ABS - yes or no?
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 13
From: 501
Yes, to me, it's more than a good thing, it's a prerequisite. I wouldn't have bought my 09 Ultra without it.
ABS could save my life and that of my passenger.
Maybe with the exception of highly skilled riders and I even doubt they can, nobody can bring a non-ABS bike to a full stop as fast and as safely as an ABS bike, and this, on all terrains.
ABS could save my life and that of my passenger.
Maybe with the exception of highly skilled riders and I even doubt they can, nobody can bring a non-ABS bike to a full stop as fast and as safely as an ABS bike, and this, on all terrains.
I would like to add at this point that ABS will more often not allow you to stop quicker, only to do so with more control over where and how you steer your vehicle.
If one knows it's there, and how to use it, it's a good thing. If you don't know how to use it, you can still run right into someone not realizing that you don't stop quicker, you just have better control because your not locked up.
The one time my cage's went off, I saw that I wasn't going to be able to stop before running into them, I steered away. You can't do that when your wheels are locked up. This is what ABS is really all about, continuous control.
Although it's a good thing for some, I prefer to go without. It's an expensive complicated system which is not understood by many, therefore dangerous in itself. If everybody understood the system and how it works it would be good all around, but most know not, therefore it becomes more dangerous.
Not just a personal opinion!
aka Bob
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,932
Likes: 4
From: 46th State, USA
My '09 Ultra Classic is the first scooter that I've owned that has ABS. I don't know that I can tell any difference during normal riding. I would suspect the only way to find out the benefits of ABS is to have to use them. There may be some that will swear by the ABS but there also many be plenty that have crashed and their ABS would not have made any difference. It's hard to tell.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,066
Likes: 9
From: Duluth, GA
Yes...I have ABS....I don't remember what the option cost is...but got security and ABS as options.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,532
Likes: 132
From: SoCal
I have a 2008 FLHX
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 522
Likes: 27
From: Glendale, Arizona
Well folks, ABS CAN be installed at the dealer, I just got off the phone with them. It's not a pretty site, for the mere cost of $4800.00 dollars they will do it to my 09 Ultra. Just as if were factory Installed. Think I'll wait for it on my next bike. Thanks for all the input, but at least now we know.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 3
From: Texas City, TX
My '09 Ultra Classic is the first scooter that I've owned that has ABS. I don't know that I can tell any difference during normal riding. I would suspect the only way to find out the benefits of ABS is to have to use them. There may be some that will swear by the ABS but there also many be plenty that have crashed and their ABS would not have made any difference. It's hard to tell.
One thing I'd ask you, have you deliberately activated your bikes ABS? If not, I'd recommend you go find a nice vacant road or parking lot and play with it a little. Start with the rear brake only and speeds about 30 mph or so and work your way up. I did this on an empty street and ended up doing max effort stops from 60 to 65 mph on the rear brake alone, front brake alone, and finally both ends at the same time. It was a real eye opener and a great confidence builder, not to mention a lot of fun!
Ride Safe,
Steve R.
Last edited by Intrepid175; Mar 23, 2010 at 03:02 PM.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Pretty sure there is also an update for 08s because some folks were questioning if that was the fix when the 09 fix came out. Do a search on this forum to find the discussion and call your dealer because it made a big improvement on mine.
Beary
