Depends. If you have good riding skills you won't need it. If you intend to resell the bike in a few years it will probably make your bike more attractive to a potential buyer.
My 2010 RK came with ABS and I agree with the group that say it's crap, because it is. Way, way too sensitive. I can activate it by braking lightly over a manhole cover on dry pavement.
I recently rode a 2012 Fat Boy Lo and tried to stop it on a dirt rode. The ABS instantly activated and caused me to travel an additional 20 feet before I finally stopped (almost hit a pedestrian!). In non-ABS conditions I could have easily stopped it using the rear brake, but because the ABS kept the rear wheel rotating I had to use the front brake (hard!) to get the thing halted. Front brake braking is something you don't want to do a lot on dirt roads. Luckily, I didn't crash, but it was close.
Bottom line: test ride two bikes, one with, one without, then make your choice.

 

real riders dont need abs i didnt get it cuz if u gon go down u gon go down regardless of abs or not

 

I end up riding in the rain more than I want to. It gives me comfort that I'll have the ability to brake hard without having to worry about going down if I encounter that situation. Let's face it, most of us are novice riders (including myself). Very few of us have the riding time to develop the skills that you see in those motocop videos.

 

My Ultra Limited is my first bike with ABS and I won't buy another street bike without it.

No downside to me, I'll gladly put up the extra coin for it.

I wouldn't get it on a bike that will see dirt work unless you can turn it off.

 

ABS is worth every penny. I think part of the improved stopping distance is the confidence it gives you to grab the brakes a little harder because you don't have to worry about a rear lockup.

 

yup - get the ABS... Australian models (except Sporty's) all have it standard now. (we pay for it big time though due to bike prices!!) but would never opt out of ABS.

 

Now the real question...what percentage of riders have your braking skills?
What percentage of riders think they have your braking skills?

 

ABS has saved my life three times in two years! I will never have a bike without it again...

 

You are right! Study after study have shown that a highly skilled rider can stop much faster on a non-ABS bike on dry pavement. They also show that the skilled rider can stop much faster on dry pavement than a novice rider with an ABS bike too. However when you add oil, water. gravel, etc to the conditions, that gap between the expert rider and the novice rider diminishes very, very quickly to the point a novice with ABS brakes can stop almost as fast as an expert without ABS on very poor conditions.

You may be as skilled a rider as you allude to be, and I hope for your sake that you are that good. A less skilled or novice rider's life may be saved by ABS because they do improve the braking distance required when you do not have expert braking skills especially on less than optimum road conditions.

I'm just curious here, do you disable the ABS system in your cars after you buy them?

 

I see and hear both sides about the abs. I was told by a good friend that its the unknown that is what runs people away, just like when fuel injection come out..people didn't like it cause it wasn't a carb, or when points died in cars and electronics took over. I by no means is an expert. Bad thing is I can get the bike with ABS from one dealer and the others are trying to sell me one without for the same price, and they look at me like its a lie about the deal on the ABS bike