OREANDA-NEWS. Performance and handling are not the only outstanding features of new motorcycle models. “The trend toward more safety features also continues undiminished,” says Gerhard Steiger, president of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division. Over the past six years, the share of bikes equipped with an ABS antilock braking system has risen 600 percent. “Now, every third motorcycle made in Europe has ABS on board,” Steiger says. At present, MSC motorcycle stability control offers bikers the best possible safety. At the end of 2013, Bosch was the first- and so far only -supplier to start production of this safety system. “Like ESP in cars, MSC offers the best possible support for every situation, whether braking or accelerating, and even when the rider is leaning over at a steep angle,” Steiger says.

Clear evidence of the benefit of these safety systems is provided by GIDAS, the German In-Depth Accident Study. ABS can already prevent one-quarter of all motorcycle accidents involving casualties. Further GIDAS analyses show that MSC can help in two-thirds of the motorcycle accidents that occur in bends due to rider error.

Following its multiple award-winning 1190 Adventure and Adventure R, the Austrian manufacturer KTM is now offering this system in its recently debuted 1290 Super Adventure. For the first time, it will also be available with innovative optional features: hill hold control and a lean angle-dependent drag torque control.

Bosch MSC offers a new dimension of safety

MSC motorcycle stability control currently offers the best possible safety for motorcyclists. Technically, the system is based on a Bosch ABS, plus an electronic composite brake function. All the rider has to do is apply the front or back brake. The system automatically applies the second brake, ensuring that the best possible braking force is applied to each wheel. An additional lean-angle sensor measures the actual lean of the motorcycle, allowing the system to instantaneously adjust its electronic braking and acceleration interventions to suit the current riding status. In this way, it provides the best possible support in bends. Given that nearly every second fatal motorcycle accident happens in a bend, this is especially important. Precise regulation offers a smooth progression in brake pressure as the rider leans in for the corner, as well as boosting deceleration on the straight. And by analyzing tilt rate and linear acceleration, the system can tell sooner when the front or rear wheel is about to lift off, allowing MSC to intervene with a corrective action. Brake force is distributed flexibly and fast between the front and rear wheel according to the driving situation, ensuring the safest and best possible deceleration.

MSC and more in the new KTM 1290 Super Adventure

A number of additional functions make the 1290 Super Adventure stand out from its predecessor, the 1190 Adventure. As a new standard feature, the composite function in the MSC adjusts the distribution of brake force between front and rear wheel to the linear gradient of the road. When riding uphill, for example, the rear wheel is braked more than on a level stretch, since it can transfer more braking force in such a situation. A hill hold control and drag torque control are also available as options. Hill hold control automatically maintains brake pressure, even when the rider releases the hand and foot brakes. The brake is not opened until the rider has opened the throttle and engaged the clutch. There is no longer any juggling of clutch, brakes, and throttle, which is especially tricky during hill starts. For its part, the drag torque control counteracts the critical situations that arise when drive torque suddenly increases or drops. In such cases, the driven wheel can lose traction and start to skid. This can happen when engine braking torque is too high - when changing to a lower gear too soon, for example - or when the rider suddenly lets go of the throttle on a slippery road surface. MSC detects the lean angle and the risk of traction loss, and instantly computes the best possible values for acceleration and braking. This provides a considerable boost to safety in such situations.

From ABS light to MSC - a solution for every class of motorcycle

Having taken a modular approach, Bosch can offer an ABS to suit any type of motorized two-wheeler that features a hydraulic brake system. The portfolio ranges from a single hydraulic brake channel to control the front wheel, to a dual-channel system, to the top-of-the-line ABS 9 enhanced, featuring an eCBS (electronic combined brake system) function. In the latter case, all the rider has to do is apply one of the brakes, front or rear. ABS 9 enhanced then automatically activates the second brake to bring the optimum brake force to bear on both wheels.