ABS - just saved my life!

[JDH]

Thanks for that, my 1100 hasn't got ABS so I'm never going to ride it on the road again,I can't believe that I've riden on the road for 32 years without ABS and survived.
I guess my 'luck' must be about to run out!
Jeez,I've never read such bollocks

I'm new to this site, and so far have read some very informative stuff on here.
Whether GT is right or wrong, I believe he wrote what he did in good faith, and he is entitled to his opinion and to express it without getting such an abrasive and downright rude response from a keyboard hero.

John

 

[grandtrousers]

Monsieur Singe,
Please don`t take this personally as I am not looking for confrontation on a safety related matter.
The road was clear as was the weather which is unusual for Manchester, and I was definitely not speeding. The driver of the car decided to execute his manouvre when I was within a few yards (metres for all you Europeans out there) of him and he accelerated very quickly across the front of me.
I have had advanced driver training both from the police and HM government and no amount of training/skill or whatever would have got me safely out of this situation.
The ABS did not stop me before the other car, it did enable me to steer a path around it and maintain control rather than embedded in its side.
I am not suggesting that anyone is an actual riding god or that you have been lucky in your 32 years of riding. I am saying that for decent riders/motorists (mortals) that ABS is more than likely a worthwhile investment.
I sincerely hope that you never have the misfortune to encounter a similar situation that myself and other members on this or other forums have had.

 

[Le singe]

We had an agreement, he'd post the 'story' and I'd reply to get the I love ABS'ers going, you obviously fell for it

 

[Piggers]

ABS is here to stay

ABS is here to stay....
Get used to it...
IMHO Road bikes will go the same way as cars eventually, it will probably become standard.

The odds of you using it are slim, so don't loose sleep if you haven't got it.
If you have and you ever have to use it be grateful.

I have it on my bike, but the bike wasn't spec'd by me.

If I ever do have to use it, am sure I will become an instant convert and insist on it.

Intrestingly (or not) , I tried braking as hard as I could in dry conditions and it felt like it did take longer for me to stop with the ABS on, but this was in a straight line.
Not sure it would have been the same if steering at the same time.

(Aint it sad weve nothing more intresting to discuss

Guess that's what makes us 's)

(Note to self: Must remember to go and buy some Gortex)


Piggers

 

[notadrop]

We had an agreement, he'd post the 'story' and I'd reply to get the I love ABS'ers going, you obviously fell for it

 

[Alphason]

Thanks for that, my 1100 hasn't got ABS so I'm never going to ride it on the road again,I can't believe that I've riden on the road for 32 years without ABS and survived.
I guess my 'luck' must be about to run out!
Jeez,I've never read such bollocks

What got people going was probably more to do with the abusive nature of your initial reply rather than any feelings for or against ABS

 

[Gas'd Off]

FWIW.
I do a fifty mile per day round trip throughout the year, no I`m not a hero but I do have a pathological fear of being stuck in traffic. The journey involves country lanes, A roads & potholed city roads. This is my first ABS equipped bike, I never came off my previous bikes on the mud covered, pot holed, greasy roads but I did have to ride very gingerly(arf) to avoid loosing the front on the afore mentioned. On my ABS GS I no longer have to worry about what is under the wheels to such a degree and can concentrate on what is going on around me instead. This is good.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

It's interesting on any BMW forum that those who are able to ride without the use of safety aids are termed 'riding gods' usually by those who have bought a bike for it's image before realising that something a bit less powerful or quick may suit them better.

Hmmm - well I've been riding bikes for 30 years, mostly without ABS. I think I know what is powerful enough/quick enough for me.

No-one is saying that ABS is an alternative to careful riding or that you must have it but it is a useful addition. I use the term riding god because you are obviously capable of maintaining 100% concentration 100% of the time, have perfect road positioning, always in the correct gear and speed and, as you say, are aware of everything and anticipate everything.

Your comments about the cones is bizarre. Are you really saying you should slow down if you don't have ABS (or that you can speed up if you do)? Your You should be driving at the same speed whether you have it or not i.e. the appropriate speed for the conditions.


Paul

 

[nadeem]

The ABS did not stop me before the other car, it did enable me to steer a path around it and maintain control rather than embedded in its side.
I am not suggesting that anyone is an actual riding god or that you have been lucky in your 32 years of riding. I am saying that for decent riders/motorists (mortals) that ABS is more than likely a worthwhile investment.
I sincerely hope that you never have the misfortune to encounter a similar situation that myself and other members on this or other forums have had.

Well said GT...

 

[Pukmeister]

I've never tried cadence braking on a poor road surface whilst riding the bike as I expect that even the slightest lean angle with the front wheel locked might have me down before I can release and reapply. In the car its not such a problem, I can't see me falling off my car somehow.

I reckon if I needed to perform an emergency stop on a slippery road surface, the abs system could bring me to a stop significantly better than I can do it myself both in the car and on the bike.

Isn't that your point GT???

 

[Steptoe]

Last night a DJ saved my life

 

[riverking]

If a 'riding god' can detect the exact point of maximum braking, under all road conditions, and take into account all accident contributors, all the time - why can they not detect to the same degree the onset of ABS operation and thus avoid it? - or swith it off!

 

[Fanum]

Dreamer.......I've split your ABS post into a seperate thread as it deserves its own space and was a bit too much of a tangent from this ABS discussion

Cheers

Bill

PS LINKY HERE


Now, this ABS thing..........where were we??

 

[Pondboy]

I have tried writing something on this thread three times, but am worried that I will sound like an arse.

Must mean something. PB

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

ABS is here to stay....
Get used to it...
IMHO Road bikes will go the same way as cars eventually, it will probably become standard.

The odds of you using it are slim, so don't loose sleep if you haven't got it.
If you have and you ever have to use it be grateful.

Golly, thanks Piggers - I've not had a wink in the last ten accident-free (almost!) years of riding daily on non-ABS equipped bikes....

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

Last night a DJ saved my life

Steptoe you tosser - I had a really good idea for a new thread using that title - now you've ruined it...

 

[Keith Chapman]

I have tried writing something on this thread three times, but am worried that I will sound like an arse.

Must mean something. PB

Nowt wrong with sounding like an arse, just be careful, it might be the herding arse or the clique arse speaking

 

[allan]

my two pence worth.

I would not choose a bike only because it had ABS fitted but given a choice I can’t think of any reason apart from price why anyone would not want it. Last year a friend had a fall on wet roads, he was only doing about 15 to 20mph on his old style Triumph 955 ST approaching a roundabout when a car pulled out, he hit the breaks then the ground. ABS would have saved him a sore knee and a bill for £1200 to replace all the plastics that got damaged. Note the new Triumph ST comes with ABS, he’s got one of them now.

allan

 

[Paul Wakefield]

I have tried writing something on this thread three times, but am worried that I will sound like an arse.

I knew i would but then thought What the hell.

Paul

 

[kbada]

Le singe

what a load of crap…..I bet you are anti everything, no matter what safety feature it might be. Slow down you say - you give the impression that you think you can control or hinder the development of every situation that occurs. One, you really should stop kidding yourself, you ain’t that good pal, and two, you are in the company of all the other road users every time you ride, and they are’nt always predictable.

ABS is only an aid, an aid designed to help you, well at least us…..don’t take it so personally. You may well be an ace rider or just bolshy, but either way, don’t scoff at being helped in certain situations. You leave the impression that you have fewer ‘happenings’ than others, and, if so, well done sir, but at the wrong place, at the wrong time my friend, even you would have cause to wish for ABS.

Whether you like it or not Le singe, you are not on top of YOUR game ALL the time, and then, theres all the others unpredictables out there as well…………