ABS Brakes Reduce Bike Fatalities By 38%
 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27313063/

Antilock brakes could help motorcycle riders avoid fatal crashes, according to a study by the insurance industry.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Wednesday that the fatal crash rate involving motorcycles equipped with optional antilock brakes, or ABS, was 38 percent lower than the rate involving similar motorcycles without the systems.
Antilock brakes, like their counterparts on cars and trucks, help motorcycle riders stop their bikes abruptly without locking up the wheels or fishtailing. The system evaluates the brake pressure multiple times per second, allowing motorcycle riders to fully brake both wheels in an emergency situation and avoid hitting the pavement.

i guess i am old school i like to do my own thinking so when i hit the break hard enough i want my tire to skid that would have to be the most stopping power you could have i guess that comes back from the old dirt bike days

translation.....38% of bikers dont know how to fkn ride

The issue is not your riding ability, it is the actions of those around you and the surface that you are on. That is were the ABS shine. Good conditions, you are okay, but when it all goes out the window...thats where the money for ABS looks cheap compared to an emergency room visit.

Speaking from a physics standpoint, this statement is completely false. The coefficient of friction is much less for an object that is sliding than a stationary object. When you push on something to try and move it, like furniture around the house for example, it is harder to get that object moving, than to keep it moving.

Applying this to a motorcycle tire, the coefficient of friction for a skidding/sliding tire is much less than a tire that is not sliding on pavement.

Therefore the most stopping power you can have is a tire that is being controlled by brakes and slowing down without sliding, not a skidding tire.

Physics 101

-out here

I disagree with the statement that 38% don't know how to ride. Many of them are probably novices but not all. Sh@t happens no matter how good of a rider you may be.

ABS on a motorcycle is just plain smart. On slippery road conditions they are superior in reducing stopping distance in a safe manner. There is no way a person can match their performance. I wish I would have bought them on my 08 but I got in a hurry and traded for what they had in stock...my mistake. I won't make that mistake again. ABS could be the difference in an emergency situation. It doesn't replace experience or expertise; it supplements it.

Disagree with the most stopping power theory.

Also, riding a 250-300 lb. dirt bike and controlling it in a slide on dirt does not translate to controlling a 800 lb. Harley on the street. One result is high siding...

If you look at stopping distance for an ABS vs non-ABS bike, they are not that much different. Where ABS shines is for those that don't know how to quickly stop a bike and can't keep the rear end from sliding out causing loss of control. ABS is designed to allow you to keep control of the scoot and steer around obstacles (read: idiots in cages). I have not yet ridden a bike with ABS so can't comment on what I think of it, but if it works as well as in autos and trucks, it will be a valuable addition.

I saw that article and nearly posted it then thought about all the denial posts it would attract: "helmets, ABS, bah humbug".

Reality is ABS gives the rider greater stopping power and more control in an emergency stopping situation. All my future bikes will have ABS.

For those of you against ABS, I would guess that you've never ridden a bike with it and engaged the system. It seems that most anti-ABS arguments talk about the rider's ability (or lack thereof) or giving control over to the computer. The fact of the matter is that when your wheels lock, you're out of control--regardless of your skill level--and put your life at greater risk. When riders combine riding skill with ABS, survivability increases.

It amazes me when I read about folks who fight ABS--a feature that operates invisibly without affecting the bike's performance, appearance and can save your life.