The End of Days? Or a Bright New Dawn?

[Paul in NZ]

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2013/09/bosch-and-ktm-take-electronic-assistance-to-the-next-level-with-motorcycle-stability-control/

Egad....

[onearmedbandit]

Always thought skill was over rated...

[bogan]

Always thought skill was over rated...

Well I do alright without it...

... and in just 73 rather difficult payments to KTM I could do even better :D

Actually looks kinda cool though, but need to see some vids of a rough cunt giving it the beans.

[EJK]

Will there be an "auto knee down" button?

[Road kill]

Gimme a break,I'm still getting over the fact my bike has an electric start, 5 gears and no oil leaks.

[nudemetalz]

Will there be an "auto knee down" button?

Yup,...you just push the "VR46" button on the dash.

[Paul in NZ]

Yup,...you just push the "VR46" button on the dash.

No - a thumb swipe at purchase will analyze your prior riding history including traffic offences, insurance claims and bike ownership history. Sort it against your personality/age profile, automatically write the bike off instantly (saving you time) and deposit the insured amount minus likely traffic infringements, financing costs, rego and other assorted taxes plus a short DVD of a simulation of you sitting on the bike and riding it to prove to your kids that you were cool once...

It makes a lot of sense and saves a lot of time and medical expense. ACC should be well pleased...

[Gremlin]

I haven't had in incident where that would have helped, but certainly, when things go wrong, a riders first instinct is to slam the brakes on even if mid corner. I can see the benefit.

It doesn't help if your tyres lose grip though (that did go wrong for me), plus, being a first edition if it goes wrong it's going to be bloody expensive. I have a BMW, I know all about expensive parts :laugh:

[onearmedbandit]

but certainly, when things go wrong, a riders first instinct is to slam the brakes on even if mid corner.


An inexperienced rider maybe.

[Gremlin]

An inexperienced rider maybe.
True... and technically, you messed up before you even got to the corner... argh, the number of disclaimers you have to put in... no such thing as a quick post. ;)

[300weatherby]

An inexperienced rider maybe.

Yup, first instinct should allways be "go for the gap" and stop the fuck looking at the problem in front of you! When you are driving your car to work every day, you can practice building the "evolving escape plan" until it becomes automatic, once it becomes automatic it will save your arse on a bike in the real world.

Should be mandatory avoidance training with a practical test, to get any two wheel licence.

[Banditbandit]

Gimme a break,I'm still getting over the fact my bike has an electric start, 5 gears and no oil leaks.

I was happy with just no oil leaks ...

Now I have six gears .. and I get lost in them occassionally ...

Electric start ?? Never trusted the buggers ... and it makes wimps out of riders ...

[breakaway]

I used to be fiercely against driver/rider assist systems such as ABS/ESP etc, but the fact of the matter is that the average rider doesn't have the skill of Rossi. So a system which poll a bunch of sensors tens of thousands of times per second and make braking corrections is a very good saftey net.

[aderino4]

It's pretty nice system and will help in tricky situation.

Now, I wonder if it will allow people to get their knee down on gravel road without crashing.

[onearmedbandit]

I used to be fiercely against driver/rider assist systems such as ABS/ESP etc, but the fact of the matter is that the average rider doesn't have the skill of Rossi.

The average rider doesn't need the skill of Rossi. In 25yrs of riding all my crashes (half a dozen) have been my fault, and I've learnt from them. They have taught me what is possible and what is down right stupid.

[Laava]

Will there be an "auto knee down" button?

Must...resist...temptation... To be smartarse!

[russd7]

Always thought skill was over rated..
seems the populaton is getting dumbed down even more, pain is a cruel task master.



but the fact of the matter is that the average rider doesn't have the skill of Rossi
this wont stop people believing that they have tho, more likely to make more people believe they are a rossi :brick:

[Cracker]

I am panting a bit on the KTM 1190. I only hope its got a cigarette lighter on it.

Best and only electric aid I've experienced is the electric starter. My 1981 Moto Guzzi dual action brakes work well so should the KTM, can't wait to give it the test, i.e dogs on South American highways.

[BigAl]

Fark, no wheelies, no donuts, no slides, no burn outs, might as well get a cage......

[george formby]

The average rider doesn't need the skill of Rossi. In 25yrs of riding all my crashes (half a dozen) have been my fault, and I've learnt from them. They have taught me what is possible and what is down right stupid.
Your obviously willing to learn. Huge thing, that is. All my crashes been my fault too.
I'm up with this tech but the contact patches do not change. Scant info on the vid, does it over ride rider error or kick in before the rider knows they are going tits up?
How much does it cost to fix when the light on the dash does not go out & you can't get a warrant?
Does the compoota have a sound grasp of counter steering & back brake application with throttle open?
Will it send you across the road into a vehicle when you try to slide the arse of the bike around to stay in lane?
Smarter people than me made it, but thicker people than me will put absolute faith in it.
Personally, I reckon this tech could save my bacon when my anticipation or reactions do not quite cut the mustard. Could also fuck me up.

[EJK]

Must...resist...temptation... To be smartarse!

Cause you know I'll want em! (or "need" them).

[Banditbandit]

I used to be fiercely against driver/rider assist systems such as ABS/ESP etc, but the fact of the matter is that the average rider doesn't have the skill of Rossi. So a system which poll a bunch of sensors tens of thousands of times per second and make braking corrections is a very good saftey net.

But that's the whole point of evolution - survival of the fittest ... now we are allowing technology to let the non-fit survive ...

That's not doing a lot longterm for the human race ..

[bogan]

But that's the whole point of evolution - survival of the fittest ... now we are allowing technology to let the non-fit survive ...

That's not doing a lot longterm for the human race ..

As much as the fulla is entertaining, I hardly think VR46 is doing a lot of good for the human race. Gone are the days where physical ability is the best thing we can to pass on to our offspring.

[Banditbandit]

As much as the fulla is entertaining, I hardly think VR46 is doing a lot of good for the human race. Gone are the days where physical ability is the best thing we can to pass on to our offspring.

So maybe you see a future world full of Stephen Hawkings?

Me ??? I'd leave them on the mountainside at night for the bears ...

[bogan]

So maybe you see a future world full of Stephen Hawkings?

Me ??? I'd leave them on the mountainside at night for the bears ...

Well I'd say he has done more for the human race than Rossi has. Anyway, somewhere in between is likely the best one, point being 'survival of the fittest' no longer applies when the fittest are not who we need to survive; eugenics is a better approach... but I fear we may be getting a little of topic. Need to see some non cgi footage of it really being pushed to the edge and perhaps beyond before I'm convinced.

[avgas]

What a fantastic idea! They have invented a car!

[buggerit]

I can see ACC putting up licencing ,but giving you a discount if you have certain gadgets on your bike ( some prick was on here doing a bullshit one eyed survey the other week wasnt he?). I can see stuff becoming compulsory on new bikes,so more expense,more to go wrong, newbies never learning the basics properly until they step onto a bike without it and crash and wonder what the hell went wrong.
I do see some positives, it may save the occasional crash and also increase the pathetically slow speeds we are crashing at to something more respectable:devil2:

[iranana]

Gimme a break,I'm still getting over the fact my bike has an electric start, 5 gears and no oil leaks.

you and me both, but I'm still getting over the fact mine has a cdi instead of points, a rear disc brake, and six whole gears. Dunno about the oil leaks tho. i see this new technology as kind of unnecessary. Surely it puts a bit of a dampener on the spirit of bikes? By that I mean whole engine with two wheels and fuck all to stop you from crashing kind of spirit. No fancy electrics, just an engine and wheels. Keeps you on edge and more in tune with your machine, ya know? I couldn't be bothered/afford to maintain a modern bike with such sophisticated electrics...