Comments on: Motorcycle Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)

By: Christopher J. Beatty, M. D.

Christopher J. Beatty, M. D. — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:11:56 +0000

I traded in my perfectly good 2005 Softail Deluxe for a 2008 Road King just so I could get ABS brakes. So far, I haven’t needed them for a dire emergency stop but I can vividly recall a couple of instances on the Softail when my brakes did lock up. As my southern wife always says :”It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”

By: Frank Stoffregen

Frank Stoffregen — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:42:27 +0000

Frank

I have been riding for over thirty years and have a bmw1200 GS with out ABS and had to go to a lot of trouble to get a 1200GS without ABS and a 1150 RT with ABS. BMW hooks the front and rear brake together on the ABS models fine for the road worst thing for off road. Yes you can turn off the abs on the GS but the brakes are still linked together. Try a slick down hill on a 1200gs and hit the back brake and the front brakes come on too you will see what I mean. ABS great for street, but dirt and gravel, mud and snow they will get you hurt. I would love to have abs option with out the linked together. When I tour its the RT but when I Explore It’s1200GS NONABS.

By: mike shepard

mike shepard — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:19:41 +0000

Wow at all the comments! I too did not get any answer back from TCB. I have a chineese 49cc Verucci scooter that came with a little surge/expansion chamber thing installed in the front brake system. If the TCB thing helps then would not conventional brake likes with some expansion under hard braking be better than non-swelling metal braided lines??? I am going to start wearing out pads and rotors practicing — like somebody above just said — controlled hard braking on every ride to improve my braking skill and reaction time and panic management…which is a wild card when it happens for real. Also good cheap and effective is to stay 3 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you and pull over and let tailgaters pass…try to hold the finger wave. Keep imagining that you are invisible and …… GOOD LUCK!

By: Dakez

Dakez — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:40:47 +0000

What ever happened to paying attention and practicing your braking skills often (if not daily)

Comments like those below scare me. To their credit both are riding larger bikes. I do not and would not want it on anything other than a heavy Sport Touring bike. All others. NO. Hell NO!! Keep your laws of mandating ABS brakes off my bike. While it should be an option on more models than it is now it should not be mandatory. And yes, I have owned and ridden bikes with ABS. The ONLY time it helps to stop faster is on wet roads.

Nediesel: “I will not buy another bike with out Abs. They should make this standard on all motorcycles.”

JVFowler:“I believe in safety gear but instead of legislating for helmets they ought to loby for ABS on everything” (I assume you meant ‘lobby’)

I ride daily. I have ridden for 40+ years. I do not want ABS on my bikes.

By: nediesel

nediesel — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:06:02 +0000

I never owned a bike with ABS until my 09 K1200LT came along. I had this bike for 6 months. Here in Pa we have lots of deer,well one decided it did not want to stay with the others. I was going about 60 Mph when i noticed it coming my way. When i hit the deer the bike really just shook a little, it stayed stright and upright. After I came to a stop I noticed both mirrors had popped off, the right side turn signal and high beam headlight assembly were no longer part of the bike. I think with out the ABS The damage to me and the bike would have been extensive. I will not buy another bike with out Abs. They should make this standard on all motorcycles.