Feedbackloop

FeedbackLoop

SERVICE

In regard to your response to a question about the TRAC anti-dive on a 1984 Honda VF1000F Interceptor ("Taking a dive," August issue), the systems on the VF1000F and VF1000R were not actuated by brake-line pressure as you stated but rather by the caliper rotating slightly on its mount. The caliper was allowed to pivot ever so slightly, and in doing so, it closed a valve in one of the fork legs. This worked effectively on the street, at least. One fork leg had regular suspension compliance and the other was restricted via the adjustable anti-dive setting. A rigid fork brace balanced these out and gave a nice ride and good control when braking hard. This may not have been ideal on the track, but it worked great for the average street rider. The same system is used on my beloved 1984 V65 Magna, as well, and I much prefer the anti-dive on that bike vs. my anti-diveless 1993 CB750 Nighthawk. A decade newer and yet the 70s' bike had better suspension "Chopper" Charles Smith Durham, North Carolina

A You are correct, Charles. In writing that response, I completely forgot that Honda's anti-dive system was different than those on the other Japanese performance bikes, which did use brake-line pressure to activate the anti-dive. My apologies.

I was not wrong, however, about the reason for those systems' eventual discontinuance. Many riders complained about harsh front suspension behavior when braking over bumps and ripples when the anti-dive was activated; some others said they disliked the entire anti-dive concept, since having some degree of front-end dive gave them a better sense of how much braking force they were applying.

Not everybody agreed; some riders—you among them—were perfectly happy with their bikes' anti-dives. But, having received quite a bit of negative feedback from owners and even some criticism in magazine tests, the manufacturers gradually phased out their systems as new models were developed.