ABS on 1200

[North]

Hi,

Is ABS worth the money? Does it make a big difference. The Bike I test rode had it, but it was dry out.

I know it does make a difference on my car in the rain. I live in a rain forest climate and would now never buy a car without it.

I am getting a 1200 and I have to wait for a bike with ABS. Should I wait?

Thanks

North

 

[Mouse]

It makes no difference if you never need it

You may have opened a can of worms here, as the emotive issue seems to be the servo assisted brakes rather than ABS itself. But servos are only fitted to ABS bikes. Please lets not turn this into another servo brake thread

As far as ABS goes - it could save your bacon in an emergency. But then again you might never need it, a bit like insurance. Personally I've activated the ABS on my bike (in a panic situation) a couple of times, and it probably stopped me needing new underwear, rather than actually dropping the bike.

You should be aware that, contrary to popular belief, ABS doesn't shorten stopping distances. All it does is stop the wheels locking. On certain surfaces (gravel, very bumpy, mud) ABS will significantly lengthen stopping distances. If you ride a on a lot of unsurfaced roads, ABS might be counterproductive. You can turn it off though.

The other factor sometimes mentioned is resale value. A bike with ABS will sell for more, when the time comes. But you pay more for it in the first place, so this is a somewhat spurious argument.

My 2p worth anyway

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

FWIW my GS is the first bike I've owned with ABS.

It's also my first 'big lardy' bike haveing always had 'light weight' bikes in the past.
I do quite a bit of urban commuting and riding on wet, greasy urban roads. Doing this on such a heavy bike without ABS is not something that I would want to do.

Also, despite being what I'd consider an 'experienced' motorcyclist I still think there may be 'just that one time' when I do grab too much of a handful in a panic situation and then the ABS will have been worth it even if I never use it again

Finally, if you don't have ABS you can't play a new game I've invented.
It involves approaching a roundabout fitted with rumble strips as fast as you feel safe doing and then braking as hard as you can.

The resulting sensation as the ABS comes on and off over the rumble strips is the nearest you are likely to get to being sea sick on two wheels.



Andres

 

[Fitzy]

Probably

With ABS it's worth waiting because if you only ever need it once it was worth having it. I only felt the ABS on my 1100 work once but it stopped me from crashing.

 

[North]

Thanks for the input guys.

North

 

[motozen]

The added costs of purchasing and maintenance off set the cost of crashing.. Having had an RT with ABS for 2.5 years, I think I activated the ABS once. I've had the GS for a month and I've been in 2 situations where the ABS prevented a skid and possible crash, both situations were not my fault. I was going to forego ABS on this bike, but now I'm glad I didn't.

 

[TheJoker]

To ABS or not, that's the question (or something)

Right - My £0.02

The basic state of a BMW should be to go with ABS, this has to do with non-personal stuff such as resale value, gadget-level (it's a high end bike, so it should have high-end accessories) etc...

But then to the interesting part:

If you're an active rider - say trackdays and/or off road then you should drop ABS as on track and/or gravel you'll be able to brake better than with ABS. Aforementioned rumblestrips is a very good example where it would actually be better to not have ABS (from a stopping distance point of view).

I turn ABS off when I ride my favourite mountain road mainly because it's bumpy and I want the bike to slow down when I squeeze the lever going over the bumps.

I've not had a good chance to venture off road properly, but here at work we have a gravel car-park and if I'm a bit active here and squeeze the brakes with ABS on then it just doesn't slow the bike down - again - it's more active riding, so you're better off without ABS.

However, if you ride in "normal" conditions, such as commuting, dozy mile-after-mile-travelling, goin' to the shops etc, then there's a big chance that ABS will save your (aforementioned) bacon.
This mainly because you'll find yourself in a surprising situation in which you might lock up the front wheel and thus drop the bike and thus get run over by "Fiona in the SUV returning from dopping the kids off at school on her way to get a new perm".

Good thing with ABS is of course that you can turn it off - you can't make non-ABS brakes be ABS-should you ever need to.


Oh, and btw, I activate my ABS on pretty much every journey I make - sometimes deliberately just for kicks.

 

[North]

Thanks, again guys

I am going to wait and get the ABS.

North

 

[swebb]

Total Agreement..........

I fully support just about all that has been said in this thread, but would like to add, that although as mentioned by others, the stopping distance can increase if ABS used on loose surfaces, the majority of the time, most of us will be riding hard surfaces, and on these hard surfaces, ABS "can" reduce stopping distances... I say can, because an experience rider who can control the braking to the point of wheel lock (but without actually locking) will probably stop marginally quicker than an ABS led braking run....

However, for the guy (or gal) without ABS, that doesn't manage to prevent the wheel locking... ABS "WILL" reduce stopping distances...... purely because for the period the wheel is locked, the traction (therefore slowing effect of friction) is reduced, therefore lengthening the overall stopping time.

And don't forget, that like cars... when under heavy load braking, with ABS you can safely corner with your brakes still hard applied (although admittedly it will drastically alter the attitude of the bike, mid-corner... never good) , whereas without ABS, you're likely to "spill"

I think you've made the right choice, and for anyone that rides roads... i think ABS has to be a good option....

Just my tuppence worth

 

[Steve V]

Im wondering what would happen in a tee bone situation. Often without ABS the back end may come round offering you the chance to bail out and low side. Am I right in thinking with the ABS you would remain upright heading for the obstacle ?.
I think that its important to remember that just because your ABS kicks in you would automatically have gone down without it.
Well there's my 2p worth.

Steve

Please form an orderly que to attack

 

[Mr K]

I see what you mean Steve but by low-siding you have already crashed - I speak from experience. Being the right way up gives you options to avoid (however limited) and a possible escape.

I'm in favour of ABS regardless of skill or experience, as it's the unexpected panic brake grab that ABS may offer a safety net for.

I had the ABS work 3 times in 25,000 miles on my F650GS but (touch wood) never in 4,500 miles on my 12.

Like Joker said you can switch it off, if you must.

Good Lord! Is it a Bank Holiday Friday? Happy GSing folks!

 

[Fanum]

I've said this a few times before, but it's relevant.

I've had ABS and sewrvo failure on my Adv because of a wiring problem.

I've also had a situation where I'm convinced the ABS (and particularly the linked servos ) saved me from what would have been a very very nasty two-up crash, when I couldn't get the foot brake and just hauled on the handlebar lever for all I was worth.

The bike pulled up, we stayed upright and I was able to steer around the turning van I was stupidly ( Imissed the indicartor on a long ride) overtaking.

I'd buy ABS/Linked servos again, no question, even though I know both sides of the story

 

[kerryway]

I ride on mostly rough hard roads and have found (as my confidence increased on my favourite roads) that I was activating the ABS quite often. In fact I had several scary moments when the ABS would 'cut in' and 30 feet that I thought I had for braking was gone as the ABS created an aquaplaning effect on the rough surface. Now I mostly turn off the ABS when riding 'swiftly' on roads I am familiar with, However, when riding in the wet, or damp conditions I would always have the ABS turned on and consider it worth the extra cost for that emergency when instinct will be to grab and apply FULL brakes.

 

[MIRO]

I've suffered the same problem with the ABS kicking in when braking & running over bumps in the road (at the same time obviously!!). It can get quite exciting!

I'm putting it down to a crap front shock (oh and the rear's not too good either!), has anyone changed the front shock and if so have you noticed any difference with the ABS?

 

[kerryway]

Yes, having been away from bikes for 25 yrs, I don't feel qualified (as yet )(3000 mls ) to comment on the effectiveness of the stock shocks in heavy braking situations on rough roads with ABS on.

 

[RogerJ]

North: Ditto what Mouse, Motozen, Joke, Swebb and Fanem said. Have had ABS on all my bikes except the F650 Funduro and ABS has saved my bacon quite a number of times. Yes, the EVO ABS with servos is more complex and not ideal on very bumpy roads and has some quirks but I wouldn't leave home without it. it.

 

[Fanum]

The ABS and bumpy roads issue does seem to be a particular 1200 problem....It goes hand in hand I think with a large number of 12 owners commenting that they grind the pegs out too early......

It's not something I've noticed on other GS models.....perhaps the 12 is a prme candidate for Ohlins and/or some serious tweaking of the settings???

 

[aspad]

The majority of my riding is on tar and it is nice to know that abs is there for those moments when you just don't see it coming...
I also regularly incorporate dirt roads and tracks into my rides - here abs is is a liability. So I just turn it off.
Best of both worlds
Only has to save you once to be worth it IMO