Like or Dislike ABS?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
Think about a scenario where the road is wet, you're banking around a curve on the highway and a deer jumps out ahead of you. With abs you can give it all the brake you have. Non abs, if you skid you'll go down.
personally, I would rather have abs, which I have by the way.
personally, I would rather have abs, which I have by the way.
even with abs, if you're banking around a curve and give it all you've got, you're apt to go down. you still have to bring the bike upright and straight.
which is not to say that i wouldn't have abs. in fact, i do. that was one of the reasons that i bought this bike. i didn't want to not get it, and then later wish i did.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 154
From: Lake City, Florida
My TC88 RoadKing had terrible brakes and that skinny 130 rear tire would lock up and slide just like that. I'm surprised that I never went down on it. On the other hand my new Ultra Limited with that 180 rear tire, dual disc up front, ABS feels that it stops in half the distance. I would not even consider buying a street bike without ABS, (and cruise control).
Road Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 816
Likes: 57
From: Rijssen, the Netherlands
It depends on the circumstances. ABS is not a 'miracle brake system'. It is a technical assistant in applying the brakes. On a dry surface of the road there will be hardly no difference as long as you won't brake so hard that you got blocking wheels. But on a wet road, slippery road it can really shorten your brake distance with 40% Without blocking
Club Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,481
Likes: 4
From: Georgia
I think there are pros and cons to it. 1. It doesn't replace paying attention when you're operating your vehicle. 2. I've had it on cars about 15 or 20 years now. 3. I think with 2 wheels you have less flexibility with stopping and choosing to vary the power between the brakes than with 4 brakes. 4. The price is pretty steep on a Harley.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15,705
Likes: 22,718
From: Farmington ,MS
I hate ABS...I believe it is dangerous. I know that it gives shorter stopping distances on a smooth test track...but I drive in the real world. On a poorly maintained road(which is becoming more and more common) if your tire is bouncing...your stopping distances are much longer.
Road Master
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 816
Likes: 57
From: Rijssen, the Netherlands
I did my practice exam on a Honda with ABS and I had to make an 'emergency stop' as part of my practical examen. Drivers licenses for a motorcycle here in NL consist of three parts: theoretical examen, practical examen (on a closed parking area with several special maneuvers with the bike , amongst others a S-shaped obstacle avoiding maneuver at 40mph, an emergency stop at 40mph and other special exercises) and a practical part as biker in the traffic for 4 minutes or so.
But this 'emergency stop' was done on a wet parking lot. So intuitively I started with braking full speed, loosing the brakes and applying them again. Loosing just before blocking the wheel and so on till stand still. The examinator told me that it was very well done but I have to do it again with 'full braking' because I had ABS on this Honda.
40 mph, slippery and wet surface and than 'full anchoring' with applying the brakes as strong as I could do. Normally a quarantee for seeing the asphalt from very very closeby, too closeby I think. But although my rear wheel lifted nearly the bike went straight forward and it took nearly the half of the stop way as reached when braking without ABS. I consider to change my Heritage Classic 2003 for a newer one, WITH ABS. Or is it possible to change brakes for sytems WITH ABS on an excisting bike???
But this 'emergency stop' was done on a wet parking lot. So intuitively I started with braking full speed, loosing the brakes and applying them again. Loosing just before blocking the wheel and so on till stand still. The examinator told me that it was very well done but I have to do it again with 'full braking' because I had ABS on this Honda.
40 mph, slippery and wet surface and than 'full anchoring' with applying the brakes as strong as I could do. Normally a quarantee for seeing the asphalt from very very closeby, too closeby I think. But although my rear wheel lifted nearly the bike went straight forward and it took nearly the half of the stop way as reached when braking without ABS. I consider to change my Heritage Classic 2003 for a newer one, WITH ABS. Or is it possible to change brakes for sytems WITH ABS on an excisting bike???
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
From: Youngsville NC
I'll never own another bike that doesn't have ABS !!!!
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 878
Likes: 0
From: Farmington, MN
I hate ABS...I believe it is dangerous. I know that it gives shorter stopping distances on a smooth test track...but I drive in the real world. On a poorly maintained road(which is becoming more and more common) if your tire is bouncing...your stopping distances are much longer.
I got a perfect demonstration of this just last week. I drive an 18-wheeler and we were in Wyoming and it had rained, the temps were just above freezing and the road was still wet. Going up a steep hill the temp dropped and the road turned to glare ice half-way up. Nothing to do but keep going as backing down is out of the question. There was no room to stop at the top so we kept going. It was still nothing but ice. The brake pedal got pushed to the floor and the whole way down the abs was engaging but we weren't stopping which was fine as the truck maintained it's lane position with absolutely no hint of wanting to jack knife or fishtail the trailer. 2.5 million miles of experience tells me that would not have been the case in my pre-abs trucks of just 10 years ago.
Take the strong Brembo brakes, add rain and a panic stop or swerve due to a left-turning cager and you're gonna be hoping you paid for abs.
ABS dangerous?
Hardly. Get out of the stone age.
