ABS difference?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,150
Likes: 6,174
From: SE Michigan
I've heard a few guys don't like the ABS cause in the event where you need to stop quickly and slam the brakes, the ABS kicks in and actually increases stopping distance by pulsating the brakes.
Just take your bike to a parking lot and try it out. It takes a lot of force to lock em up as is.
Just take your bike to a parking lot and try it out. It takes a lot of force to lock em up as is.
I don't think people understand that you can break just to the point of locking, without activating ABS, even tho you have ABS. So even if your skillz are better than ABS, its a tremendous insurance policy.
Last edited by Keithhu; Nov 24, 2010 at 06:01 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,931
Likes: 5
Anything that could help you stay upright and in some sort of control is always usefull .... but from 40 years riding experience i may have only locked up maybe 4 times and i'm typing this now on this forum so i think as the previous poster said when the reaper's ridin pillion you might as well have gone over a cliff for all the use ABS are gonna be ..... but it's there if ya need it ....stay safe
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 545
Likes: 1
From: Miami, Florida
Many people dont want to believe that a technological innovation can do better than their precious 'skills' and 'experience' which were finely honed over many years of bad azz bikerness
ABS is the one option most important with my future purchase, especially as we age and reflexes deminish.
Supporter
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
From: Mountain View, CA
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
just bought my first bike with abs and traction control ( a ducati ) 2 mths ago i have never been worried about dry roads , but rain , oil , gravel present occasions where you are in the hands of your angel whether you stay upright or not ... not to mention that as i get older the knocks are harder to ignore. As for my 07 heritage , i disagree about rider skill v's abs . the softtails are heavy with a single front disk and its pretty easy to control braking without locking up particularly in dry. the fatboy lo will be pretty similiar and i expect you may never feel the front abs work
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Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
btw - have they finally made the speedo waterproof ?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
Likes: 127
From: Middle of Kansas
I had ABS on my company Chevy pickuup, and I hated it. It worked fine on dry pavement, but on gravel, it was like you had no brakes. Working for a products pipeline, I drove a lot of gravel, and went through a lot of intersections with my foot on the brake as hard as I could push. You would think you were on ice. Just another technology to complicate your ride in my opinion. But then, I rode a 42 "45" back in the day with no front brake lots of miles without a problem.