As a rider, what is your opinion on ABS?

[rideslikean00...]

Serious question. I've ridden bikes with and without ABS, and in my limited experience you get a smoother stop with ABS but a better feel for progressive braking (and most importantly respect for the power of good brakes) without. Figured it would be interesting to see what riders with many more years and miles under their belts think.
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Previous/Current Bikes
2013 Yamaha YBR-125ED -> 1997 Yamaha YZF-1000R Thunderace -> 2009 Yamaha XJ-6 Diversion -> 2007 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer S2

[misscrabstick]

I don't under stand what you mean smoother stop? when a wheel is on the verge of locking abs pulses the brake lever and makes a noise and I would not describe it as especially smooth, the good news is though the wheel will not lock and skid regardless of how much you are pulling or pressing on the lever.

I think it's a good safety feature to have in panic braking situations, however I also think some knob heads will use it's capabilities all the time and get used to it saving them from accident inducing skids, put these same knobs on non ABS bikes they will likely have a bad one when they grab a handful and get an instant skid/lock situation.

[ScaredyCat]

If your ABS keeps kicking in each time you brake then you're doing something wrong. If you have to use it a lot then poor obs and lack of planning.
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[Ariel Badger]

Never used ABS on a bike but I have had crashes that could have been prevented by ABS including a quite big one in 2009 that resulted in a lot of injuries.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[barrkel]

Biggest practical difference with ABS is that it removes the fear of braking hard in the wet, when grip is uncertain. It takes real effort to get it to kick in in the dry (apart from rear, that is).

So I think it's great to have on a commuting bike, something you use no matter the weather. It's not as important on a weekend bike.

I don't know about smoother stops, brake feel, etc. I think that's more down to the individual bike's brake system, pads, bleeding, etc.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
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[MCN.]

Just added weight and complexity.

[axapts]

I like it, my last 2 bikes had it, love it ! Don't want a bike without it any more.
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O c'mon

[tatters]

I never was a fan of ABS on a motorcycle till l got my BMW G650XC which came with the optional ABS which can be turned off, something that is essential on a bike that is used offroad were you want the wheels to lockup. Over many thousands of miles of riding in all sorts of places l found ABS to be fantastic on road especially running nobbley tires in a panic brake situation.

The BMW ABS pump/module is about the size of a coke can plus the additional brake piping and sensors/pick up rings on the wheel don't really make that much of a difference to weight.

Worth having in my opinion.
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[The Tot]

I'm the sort of rider that tries to anticipate hazards before they become a problem - i.e. riding in accordance to the conditions and surroundings.

ABS won't stop me getting knocked off my bike by a car that pulled out without looking when I'm doing silly speeds, for example. Then again, my last 2 bikes have got excellent stoppers (330mm discs and 4 pot nissins on the Blade, and 6 pot radials with brembo master cylinders). Plenty of strong, yet progressive braking performance there. My natural instincts would to countersteer around a hazard or shift my body position a bit more to load up the grip on the tyres.

I've never inadvertently summoned my ABS when driving, so consequently I don't think I need it on my bike. I generally rely on engine braking and being in the right gear/body position/bike in the right attidute, that when I do need to brake, it'll be progressive yet sharp. Engine braking does 75% of my speed/braking modulation. I'd like to think that my chassis provides me with enough feedback to tell me how much grip I have on my tyres.

TL:DR - I rarely use my brakes in the first instance, so I wouldn't miss ABS... read the road.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[Tungtvann]

I'd like it on my next bike.

[Llama-Farmer]

Having ridden a number of bikes with ABS, some with adjustable/switchable ABS, some with fixed, and having ridden and own bikes without ABS, I'd take ABS any day of the week on the road.


The only time I ever noticed ABS pulsing is when braking deliberately unnecessarily hard (and then it was through the rear brake not the front) or when practicing an emergency stop. That was on BMW G650 and Suzuki V-Strom 1000.

On the Ducati Panigale 899 and 1199 I braked much harder and never noticed any hint of ABS "interference". Possibly due to the roads being dry and the tyres being very warm and very sticky Supercorsas.

I've locked up the front wheel on a bike without ABS in a straight line, not completely accidentally, I was half expecting it, so I was primed to release the brake as soon as that happened and reapply again.

I've never unintentionally locked up, but I would like to have the safety net there to catch me if I fall, so to speak.

I don't know that the next time I go out on the bike something won't happen like someone run out infront of me or a cager turn across me, I regularly practice my emergency braking to try and get the muscle memory there for instant recall, but I don't know that in a blind panic I won't just squeeze the lever as hard as I can and lock up. With ABS if that was the case I'd have a get out of jail free card.
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Current Bike: 1999 Honda CB600 FX Hornet
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Dream Bikes: Honda VFR750R RC30, Honda NSR500, Ducati 996 R

[Lord Percy]

As far as safety arguments go, I think ABS is the one that tops the list for "just have it if you can".

Helmets, safety gear, big mirrors etc are 'nice' but don't directly prevent crashing in the same way ABS does if the front wheel locks up.

"I'm careful and the way I brake means I'll never lock up the front wheel anyway" is a fairly ridiculous argument against it.

[c_dug]

I had a crash in 2009 I think (might have been 2010) while commuting, finer details aside in a panic breaking situation I managed to lock up the front wheel. Bike was written off, I got away lightly.

I knew it probably could have been avoided, so when I was back on the road I practiced emergency stops over and over, probably once or twice a week for six months when the road was empty I'd practice an e stop. Even after the first six months I'd practice a few times a month, which I kept up for three or so years.

At the end of 2013 I was doing 40mph in the inside lane of a dual carriageway, again finer details aside some twunt pulled across the front of me. Believe me I couldn't have done more to avoid the situation, he may aswell have aimed for me directly. Predictive riding, situational awareness, blah blah blah, it's all well and good in theory.

Despite all my practice at emergency stops, when it comes to it and you really have to stop properly quickly unplanned, there is still a huge wod of luck involved. You can't safely practice for emergency stopping over gravel, white lines, diesel, road debris, or when there is 2 tonnes of metal closing in very quickly, clearly oblivious to your existence.

So when push came to shove down I went again. This time the fucker drove off, I was left with a broken arm which still causes pain every day (and is likely to for the rest of my life) and a hefty repair bill for the bike.

I can't say for certain that abs would have saved me from the accident, I may have ended up through his rear window instead of sliding up the a13, or the front might still have gone on gravel or paint (abs can only do so much), but I do know that I wish it was there, a bit like a helmet, as a last line of defence, not to be relied upon but to add to the arsenal.

Funnily enough when it first became mainstream I was against abs, not any more
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[wr6133]

I don't want it because it's one more thing to go wrong/add complexity to maintenance. I'm not vehemently against it though, can't be argued it's not a safety feature and probably one that has prevented a lot of accidents.

[DrDonnyBrago]

I'd quite like it.

Braking on wet greasy roads would benefit from a small safety net like ABS.

Also easier to know where the limit is if finding it doesn't make you fall off and die.

[Rogerborg]

[temeluchus]

The ABS on my 1994 BMW worked perfectly.

I'd rather have it than not, I have no delusions of being a braking god.
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[TallPaul_S]

[goto10]

I wouldn't buy a bike without it.
For my commuter I'd also look for combined/linked ABS too. In an emergency on a damp/greasy road I'll gladly take all of the assistance I can get.
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'12 NC700S & '12 CB600F Hornet [Stolen by some dickless twat] Suzuki GT500 shed

[mjn51]

I've had it on my last two bikes, never needed it as yet thankfully, it's only kicked once briefly on the T/Trophy on wet banding. But it'll be there when I do need it, no matter how good you think you are , natural reaction takes over in an emergency !
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Triumph Trophy SE Silver (launch model)

[Llama-Farmer]

[wr6133]

[Old Git Racing]

My opinion is it's one of the most important safety improvements ever fitted to vehicles. Do I want it on my Ducati? No thanks.

OGR
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2022 Tiger Sport 660 2019 Street Twin 2003 K3 gixxer 1000 1998 Srad 600 track hack

[The Wobbly Orange]

I have it on my ZX10R. It's very good and not intrusive at all. You may get an advantage without ABS if you are on a track at the edge of performance. On the road where surfacing is uncertain and there's a Volvo waiting to pull out of every side road then there is no reason not to go for it.

That said the ZX10R's ABS is particularly good. Though a more basic system would likely be just fine for a more basic bike.

https://www.kawasaki-cp.khi.co.jp/technology/chassis/images/KIBS/11ZX1000K_CG_KIBS.jpg
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[chris-red]

I can brake fine without it. It's great for inexperience people however I would be worried about riding skill if they grew up relying on it. I firmly believe I could out brake someone relying on it, any times I have locked the front, (Very rarely) I've been able to get off and back on the brake myself without the aid of a computer.

It also adds cost and levels of complexity to things. I don't know how true this is as it has been third hand information, but someone told me bleed the honda system requires specialist equipment. I also know of someone who had a 4 figure bill on a sub 5 year old beemer because the ABS brain died for no reason.
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