ABS: Just Sayin' (Actually, Suzuki says...)

[the Ferret]

I'm not sure this [url=http://motorbikewriter.com/abs-safe-officials-believe/]article in Motorbikewriter.com adds much to the discussion other than that, for some at least, the jury is still out in Australia.

Looks like ABS will be mandated in Europe from April 2017 for bikes 125cc and above.

That's a great link. My two favorite comments:

ABS or not, proper braking technique will still reduce your stopping distance. Poor technique with ABS will result in a longer stop than good technique with or without ABS.

And until they get it right for unsealed surfaces, of which we have a lot in Oz, its dangerous, increasing stopping distances. My XT1200Z came with unswitchable ABS. After a few rides on gravel roads, and a few steepish fire trails I searched the net for a an off fix which fortunately wasn’t too hard.
I find all this hysteria about ABS being unsafe or not needed to be ridiculous.

ABS does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL until the rider fails and locks up the brakes in an emergency. At that point, it may help to save your life. If you are so truly gifted that you can brake on the limit and not panic when some clown pulls out right in front of you and your life is in danger, just turn the ABS off.

But everything works backwards in Australia, due to the Coriolis effect, no?
I just have to also post this comment; using the rear to get the back end to step and cause a direction change is, naturally, a technique learned in the dirt. I used that on the racetrack once, a guy crashed and fell off right in front of me and I had to kick the back end out a few times to skew my line, barely missed his feet as he was sliding along the pavement. I went onto the track and noted several skid marks from the rear tire after the fact.

Being the Old Grumpy Bastard that I am, I can still however remember the front brakes of many a bike, either totally lethal or barely rated as retarders. One really did learn to ride around the bike, on one such machine the front brakes if you could call them that, needed a gorilla like full hand squeeze, to just achieve a slight slowing, however the rear brake was brilliant, and one very quickly learnt to steer the machine out of trouble by locking up the rear, and taking option 2 escape point in a totally different direction and then get on the gas hard, saved my butt so, many times.

I don't thing that's correct.

ABS adds weight and cost to the new motorcycle, it is another complex automation system that ads many possible failure points to the braking system, it demands ongoing maintenance and it gives inexperienced riders a false sense of security.

It is a matter of cost vs. benefit ratio. I see too few benefits to justify the cost; someone else might well thing the benefits out weight the costs. The balance point between the cost and the benefit is a legitimate thing to discuss, but to claim there is no cost AT ALL is not a reasonable position.

I don't thing that's correct.

ABS adds weight and cost to the new motorcycle, it is another complex automation system that ads many possible failure points to the braking system, it demands ongoing maintenance and it gives inexperienced riders a false sense of security.

It is a matter of cost vs. benefit ratio. I see too few benefits to justify the cost; someone else might well thing the benefits out weight the costs. The balance point between the cost and the benefit is a legitimate thing to discuss, but to claim there is no cost AT ALL is not a reasonable position.
Well, almost everything on a motorcycle these days is more expensive and more complex than on previous generations of motorcycles. Disc brakes systems for one, electric starters, modern electonics, fuel injection, micro processors, computers, liquid cooling systems, all of which are expensive and demand maintenance. (see thread about idle issues), but still we have infinitly better motorcycles because of all the advancements.

We all have insurance which costs a lot, but we happily pay it yearly "just in case". Helmets are not $49 anymore and good riding gear certainly costs more than blue jeans jackets, gym shoes and blue jeans. A trip to the hospital can get very expensive if only to be checked out, as does a ride in an abulance or heaven forbid a helicopter.

ABS is just another tool in the tool box to help protect you. It costs no more than a good full face helmet and armored jacket, weighs no more than a pair of boots and a full face helmet, and in truth is remarkably reliable to the point of never even thinking about it until after you needed it. That is probably a good thing and worthwhile for most.

I trust you noticed in the video I posted above, that EVERY rider, even the professional motorcycle road racer, stopped quicker with ABS. How can that possibly be a bad thing and not worthwhile?