ABS, pros and cons

[Blackdog]

I've never ridden an ABS equipped bike. Is it worth the extra $1,000?

[Wild Will]

Depends on where you ride, what your roads are like. Mine are not straight, and often there are blind corners close together. I've rounded a corner innumerable times and have encountered wild hogs, deer, cows, boulders, stalled pickups, downed trees, and more.

ABS is worth the money. It's saved my arse many times. No, in a panic, eyeball-popping stop, it's faster than a brave road racer type. Period. It's a useful, practical emergency tool that if you only use once in your life, it's worth it. Many brave road warriors don't need it because they can perform like Clark Kent in an emergency. Don't believe it.

If you have a fifty dollar head, wear a $50 helmet; if you ride on the edge, why not use proven technology that will not allow you to lose your contact patch?

[DarthRider]

It's useful "on the edge" and everywhere else too, when the conditions require it.
Other than cost, the only downside I see is that some riders might think they don't really need to "learn how to brake" and regularly practice threshold braking and emergency braking. Then ABS becomes part of the "dumbing down" of riding motorcycles.
It is an aid, a tool, a useful device for surprises, emergencies, and situations that can & do arise that are just beyond the abilities of mortal man, regardless of experience level.
But it should never become a crutch, enabling us to wobble down the road without proper technique.
After nearly 52 years of practice I can modulate motorcycle brakes pretty well, but my next bike will have ABS (if it's offered).

[socalrob]

The tide does seem to be changing. Ducati seems to be one of the last major holdouts. I'm wondering when they will put ABS on their "softer" bikes like the Monsters or their sport/tour oriented bikes like the Multistrada.

[Fly]

The tide does seem to be changing. Ducati seems to be one of the last major holdouts. I'm wondering when they will put ABS on their "softer" bikes like the Monsters or their sport/tour oriented bikes like the Multistrada.

I've wondered this too. At least make it an option like they did on the departed ST3 and ST4.

[GPM]

I seem to recall some rather lively discussions on this subject a couple of years back. Sure wish I could find the link to those. :pot:

Put me down in favor of ABS. Wish it had been an option on my bike.

[Steve Carlton]

I think it's a huge plus. I don't pretend to be that good a rider that I could perform as well, let alone in a panic situation. I hear many, many stories from riders who claim it's saved them, often more than once. The downside is more maintenance, a potentially expensive repair, and the occasional engagement over a glitch in the road that gives you that unnerving feeling of having lost your brakes for a split second. Feels like you're on ice for just long enough to notice it.

[ROUNDEL]

worth it and depending on bike can be partially and often like on hp2s fully deactivated for track etc.

[panthercity]

Although it's not a deal-breaker for me, one way or another, I'm glad my R1100RSA has it. After almost 30 years of roadracing and over 40 years of riding, I can still modulate brakes pretty well. On a good day, when I'm on my game, I can stop faster w/o ABS than with it.

Butt they're not all good days.

And I'm not always on top of my game.

At the end of an 800-mile day, at dusk, with Anna on the back, pulling up to an unknown intersection likely coated with unknown fluids, I'm really, REALLY glad to have it.

If you've got it butt want to keep your skills honed, practice braking right up to the point where the ABS kicks in. See how long you can keep it there. How consistently. It's great fun.

Oh, and Steve, what extra maintenance? My son's R1150RSA requires extra steps butt only because of the "power brakes" some dufus decided we needed. My R1100RSA doesn't require any more or less fluid changes than my other non-ABS bikes? Am I missing something?

[DarthRider]

Well Bob, I'm an experienced, capable, studied, practiced, long-time rider & racer too.
And you know what? I'm sure I can out-brake a similar ABS equipped bike, maybe...99% of the time.
But I don't want to get killed or crashed out 1% of the time, so I support ABS. And like you, it's not a deal-breaker, just a preference.
Braking in "adverse" traction conditions on the street is yet one more important reason to have dirt bike experience in slowing/stopping with front and/or rear wheels sliding. Of course, *not* sliding the wheels is what we're really after but experience in causing & dealing with slides is a huge step towards learning how not to do it! The "threshold braking zone" is where safety lives...

And Harry...you really don't want to re-read those old ABS threads. Every time I stumble across one it gives me a headache and makes me fart! :028:

[Sir Limpsalot]

And Harry...you really don't want to re-read those old ABS threads. Every time I stumble across one it gives me a headache and makes me fart! :028:

The same thought occured to me. Well, maybe not the farting bit..

The only bike I've had ABS on was my K100RS. It only activated once, on some spilt diesel on a garage forecourt. Without it I'd have been sweeping up bits of broken fairing, I'm sure of that. But, that was the bike that I had my major crash on as well. I'm here to tell you that all the ABS in the world isn't going to help you if some blind bitch pulls out on you when you'e 20 feet away and doing 30..

It's a safety aid. A worthwhile one too. If you can afford it on your new Tiger then you should get it. Lets face it, even with ABS the Tiger is still something of a bargain compared to the GS! :pot:

Si.

[X-Troller]

Here's an example a tired bicyclist ahead doesn't hear you until the last second then pulls out in front of you. 25 foot drop to the left wet grass with a short run off to the right ;max braking on the pavement until startled biker hears you then swerves back into your path. With brakes cranked on tight into the wet grass I go if no ABS instant low side or high side into culvert instead modulated braking until stopped not five feet before end of grass and into concrete wall. Believer one apologetic bycyclist sorry and thankful laundry soiled!

[jamming]

I have a Non-ABS Tiger, I wish it had it, but, for me it was not a deal breaker. I am a believer in ABS, had it on the ST, activated it once. Panic stop on freeway when a car pulled out from the shoulder with nowhere to go.

Not having ABS is ALWAYS in the back of my mind and I DO practice panic, full on stops. When I'm riding in the rain, not having ABS is in the forefront of my decision making process. YMMV

[Nail24]

I've never ridden an ABS equipped bike. Is it worth the extra $1,000?

What bike?

[Gord]

I learned on a non-ABS bike, but have only ever owned ABS equipped bikes. All both of them! I agree wholeheartedly with Dave that ABS is no replacement for understanding braking and applying good braking technique. I disagree with him (this might be a first) that ABS is "dumbing down" motorcycling. I think you need to understand the difference between ABS and non-ABS braking, and still know the techniques for stopping on a turn and emergency braking. So ABS is not dumbing down riding, it is forcing you to realize the differences a react accordingly. I have only been thankful for ABS two or three times since 2004. But in all three cases, I think that without ABS I would have been up against more than a $1000 bill - and a hospital stay. I am an advocate for ABS but can certainly appreciate those who aren't.

[DarthRider]

Gord - no, no , no...I didn't say ABS is dumbing down motorcycling, not at all. Here's what I said:
"...Other than cost, the only downside I see is that some riders might think they don't really need to "learn how to brake" and regularly practice threshold braking and emergency braking. Then ABS becomes part of the "dumbing down" of riding motorcycles..."

That's based on actual conversations between "ABS Kool Aid sippers" who tell each other, and others that all you need to do, or worry about, is to just jamb on the brakes and let the ABS stop you safely, even better than if you modulate the brakes.
Now *that* is dumbing down motorcycling!
Usually they would be right, but certainly not always. There is (or should be) a whole lot of braking that happens well before ABS activation. At the very best though, it would sure be a sloppy, inept, "asking for it" style of riding a motorcycle.

We are in total agreement Gord, I just wanted to be very clear about what I meant.

[Gord]

David - I stand corrected. I really shouldn't be trying to type anything intelligent (if that is even possible) in the middle of a business meeting!

[DarthRider]

I really shouldn't be trying to type anything intelligent (if that is even possible) in the middle of a business meeting!


What? You were thinking about motorcycles while you were in a business meeting!?
I love ya' man...! :webers:

PS - We are eyeball to eyeball on the ABS thing.

[Sir Limpsalot]

Gord, you'll get caught one day..

Untill then? Hey, the Cafe is way better than any ol' business meeting right?

Cheers,
Si.

[Blackdog]

What bike?


Tiger in this case.

[Steve Carlton]

Oh, and Steve, what extra maintenance? My son's R1150RSA requires extra steps butt only because of the "power brakes" some dufus decided we needed. My R1100RSA doesn't require any more or less fluid changes than my other non-ABS bikes? Am I missing something?

I remember from when I had my R1100S there was a separate procedure for flushing the brake fluid in the ABS module. I called my dealer to refresh my memory and they say every 4 years to do this @ 2 hours. They didn't show any extra procedures for the R1200S, though. So, I guess it depends on the bike.

[jamming]

On the ABS 1050 Tiger the only extra maintence step is a fluid flush. In Washington (wet climate) I'd do yearly, ONLY because brake fluid is hydroscopic. A pint of brake fluid and about 15 min of your time. Do it at an oil change while the oil is draining.
BTW, I do mine yearly anyway and its a non ABS bike. I'll be doing pads and fluid and oil this weekend.

The ABS servo flush on a BMW is a PITA. On the non-servo bikes its a piece of cake.

[Bake]

I've had it on 3 out of 5 BMW's. The type on my F800ST and the F650gs are ok. Mostly invisible.

I would not ever own another motorcycle with the '03 K1200RS version, the linked, servopower system is way over engineered and complicated. The thing is, it's expensive to buy, mostly unserviceable by average owners, and after the warranty if it founders in the Channel it's reallllly expensive to fix.

30,000 miles riding with those 3 bikes and I had it come on once, on my '05 F650GS. I was stopping on those damnable decorative brick arrangements they put on downtown intersections. It worked as advertised, and was impressive.

However, I mostly see ABS as an expensive gimmick. Yes, it works when it's in tip top shape. For new riders, maybe it can be justified, but even then, I sure would hate to think a new rider thinks it will do the hard work of judging proper braking for them, rather than learn to brake properly and in all situations, on their own. One individual I've read on the F800 forum has it come on all the time; and whines about it incessantly. He doesn't know how to ride, and that's my concern when ABS is used as a marketing avenue.

I could also justify it if a rider rolls up big miles, several cross country trips a year, because you're constantly in unknown situations, roads maybe you've never seen before, or are riding really long, tiring days.

So, there's some different angles to consider; just for myself, if a model is offered with and without, I'll go without. I can service regular brakes myself.