BMW targets safety. September 2007

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BMW targets safety. September 2007

BMW is committed to improving the safety on all of its motor-cycles, as shown by over 20 years of development in anti-locking brakes.
September 14, 2007 2:48 PM AEST
BMW is committed to improving the safety on all of its motor-cycles, as shown by over 20 years of development in anti-locking brakes.\nThe latest generation ABS is joined by Automatic Stability Control, a traction system that acts decisively to reduce wheel slip in a myriad of potentially dangerous situations, with the aim of returning control to the rider.\nThe dynamic search for the best safety systems has played a key role in the success of BMW Motorrad. BMW was the first manufacturer to offer motorcyclists its electro-hydraulic anti-lock braking system in 1988. At the time it was hailed by the media as the most important development in the field of active safety since the introduction of the disc brake. The BMW ABS system has consistently been developed and technologically updated.

BMW targets safety. September 2007

Integral ABS has become a standard feature on many models including the K 1200 GT, K 1200 S, K 1200 LT, and R 1200 RT. For many riders, ABS is an indispensable feature. The high proportion of BMW Motorrad models equipped with ABS (where it can be specified as an option) reflects the BMW rider's appreciation of the system. Globally, BMW Motorrad's Integral ABS is specified by 84 percent of R 1200 GS customers, 92 percent of R 1200 ST customers, and 87 percent of K 1200 R customers.


BMW Motorrad Integral ABS comes with either 'partial' or 'full' integral functioning. This dynamically distributes the braking force to the front and rear wheel according to the wheel load.
BMW has now developed a new generation of Integral ABS aimed at meeting the needs of the new generation more dynamic sports-oriented machines. This also offers riders the ability to specify a global innovation: traction control - BMW Motorrad ASC (Automatic Stability Control). Compared with the previous Integral ABS, the new Integral ABS enhances the brake system and adapts even better to the rider's requirements. New electronics ensure a more sensitive response to road surface irregularities and grip changes. The control processes of the new Integral ABS provide distinct feedback to the rider via the brake levers whenever grip levels are exceeded.


BMW Motorrad is currently the only manufacturer to offer a traction control system on a production motorcycle. BMW Automatic Stability Control for motorcycles is an additional function that works in conjunction with the
latest generation BMW Integral ABS. ASC protects riders on roads with varying and lower friction coefficients. The most exciting roads can often have quickly varying surfaces which means changeable traction levels.
BMW ASC is able to limit the drive torque transferred by the engine (within physical limits), so as to prevent the rear wheel from spinning, which compromises stability.


In addition to a significant safety improvement, this also means a more efficient use of the power - since ASC will limit power levels to that which the surface can accept. If the motorcycle is being ridden on a track and a degree of wheel slip is desired, the ASC system can be deactivated by pushing a button. This can also be actioned while riding. Like all BMW electronic systems, the ASC system features a self-diagnosis capability, which alerts the rider should the system become disabled for some reason. A special off-road setup has additionally been developed, specifically for the R 1200 GS and R 1200 GS Adventure. This is adapted to the specific traction levels typically encountered on loose surfaces, such as sand or gravel.
Riders simply push the ASC button to shift the system from the on-road to the off-road mode.


The right safety system for every BMW. With the new Integral ABS, BMW Motorrad now offers a complete range of ABS systems precisely tuned to the different categories of motorcycles within the current model range. The R 1200 S and the F 800 S/ST are equipped with the new ABS system, which was specifically designed for lightweight sporting machines and so does not offer the integral function. On the R 1200 S, ABS can be deactivated, ideal for the racetrack.


All new BMW models will feature the latest generation Integral ABS, with the exception of the K 1200 LT and the F 650 models, which continue with their well-proven systems.


BMW ASC is available on the
following machines: K 1200 S,
K 1200 R, R 1200 GS, R 1200 GSA,R 1200 R, R 1200 RT, R 1200 ST.

 

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