Better Brakes, Car or Bike??

[NormanC]

Following on from a discussion that was in danger of highjacking another thread, which has better brakes, a car or a bike.

So far we've had:

"Surely the bike will be outbraked by any reasonable car?

Just think 4 reasonably sized contact patches against (effectively) 1 very small one. "

and also

"Depends very much on the rider / driver, tyre compounds, bike / car model, and conditions.

contact area doesn't really have much to do with it. "

What are other peoples thoughts?

 

[jimti]

I always thought weight had a lot to do with it, modern trucks have excellent brakes and more rubber on the road than any other vehicles, but they still need lots of room to stop, so I would say bike

 

[renault12ts]

Momentum is the thing.

 

[BTB 500]

In a straight line on dry road they will be pretty much the same (cars have more tyre contact area, but weigh more). In less than perfect conditions much more skill will be required to bring a bike to a safe stop, whereas in a modern car (with ABS, ESP, etc.) you just need to stand on the brakes. So with an average rider and an average driver, my money would be on the car.

 

[Sp!ke]

In the wet, I'd take my chances in a car.

In the dry, there's a good chance a bike would out brake the car but so much of it depends on model of car and model of bike.

On a bike though you generally don't need to stop, you just need a gap wide enough for your shoulders.

 

[NormanC]

I always thought weight had a lot to do with it, modern trucks have excellent brakes and more rubber on the road than any other vehicles, but they still need lots of room to stop, so I would say bike

But lorry tyres have rubber as hard as steel so they don't have any grip. Also, drivers can't be bothered to change tyre pressures between fully loaded and empty.

 

[Pan]

I'd agree with that.
Modern sportsbike on a dry road with a competent rider should stop on a sixpence, on a wet road the car would win hands down.

Peter

 

[NormanC]

Perhaps we should get Top Gear to do a test!

 

[BTB 500]

Stopping distance varies from car to car though, and even for the same car it will depend on what tyres are fitted and how worn they are.

 

[NormanC]

Stopping distance varies from car to car though, and even for the same car it will depend on what tyres are fitted and how worn they are.

Obviously you're right, Bill.

I was just looking for a generality.

What I've seemed to glean so far is with an expert rider in the dry the bike will be better. In other circumstances the car is probably better.

 

[BTB 500]

What I've seemed to glean so far is with an expert rider in the dry the bike will be better.

Better than what though? Comparing like for like i.e. sports bike with a Lotus, Caterham etc. I bet they'd be very similar. Harley vs Caterham, my money would be on the car. Sports bike vs SUV then I'd go for the bike.

Etc.

 

[Sp!ke]

I know that stopping from 190+mph can be done with relative ease in around 150m on my Busa.

I'm not sure I'd like to have to achieve that in any car I've ever driven.

 

[prprandall51]

I recently bought my first ever bike with ABS it also has automatically linked front and rear braking. I haven't had to call on the ABS (yet!) but it gives the rider the confidence to really test the brakes of a modern sportsbike to see what they can actually do.

My informal research says that, wet or dry conditions, the bike will outbrake my 211 estate by a country mile. There is simply no comparison.

 

[iscaboy]

I know that stopping from 190+mph

you appear to have badly mistyped 69+mph

 

[tiger]

Bike every time, there will be some cars(expensive) but if you spend more money on a bike then it will do the job. As for harley's...they are not bikes, merely 2 wheels that go in a straight line!!!! ;-)

 

[BTB 500]

With a high performance bike the high CG and resulting weight transfer forward are surely the limiting factors in hard braking. I.e. you can do a 'stoppy' before the front tyre starts to skid.

Never seen a car do that!

 

[Sp!ke]

you appear to have badly mistyped 69+mph

No, I was here at the time... and yes, you have to get up to speed AND stop before the end of the strip. The current record holder has exceeded 265mph (officially confirmed) and stopped before the grass.

See http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/30297-265-4mph-no-aeros.html

 

[Sp!ke]

With a high performance bike the high CG and resulting weight transfer forward are surely the limiting factors in hard braking. I.e. you can do a 'stoppy' before the front tyre starts to skid.

Never seen a car do that!

You don't really do a stoppy unless you encourage it on a bike. (usually by a sudden increase or by shifting your weight). That said, look at the GP boys when they brake into a corner and the back wheels are often a centimetre or so in the air - actually, thinking about it, so do many cars (thinking of saloon car racing).

It would be interesting to see where the braking points are and what the straight and corner entry speeds are for different vehicles on the same circuit.

 

[iscaboy]

'busa's are nuts.

GR did 200+ mph wheelies on a 500 bhp 'busa turbo some time ago.

so 'busa riders are nuts too

 

[Sp!ke]

215.2mph at Elvington IIRC.

I was there.