distance without noticeable loss of driving stability. The anti-lock braking systems of the Honda VFR and especially the BMW F 650 react far more sensitively to different coefficients of friction. Just a tenth of a second passed,
until the front wheels after reaching
of about 30 percent slip again
reach full speed. In both cases, the driving stability is exemplary and the wasted braking distance is less.

Dr.-Ing. Markus Braunsperger on ABS

Dr.-Ing. Markus Braunsperger, 40, Head of Development at BMW Motorrad, on ABS.

Would be with a uniform ABS for the entire BMW-
Model range a cost optimization conceivable?
There would be certain effects through higher quantities, but they could reduce the price of the more complex system in
Boxer and K series do not press on that of the F-650-ABS.
Couldn’t a cooperation between European and Japanese manufacturers drastically reduce development and production costs??
Cooperations are more problematic with motorcycles than with cars, as the model cycles of the manufacturers are very different and have so far been very short, especially with the Japanese manufacturers. The system worlds may then no longer fit together.
When can a general initial fitting of ABS be expected on BMW motorcycles??
That depends on the market, the customers and the system price. The ABS has been available for every BMW since 2000. Original equipment as an option, so to speak. In the more price-sensitive models, however, we want to give the customer the choice.

Kazuhiko Tani on the future of ABS development

Would be with a uniform ABS for the entire BMW-
Model range a cost optimization conceivable?
There would be certain effects through higher quantities, but they could reduce the price of the more complex system in
Boxer and K series do not press on that of the F-650-ABS.
Couldn’t a cooperation between European and Japanese manufacturers drastically reduce development and production costs??
Cooperations are more problematic with motorcycles than with cars, as the model cycles of the manufacturers are very different and have so far been very short, especially with the Japanese manufacturers. The system worlds may then no longer fit together.
When can a general initial fitting of ABS be expected on BMW motorcycles??
That depends on the market, the customers and the system price. The ABS has been available for every BMW since 2000. Original equipment as an option, so to speak. In the more price-sensitive models, however, we want to give the customer the choice.

Would be with a uniform ABS for the entire BMW-
Model range a cost optimization conceivable?
There would be certain effects through higher quantities, but they could reduce the price of the more complex system in
Boxer and K series do not press on that of the F-650-ABS.
Couldn’t a cooperation between European and Japanese manufacturers drastically reduce development and production costs??
Cooperations are more problematic with motorcycles than with cars, as the model cycles of the manufacturers are very different and have so far been very short, especially with the Japanese manufacturers. The system worlds may then no longer fit together.
When can a general initial fitting of ABS be expected on BMW motorcycles??
That depends on the market, the customers and the system price. ABS has been available for every BMW since 2000. Original equipment as an option, so to speak. In the more price-sensitive models, however, we want to give the customer the choice.

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