Should the Government Mandate Anti-Lock Brakes For Bikers?

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Most motorcyclists will do just about anything to avoid falling — except ride a bike with anti-lock brakes. Some bikers say anti-lock technology, which has been available for decades, is a turn-off because it takes away some of their control. Motorcycle makers resist using the brakes because they add cost.

But crashes killed more than 5,000 riders in 2008, which is the highest number since the government began collecting crash fatality data in 1975. And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says anti-lock brakes reduce fatal crashes by more than a third. So the safety group, which is funded by the insurance industry, is asking federal officials to require anti-lock brakes on all new motorcycles.

Insurance Institute researchers compared fatal crash statistics from 2003 to 2008 for motorcycles with anti-lock brakes against those without. They found motorcycles with anti-locks are 37 percent less likely to be in fatal crashes per 10,000 registered vehicle years. The group also said bike models with anti-lock brakes have 22 percent fewer insurance claims for crash damage than non-anti-lock models per insured vehicle year. A vehicle year is one vehicle insured for one year.

Compared with car drivers, motorcyclists have a lot more at stake every time they apply the brakes. Applying them too hard can cause a skid, and even the slightest skid — something people in cars would barely notice — can cause a fall. Oil, sand or gravel on the road can also cause the bike’s wheels to lock prematurely. Applying the brakes lightly isn’t the answer, especially in emergencies where riders need as much braking power as they can muster. Most bikes have separate, independent controls for the front and rear brakes, which makes stopping quickly even trickier.

Anti-lock brakes help by reducing brake pressure when they detect impending lockup of a wheel and then increasing the pressure when the wheel regains traction. Essentially the systems electronics pump the brakes rapidly — many times per second – to keep the wheels from skidding.

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