R&D – Honda offers the first electronic ABS – CBS for sports cars! – Used HONDA

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Honda offers the first electronic ABS – CBS for sports cars !

R & amp; D - Honda offers the first electronic ABS - CBS for sports cars! - Used HONDA

Pursuing its quest for greater safety on motorcycles, Honda dares to take an important step forward by equipping the two flagships of its sporting range with an ABS and CBS braking system by 2010. Useless or essential ? First elements of response in Germany.

Invited to learn about Honda’s safety efforts near Baden-Baden, Germany, all the European press eagerly awaited the test of the first prototype of a latest 600 CBR equipped with unique combined braking ABS and CBS…

Because make no mistake, the risk is indeed significant for the world’s leading manufacturer: by offering brake assist on the flagship of its sports range, Honda is taking the risk of hitting the "purists", able to see in this assistance a demonization of piloting, even a useless gadget…

Welcome to the world of e-braking !

"Safety and fun are not mutually exclusive."retorts the Japanese firm. And the speech of the world’s largest manufacturer – with its some 130,000 employees – is unambiguous: during a speech in Tokyo last May, President Fukui said he wanted to equip the entire Honda range (above 125cc) from ABS by 2010 !

Without waiting for this deadline, a quick glance at the current Honda offer already shows no less than 17 models that can receive ABS, for a price difference ranging from € 450 for the S Wing 125 scooter to € 3,400. for the Dual CBS – ABS of the Goldwing 1800 !

Deviations which can be explained by the expected release of the models (and therefore the depreciation of the product): "Honda has made a huge effort on the CB1000R by offering the Dual ABS – CBS for an additional 600 €, while on the large engines the difference is normally around 1000 €, explains Bruno Chemin, communications manager for Honda France. A gesture that also says a lot about the expectations of the first manufacturer concerning this widely acclaimed model (read our) !

Honda, which wants to make this technology that improves user safety within everyone’s reach, does not hide its desire to expand its ABS offer. After noting a 40% increase in sales of ABS models in 2007 (one in three Honda sold was equipped with ABS, i.e. 10,545 units in France!), The world’s leading manufacturer believes that the public is now sufficiently receptive.

ABS and CBS update

Developed in aviation in the 1920s, the ABS (Anti Blocking System) is a device which continuously calculates the rotation of the wheels and which regulates the brake pressure in the event of a differential detected between front and rear, thus avoiding blockages. during emergency braking and / or on slippery ground. The CBS (Combined Brake System), for its part, automatically distributes the braking on the two wheels of the motorcycle as appropriate: with the single CBS, the action on the rear brake pedal actuates the rear caliper and the central piston of the ‘front right caliper. With Dual CBS, braking is distributed whether you brake from the front or the rear. In addition to greater braking power, the CBS also makes it possible to control the attitude of the motorcycle, thanks to a delay between front and rear. Result: mass transfers are better absorbed, allowing the fork (and therefore the tire) to work better during heavy braking.

As for the technology, Honda now considers it sufficiently mastered to be able to equip the only two models in the range (with a 400 cc maxi scooter) which do not yet offer assisted braking: the CBR 600 and 1000…

"The old ABS – CBS Honda system was not compatible with the requirements of our sports machines", specifies the team in charge of the file at Honda:"this is why we have developed a new system, called Electronically Combined ABS, controlled by a "brake by wire" device, comprising an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) which controls electric motors, which in turn precisely manage the action of ABS and CBS".

This confirms that Honda – like BMW – has indeed made the choice of electronics to manage braking. A solution dictated by reasons of speed of reaction and weight: this new device is divided into several distinct parts which can be distributed ideally on the motorcycle. Thus, the very important general balance of a sports car can be respected, despite an overweight that Honda engineers estimate at 8 or 9 kg..

Before reading all the technical data – to discover very soon on Site, stay tuned! -, the principle can be summarized as follows: working in concert thanks to the ECU, the ABS and the CBS make it possible to keep a neutral attitude of the machine, whatever the force exerted on the lever. According to Honda, this is the most important condition for a good feeling of braking, because the system tolerates a certain dive from the front, before restoring the attitude thanks to an adequate front-to-rear distribution..

Operating in parallel, the front and rear are requested during each braking, whether with the right foot or with the lever! Thus, when the rear is requested, an electrical signal is sent to the computer which actuates the two front right pistons of the motorcycle..

The computer takes control

If the pressure on the pedal exceeds a certain value, the circuit is then rerouted – in a completely transparent way for the pilot – and it is the computer which takes the controls of the electric motor responsible for automatically suppressing the brake pressure on the rear and front of the motorcycle, to avoid blocking the wheel and allow the assembly to stay in line.

The principle is similar with exclusive front braking which will therefore actuate (with a slight delay) the rear caliper: essential according to the designers of the system to ensure optimal stability of the motorcycle and fight against mass transfers..

Fun and safety for all

"Our strategy today is clear", summarizes Bruno Chemin, recalling that Honda has always been at the forefront of technology and safety (see box):"we want to bring the best technology at the best price and for users of all skill levels. The motorcycle is not reserved for pilots, experts, but also for people who use it every day to go to work, beginners, confirmed, people who are not all necessarily passionate about motorcycles, who do not necessarily want to do internships on circuits, but they are concerned about their safety".

The objective for Honda is therefore to protect its customers from the vagaries of hazardous braking, even on sporting machines: according to its statistics, the world’s leading manufacturer admits that an experienced driver brakes shorter ( in the dry) without ABS only with … but not necessarily the first time !

Even more striking, these statistics show that an average driver would need six tries before reaching the performance of a machine equipped with ABS! And in the wet, the numbers climb again: even a professional rider started with a machine without ABS would need five to six tries to match a motorcycle’s stopping time with the device..

However, ABS technology combined with a brake distribution valve (CBS) makes it possible to overcome this experience, since from the first test it is possible to grasp the lever with full hand, without fear of evasion and especially by keeping control. of the vehicle in all circumstances: after all, isn’t it better to stop (slightly) farther on dry pavement in an emergency situation but maintain control without falling, rather than foresee the possibility of stopping more quickly under the same conditions, but after several tries and taking the risk of losing control (or even stopping later) during reflex braking ?

And on track, what does it look like ?

After a (too) short test of four laps with a 600 CBR prototype equipped with the Electronically ABS Combined, the verdict is rather positive: admittedly, the layout with the irreproachable grip did not present delicate turns, devious slopes or sequences particularly technical, but the first sensations are excellent. At no time does the device interfere with setting the angle and we find the homogeneity and the very healthy and considerate behavior of the Japanese bomber..

Convinced of the efficiency of their system and not wanting to compromise with safety, Honda engineers did not wish to offer a disconnectable system: a shame for track and road users who would like to keep all the management of their braking on the circuit, then , once back on the road, switch back to "ABS-CBS" mode to overcome the unforeseen…

No disconnectable ABS

"We did not offer a disconnectable ABS because we did not want to take the risk that the user forgets to put it back on and thinks they are safe !", explains Kazuhiko Tani, Honda chief engineer."What is more, Honda will continue to offer the model without ABS for people who are not convinced or who only intend to use Racing. We will then see how the sales ratios between the two models evolve: in Switzerland for example, the 600 and 1000 CBR will only be offered in the ABS version.".

The overweight has the good taste to be forgotten and we enter a turn as with the original model. It is also during this phase that the new system must be forgotten: specificity of sporty driving, entering a curve on the brakes requires perfect confidence in the front axle to return to the chord point with a maximum of angle and speed.

If the pace set by the Honda rider during our test did not allow us to take the Supersport to its limits, several braking tests (including at the entry of a curve and on the angle) did not reveal any parasitic reaction: the machine does not lock, the orders given to the motorcycle are executed without downtime and the overall behavior remains healthy.

Still hungry for experience on the track, the emergency braking tests, launched on a straight line of around a hundred meters, quickly demonstrated the effectiveness of the Honda system: even when grabbing the right lever at full hand, the machine stays on its axis and slows down powerfully.

Far from the "stoppie"

If the forward dive remains very clear and is similar to a traditional machine, the control of the attitude allows to keep the two wheels on the ground and this, in a very smooth and not jerky way. By forcing the line, it is still possible to slightly raise the rear of the motorcycle, but we are far from the "stoppie" that such braking would certainly cause on a machine without the device! (see video)

The strength of the system is to be almost undetectable: when the electronics take over (above a certain pressure), the system maintains the depression of the lever and / or the pedal, without unpleasant jolts and especially in a totally imperceptible !

The feeling of controlling your braking is therefore preserved, even when the computer has taken over! Only the single use of the rear brake betrays the limits of the system in the dry: if it is difficult (if not impossible) to block the front on a dry track, with a sports motorcycle benefiting from a good tire mounting, block the front. The rear is within everyone’s reach and you can clearly feel the device release the pressure at this time, then put it back on, and so on until it comes to a complete stop.

This behavior is ultimately not very annoying, as the use of the only rear brake is confidential (except off-road or in free style) and its delicate use: Honda ensures that experienced pilots take 41% more time to stop in operating the pedal alone with a motorcycle without ABS…

Finally, the last regret of this test: the impossibility of testing the system on a wet surface or with poor adhesion (sand, chippings, etc.): the results obtained would no doubt have been instructive on the possibilities of the system, under conditions that a biker meets regularly on the road !

Victim of preconceived ideas ?

For Honda, technological progress represents salvation in terms of biker protection: improved visibility with the ASV-3 scooter concept, improved safety with the ABS-CBS combined or the airbag, total control of the machine with better filled power curves making behavior more predictable and less risky … and above all compliance with legislation: we learn as well as disregarding its sales in France, the manufacturer has decided to complicate the unbridling of its recent 1000 CBR, bringing the impact of the operation to nearly 1500 or 2000 euros! A daring bet commercially speaking, since on some machines, a simple wire cut is enough to return the engine to the original configuration….

This strong message from Honda shows that the brand does not want to compromise with the rules and that it no longer wishes to participate in the arms race in terms of ultimate performance: the future, according to the world’s leading manufacturer , resides in a clever mix of safety and pleasure in two-wheelers.

A speech that can challenge, even put off, but after all, in MotoGP, electronics have taken a prominent place in the control of machines, helping to reduce the risk of accidents (especially on the high side) and to increase their efficiency at the chrono: if the assistance does not take over the driving sensations, while improving the safety of the user (especially in the delicate phase of emergency braking) why deny it ?

History of Honda innovations

  • 1969 : Honda unveils the CB 750, the first mass-produced motorcycle equipped with disc braking.

  • 1977 : Release of the CX 500, the first motorcycle equipped with tubeless tires.

  • 1982 : The GL 1100 Goldwing introduces "single CBS" type braking.

  • 1992 : Six years after the BMW K100, Honda equips the ST 1100 Pan European with the ABS braking system.

  • 1996 : The ST 1100 is the first machine of the winged brand to adopt combined ABS and double CBS braking.

  • 2004 : The CBF 600 is the first mid-class motorcycle to be fitted with ABS: a success for Honda which will sell more with ABS than without !

  • 2008 : The 1800 Goldwing GL is the first motorcycle in the world to be equipped with an airbag.

    • "Technically, it would be possible to generalize Electronic Combined ABS on the rest of the Honda range.", continues Kazuhiko Tani,"but the system is so sophisticated that it cannot be justified on less efficient machines. What’s more, it’s significantly more expensive".

    Honda is also continuing to work on a system that would improve braking distances in the dry with a motorcycle equipped with the ABS system, to make it more efficient than a machine without it..

    As for the Traction Control System (TCS) introduced in series fifteen years ago, "we stopped it because many of our customers declared that the TCS was of no use to them and that they wanted to keep the "fun" side of their machine", explains Kazuhiko Tani."However today, electronics being omnipresent in competition, it is likely that there is again a demand in this direction and that Honda responds to it by developing a new more efficient and fun TCS, based on competition models.". To be continued … Stay connected !

    Alexandre BARDIN – Photos Stan PEREC and David REYGONDEAU

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