Title: Motorcycle integrated brakes: Human factors considerations and braking performance

Authors: R.G. Mortimer

Addresses: University of Illinois, Champaign, IL., USA

Abstract: The results of three studies are described in which motorcyclists rode motorcycles equipped with separated front and rear brakes and with integrated brakes, and carried out braking tests from 40.3km/h on dry and wet pavements. It was found that integrated front and rear brakes, compared with separated brakes, produced mean increases in decleration of 30-70% on dry pavements and 27-55% on wet pavements. It was concluded that, because accident investigations have shown that motorcyclists only use the front brake with the rear (foot) brake about half the time and often modulate the brakes ineffectively, a substantial proportion of motor-cycle crashes could be reduced in severity by the use of integrated brakes.

Keywords: vehicle design; motorcycle braking; integrated brakes; braking performance; safety; motorcycle accidents; road conditions; human factors; motorcycles; motorbikes.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1988.061522

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1988 Vol.9 No.4/5, pp.505 - 511

Published online: 26 May 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article