bigkuri said:
A point that some have missed is that on all the servo bikes - you can turn off the ABS, but this leaves the huge force and "on/off" action of the servo. If you ride dirt or gravel, or in snow/frost (like the last week!) the ABS/Servo mix is pretty shocking.
I think that the ABS has saved a tumble for me once or twice - but it has also resulted in me hitting the back of a car when emergency stopping on a rough tarmac surface. The road was not incredibly bad - just the top surface cracked and spalling = hit the brakes, and the ABS cycled = no stopping in time. I was of course going too fast, too aggressive, but then again, that's one of the reasons I have a bike... With no ABS in this circumstance, I would have stopped no problem.
Ideally - and truthfully, I guess that I would have ABS again if I could have NO servo, and default the ABS to be off. Then again - why have that weight and complexity as I know I wouldn't use it.
Well I've ditched ABS on my new GSA, coming in April
Having had 4 BMW's (3 GS's and a RT) with ABS and done 75,000 miles with ABS, in comparison to 1 previous GS1150 without ABS and doing 22,000 on that one.
I guess I can compare between ABS and none ABS equipped GS's.
To be fair on my non ABS bike I never had a drama and had all the situations described already..................tired riding/wet conditions/poor roads/drivers pulling out etc and the bike pulled up each time without drama.
However as Big Kuri describes, I have some scary moments on my Servo ABS equipped GS last year......
Once in Landeck, Austria last summer..........2 up and loaded, I was going through the town at about 30mph and pulled onto a roundabout, when a 4x4 deliberately pulled across my path and entered the roundabout,whilst I was crossing it.
I grabbed the brakes, but didn't realise the tarmac was rippled, so it caused the ABS to cycle.........with the result the brakes let off and I had to take evasive action to avoid the collision.
ABS on a DRY, but poorly surfaced road INCREASED the stopping distance considerably and had I not shot onto the grass, I would have T-boned the 4x4, no doubt about it.
I have also experienced the same as Big Kuri, when riding on dry tarmac, that was super smooth like polished glass (around Trieste). I tried to brake (on a NON Servo ABS GS), coming up to a line of traffic..........no brakes again and shot up the inside of the line of cars.
So IMHO, ABS can be as much a danger, as a lifesaver in certain situations.
Even if you have ABS, you can't 'switch off' and let it do all the work in preserving your skin.
Because 9 times out of 10.............you'll be ok............BUT it can still catch you out.
Am I worried about taking delivery of a GSA, WITHOUT ABS....NO!!
In fact I'm relieved to be getting away from all the complexity and the Servo effect which IMHO is a retrograde step by BMW.
If you don't have it, as a 'fallback' then you have to 'brush-up' on your riding skills, observation and reactions...............which can be no bad thing.
Last year I toured the ALPs with Andy Malton, in July in appalling weather for 5 out of the 7 days.
His bike didn't have ABS and mine did, but he encountered all the same roads/weather and traffic hazzards.
Both bikes travelled at similar speeds and without drama.
I don't know why people bang on passionately about ABS on BMW's so much, as an essential factory fit option and rubbish people who don't consider it necessity.
Is it..........I've spent an extra £750/795 for ABS.........I must justify the cost to myself and everybody else, about how superior my bike is compared to those poor, inferior GS's without ABS
Surely if your dream/must have Jap bike was launched and didn't have ABS...............would it stop you from buying it..............no...........probably not
