Brake System - With Bmw Integral Abs - BMW K 1200 LT Owner's Manual

Brake system - with BMW Integral ABS

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How does ABS work?
The maximum braking force which
can be transferred to the road sur-
face is partially dependent on the
coefficient of friction of the road
surface. Gravel, ice, snow and wet
road surfaces offer a considerably
poorer coefficient of friction than a
dry, clean layer of asphalt. The
lower the coefficient of friction of
the road surface is, the longer the
braking distance will be.
If the maximum transferrable
braking force is exceeded when
the driver increases the brake
pressure applied, the wheels
begin to lock and the driving
stability is lost, resulting in a
danger of falling. Before this
situation occurs, the ABS inter-
venes and adjusts the brake
pressure to the maximum trans-
ferrable braking force. As a result,
the wheels continue to turn and
the driving stability is maintained
regardless of the road surface
condition.
What happens on uneven
road surfaces?
Wavy ground or uneven road
surfaces can briefly result in a loss
of contact between the tire and
the road surface, and the transfer-
rable braking force decreases to
zero. If the brakes are applied in
this situation, the ABS must
reduce the brake pressure to
ensure driving stability when
contact with the road surface is
restored. At this point in time the
BMW Motorrad Integral ABS
must assume extremely low
coefficients of friction (gravel, ice
or snow) so that the wheels turn
in every imaginable case and the
driving stability is ensured.
After the actual conditions are
detected, the system adjusts the
brake pressure to the optimum
value.