The EU parliament has voted in favour of mandatory ABS for new motorcycles over 125cc from 2016.
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news–general-news/motorcycle-abs-compulsory-from-2016/21856.html
Wait, what? There’s an EU parliament? Since when?
I don’t understand the logic of these rules that don’t cover 125cc bikes - it’s the same with the hi-vis rules in france and I think the breathalyser rule too.
Are 125cc bikes immune to SMIDSYs, skidding and alcohol?
It a cost ratio. ABS units are expensive, and it could increase the cost of a 125 bike/scooter by 40%. So the parliament is being sensible.
Since 1979 apparently. 
Let’s just not start the whole EU bashing thing…
Get your stoppies perfected before 2016 kids.
Agreed. The motorcycle industry argued that despite adding safety to bikes overall it would push the cost of entry level bikes beyond the budget of an average learner as well as drive up the costs of an average takeaway.
Having said that, with modern sensors and electronics, the technology must be cheap as chips, but I guess the IP licensing is a killer which should have been argued given the increase in production numbers as the technology would be mandatory for all bikes, they could have bargained the cost of that as well to make it affordable on any bike.
I’d expect ABS to make stoppies easier?
The trick to doing a stoppie is to get the brake on hard enough
to tip you up without the tyre losing grip, i.e. the problem was
always the tyre letting go. Now with modern rubber stoppies
are relatively easy. And with ABS you’re even less likely to lose
it, so easier stoppies?
Not that I do stoppies, honest, and I don’t think I have ever
ridden a bike with ABS.
But back to the original point… Why more rules it’s just turning
into a nanny state! Will super sports bikes have to have ABS?
I wouldn’t like ABS on my R6, will trials bikes and street legal dirt
bikes have to have ABS?
I’d like to think I’m old enough and wise enough to look after
myself, I’m certainly old enough :crazy: and I resent any
government saying they know better. If you treat everyone
like kids they’ll behave like kids.
if you dont want abs just disconnect it
& invalidate your insurance…
IIRC the proposal was that all 125s have to have a linked brake system. Still much safer than independent brakes, but nowhere near as expensive as all that is required is a couple of feet of pipe and a valve.
AFAIK
ABS works by monitoring the 2 wheels to check 1 isn’t spinning faster than the other. when it detects this it reduces the braking forces on the slower wheel to balance them
Mike, all the large bikes that I have ridden have had ABS. I can only think of handful of occasions when the ABS kicked in. Once saving a kids life when he cross a road between stationary traffic.
ABS handles the tiny percentage of situations that you can’t.
O.K. I admit to being an old fart, by why do I think of this as being “de-skilling” bike riding?
Son one has only ever ridden bikes with ABS except mine. He bent that one in a stupid avoidable accident.
Disconnecting it might invalidate you’re insurance but how many of us have “Modifications” that our insurance companies know about?
Also, if you dont want it, rather than disconnecting it you could just damage the sensor or break the wiring.
They will not do you for it being damaged, however if it is obviously Unplugged they may…
If that makes sense?
Yes but having ABS regardless of how good at braking you think you are will get you out of trouble.
Having defective ABS is an MOT failure.
As far as I know, this will only be applied to new bikes.
You reckon? What about that bit in the T&Cs that states the bike must be in a roadworthy condition?
You really think they’ll consider a non-functioning mandatory brake component as being roadworthy? :doze:
What will be the effect of trying to sell a non ABS bike when this new legislation kicks in 2016/17.
Will it mean buyers will stay away from second hand bikes without ABS, regardless as to whether the new rules says only new bikes have to be fitted with the system?
Why would it? Did non-ABS cars become difficult to sell when ABS became a legal requirement on them?
I suspect some may only wish to buy ABS models, but I guess they’ll be counterbalanced by those out there that will insist that their riding skills are so good that they can brake better with non-ABS models.