Ok go easy on me, I'm completely new....and I'm going at this completely alone....I'm starting my riding classes in two weeks then ordering me an 883 Iron. So I've been looking at the Irons and they have an ABS break option..... Does anyone have input? Remember I'm a Virgin so speak English lol is it safer for a rookie girl to start off with ABS or does safety really have anything to do with it.... If it's safer for me I don't care if it's extra....THOUGHTS? Please...thank you....

 

There are lots of varying opinions on this subject as I am sure you will find out. Me personally, I would get ABS if I purchased a new bike. I don't think you HAVE to have ABS in order to be safe or a better rider. But I do believe that it will add a layer of safety. The computer is much faster than you will be. So in that oh s*** moment it will come in handy, IMHO. That's just my opinion on the matter. I am sure you will hear from a lot more experienced people on here than me. Congrats on getting the new ride. Get all you can out of the class and enjoy it. Oh and welcome aboard

 

Thank you, I'm completely lost. Lol following my dream alone is a little confusing....so your input is appreciated!

 

IMHO I'd always get a bike with ABS giving the option and I've been riding for 38 years. If you're Valentino Rossiwell maybe not.

 

Why try and idiot-proof everything in life these days? All they are doing is raising the stakes!

 

Hammer..... Since I'm new and trying to understand about what I'm ordering and what I'll be riding....not being smart but what does raising the stakes mean in this instance? So when I asked a guy at work he just said it's another thing that can go out....he said keep it simple... Is that what you mean? Because I'm really just curious if it can benefit a new rider. I don't mind what it costs if I was to know it's my safer choice. Thanks

 

ABS very rarely breaks. It's a very good option to have on your bike's brakes.

There is a large component of riders who like to "keep things simple" on the basis that fewer options mean fewer things that could possibly go wrong. While that's technically true I guess, it ignores the benefits from these systems.

While experienced riders can usually avoid getting into situations where ABS is necessary to save them, the simple fact is that ABS can only help you and will never hurt. Even if the ABS unit fails, you're simply back to having regular brakes, so a failed ABS unit will put you at the same point as a non-ABS rider.

However, the units are astoundingly reliable and, when they're working (which is pretty much always), they have a HUGE potential benefit for a rider, and especially for a new rider.

I wouldn't go so far as to require ABS on a bike (mostly because you're just not going to find it on the sort of inexpensive used bike that I think is best to start out on), I certainly wouldn't avoid it and if you're going to get a newer, more expensive bike, I would definitely recommend it.


Note: There are those who discount the above video because "the guy's just slamming on the brakes and not even trying." Well, yes. That's rather the point. In a panic stop, an inexperienced rider is not likely to finesse the brakes properly. In a panic stop, most riders are going to grab a big ol' fist-full of front brake and end up low-siding as a result. While it's absolutely possible to brake in the wet just fine without ABS if you do everything right, having ABS will allow you more margin for error, which is always a good thing.

There are others who claim the non-ABS rider is yanking the bars to the side to exaggerate the skid. This is not true. Motorcycle steering's centering tendency relies on drag from the front tire interacting with trail to "pull" the tire back towards center. When the front wheel locks, you lose almost all of that drag and the centering forces effectively stop. You also lose the front wheel's gyroscopic effect which is what resists movement of the bars. These combined effects (or, more accurately, the loss of both of these effects) makes the steering go towards whichever side has slightly less force (whether from the road or from the rider) and causes the steering to "whip" to one side or the other. While this is not instantaneous and there is, technically, a very short time period (well under a second) in which a rider could theoretically save it by releasing the front brake and un-locking it, the chances of a novice rider or a panicked rider doing so are infinitesimal. You might as well count on getting hit by lightning.

 

I dropped my Dyna at low speed due to a front wheel lockup, and dislocated a shoulder. ABS would likely have prevented the crash, and that's why shortly afterwards, I traded in the Nightster for a Superlow with ABS.

 

Awesome info! yay I'm glad I found this place.....please stand by her journey is just starting.....and I'm positive I will be asking a ton of crap. Thank you !!!! Helpful ppl !!!!

 

Smart choice starting out with the course. Lots of great information. Considering the price for the option I think ABS is definitely worth it. Specially with how bad those missouri drivers are .


Good luck on the new bike and Go Cards!!