ABS or No ABS that is the question...

[rbertalotto]

Buying a BMW without ABS is like buying a Porsche with an automatic transmission...........The resale value is destroyed.

Buy more importantly, ABS WILL save your life! If not your life, you and your bike. I have four motorcycles with ABS, all work fantastic in the "Oh Sh-t" moments..........Every one of my ABS bikes have been "field tested".......and in every instance, it saved my bacon. I ride a lot and I tend to ride at a relative spirited level......ABS is a must have in my book.

[ka5ysy]

I can't remember the last time this group reached perfect agreement.

Statistical flyer


Kumbaya




I really hope Dr. ABS does not see this thread

[MikeCam]

Arguments against ABS:

1) If you are an experienced rider with great skills and, especially, race experience, then you can stop your bike perfectly every time without ABS, even in dicey, sudden, unexpected situations. Do Not Get ABS.

2) If you want to prove you are as good as number 1, above, then Do Not Get ABS.

3) If you are very highly concerned with the likelihood of electrical/mechanical failure, system complexity, sudden, unexplained loss of function, and high repair/replacement costs, even though the probabilities are lower than the direct risk of riding a motorcycle at all AND you want to be just like either Number 1 or 2, above then Do Not Get ABS.

4) If 100% of your riding is on dirt, gravel, downhill, and washouts then Do Not Get ABS.

[TAG-Caver]

What happens if you have multiple bikes and they aren't all ABS? In a panic situation you react instinctively, so if you lose the skill to automatically release the front brake when the front tire starts to slide you are just about guaranteed a face plant if you're on your non-ABS machine in your "oh sh*t" moment. I played on gravel and some snow with my ABS R12R to check out the ABS, but my daily driver is non-ABS and I don't want to lose skills I developed over the years. IMO think learning in the dirt should be a pre-req for streetbike riding since you get used to being out of control and learn how to recover from things like a sliding front tire without the threat of being crushed underneath the wheels of a tractor trailer. ABS is a benefit, but it's no substitute for decent skills and good judgement. I'd have happily bought a non-ABS R1200R if they had one available, but BMW learned from their car business: If you option up a vehicle and it's sitting on the floor, some sucker(like me) will buy stuff they wouldn't otherwise have ordered.

Kevin

[mogu83]

I put about 10K on the R last season and about 6K on my non ABS Honda Valkyrie with no problem. I also regularly ride a few other bikes without a major problem. I might however be over braking the rear of the R because I still hit the rear brake as I do on the other bikes, instead of using the handbrake and letting the system figure out where to apply the pressure. The result might be excessive wear on the rear brake pads.
For a few years I shared my riding between a bike that shifted on the left and one that shifted on the right and managed not to kill myself.
In other words don't worry about it .

[qfman]

I had an ABS R1150R for nearly 6 years. The ABS meant that no one but BMW could service the bike due to the electrickery in the do-dads etc....

The ABS got me in the habit of simply mashing the front lever whenever I ran out of talent or experience and all would be well. As the years went by, I found that the ABS was not actually involved in most of the more dramatic moments. For the last couple of years I had the R1150R it only came on at times that were inappropriate and annoying. It would render the brakes unassisted at annoying times also. PFFFTTT.....

When I bought my 08 R1200R, I was happy to spend 2K less to skip the ABS function.

I am now cured of bad braking habits and now no longer need the crutch of "Save me Jebus" braking systems. After all, it's a bike. Bad stuff can happen. Ride thusly.

Tom

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~lonergans/