Any experience of BMW boxers, and in particular their gearbox.

[VNA]

And I think if someone is riding like an idiot then being on a 200bhp bike that has abs, anti wheelie, adaptive traction control etc will still be safer than a 100bhp bike with nothing

I would disagree.  They’ll be going everywhere much much faster, so when the inevitable happens..............

One reason I was asking about the blinking light on the boxer was I wondering if it was indicating some sort of assistance was kicking in – anti-wheelie, traction control.


Which VNA would like to think that these bikes let you know when they are ‘assisting’ or helping save your ass, as VNA would take it as a warning and hopefully VNA would ease up a bit.

Traction control on bikes should be banned. It helps people corner far too fast for 99.9999999999999999999999% of the time as they just pile on the power much earlier than you would if you were worried about the back sliding out meaning your usually going too fast for the road you can see and stop in.
ABS, the jury is out on for me still. In 5 years of owning a bike with it fitted, i never had it cut in despite hard braking and in the car, its only at low speed like when pulling out of a junction in slippery conditions when I have had to brake sharply.

I wouldn’t go as far as banned, but I agree with BBROWN1664 that they pose a potential real danger.  I disagree on ABS – it’s helped me out a good few times over the years in the car.  Usually at some point during the summer on one of my favourite roads I’ll lock the front wheel up on the old thou approaching a corner on a downhill section before a tight bend – it gives me a fright and it’s telling me to slow down as I’m probably riding like an idiot again.