Why do modern motorbikes not have abs
Discussion
thatdude said:
ABS, traction control, they are fantastic advances and I would love to have a bike with at least ABS. Can anyone here be so sure of their abilities that if on a damp day in december a vehicle pulled out on them and they did an emergency stop on a greasy surface they would avoid a lock up or save a lockup?
maybe, but I'd rather ride to the conditions and use the mk1 eyeball instead of rely on abs and the likethatdude said:
supersingle said:
Good for you. If you want a bike with all the latest technology, go and buy one.
Not all of us want that and we shouldn't be forced into it by those that would 'know better'.
You, and others, are going to find it difficult to find a set of cross-plys for your R1's and gsxr's because you shun modern tech where you canNot all of us want that and we shouldn't be forced into it by those that would 'know better'.
mickymellon1 said:
maybe, but I'd rather ride to the conditions and use the mk1 eyeball instead of rely on abs and the like
No-one relies on ABS - it's there to save you if or when you need it. Mk1 eyeball or riding to the conditions won't help when that stupid pedestrian walks out between the van you're passing, and unless you're going 2 mph past traffic/parked vans/cars (which I doubt you are 
) you cannot pre-empt these thhings happening.mickymellon1 said:
thatdude said:
ABS, traction control, they are fantastic advances and I would love to have a bike with at least ABS. Can anyone here be so sure of their abilities that if on a damp day in december a vehicle pulled out on them and they did an emergency stop on a greasy surface they would avoid a lock up or save a lockup?
maybe, but I'd rather ride to the conditions and use the mk1 eyeball instead of rely on abs and the likeTall_Paul said:
I'm guessing that most of the people who don't need/want ABS don't regularly ride at 7am on a January morning when it's barely above freezing and pissing it down, dodging half awake drivers and pedestrians
Like I said before, weekend warriors/fair weather riders most probably don't need and/or want ABS. For us all weather/all year bikers, it might just be a life-saving choice. You'll never know you need ABS until you really need it. There's 2 completely different mindsets when it comes to riding, and both have very different needs.
I ride all year & don't want it.Like I said before, weekend warriors/fair weather riders most probably don't need and/or want ABS. For us all weather/all year bikers, it might just be a life-saving choice. You'll never know you need ABS until you really need it. There's 2 completely different mindsets when it comes to riding, and both have very different needs.
I've never really worried about grip when braking except when there is ice/snow on the floor. It's sliding out on corners that I'm always convinced will happen & ABS can't help with that.
Jazoli said:
I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want it 
The amount of times it'd have been of any use to me is so few I don't see it as worth the extra hassle of bleeding more complicated systems when changing fluid etc.Maybe if I wasn't such a pussy on the brakes I'd see the need for it. Or maybe with knowing I'd got ABS in the back of my mind I wouldn't be a complete pussy on the brakes? I don't know, but like I said, I don't suffer lock ups so don't see the need.
Oddly enough, I do value it on cars.
No flaming from me, it's easier to lock the front on a cruiser due to the geometry and weight distribution.
I have locked the front a few times over the years, but I've had the presence of mind to release and re-apply the brake, whenever I get a new bike I practice locking the front wheel if the bike is upright it's not going to slide away from you* its good to know just how much you can really brake (obviously this varies according to the road surface but you get a good idea) it's easy if you are progressive on the brakes, it's the 'oh s
t panic grab a handful' moments that'll get you.
It's just that one time you need abs whether you have needed it in the past or not, that would be reason enough for me, I've never had a bike with it but if I was in the position to buy a brand new bike it'd be a must have.
I have locked the front a few times over the years, but I've had the presence of mind to release and re-apply the brake, whenever I get a new bike I practice locking the front wheel if the bike is upright it's not going to slide away from you* its good to know just how much you can really brake (obviously this varies according to the road surface but you get a good idea) it's easy if you are progressive on the brakes, it's the 'oh s
t panic grab a handful' moments that'll get you.It's just that one time you need abs whether you have needed it in the past or not, that would be reason enough for me, I've never had a bike with it but if I was in the position to buy a brand new bike it'd be a must have.
- I accept no responsibility if you bin it trying
I had never used a bike with ABS or any form of TC until last week.
My normal ride these days is a Street Triple but I had a
chance to ride a BMW R1200GS TE for 24 hours which comes with everything from electronically adjusted suspension to different mapping for various road and off road situations.
I didn't play with it on the first part of the ride but the next morning I went out in the rain during the London rush hour heading out to the M25 and back. I set the mode to RAIN and the suspension to SOFT and totally trusted the TC and the ABS and to be honest I rode the best I have ever done in the wet.
At no time did the ABS or TC cut in but I was happy to brake harder and lean a bit more, obviously helped by the softer power delivery of the RAIN mode. I hate riding in the wet normally, especially thru heavy traffic but the tech changed my perception.
A week later I was using the latest Street Triple R with ABS and once again I was happy to brake harder in the wet and much harder in the dry.
Maybe someone should just tell me a bike has ABS and I will ride it better even if it's not really fitted
My normal ride these days is a Street Triple but I had a
chance to ride a BMW R1200GS TE for 24 hours which comes with everything from electronically adjusted suspension to different mapping for various road and off road situations.
I didn't play with it on the first part of the ride but the next morning I went out in the rain during the London rush hour heading out to the M25 and back. I set the mode to RAIN and the suspension to SOFT and totally trusted the TC and the ABS and to be honest I rode the best I have ever done in the wet.
At no time did the ABS or TC cut in but I was happy to brake harder and lean a bit more, obviously helped by the softer power delivery of the RAIN mode. I hate riding in the wet normally, especially thru heavy traffic but the tech changed my perception.
A week later I was using the latest Street Triple R with ABS and once again I was happy to brake harder in the wet and much harder in the dry.
Maybe someone should just tell me a bike has ABS and I will ride it better even if it's not really fitted
For a few extra kilos why not? The complexity is nothing horrendous and it could save your life or legs. If you have a bike that can top 150 with ease, the extra weight is insignificant. It only takes one instance of abs usage to save money and pain, and all of us are going down at some point, but you can try to increase your safety margin.
black-k1 said:
Most of those who feel that ABS "gets in the way" or "spoils the feel" have never ridden a bike with ABS.
I've been riding bikes with ABS (and ones without ABS) for the last 25 years. There are two situations when you notice the ABS:
1. Occasionally when you're braking hard on a bumpy surface the ABS might kick in. It probably wasn't really needed but it's nothing more than a slight annoyance.
2. Occasionally when you're braking in an emergency situation on a less than perfect surface (wet, gravel, white lines, over banding etc.) or are slightly lent over for cornering. In those situation it stops what would almost definitely have been a crash situation.
With both situations, the key word is "occasionally" and I can't see any logical reason (and macho uninformed bullst doesn't count as logical) why anyone on the road would be happy to risk situation 2 for the sake of avoiding situation 1.
ABS on bikes works. Every study/test has shown that. ABS saves lives yet costs (in both price and riding "feel") very little.
As pointed out above "real men" don't need ABS is a daft argument.I've been riding bikes with ABS (and ones without ABS) for the last 25 years. There are two situations when you notice the ABS:
1. Occasionally when you're braking hard on a bumpy surface the ABS might kick in. It probably wasn't really needed but it's nothing more than a slight annoyance.
2. Occasionally when you're braking in an emergency situation on a less than perfect surface (wet, gravel, white lines, over banding etc.) or are slightly lent over for cornering. In those situation it stops what would almost definitely have been a crash situation.
With both situations, the key word is "occasionally" and I can't see any logical reason (and macho uninformed bulls
t doesn't count as logical) why anyone on the road would be happy to risk situation 2 for the sake of avoiding situation 1.ABS on bikes works. Every study/test has shown that. ABS saves lives yet costs (in both price and riding "feel") very little.
Why, well because unlike the cadence braking Demi-Gods who populate most forums I accept that I'm not a perfect rider and sometimes through no fault of mine I end up in a not so perfect situation, ABS is for that not so perfect time when the idiot in the Volvo decides to make a U turn without looking, forcing you onto the white lines where some s
tter has dropped some diesel, and even though you are doing 30, you my friend are going down.... that's what ABS is for, or when you are flying down your favourite backroad, line up perfectly for your fav corner and halfway through, a flock of pheasants decide to cross the road. "Real Men" don't need ABS the same way "Real Men" don't need a helmet.
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