Hi guys,
Looking for my first decent bike since passing DAS last week, and I see some (Hornet, ER6) with ABS, and others without SV650, for example. Is ABS a good thing for a noob like me? I’ve already had a low speed off due to grabbing at the front brake (yes, I know, school boy error).
Matt
ABS can save your bacon…as can good riding. I read a while back (in a test someone did) good racers can brake in a (marginally) smaller distance than most ABS systems. Bad riders, however, can’t. So I guess the question is do you want to learn exactly how the brakes work and how to correct any problems manually (and are you willing to ride within the limits of your capability when learning), or do you want something that enables you to be ‘safe’ even when riding outside of your skill level?
One thing to bear in mind is that in a panic braking situation it may not matter how much you know about braking, instinct may take over…ABS should save you if you jam the brakes on hard.
Of course, a pair of eyes and some roadsense will trump any braking technology.
Thanks Alex, that was what I was thinking. It’s part insurance policy. As long as you don’t rely on it, or ride outside your ability, it can be a good thing. It’s a bad thing if you use it as a magic safety blanket.
I have a totally unfounded fear of ABS on bikes, don’t understand why but I would avoid it where ever possible. Something in my head just makes me want to be in total control
ABS saved me a couple of times on my old bike. The new one doesn’t have it, but if I’d had my choice of bikes I would have got one with ABS.
-simon
im with Leon, it just doesn’t sound right ABS on bikes… i’d learn how to brake the old fashion way first…
Spent 11 years (110k miles) riding bikes without ABS, then the past 4 years (45k miles) riding one that does.
I will never buy another non-ABS bike, and I strongly support any moves to make ABS compulsory on all new bikes.
I’m 10 months into my first (non-abs) big bike after 3-4 years on a scooter. I’ve had a couple of hairy moments when I’ve locked the rear (after having had 2 hand brakes I found the foot operated rear brake lacked feel at first) where abs would have prevented the skid. the thing that would worry me about abs is that if my current bike had it I probably wouldn’t even know Id been braking too hard, if I then upgraded to something faster without abs I’d be in a worse position. on balance though, if I were buying a bike and abs was an option, I’d take it
It’s good to have ABS, but knowing how to brake without itis better if you get what I mean.
I only have one recommendation for anyone who wants toimprove their riding. See this guy Kevin Williams and book a course.
…dont like the whole idea of getting all the electronics(TCS, ABS) into biking. it kind of takes some of the thrill and of course u are not in full control anymore. but ill guess the bike manufacterer will follow the car’s manufacturer and put all the electronics into bikes in few years time so riders who dont want it will be screwed as car drivers are now.
…and a solution for new noobs 
is dont push it to much, go ur own pace and do litlle steps at a time. dont expect to be Rossi in ur first seasson of riding.
Without trying to start a pointless argument, are people not allowed to make choices any more? If ABS is better, most people will buy bikes with ABS. If they don’t like it for whatever reason, they can buy a bike without…in fact, I’d agree with having both options available on all models but not telling people what to do. I can guarantee if that happened you’d have aftermarket companies producing ‘race only’ braking systems without ABS and people taking the ABS off and sticking the aftermarket stuff on the road, changing it once a year for the MOT like we all do with cans and the like.
Well I can’t see any advantage in NOT having ABS, in the same way I can’t see any advantage in NOT wearing a crash helmet, NOT having seatbelts in a car, or NOT carrying a reserve parachute when skydiving.
ABS only kicks in if your tyres lose traction under braking. Does anyone actually want to lose traction when braking on a motorcycle, even on a track?
When it happened to me in my pre-ABS days it certainly never made me a better rider, so I’m afraid I don’t buy the “learning” argument.
Plenty of riders have horrible accidents as a result of locking their brakes, some even get killed. Is that really a price worth paying to have the freedom to have the accident of your choice?
Suprised you needed ABS, its always good to know yer slippage point.
Ask geoff about his experience with ABS as we were coming down Hardknott pass! 
Or was it Kirkstone?
which on a standard braking system, is unlikely to happen in the dry whilst upright or with any type of thought/feel. So it basically ‘allows’ you to become a ham fisted panic braker… brilliant.
And this is good?
I have no problem with not having any of those, if it is personal choice. What’s the other option, banning anything that could potentially be dangerous?
Racers often do, kick the back out into a tighter turn in order to turn later. I’m a bit worried about it going wrong so have never tried…
It’s happened to me a few times, funnily enough I’ve learnt not to grab big hand/foot-fulls of brake in certain conditions!
In my opinion, yes.
Exactly - roadcraft and common sense is the way forward!
Maybe a lower tech solution
