ABS - yes or no?
Tourer
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 331
Likes: 0
ABS is, or at the time I bought mine a factory installed option only.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 20
From: Salem, Or
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.
Ride Safe,
Steve R.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 4
From: Payson, AZ
Now here is my opinion. Last February I was in the carpool lane of the 605 freeway doing 70 mph when a tour bus suddenly changed into my lane without warning. I had to hit my brakes fast and hard to avoid being hit by him. I was on my 08 RK. The Brembo brakes are very powerful! Too powerful in fact! My front brake locked and I went down before I could blink an eye. If I had ABS I would not have gone down. My new 2010 Ultra Limited has them and I love them! I ride the freeway every day to work rain or shine. Try stopping in the rain without ABS!
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,600
Likes: 2
From: Windsor, CO
Take your choice on what proof you want. Either look at the 1000 or so studies that evaluate ABS or read the dozens of first hand experiences on a forum like this. Either way, the evidence tends to support the idea that ABS is a good thing on a bike. That's especially true for a heavy weight bike like the Ultra or Limited.
First couple times I had to use ABS on the Ultra scared the bee-jeezus out of me. One time really saved my bacon, though, and from that point on I've been a fan of ABS.
I was coming out of Window Rock, AZ, on a cross country trip last May when I came around a mountain twistie. It was mid-afternoon in a heavy rain. I wasn't expecting any deer out at that time of day, so when a couple does with new fawns jumped onto the road in front of me I had to hit the brakes hard.
I'll admit, had I not had ABS I might have gone down, either from hitting one of the deer or dumping the bike in the corner. I'd like to think that will all my years of riding (38, so far) I'm such a great rider that I would have controlled the bike even when it hit the deer ... but I know better. I was only going about 40 on a 55 mph corner, but it was raining and the deer came from the trees along the side of the road. So I had no way of seeing them before they were on the road.
The ABS system worked perfectly. I felt the nudge of the system grab, which was a little odd in itself. But I realized almost immediately what had happened, and as I slowed enough to miss the deer I thanked HD for putting the ABS system on the bike.
Buying the Limited this year meant having ABS as standard equipment, so there was really no decision point to it. I can tell you, though, that had there been, I would have still chosen ABS.
First couple times I had to use ABS on the Ultra scared the bee-jeezus out of me. One time really saved my bacon, though, and from that point on I've been a fan of ABS.
I was coming out of Window Rock, AZ, on a cross country trip last May when I came around a mountain twistie. It was mid-afternoon in a heavy rain. I wasn't expecting any deer out at that time of day, so when a couple does with new fawns jumped onto the road in front of me I had to hit the brakes hard.
I'll admit, had I not had ABS I might have gone down, either from hitting one of the deer or dumping the bike in the corner. I'd like to think that will all my years of riding (38, so far) I'm such a great rider that I would have controlled the bike even when it hit the deer ... but I know better. I was only going about 40 on a 55 mph corner, but it was raining and the deer came from the trees along the side of the road. So I had no way of seeing them before they were on the road.
The ABS system worked perfectly. I felt the nudge of the system grab, which was a little odd in itself. But I realized almost immediately what had happened, and as I slowed enough to miss the deer I thanked HD for putting the ABS system on the bike.
Buying the Limited this year meant having ABS as standard equipment, so there was really no decision point to it. I can tell you, though, that had there been, I would have still chosen ABS.
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 178
Likes: 1
I have ABS on my new bike, was one of the main reasons I bought it, will not own a bike without it. I practiced hard braking with it so that I would know how it will respond when i need it. Works great, stops smoothly, and very quickly. Highly recommend it.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Hey..Guys. I think ABS is for chickens. What do you think if it replaced by Kawasaki EX 500/ Ninja 500.
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Yes I like having ABS, I hve one or two stories about why I like ABS this is one of them,
I had an old man pull out from a side street and was so close I knew I could no maneuver left or right and try to brake hard. I have had close calls before but this was by far the worse since owning this bike, I grabbed my front brake hard and laid on the rear and thinking I was not going to stop in time I grabbed the front with everything I had, the whole time thinking I'm going to T-bone this car. It stopped and it stopped quicker than I have ever stopped before on any motorcycle
I have ridden. The bike stayed absolutely straight and never for a moment did I feel a loss of control. I'm sold and will always get it if it's an option.
BTW I have been riding for more than 30 years and put more than 18k miles on this bike in the last year. I also have spent some time practicing using ABS but during practice I have never used the brakes that hard. In that quick second I decided to trust the ABS and apply the brakes as hard as I could, not sure I would have made the same decision if I had never practiced.
I had an old man pull out from a side street and was so close I knew I could no maneuver left or right and try to brake hard. I have had close calls before but this was by far the worse since owning this bike, I grabbed my front brake hard and laid on the rear and thinking I was not going to stop in time I grabbed the front with everything I had, the whole time thinking I'm going to T-bone this car. It stopped and it stopped quicker than I have ever stopped before on any motorcycle
I have ridden. The bike stayed absolutely straight and never for a moment did I feel a loss of control. I'm sold and will always get it if it's an option. BTW I have been riding for more than 30 years and put more than 18k miles on this bike in the last year. I also have spent some time practicing using ABS but during practice I have never used the brakes that hard. In that quick second I decided to trust the ABS and apply the brakes as hard as I could, not sure I would have made the same decision if I had never practiced.
Last edited by EricD10563; Mar 24, 2010 at 05:08 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 415
From: Southern Maryland
Abs
I locked up my rear brake on my 06 Deuce w/o ABS brakes twice but with my super quick reflexes (64 yrs old), I was able to correct the error. The 1st time, I saw the place where I was supposed to turn but too late, so slammed on the brakes only to have the rear end brake loose. I immediately recognized what was happening, counter steered and let off of the brakes and was able to keep from high siding. In the second instance, same thing but trying not to run a red light (with big brother camera) and went into the intersection slightly. Again the rear broke loose but kept it upright.
My 09 has ABS and so far in 4K mikes, only once has it kicked in and that was on a rough road while braking for train tracks and I felt it kick in. Have to admit it took me by surprise as I didn't think I had hit them that hard, but I guess the bumpy road while braking caused tire slippge and triggered the ABS. I think it would be a good idea to exercise the brakes in a parking lot as several posts have said. When I was shopping for a new bike, it had to have ABS or I didn't look at it.
My 09 has ABS and so far in 4K mikes, only once has it kicked in and that was on a rough road while braking for train tracks and I felt it kick in. Have to admit it took me by surprise as I didn't think I had hit them that hard, but I guess the bumpy road while braking caused tire slippge and triggered the ABS. I think it would be a good idea to exercise the brakes in a parking lot as several posts have said. When I was shopping for a new bike, it had to have ABS or I didn't look at it.