ABS and MotorCycles, The Jury is still out?

[CairnsDuc]

I have always read with a certain amount of Interest about ABS and the general lack of acceptance or take up by the Motorcycle community, now I know there are some areas that do embrace them, Large Cruiser Bikes and BMW has found a large number of there Customer demand ABS.

But as soon as people talk about ABS for the everyday rider, Which I assume the Majority of the membership of this board falls into that category EG: Some Commuting with a blast on the weekend/days off and maybe the odd track day.
It would seem that the great/vast majority do not want ABS or it would appear to think it does more harm than good.

Recently on a couple of Australian Forums when the Issue was raised the Forums were very divided into the "do not want" and the "Want" Camps, and the "Do not want" outnumbered everyone else by nearly 10 to 1

The Arguments for and against were very heated to the point where one Forum shut the Topic down, The owner of the Forum (Two Wheels Magazine) The Editor raised the issue in his monthly editorial about how much the motorcycle community refuses to embrace ABS. In fact Two wheels Australia magazine has announced that unless the bike is equipped with or has ABS as an available option it will be excluded from there Bike of the Year Judging next year.

So, I wanted to see a discussion from a world perspective, this Forum has a number of members from all around the world, would you have taken ABS for your bike (not only Monsters/Ducati's, any bike you have or do own) if it was available for a reasonable price as an upgrade? I know I would have taken it.

I know that pro riders can out-brake the ABS systems, but on a damp road and some Moron pulls out in front of you.........

Over to you  [moto]

[Oldfisti]

I have yet to ride a bike with ABS so I'm lacking an opinion as of yet...

Anyone ridden ABS?

[Buckethead]

I have never ridden a bike with ABS.

I would gladly have paid a small premium for it.

When I was taking the Military Sportbike Rider's Course, pretty much everyone locked up the brakes at some point or another during the emergency stop drills.

The only two exceptions were the bikes equipped with ABS.

I picked the brain of a BMW rider while we had some down time and I asked him about the ABS on his bike. He said that its a lot like the ABS in his car, that is, you don't really even know its there until you do a panic stop and feel the stutter.

His other comment, and apparently this is pretty common, is that having had a bike with ABS, he won't buy another rode bike without it.

[mitt]

I don't want ABS.  I think the Monster has it about right.  The ability to lock up a front wheel if desired combined with great feel, and more or less no ability to lock the rear wheel.

mitt

[DoubleEagle]

My last 3 BMWs had /have ABS. My current K1200S has ABS and I really like the fact that I can grab a hand full of brake and not go Super Man.

The brakes on my S4Rs were the most difficult aspect of learning to ride the bike safely at speed.

I went from 3 years of riding 3 different BMWs  w, ABS to my 1st Ducati and had 2 minor crashes in a short span of time after I got the S4RS due to braking knowledge.

The more I rode the S4Rs the faster I could ride and brake safely.

I can still get on my K1200S and feel confident that I can ride as fast as I want and brake as hard as I want and not have any problems .

I like the intensity of the Ducati brakes both on my S4RS and 1098R but the ABS brakes mean I can concentrate on other things about my riding other than my braking points and amount of brake pressure.

I guess that would make me in favor of ABS.    

Incidentally , I never have been down on any of the BMWs , but have been down riding at least 3 times  on my #1 S4Rs , none on the " R ."   Dolph

[stopintime]

I'm all for it - can't understand why not. Well, on second thoughts, maybe ABS take away some of our "responsibility" and make safe riding "too easy". I would probably go faster if I knew I had ABS, could be dangerous.....

Last I heard Ducati talk about this they tried to focus on light weight as a more important safety feature. I'm not sure one would exclude the other.

[Lab1]

Have been looking for a bike that will carry some gear, and be good for longer day trips or overnight. I may well end up with a Multistrada, because of light weight, handling, and seating position. I am still considering other bikes only because they have ABS. I just wonder about that one panic stop, where a relative newb like me can lock the brakes. I will make it a point to practice more, but for the money, ABS ought to be an option. I would gladly pay more for it. Not ready for a 1200 BMW (heavy), like leg room (Tiger great but a little top heavy). But I'd happily pay to have it on my 696.

With cars, after advanced driving and racing schools, when I practiced, I could stop better without ABS. For 90% of drivers (including me at the moment), ABS is better. I suspect the same is true for bikes. This assumes, of course, that it works.

[Popeye the Sailor]

I think BMW has it right.

It basically comes on all of their bikes, and if you don't like it, it can be shut off. I think it adds to the safety of riding, and that's not a bad thing.

[Xiphias]

It will be really interesting to see how it plays on Honda's 09 CBR XXX RRs - both 600 and 1000 will have ABS. From what I've read it unloads the rider and drops lap times (on top riders to begin with!!).

[oldjackbob]

I don't want ABS.  I think the Monster has it about right.  The ability to lock up a front wheel if desired combined with great feel, and more or less no ability to lock the rear wheel.

mitt

Why on earth would anyone desire to lock up the front wheel?  That would serve no purpose except to eliminate the ability to steer and to keep the wheels under the bike, both of which would assure a spill in short order.  Furthermore, on clean dry pavement a Monster would almost surely do a stoppie (or an endo) before locking up the front wheel.   

In situations where traction is compromised or limited (such as touching the brakes in a corner in the wet), ABS will GREATLY reduce the likelihood of the tires losing grip.  A single instance of ABS saving skin/gear/bike will pay back whatever the option cost initially.  That's why many motorcyclists who have had their ABS activate say that they will never buy another bike without it.   

And contrary to the belief held by some, ABS will not increase stopping distance on dry pavement (at least not on bikes such as the Monster or BMW R1200R), nor will it prevent a stoppie.  ABS simply prevents wheel lockup.  During a hard stop, the front tire has enough traction (again, on the type of bikes we're discussing) to lift the rear wheel completely off the ground, without the front wheel locking up.  And that, folks, is as hard as you can stop in any case, and ABS does not affect that ability at all.

The Ducati ST3S and ST4S came with a very impressive ABS system that I'm sorry to report is no longer offered.   

[swampduc]

I think BMW has it right.

It basically comes on all of their bikes, and if you don't like it, it can be shut off. I think it adds to the safety of riding, and that's not a bad thing.

Agreed. I've never owned a BMW but have ridden several and made the ABS activate just to see how it worked. Especially on a large, heavy bike, it was fantastic. I've locked up my front wheel before on an sv650, and 3 broken metacarpals later, I'd like to have at least the option of ABS.

[aaronb]

I'm torn.  i would love to have abs on the monster (or any other bike, for that matter), but i also love the simplicity of a standard system.

[LA]

A first thought I'd say no to ABS, but then I have never ridden with ABS so I really shouldn't have an opinion.

The brakes on my last two monsters are so damn good, so powerful, and so easy to use/modulate I can't imagine them being any better.

Does it add weight?  How much?

LA

[bluemoco]

I've ridden BMW's with ABS, and I like the system. 

I would opt in favor of ABS on a new motorcycle, especially if the system could simply be deactivated by the rider whenever desired.  A minor weight penalty (10 pounds or less) and a reasonable increase in MSRP would be fair.

For reference purposes, Suzuki's 2009 V-Strom 650 is available with or without ABS.  ABS is a $500 option (the base model retails for $6999), and it adds a nominal 7 pounds to the curb weight.  I'd take that deal and choose the ABS on a Suzuki or a bike of any other make.  

[superjohn]

I think ABS would be great, though I have to admit based on my experience with ABS on my car, I would likely never have it engage on the bike.

In my car, the only time the traction control and ABS have come on has been in inclement weather, and being the wuss that I am, I don't ride when it's raining or snowing out.

But, that said, having ABS there just in case is great. The only negatives would be cost and problems associated with poor implementation.