Do I really need an ABS ? | Page 4 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Do I really need an ABS ?

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I am with Macdoc. For most riders in most situations, the only downside of ABS is the initial cost (which on a used bike approaches zero).

If Iceman86 had ABS, he would have been posting about his close call instead of his banged up bike. People can say they practice threshold braking and could beat rossi with their eyes closed, etc etc but when you have a huge chunk of steel in front of you and think you are about to die, your hand clamps down for all it's worth. Even if you were perfectly on top of your game, changing road surface, tire temps, trying to turn, looking around for a hole etc. all use up your available brain power, there is not much left over for perfect brake modulation (especially on two separate braking systems at the same time).
 
When you watch that demo with the Hondas

...these guys are as good as it gets and they can't beat the ABS.
I was skeptical on C-ABS until I had it on the CBF1000 and wish I had it on the CB500x. Really nice in traffic and keeps the bike much more level in braking. With my aging hands I need all the help I can get with throttle and brake control.
 
That was not necessarily an ABS issue. Brake and avoid would have been the strategy. I'm guessing there was a bit of panic having the car intruding into the lane mixed with target fixation.
 
It sounds like it was a locked front tire which caused the bike to go down. Would ABS have saved it?
 
If that was the case, yes. But he didn't say he locked it up in his description of the incident. I suspect it was more panic and not steering to the potential he could have. I've had cars/taxis do exactly the same before and weaving around them was the answer.....in my cases. Also the old "go where they were" scenario. Days of Thunder is old right?
 
No doubt he needs practice but this the kind of thing ABS helps and don't discount that cross walk. I went down off pavement on green moss and never touched the brake.
Any steering input with the front brake on hard can take you down crazy quick when the surface friction changes.
That he did not hit the car means he had time .....but that cross walk could have been the deciding factor on losing control and low siding.
 
ABS is Bu$$it on a bike. Not needed.
I would never never buy a bike with ABS on it.

47 years riding and I hate ABS.
My wife's bike has ABS and I absolutely hate it to hell and back.

Video above is Boulogne.


Stopppies are impossible.

I once did a stoppie in pouring rain without ABS.
 
Low rider said:
ABS is Bu$$it on a bike. Not needed.
I would never never buy a bike with ABS on it.

47 years riding and I hate ABS.
My wife's bike has ABS and I absolutely hate it to hell and back.

Video above is Boulogne.


Stopppies are impossible.

I once did a stoppie in pouring rain without ABS.
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That's weird, because I believe I've done one. Now I'm going to have to check if the bike really had ABS, as I had been told.
 
Baggsy said:
That's weird, because I believe I've done one. Now I'm going to have to check if the bike really had ABS, as I had been told.
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ABS shouldn't inhibit stoppies. Anti-wheel life control should inhibit stoppies. My guess is most bikes will give you both but they will be triggered by different sensors.

Also, people should note that some (most/all???) bikes disable ABS below a certain speed (was 15 km/h IIRC for Honda). Don't just grab a mitt full of brake to test the ABS while going slowly.
 
MacDoc said:
No doubt he needs practice but this the kind of thing ABS helps and don't discount that cross walk. I went down off pavement on green moss and never touched the brake.
Any steering input with the front brake on hard can take you down crazy quick when the surface friction changes.
That he did not hit the car means he had time .....but that cross walk could have been the deciding factor on losing control and low siding.
Click to expand...
Could be, the paint they use these days can be terribly slippery. I just about went high side at 20kmh rounding the Abby-Road type stripes they use at some intersections in Markham. I think the point is he stopped before hitting the car by sliding... had he braked correctly he would have stopped faster.
 
Ya know...there is always the 3 or 4 wheeled option.
 
I'm curious to know what everyone's thoughts are on ABS for a track-only bike (road circuit)? I can imagine that in the scenario that another rider swings in front of you unexpectedly, it might come in handy, but in general, on hard braking, are most ABS systems sophisticated enough to avoid being intrusive? Not talking about pro-level racing, just hard braking on track days.
 
bastak said:
I'm curious to know what everyone's thoughts are on ABS for a track-only bike (road circuit)? I can imagine that in the scenario that another rider swings in front of you unexpectedly, it might come in handy, but in general, on hard braking, are most ABS systems sophisticated enough to avoid being intrusive? Not talking about pro-level racing, just hard braking on track days.
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I'm not a really fast guy,but the best advice i have ever been given by an experienced rider at the track was to leave the brakes alone.That was at Mosport.I found that with his advice,the only place i needed heavy braking was into T5a and a little into T8.
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