ABS brakes ?

[BBROWN1664]

Watch out for the stealth MT09 everyone.

[locksmith]

[Lez72]

Excellent choice Locksmith. It's nice to see someone taking the plunge and going for what they want out of life. Definitely worth the extra cash for the ABS. I regularly ride an FJR1300 with ABS and its worth its weight 

[adeejaysdelight]

Means you'll be able to steer while heavily braking so sounds worthwhile to me

No. Physics still apply to bikes with ABS. Do not steer and brake hard at the same time.

I'll remember that then if a rather larger van pulls out on me.  hit the foccer as mustn't steer while brakes are applied even if abs  [/size][size=78%]  [/size][size=78%]

1. [/size]Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop within the [/color][/size]distance[/color][/b][/color][/size] you [/color][/size]can see to be clear[/color][/b][/color][/size].[/color][/size]2. Using the front brake whilst banked over will cause the bike to stand up and veer off course.[/color][/size]3. If you are relying on technology to ride your motorcycle faster, you do not have the necessary skill to ride fast in the first place... SO DON'T.[/color][/size]Just as a wee footnote, I think that ABS and other technologies are beneficial to us bikers. I seen some testing at a BMW facility in Germany in 2010, and used by a pro, these additions are excellent. However, having them on your bike does not make you a better rider. Only being a better rider makes you a better rider. And ham fisted panic braking is not the mark of an expert [/color]

[Grahamm]

Never had ABS on a bike, whats it like?

I've got it on my FZ6-SA and, personally, I think it's a good thing.

I've had the rear ABS kick in on more than a few occasions over the six or seven years I've had the bike since I passed my Direct Access, but the front only twice, however both times I was damn glad of it, eg the time on a country road when a car I was following on a country bend suddenly decided to anchor up and make a 90 degree turn and there was a patch of gravel. Had I not had ABS I'd have probably dumped it.

The main thing is to get used to the pulsing when it activates, because your initial reaction is to immediately let the brakes off, but that's often not the right thing to do, you have to wait until you've slowed down to a speed which will allow you to deal with whatever caused it to cut in in the first place.

[locksmith]

As mentioned before, it's quiet encouraging that there are so many good comments about ABS on here. When I did a google of the subject most results were slating, usually prats saying you are pussy if you have abs, real bikers don't need it (and that was MCN forums).

The opinion I've formed now is that although I've never knowingly locked the front (the rear once or twice) it's going to be reassurance that if I do lock up one day it's going to help me. Maybe save my life?

Who knows, maybe I wouldn't have smashed myself up in 2009 if I'd had ABS?

[midden]

Means you'll be able to steer while heavily braking so sounds worthwhile to me

No. Physics still apply to bikes with ABS. Do not steer and brake hard at the same time.

I'll remember that then if a rather larger van pulls out on me.  hit the foccer as mustn't steer while brakes are applied even if abs  [size=78%]  [/size]

1. [/size]Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop within the [size=78%][/color][/size]distance[size=78%][/color][/b][/size] you [size=78%][/color][/size]can see to be clear[size=78%][/color][/size].[size=78%][/color][/size]2. Using the front brake whilst banked over will cause the bike to stand up and veer off course.[size=78%][/color][/size]3. If you are relying on technology to ride your motorcycle faster, you do not have the necessary skill to ride fast in the first place... SO DON'T.[size=78%][/color][/size]Just as a wee footnote, I think that ABS and other technologies are beneficial to us bikers. I seen some testing at a BMW facility in Germany in 2010, and used by a pro, these additions are excellent. However, having them on your bike does not make you a better rider. Only being a better rider makes you a better rider. And ham fisted panic braking is not the mark of an expert [size=78%][/color]

I think you took my mention of steer to literally which I'm actually surprised about if you've been riding/driving a reasonable time.  I wasn't suggesting going out and doing figure of eights with throttle wanged fully open in the middle of highstreet wearing a cape shouting look mum I've got ABS

[midden]

As mentioned before, it's quiet encouraging that there are so many good comments about ABS on here. When I did a google of the subject most results were slating, usually prats saying you are pussy if you have abs, real bikers don't need it (and that was MCN forums).

The opinion I've formed now is that although I've never knowingly locked the front (the rear once or twice) it's going to be reassurance that if I do lock up one day it's going to help me. Maybe save my life?

Who knows, maybe I wouldn't have smashed myself up in 2009 if I'd had ABS?

hopefully it'll be like a car airbag you'll never have real need to use it but better to waste £400  just incase

[adeejaysdelight]

Means you'll be able to steer while heavily braking so sounds worthwhile to me

No. Physics still apply to bikes with ABS. Do not steer and brake hard at the same time.

I'll remember that then if a rather larger van pulls out on me.  hit the foccer as mustn't steer while brakes are applied even if abs  [size=78%]  [/size]

1. Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop within the [/size]distance[size=78%][/size][/color][/b][/size] you [size=78%][/size][/color][/size]can see to be clear[size=78%][/size][/color][/size].[size=78%][/size][/color][/size]2. Using the front brake whilst banked over will cause the bike to stand up and veer off course.[size=78%][/size][/color][/size]3. If you are relying on technology to ride your motorcycle faster, you do not have the necessary skill to ride fast in the first place... SO DON'T.[size=78%][/size][/color][/size]Just as a wee footnote, I think that ABS and other technologies are beneficial to us bikers. I seen some testing at a BMW facility in Germany in 2010, and used by a pro, these additions are excellent. However, having them on your bike does not make you a better rider. Only being a better rider makes you a better rider. And ham fisted panic braking is not the mark of an expert [size=78%][/size][/color]

I think you took my mention of steer to literally which I'm actually surprised about if you've been riding/driving a reasonable time.  I wasn't suggesting going out and doing figure of eights with throttle wanged fully open in the middle of highstreet wearing a cape shouting look mum I've got ABS

 

[pitternator]

Lock ...abs ( get it ! ) 


on a serious note for the non believers..ask urself just why abs is there. Its not cos we are all useless hamfisted lack of safe stopping distance riders. Its because in an emergency / panic situation, modern brakes are soo powerful they will lock with panic braking. Years ago you would be feckin lucky if you could lock up brakes they were so shite. ABS wont reduce stopping distance, but in a potential crash situation will give you maximum retardation. Most riders if they lock the front will crash .
Riders will often cit eracers don't need abs etc...but hey when have you ever seen oncoming traffic in moto gp ! ..or junctions..abs is a godsend in my book. No doubt if you try hard you will come up with a scenario where it wont help, but the couple of times it has come on for me, I know I probably would have locked up in trying to stop too quickly or thinking I could stop within a certain distance. I don't have it on my gen1, and with 80k miles riding the bugger , I do think my brain can mostly calibrate when the bike will lock up. But in a panic situation ...no guarantee.

[Dead Eye]

So far so good for me - I haven't locked the front yet, but on a few occasions I have managed to lock the rear. In those scenarios I think I just got mostly lucky that I didn't lock the front and that they were all in a straight line - I'd happily welcome ABS. It's not like its going to prevent you from doing something stupid on the bike and most of the breaking control is still dependant on you, not the bike. In my eyes, it's a piece of safety equipment just like a seat belt - you don't plan on crashing, but your damn glad its there when you do

[Fazafou]

Riders will often cit eracers don't need abs etc...but hey when have you ever seen oncoming traffic in moto gp ! ..or junctions.

Agree, the racers thing annoys me, as pro racers do on occasion still lock up and even lose it, they're on the edge of performance at the end of the day.

But when a racer bins it he gets up and dusts off or hopefully at worst suffers a broken bone. We risk going under a lorry etc and then its game over, with possibly no second chances, so personally id always choose abs if given the option.