ABS or Not

[chefron]

I rarely if ever use the rear brake. I know the front has the most stopping power but I have seen a guy flip his bike by jumping on the front brake at a fairly high speed. I don't know if he had some mechanical problem that I didn't know about, but wow, he flipped over and hurt himself pretty badly. I"m just remembering and reciting what my MC safety school instructor said about brake use. I still do it even though I try to make a conscious effort to use the rear. Anyway, thanks Hobbit.

 

[chefron]

It was a Ninja 600 I think. Definitely not a 750 or bigger.

 

[chefron]

To this day, he has never as much as sat on a scoot. I'll bet if his bike had ABS he'd be riding today.

 

[jimharvey1]

It was a Ninja 600 I think. Definitely not a 750 or bigger.

figures the brakes on those are quite fierce and if you jumped on them you would be over and on the floor before you realised what had happened

My son bought a 2008 Ninja 600 for his first bike. I rode to Daytona on my bike with he and his brother in his brother's car to pick it up. He just completed Basic Riders Course. We got the bike but he felt unsure of his ability to ride it the 90 miles back to Jax so his brother rode the Ninja and he drove his bro's car back. When we got to my house, he said he wanted to ride the bike to his house which is about 2 blocks from mine. He got on, fired it up, gave it a rev and dumped the clutch doing the best impression of the space shuttle launch I have ever seen. Onto the rear wheel...then CRASH down on the right side sliding about 40 feet on the plastic fairing...and his right forearm! Frisky little buggers they are!

 

[nolafishr]

My Bike came with ABS and I Love it, They come in Handy when you have to Grab the Brakes in a Hurry, You can feel the ABS Working, I have had to grab My Brakes in a Hurry a few times and the ABS slows you down quick without locking up the wheels.

2009 Road Glide - Red Sunglo

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

I rarely if ever use the rear brake. I know the front has the most stopping power but I have seen a guy flip his bike by jumping on the front brake at a fairly high speed. I don't know if he had some mechanical problem that I didn't know about, but wow, he flipped over and hurt himself pretty badly. I"m just remembering and reciting what my MC safety school instructor said about brake use. I still do it even though I try to make a conscious effort to use the rear. Anyway, thanks Hobbit.

The key is not to over-brake the front by NOT jumping on the front brake, but SQUEEZE the front brake lever like there was a lemon between it and the bar...this allows smooth full loading of the front wheel and forks to compress...weight shift enlarges the wheel contact area increasing traction of the front wheel patch, lessening the possibility of skidding or bottoming the suspension violently "pogo'ing rider over the bars, or washing out the front end. :newsmile053:

ABS prevents this by making the on/off pressurization extremely rapid and smooth, so front end traction is never lost unless everything gets unweighted by rider tipping bike over and high centering both tires off the road...not a good thing any way you slice it. :sd

 

[Bud White]

I got it and like it but dont have to have it

 

[babzway]

Post your choice about ABS brakes on a bike.

i just bought an 09 classic with abs and i am very impressed with the system.i took the experienced rider course in 1990 and got broad sided in 1995.i missed getting stopped by 3 feet.todat that (EDIT) wouldnt hit me cause i have been practice stopping and my 09 does stop faster with abs.i dont want to be down again saying i should have spent the 800 bucks.i think they should be mandatory like air bags and if you dont want the protection you should have a switch you could turn off.see ya babz

Please read this...
[notes]
A Friendly Reminder - Harley Davidson Community
[/notes]

 

[oldgeezer]

i just bought an 09 classic with abs and i am very impressed with the system.i took the experienced rider course in 1990 and got broad sided in 1995.i missed getting stopped by 3 feet.todat that (EDIT) wouldnt hit me cause i have been practice stopping and my 09 does stop faster with abs.i dont want to be down again saying i should have spent the 800 bucks.i think they should be mandatory like air bags and if you dont want the protection you should have a switch you could turn off.see ya babz

Please read this...
[notes]
A Friendly Reminder - Harley Davidson Community
[/notes]

I have ABS and like it, but i DO NOT AGREE with the mandatory part. I don't like mandatory seat belts or airbags. I think these things are great, but I like choices.

 

[jimharvey1]

I have ABS and like it, but i DO NOT AGREE with the mandatory part. I don't like mandatory seat belts or airbags. I think these things are great, but I like choices.

I agree whole-heartedly with you on that one!!! It's bad enough the government is burning our thighs (EPA) and in most states, causing us to wear helmets and face shields and attend mandatory basic rider courses before issuing a motorcycle endorsement. Somewhere someone has to say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" How much protection from ourselves can we endure?