ABS opinions:

[Pat]

The following is a collection of responses to the question:

"All things considered, if you had it to do over, would you buy your bike with or without ABS?"
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"ABS was one of the features that drew me to BMW, especially after seeing some results and comments based on their use in police service. I feel that riding fullly loaded 2up the ABS is a major advantage."

"...like insurance and crash helmets, you are very glad it's there when you need it."

"The evo servo assisted abs system is there to make your side safer....period. I would buy abs again, and will. i just personally don't care for a fully integrated system, but i would take it over nothing."

"He grabbed a handful of brake and safely brought the bike to a quick stop, no skidding, just a nice, safe, quick stop. When we stopped a few miles up the road to switch back, he commented to me that if it wasn't for those brakes, he would be toast right now. He told me he was glad he was on my bike and not his. He mentioned that his bike would not have stopped nearly as fast and most likely he would have had to lay it down or worse. I am a firm believer in them."

"I drive troughout the whole year so when it's wet you will appreciate the ABS more. The ABS saved me once when it rained, just a stupidity of mine..."

"Powerful brakes that react more quickly to loss of traction than is humanly possible? That's what I wanted on my street bike and that's what I got. These brakes work very well. One concern is failure rate, and that should be an available number that can be compared to non-ABS reliablity."

"I have not needed it yet, but I am glad I have it. You just never know. I am just an average rider, but I think the brakes on this bike are awesome. A professional rider showed how much better he could stop under wet road conditions with ABS than without. They also tried it with hay on the road and stuff like that. Again, even a pro stopped better with ABS."

"ABS is not a replacement for sound braking techniques. So I use the skills I was taught on my safety course, knowing that ABS is there to help me avoid trouble under certain conditions."

"The only on road, multi-vehicle accident I ever experienced on a motorcycle involved an ABS failure."

"I don't have ABS on the used 2002 R that I purchased and am plenty happy with the brakes--they are extremely powerful and easy to use. I probably ride more carefully without the ABS."

"outcome: i love this frigging brake system. i've found that almost always i get better results when i "WORK WITH A SYSTEM, AND NOT AGAINST IT"."

"I got ABS for one reason and one reason only - some day on a slick road or a dry road in a panic situation, it may help me keep the rubber side down! That's all."

"I like the RR, I like its ABS brakes (servo & all, I like one finger braking, kind of like flipping off the world), & when I replace it I am leaning toward a R1200ST with ABS."


"Just so you have it straight, I will spell it out for you.... S-L-O-W-L-Y and clearly...
1.) I don't like ABS.
2.) I don't feel I need ABS.
3.) I don't want ABS.
4.) I *REALLY* don't like BMW's ABS with Servo/Pump-Assist.
5.) I *REALLY* don't think I need BMW's ABS with Servo/Pump-Assist.
6.) I *REALLY* don't want BMW's BMW's ABS with Servo/Pump-Assist.
7.) I think Servo/Pump-Asssited brakes on a motorcycle are a really, really *STUPID* answer to a question *NOBODY* ever asked.
8.) I *REALLY* don't like linked brakes of any kind on a motorcycle.
9.) I *REALLY* don't feel I, or anyone else for that matter, needs linked brakes of any kind on a motorcycle.
10.) I *REALLY* don't want any kind of linked brakes on any motorcycle I own or ride.
11.) I *REALLY* think linked brakes of any kind on a motorcycle are an even *MORE STUPID* answer to a question nobody ever asked.
12.) I don't have any problem with an ABS system that is *COMPLETELY* transparent to the rider, though I don't want it.
13.) I don't think anybody in their right mind can say that BMW's ABS Servo-Assisted brake system is *TRANSPARENT* to the rider, and if they do, then they either haven't ridden much, or don't know how to use the brakes, or they simply never use the brakes *HARD*...
14.) I think that proponents of BMW's Servo/Pump-Assisted ABS brake system who jump up and declare that anyone even thinking of buying a BMW should automatically buy one with BMW's Servo/Pump-Assisted brake system *WITHOUT* mentioning the cost, no recouping of the initial cost at resale time, additional maintenance costs, stupifying complexity, problems and issues if the system fails, etc. are doing those they are trying to advise a great disservice.
Are we clear now? Do you think you have it?
OTOH, I think you are doing a wonderful job imitating a peni... Nope, nope, nope... I don't want to say that in a family thread... "
"...to manufacture a canard such as this, laced with an ineffective charientism. But when a plethora of beauxesprits comment on your yemeless, quaquaversal, and nugatory caducity you choose to decorticate those missives, as though each sent you into ithyphallic ataxy. Why, is indeed the question? Are you attempting ot madefy both assent and dissent? Peradventure you now perceive yourself as the ultimate board satrap? Or perhaps you have taken the belief of henotheism...Suffice to say your vecordious censure serves only to paint you as a solipist. Censorship is always a facinorous enterprise, limaceous in the extreme. It is the dactylogram of a fabulist.
Cheers!"

"I've never been in a situation where ABS would have made a difference. Out-riggers or training wheels on the other hand would have made a world of difference several times. Still don't want them on my bike though!"

"NO. I bought the ABS version with servo assist. Ended up hating the servo assist AND had the ABS servo assist circuit fail on me once and that made me lose my confidence in the system."

"A simple matrix on the positive and negative gave me - and for me only, not the neighbour - a R1150R with ABS."

"ABS saved my *ss once on a wet road in a panic situation (R1100RT). I like ABS on a bike."

"To each his/her own... but there is more to it than just safety."

"I don't have ABS on my 1150R. At the time (2002) I didn't want it for a number of reasons: cost, needless complexity, and difficult servicing for the owner. In that order. I do no second guessing about it."

"The ABS servohumming linked don't-work-without-juice brakes on some of the R1150R are the worst contraption ever to beladen an otherwise perfectly good BMW motorbike."

"I have an '04 r1150r with the abs.......it saved my bacon when my mind wandered as I headed south on two lane blacktop at about 65mph. Car pulled out in front of me from a driveway and I hit the front hard and fast and STOPPED faster than I believed possible"

"Some people like it, some people don't."

"I haven't had a conversation with ANY CHP officer that hasn't
commented on the "Safety factor" regarding the ABS brakes on their BMW steeds. They have all commented that it has reduced the amount of officer mishaps and serious accidents in the PANIC, hit the brakes, what the.....?!?!" mode. I think we have ALL had those situations, and ABS works BEST..... even if we use 1, 2, or 3 fingers!"

"...the ABS prevented my attempt to lock up the rear based on dirtbike riding instincts, but the ABS scrubbed off enough speed so that I can make the turn without washing out the front."

"To answer the question specifically. I would opt for a non-ABS bike if given the choice, but solely on the initial cost issue. However, when and if the new Roadster comes out, and if the Japanese market only offers ABS equipped bikes, I won't hestitate to buy it again."