ABS...worth it?
Banned
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,820
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From: Northern California
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 494
Likes: 63
From: Bay Area, CA
It's not a substitute for skill and practice. What it will do is increase the margin for error/distance, even for the most skilled rider. You cannot stop faster than an ABS system will stop you, no matter how skilled you are. When you combine ABS with skills, you increase your chances of stopping in time over skills alone.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,571
Likes: 121
From: Mpls, MN
Kinda what I was thinking. 
I once watched a video of Freddy Spencer going through a S curve, going in he braked hard enough to raise the back wheel off the ground, while airborne he swung the bike around for the exit, he then added enough power to raise the front wheel and had the back wheel sliding around the exit, does he need ABS...probably not, I'd think those of a lesser riding ability might find it handy though.
Panic braking is where it shines imho.
Assuming the ABS is set up right.
Al
I once watched a video of Freddy Spencer going through a S curve, going in he braked hard enough to raise the back wheel off the ground, while airborne he swung the bike around for the exit, he then added enough power to raise the front wheel and had the back wheel sliding around the exit, does he need ABS...probably not, I'd think those of a lesser riding ability might find it handy though.
Panic braking is where it shines imho.
Assuming the ABS is set up right.
Al
Banned
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,820
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From: Northern California
I'm pretty much riding the same bike I had before, but this one has ABS.
What ABS does for me is re-affirm that I had a pretty good idea of how much grip I had left in the tires when I am hard on the brakes.
I can feel the ABS start to work right about the time I thought the tires were gettting ready to lose grip, especially the rear tire.
I don't care for ABS too much in the dry, but I ride in the rain alot and it's nice to know I have it.
I sure like having my insurance premiums lowered.
What ABS does for me is re-affirm that I had a pretty good idea of how much grip I had left in the tires when I am hard on the brakes.
I can feel the ABS start to work right about the time I thought the tires were gettting ready to lose grip, especially the rear tire.
I don't care for ABS too much in the dry, but I ride in the rain alot and it's nice to know I have it.
I sure like having my insurance premiums lowered.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
ABS has saved my bacon a couple of times. I think it was worth the expense in my case.
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