Just had a dealer, service tech tells me that you have to apply both front and rear brakes to effectively stop the bike with ABS.

Says that they have applied just the front or just the back and the bike continued moving.

The wheel with the brake applied to it did not lock up due to the ABS but continued moving forward.

They observed this while trying to stop several times on a painted floor in the service area at low speeds.

It makes sense really but if that's the case, buyers should be made aware that you have to apply both brakes fully to stop the bike.

Just looking into some real life feedback.

 

I have ABS and I usually use both brakes when I'm slowing down or stopping. Haven't tried a panic stop with just the front or the back.

 

Seems to me that if you needed to stop QUICKLY you would apply both breaks anyway. Good to know though.

 

What your servic tech told you is pure horse ****.

That said, you'll achieve the shortest stopping distances when effectively using both front and rear brakes.

 

That's confusing and I disagree. The front and back brake ABS are operated independently. Some manufacturers have them linked. I've braked hard with just the front and I stopped just fine. As a PS, ABS is the best investment you could make in a new purchase. It's saved my bacon a couple of times. It helped me miss a very large deer.

 

I did an experienced rider course earlier this year with one of the exercises was applying full force on rear brake only - my ABS clunked, but the bike stopped just fine.

 

That's why I asked the question here....Knew I would get the truth from riders with ABS....

 

Yes and with ABS they will not lock up. So during stopping the wheel will continue to have on and off movement that allows for your control. If the wheel was to stop full you no longer have control you have a skid. That is what ABS is all about. And yes the brakes work independent of each other.

 

Tested out the ABS on my 2008 Road King Classic after I got it to just understand what it would do...it will work with just the front or just the rear brake engaged.

The ABS does not work under either 3 or 4 mph which I would guess would be about max speed in a service bay - when the ABS light stops blinking on the display, it is engaged.

-DogPound

 

Yeah, the ABS is supposed to work independently. Right after I bought mine I tried applying full front brake on a gravel driveway at about 10 mph. The handbrake pulsed and the handlebars shimmied a little but the bike went straight. I am sold on the ABS. T.