2015 Ducati Superbike 1299 Panigale S Owners Manual - Page 91

Using the brakes correctly under adverse conditions is the hardest - and yet the most critical - skill to master for a rider. Braking is one of the most difficult and dangerous moments when riding a two-wheeled vehicle: the possibility of falling or having an accident during braking is statistically higher than at any other moment. A locked front wheel leads to loss of traction and stability, resulting in loss of control. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) has been developed to enable riders to use the vehicle's braking force to the fullest during emergency braking, adverse weather conditions or when pavement is compromised. ABS is an electro-hydraulic device that controls the pressure in the brake circuit when the control unit, by processing information from wheel sensors, determines that one or both wheels are about to lock up. In this case, pressure decrease in the brake circuit allows the wheel to carry on turning, thereby preserving grip. After that, the control unit restores the pressure in the brake circuit, to resume the braking action. This cycle is repeated many times until the problem is completely eliminated. Normally, the rider will perceive ABS operation as a harder feel or a pulsation of the brake lever and pedal. The front and rear brakes use separate control systems. The Panigale R ABS also features a "cornering" function that widens ABS functionality to the conditions where the motorcycle is leaning over, thus controlling the front and rear brake systems depending on the vehicle lean angle with the purpose of preventing wheel lockup and slipping as much as possible, within the physical limits allowed by the vehicle and by the road conditions. If desired, the system can be deactivated from the instrument panel, setting the level to OFF within the Riding Mode for which you wish to disable it. 89