ABS or Not ?
- Thread starter porker
- Start date
The 'ABS or not' debate has been well ventilated on this site.
Those that are riding Gods (or angels) manage without. These rest of us have ABS.
Greg
Those that are riding Gods (or angels) manage without. These rest of us have ABS.
Greg
dont think
it`s so important on the little bikes, glad i have it on the R1150GS ADV. Something else to go wrong, but also could just save your life!
it`s so important on the little bikes, glad i have it on the R1150GS ADV. Something else to go wrong, but also could just save your life!
That must make me a riding god then, because I certainly have not grown wings yet! Nor do I have ABS.
If you want to use a Dakar away from tarmac, you would be switching off the ABS anyway.
Save the extra cash & spend it on some Advanced Riding tuition.
Non ABS every time, as aforementioned it is just something else to go wrong, I take the view that having had a licence for 40 years and never been involved in a serious accident I'll manage without it. I'm also quite prepared to accept that I could be wrong! I do think on BMW's it's a massively overpriced option £795 on a 1200GS - ridiculous. I did have it on my CBF1000 £295 extra but you couldn't easily get one without and you also got the centre stand as part of the package, which as an extra was £165 otherwise.
Realistically doing the IAM Motorcycle course teaches you to look even further ahead than before and therefore better anticipate hazards, something I found really useful. Can't remember the last time I did an emergency stop in anger and I do 20,000 a year on 4 wheels and 12-15,000 a year on 2 wheels.
On the other hand perhaps I've just been lucky!!
DW.
Realistically doing the IAM Motorcycle course teaches you to look even further ahead than before and therefore better anticipate hazards, something I found really useful. Can't remember the last time I did an emergency stop in anger and I do 20,000 a year on 4 wheels and 12-15,000 a year on 2 wheels.
On the other hand perhaps I've just been lucky!!
DW.
Tick the box
Kicked in once, in anger, on my 650 couple of years ago.
Probably saved my life.
Kicked in once, in anger, on my 650 couple of years ago.
Probably saved my life.
Rider attitude is far more important that ABS.
I waited until the 1200GS was availble without ABS before buying, and have not regretted it.
Im my opinion, ABS systems are flawed, not least in the reliability department (search any BMW motorcycle site and it won't take you long to find plenty reported problems, some serious, some trivial).
I want absolute confidence that every time I use the brakes they will work as expected - the necessary extra complication of linked/servo/ABS sytems leaves me with doubts.
richc
Guest
Mine kicked in once on my 1150GS - wet, oil covered intersection on a 55mph road. Car in front me decided to stop for a green light, I locked them up and - based on previous experience without ABS I believe I would have gone down and slid under the car or thru the intersection - but the bike stayed upright and stopped very nicely.
Pendle
Registered user
I am of the opinion that if you have to apply braking to such an extent that the ABS activates, you must have missed seeing/anticipating something.
Spend the difference in cost on training.
Spend the difference in cost on training.
I am of the opinion that if you have to apply braking to such an extent that the ABS activates, you must have missed seeing/anticipating something.
Spend the difference in cost on training.
Didn't know it was an Option on Broomsticks.....
The GSA that I ride now has much greater road presence than the 650.
People see me now. On the 650, regularly I used to get the, “sorry, didn’t see you mate.” Coz they would be looking for nessie or at the hills or whatever.
For the sake of a few hundred quid. Im firmly with Greg.
People see me now. On the 650, regularly I used to get the, “sorry, didn’t see you mate.” Coz they would be looking for nessie or at the hills or whatever.
I am of the opinion that not everything can be anticipated. But you know what they say about "opinions."I am of the opinion that if you have to apply braking to such an extent that the ABS activates, you must have missed seeing/anticipating something.
Spend the difference in cost on training.
For the sake of a few hundred quid. Im firmly with Greg.
casperfelix
Registered user
Have been riding bikes for 40 years and only my last two BMs have had ASB on them: And I haven't made it kick in yet. So what's the point of it?
Simple, the day will come when the idiot behaviour of some car driver coupled to poor road conditions will force me to brake harder then is appropriate - and then I will say a big thank you for ABS.
You have to live with some risks when you ride a bike, that's half the fun of doing it. But I think ABS is one of those little safety measures that is well worth having - as long as you can switch it of when you need to.
Simple, the day will come when the idiot behaviour of some car driver coupled to poor road conditions will force me to brake harder then is appropriate - and then I will say a big thank you for ABS.
You have to live with some risks when you ride a bike, that's half the fun of doing it. But I think ABS is one of those little safety measures that is well worth having - as long as you can switch it of when you need to.
richc
Guest
There is an interesting notation in an article in the recent MOA publication (May '07) regarding ABS brakes. A couple of studies were done, and they found that if a given risk is reduced in an operational system like the vehicle itself (i.e. ABS, etc) humans are then likely to make a subconscious adjustment in their behavior to consume the additional safety the system improvements provide. The Germans studied cab drivers with and a control group without ABS, and those with ABS were more inclined to speed, swerve, tail gate and create more traffic conflicts than those without. It's called "Risk Homeostasis", and is discussed here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_homeostasis - citing the Munich cab driver study. If you Goiogle "Risk Homeostasis" you'll come up with a few hits that are worth looking at.
I don't believe I ride faster or take more risks because of ABS, but if I'm doing it subconsciously - how would I know?
I don't believe I ride faster or take more risks because of ABS, but if I'm doing it subconsciously - how would I know?
TheWarlock
Registered user
All this talk of "spend the money on training instead" is simply rubbish. Its not a binary option. Take the ABS, and all the Advanced Training you can get. Never stop training, you never know it all. Also buy the best, grippiest tyres you can get and replace them often, buy the best brake pads you can get and watch their wear indicators. Buy the best helmet you can afford, buy a back protector and riding gear with armour. 
Ride intending never to have an accident, but plan for the day when you might.
Ride intending never to have an accident, but plan for the day when you might.
I first had ABS in a car in 1989 and, apart from my DR-Z for which there is no ABS option, every vehicle I've had since has had it.
I have to say that when I first got it, I did drive much closer to the vehicle in front because I KNEW that the ABS would save me!
However, those days are long since gone and now I forget that I have ABS and drive like I always would have done.
SWMBO's car (which I've just spent the afternoon in, also has stuff like Emergency Brake Assist and Stability Control and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. I don't even know what this stuff does, let alone drive to the limit of it!
Greg
davedyer
Registered user
Another issue to consider is the resale value of your bike. Non-ABS bikes are a lot harder to sell.
The 'I've been riding for years and not needed it' argument is rubbish. Its the same as those who choose not to wear seatbelts simply because they've never had a head-on crash.
As for the 'its another thing to go wrong' argument - why do you ride a motorcycle - after all, the engine is another thing to go wrong - stick to push-bikes!
The 'I've been riding for years and not needed it' argument is rubbish. Its the same as those who choose not to wear seatbelts simply because they've never had a head-on crash.
As for the 'its another thing to go wrong' argument - why do you ride a motorcycle - after all, the engine is another thing to go wrong - stick to push-bikes!
bigchris
Registered user
All this talk of "spend the money on training instead" is simply rubbish. Its not a binary option. Take the ABS, and all the Advanced Training you can get. Never stop training, you never know it all. Also buy the best, grippiest tyres you can get and replace them often, buy the best brake pads you can get and watch their wear indicators. Buy the best helmet you can afford, buy a back protector and riding gear with armour.
Ride intending never to have an accident, but plan for the day when you might.
The best post on this thread.
Similar threads
