ABS brakes

My 06 is not an ABS model.  I wish I had ABS as I do have on my Goldwing.  

I have my eye out for an ABS model and when I find one at a decent price, I would buy it and sell mine.

Who has ABS.  Have you had any issues with the ABS function?   Did you buy it because it had ABS?

I have, no and no.

I have bought one new and two newish Silverwings in Europe and all have been ABS models.
I think that ABS was standard on European models of this vintage, i.e. there was no choice.

my 2013 has abs brakes and i feel it help when you have to stop fast. I had to use them when a car pulled a u-turn on me got the job done faster than i thought and with no problem

ABS brakes do not stop quicker than skilled operator, period. They help keep you upright, by preventing wheel lock up. Even thought they are designed to be idiot proof---you need to practice with them, to get the feeling of what they are doing.....and with ABS, never let up on levers/pedal for them to be helpful....until stopped, if that is what you intended to do.

Abs is standard on EU bikes now and an option on earlier bikes.
I have it on both of my bikes and have had any problems. You won't know it's there till you need it at which point you'll be glad it's there.
Can be a disadvantage if you're in the fast group on a trackday.

Thank you for the tip, John. I feel the need to go somewhere suitable with an instructor so I can become a competent 'ABS' rider.

Mike, with link brakes, if you operate the left lever and hold it fully on, the rear wheel will lock/unlock very quickly under the control of the ABS pump and the front will not, that is until the right lever is applied hard.
The small piston in the front caliper is piped to the left lever and not powerful enough to cause lock up unless on ice, if the designers got it right.
With both levers fully applied the wheel sensors will be locking/releasing the wheels at the time of a skid, so you keep full pressure on the lever until you regain control.
On a scooter it does hurt you wrists a bit but you achieve a much better stopping distance.
I have needed ABS a couple of times on a Burgman and was grateful it was fitted.
Regards
Dave

As Jonh says a really skilled rider can out perform the older generation abs (such as the silverwing's) in a planned test. But on the road in an "oh sh*t" situation abs wins every time.
Modern abs systems can out perform everyone except perhaps professional racers on a track. It's only off road that it's worth switching off abs to allow controlled lock-ups.

I have to agree with jg on ABS brakes.The first issue with ABS was with the Illinois State Police here.GM changed there policy and said ABS gives you steering control and not necessarily stopping the vehicle sooner.On a high speed pursuit the police would release there brakes thinking that they would gain steering control and soon found out this was not the design intent. The fraction of a second the ABS is working is when you have steering control. Always keep the brake applied. Howard

Thanks, chaps.

I am aware of what Howard says, that ABS gives steering control.

I'm inclined just to brake hard, knowing the bike is less likely to lock up and skid rather than to try to steer round the obstruction, using ABS to retain control.

I should like to try it in s safe environment as one might have a go on a skid-pan in a car.

Thank you for your comments.

I saw a demonstration on an ABS Harley. The guy just slammed on the rear brake and the bike came to a halt without the rear wheel locking up. I knew right then that I had to have ABS on any new motorcycle from that point forward.

My Goldwing has ABS. I have not had the occasion where I needed ABS, but it is comforting to know that I can't lock up the wheels on a panic stop.

As always, I practice panic stops with all of my motorcycles. I am comfortable with my Silverwing's linked brakes, but it is not ABS. I will upgrade when I can.

Of course, professional riders can stop better without ABS. And seasoned riders don't need ABS.

ABS brakes do not prevent accidents---they can help you when you have already screwed up. Ride ahead of your self, look where you are going watch carefully for the idiots in cars/pickups, braking out of a potential accident situation is a last ditch thing, paying attention/regulating speed/looking around works better. Bikes fall down, car don't

There conditions where ABS is a real help. If you could see all upcoming accidents before they happened they might not be all that great. But when a sudden incident pops up and all the time you have is to hit the brakes hard, ABS is a real boon.
I find ABS to be a very big help when riding on loose dirt or gravel, with iffy traction available the ABS is a lot more sensitive to slipping than the rider can be. Not to mention it frees up the rider for other demands on his/her attention.
I've heard all the yada, yada, yada, about how a trained rider and racers don't need ABS. Partially true on track racing where there's no deer or a vehicle crossing suddenly in front of one. It's also partially true that a good rider can outperform ABS brakes. But not likely when something unexpected and immediately in front of you pops up.
Just the lack of having to consider a wheel locking up when you need maximum braking makes the ABS valuable. I've had many different motorcycles and scooters with and without ABS. I'll never have another one without it.

exavid wrote:

There conditions where ABS is a real help. If you could see all upcoming accidents before they happened they might not be all that great. But when a sudden incident pops up and all the time you have is to hit the brakes hard, ABS is a real boon.
I find ABS to be a very big help when riding on loose dirt or gravel, with iffy traction available the ABS is a lot more sensitive to slipping than the rider can be. Not to mention it frees up the rider for other demands on his/her attention.
I've heard all the yada, yada, yada, about how a trained rider and racers don't need ABS. Partially true on track racing where there's no deer or a vehicle crossing suddenly in front of one.  It's also partially true that a good rider can outperform ABS brakes. But not likely when something unexpected and immediately in front of you pops up.
Just the lack of having to consider a wheel locking up when you need maximum braking makes the ABS valuable. I've had many different motorcycles and scooters with and without ABS. I'll never have another one without it.

I have heard all the same yada, yada, yada. Have we talked to the same naysayers?

Probably we have but there seems to be a group of extremely competent bike riders who's supernatural talent allows them to handle all situations sans ABS. Fortunately I'm one of those who've survived the past sixty years on two wheels by luck and lately with luck and ABS.

exavid wrote:

Probably we have but there seems to be a group of extremely competent bike riders who's supernatural talent allows them to handle all situations sans ABS. Fortunately I'm one of those who've survived the past sixty years on two wheels by luck and lately with luck and ABS.

Those same riders who are always on-guard and never blink or take their eyes off all of the available threats for even a milli-second with both of their brake handles covered at all times.

Those are the ones. I've always wondered how they don't get their capes tangled up with their bikes at highway speeds.

exavid wrote:

Just the lack of having to consider a wheel locking up when you need maximum braking makes the ABS valuable. I've had different motorcycles and scooters with and without ABS. I'll never have another one without it.

+1
Me too. Sold my 2002 Swing w/o ABS and got me a 2013 with ABS and it saved my butt at least twice when cager decided to switch two lanes into my offramp, no signal. He would have pushed me into the shoulder of the offramp if not for my ABS.

Those same riders who are always on-guard and never blink or take their eyes off all of the available threats for even a milli-second with both of their brake handles covered at all times.  

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And head check, even in a parking lot