Is ABS really worth the cost?

Teh flip side of that is that if 95% of your riding is in sunny dry conditions, when you do run into a little of the wet stuff you are less practiced at dealing with it, than someone who faces it reguarly. And I think we would all agree that practice is a good thing when braking a motorcycle for maximum effect. Even on a dry day there could be sand on the road, or an oil/coolant/deisel spill -- and the ABS would come in handy. Even on dry pavement it is possible, although requiring a bit more ham fistedness, to lock up the rear or front tire on the VFR. The ABS would avoid that.

You are tooling along, having a great ride, it is clear and dry, you look down to see what time it is, look up to see a deer/child in the road. Depending on speed, distance, road, skill, tires, etc. a rider may or may not need ABS, but it certainly won't hinder one at all.

 

Yes we do make the choices to suit our own world. ABS and VTEC aren't really comparable though, on multiple levels. Don't think I have to go into it.

The day to day feel of the ABS to non-ABS bike is the same. The ABS is only there if you need it, if not, it does nothing. LBS takes away more control than the ABS does, and the LBS is always in action, unlike the ABS.

As far as the sexist comment goes, that says a lot. Even still, the ABS system can cycle the brakes on and off faster than someone could tell you "on, now off, now on..."

The only time the ABS system "takes over" would be when you are likely already in over your head. It would only do something at the lock up of one or both of the wheels. Even if you sensed it, the computer will have released and reapplied the brakes, before you will have released the brake. It does this regardless of tire, pad, line, fluid or rotor condition. If the situation was such that you were able to bring the bike to a complet stop while never inducing lock up, the ABS has done nothing.


OK, let's say the system failed the one time it could have helped you, you then have the regular braking system -- just like you would have without the ABS. So you aren't any worse off. But odds are against it, as the ABS systems are highly tested before being granted approval and go thru a system check at every start up. In the hundreds of thousands of VFR miles that this board surely represents, has there been any postings of a ABS system induced braking failure?

I don't know that there is any extra mait. cost on the ABS equiped VFR vs. the non equiped one. Maybe a little more time to bleed the brakes on some systems, but really negligible.

I was indeed brought up without ABS, on my bikes and cars. And managed to make it thru just fine. But that doesn't mean I don't recognize a safety device when I see one. And that it might someday save my life or save me from some serious physical and/or financial pain. Progress marches on. I also don't have points on my bike, doesn't mean that the new way is bad. I have actually had non ABS equiped bikes, after my first ABS equiped one.

LBS is more intrusive than ABS.

Heck even the California Highway Patrol has mandated that their service bikes all have ABS for a couple of years now. And those guys go thru some serious bike control training. Why? cause if it isn't needed it isn't bad, but if it is needed, it can be a life saver. With the potential upside so great, and the downside virtually nil -- it is a no-brainer.

Remember that in virtually any given situation the bike will stop sooner with out the tires skidding at all. At the point they are skidding you have lost (essentially) your braking function.

 

i had the same problem. i eventually picked up a white '06 with abs for $10.2K, and i think i made the right choice.

 

Guess some folks like the extra security it brings, thats okay ..... Me, not worth it, extra weight, extra gadgetry extra money, has the possibility of costing more down the road, I say learn to brake better, if I'm in a spot thats needing that feature, I'm going to be in deep shit any way you look at it..

 

I can stand a bike on its nose no problem .
The ABS will save your life . pereiod
On the track I would say go without it
Nothing runs out in front of you on a race track.
on the street it is fine untill your lack of atention for the wrong split second
BANG 1000 dollars worth and 20 pounds pay off. You do not have a broken collar bone and a box of scraped plastic in the geroge . plus it helps the resale if you dont like it. I have a 2006 vfr abs and the abs system is realy good . beter than bmw or any car .I am a mechanic I work on abs systems every day nothing realy goes wrong often and you still need to change fluid and pads working on them is not an issue in a touring bike riding in the rain is
get the abs .

 

Honda deal here has two 2007 VFRs. One with the retro racing paint for 9900 and the other with the wine color priced at 9800. Neither has the ABS. My personal preference would be to buy without the ABS. Good luck and let us know what you decided on!

 

Simple Answer: Yes towards ABS

Certainly you can log a ton of miles with or without incident with or without ABS. The VFR is only bike I've had with ABS. A quick controlled stop one morning on dew covered asphalt was the day I knew it was worth it. I ride all year rain or shine.

 

test ride the o5 and o6 i thought the vtec was better in the 05 kicks in later but more sudden for a better rush no question i would pick 05 abs

 

If your friend would have had ABS he would have hit the UPS truck at a higher rate of speed. ABS stretches out the stopping distance on dry pavement, not the opposite. Also, after years of practice you should never get into the "panic" mode and grab too much brake. Panic braking is the habit of most poor car drivers. You could be better than that...if not practice more in a vacant parking lot until it becomes second nature. Practice braking hard, just short of any lock-up (skids) in a straight line and in curves ("straighten, then brake"). Get the words "panic" and "grabbing" the brakes out of your system. Replace your braking technique with "squeezing" instead, while keeping your head and eyes up. Happy and safe motoring...(Bob, x MSF chief instructor).

 

ABS sucks - If you started driving or riding a motorcycle ,using ABS you will probably like it. I do not need it or like it. I do not like anything that takes away control from me. I do not have a problem locking the brakes in a car or on a bike. ABS is good tehcnology, but it is not for me. I would not pay for it because I do not like it or need it. If you think you need it then get it - Do your thing.

 

PorscheBob knows how ABS works and he also know why people like me do not like ABS. In some situations ABS causes accidents that could be avoided. I must admit the BMW ABS is good technology, but I do not want it or need it and I find it to be dangerous in a car or a bike for me. Use it at your own risk as far as I am concerned.

 

For nearly all drivers, on a road surface (as opposed to mud, sand, snow, etc.) ABS will cut your stopping distance or have no effect. For most, it will cut it, significanlty -- if used properly. ABS merely avoids lock up of a tire, if/when you lock up a tire, you have lessened braking efficiency. ABS can bring 99% of drivers closer to the edge of lock up, without actually having lock up, than can be done by hand & foot through gloves and boot soles. It will also put the brake back on in miliseconds, far faster than the average human can squeeze the brake lever again after releasing it.
Practice can make you better, with or without ABS, and I fully encourage it; but in the end the computer can cylcle on and off far quicker than you or I.

If you ego is larger than your brain, go without ABS. If your brain is larger than your ego, get ABS.

 

started both without ABS, still ride bikes without it, have it on the VFR because it was availible

ABS will only ever take control of the braking if you are in trouble, if you never get to that point, than it won't ever do anything about

of course you know you don't like it due to your having used and tested it extensively, no?:tongue:

Get out of the past, and embrace the present, it is here and we will only move forward

 

The only way it would cause an accident, is well pretty much never. If used properly, and baring a total failure of the system (not reported here ever). Even the BMW car test drivers in back to back testing, on a track, can only sometimes beat modern ABS. 99.9% of us, can't -- period. Unless you are maybe on a dirt or gravel road, and how many of us spend a lot of time on those with the VFR? Especially when you are in the real world and have other things going around that you need to pay attention to.
If you could avoid the accident without it, you are only more likely to be able to avoid it with ABS.
It is only false ego that would keep someone from getting it.

 

Porchebob. All true but! I was forced to brake very hard once at high speed. Right on the edge of skidding, good control everything going well. Went over a slight dip in the road. Not visible until right on it. Slight change in pressure on the tire, front wheel locked up and I went down at 110K. ABS would have saved me. So while practice practice practice is a good rule, even with ABS, it will not save you from everything. Of course neither will ABS but in the real world I believe ABS is better and if it saves you once its worth it.

 

Like you said if used properly. Well if you use your brakes properly then you do not need anything else to use properly. No ABS here - they do not magicaly prevent accidents - they cause accidents because they disengage the braking - not for me but if you like it use it and enjoy it.

 

Sorry but no false ego here or else I would be dead. I am in NYC which is King of the short stops and idiot cabs. I would not be safe with ABS. Like I said if you like them use them but I have seen them cause more accidents that could be avoided if people learned how to use brakes, but for those who panic or if panic takes over then yuo are in trouble regardless. ABS magic does not exist and it takes some skills to use ABS correctly like it would to use regular braking correctly. Not for me at all in a car or on a bike. NOPE

 

for dry pavment i agree you dont need abs but if you comute in bad weather i dont care who you are abs can be a life saver on wet slick roads!!

 

I ride year round in NYC in the winter snow and the spring rain. I do not need ABS mainly because I am too used to doing what I do. I do not need ABS. The thing is also I am not a very aggressive rider on the street so again I do not like ABS and do not need ABS and do not recommend ABS. It is good if it works for you - it does not work for me so I do not like ABS at all in a car or on a bike. I have been riding and driving for over 20 years and I have not been in an accident. I have fallen off my bike but that was my stupidity not because I did not have ABS. ABS is not necessary but it can be a crutch for some who think so - if it works for you GREAT. It does not work for me so no thanks.