ABS is a popular on sport touring bikes, but a full-out performance machine? Honda attempts to convince the sportbike market that their C-ABS on the CBR will benefit even the quickest bikes in their lineup.

Ron Lieback
AllAboutBikes.com Staff Writer

Sure, anti-lock brakes are a convenience in the sport touring market, but on a sportbike? Wanting the many advantages of utilizing the front brake and back brake in separate ways to enhance performance riding, sport riders may not see the benefits ABS can have on a their machine. Honda wants to prove them wrong, and also show that their new system, C-ABS, or combined anti-lock brake system, can improve stopping on even their top-performance bikes, the 2009 CBR600RR and CBR1000RR.

First off, unlike the C-ABS used on other Honda models such as the Interceptor and ST1300, the CBR version is an electronic, brake-by-wire system. The C-ABS systems on the mentioned bikes are clunky and contain many components, such as a delay valve, pressure control valve, fork-mounted secondary mastery cylinder and special 3-piston brake calipers. But not the C-ABS on the CBR. What makes this C-ABS special is it does away with these extra components, using instead a traditional caliper design for less un-sprung weight.

The five components that make up the new C-ABS are well-integrated in the chassis, keeping mass centralized. This mass-centralization philosophy keeps the C-ABS components located in places that don’t negatively impact the bike’s handling. The only change on the CBR was a relocation of the shock reservoir to the left side rail of the subframe, accommodating the placement of the rear power unit.

The system is managed by an Electronic Control Module (ECM), which appropriately distributes braking to both wheels. The ECM connects to the front and rear systems that contain a power unit, valve unit, speed sensor and pulser ring. The wheels’ hydro-electronic valve unit has a stroke censor, which sends a normal feeling of resistance to the brake lever/pedal. The electronic sensors in each valve unit tells the ECM how much pressure the rider is applying to the brakes, and the ECM then “crunches” these numbers, sending orders to the front and rear Electronic Power Units that contain a gear-driven ball screw that applies hydraulic brake pressure to the correct caliper. Due to the ECM sending hundreds of calculations and commands per second, the ABS engages without pulsing.

The only disadvantage to this system is an extra 22 lbs. of weight to the non-C-ABS model CBR, which is 412 lbs, and an extra $1,000 to the base price of $9,799. As for popularity of the CBR with C-ABS, we’ll see how the market responds. The bike has received many excellent reviews by the motorcycle media, so the market should respond positively.