Royal Enfield Interceptor: Watch ABS save the rider during high speed braking

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 retro motorcycle is equipped with strong brakes, backed by dual channel ABS. In fact, a lot of Royal Enfield Interceptor owners are particularly impressed with the motorcycle’s braking, which is said to be quite unlike that on many other Royal Enfields. An Interceptor 650 rider found out how effective the dual channel ABS equipped brakes of the Interceptor are, when he narrowly missed hitting a dog on the road. The entire incident was captured on video. Check it out.

As the video reveals, the Interceptor 650 rider was doing around 100 Kmph on a highway, when a dog suddenly came onto the roads. With little time to react, the biker instinctively slammed onto the brakes and swerved slightly. This was enough for the bike to slow down adequately while remaining in control, giving enough time for the dog to run back into the bushes. Had the biker panic braked at high speed on a non-ABS bike, a skid could have been the result, as it happens in most cases. The skids are often uncontrollable, and they end up badly injuring the biker.

ABS, an acronym for Anti-lock Braking System is a life saving safety feature that is now mandatory on all 125cc+ motorcycles sold in India. Single channel ABS is what is mandatory, and this means that the front wheel of the motorcycle is equipped with ABS. However, many motorcycle makers such as KTM and Royal Enfield offer dual channel ABS on most of their offerings. Dual channel ABS, which works on both wheels, is a lot more effective than single channel ABS. It is standard on all Royal Enfield motorcycles except for the Bullet 350, which gets a single channel ABS unit to keep costs low.

How does ABS work?

ABS broadly consists of 1. wheel motion and inertia sensors 2. an ECU and 3. pressure relief valves, and of course 4. A braking system usually equipped with disc brakes (particularly on ABS). The ABS, through the sensors and ECU, continuously monitors the speed of a wheel and when brakes are applied, ABS makes sure that the wheel does not lock. It does this by monitoring the motion of the wheels under braking. When a wheel is about to get locked under hard braking, the ECU of the ABS sends a signal to pressure relief valves that are connected to brakes, telling them to releases brake pressure in minute levels. This ensures that the wheel continues to rotate. So, the motorcycle does not go into a skid even under hard braking. It also allows the rider to steer around an obstacle even under hard braking, allowing the rider to completely avoid a collission. Also, the importance ABS becomes critical on wet roads, where the possibility of a skid under braking is very high. Overall, ABS helps save lives. While buying a motorcycle, make sure it’s equipped with ABS, at least a single channel unit.