[Mochi]

As a newbie to this forum I just read a couple threads on ABS vs non-ABS. Sounds like if you ride a non-ABS when faced with a Panic Stop it is highly likely you're going down. Not sure I can get on my "none" ABS K8 400 and ever enjoy a ride again. Now I wish I hadn't read all that. Bummer!

 

[MacDoc]

45 years of riding - maybe two or three panic stops - all without ABS - one with but did not hit hard enough to trigger the ABS ( just went around him )

Practice helps - and learn to use both brakes in concert ( lightly on the rear )
Most loss on panic stop come from hammering the rear cuz they are not used to using it lightly.

Where ABS is really good is in wet conditions...then very worthwhile. On dry pavement not so much.

Get out there - just keep your distance from the front vehicle and keep a hawkeye out at cross streets and stop signs -

 

[Jim]

As a newbie to this forum I just read a couple threads on ABS vs non-ABS. Sounds like if you ride a non-ABS when faced with a Panic Stop it is highly likely you're going down. Not sure I can get on my "none" ABS K8 400 and ever enjoy a ride again. Now I wish I hadn't read all that. Bummer!

Take all the doom a gloomers with a grain of salt. ABS hasn't been around that long. If riding without ABS was that unsafe, then they would outlaw anything without abs.

Of the 4 vehicles I own, 2 have ABS and 2 do not. In winter, I drive the non abs models. I hate ABS because you never know when it will kick in, and feel I have a lack of control.

The 1st thing professionals do when racing stock vehicles is, deactivate any traction control devices. The idea is to drive the machine, and not have the machine drive you.

Just my Opinion.

 

[KCKID]

Hi sounds like you should give it a try, I have a K-8 I got in May this year never got on a bike since I was 16 years old, been riding this scooter and it had 289 miles on it in May this year now has going on 3-K miles...age here now is 77. I have only had a sharp stop and that was stopping at a green light that changed rather quickly and I had no problems stopping. Just give the person in front of you as much room that meets your comfort zone.

 

[ChipDoc]

Leave plenty of room around yourself in order to always have an escape route. Practice helps a lot, but you should also take the Basic Rider Course from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. I believe ABS is a good thing, but it's honing your skills and maintaining an awareness of what's going on around you which will do the most to keep you safe.

Isn't it that little frisson of fear which makes riding fun?

 

[Bolzen]

that's rather a question of comfortable ride distance. with abs one is able to ride longer since non-abs requires more attention for the driver part. if say i drive no abs i begin to feel fatigue after a relatively short time. I can continue driving but i notice i don't keep pace with things anymore. With abs i eliminate a couple of tasks from my head, so can ride longer.

 

[cgs]

Mochi,
Erase your fears about using non ABS brakes by taking a motorcycle safety course in Ohau. Here is a web site that tells you all about it. I take the advance course every year as a tune up.

Course given on "On Oahu training takes place at Leeward Community College in Pearl City (across the freeway from Sam's Club)."

http://hawaiimotorcycle.org/rider_training.htm

CGS

 

[Liamjs]

Training is a common thread in most do these responses and I absolutely endorse taking a saftey course. But above and beyond that, you need to practice with your bike as often as possible. I believe it takes six months and several thousand miles before you truly "know" a particular bike and how it reacts to various situations. I've had my 650 for a couple months and 2500 miles now and am starting to feel I know it well.

You don't want your first hard brake to be in an emergency situation. So go to an empty parking lot and practice braking. SLOWLY build up to harder and harder braking as you get comfortable. Eventually, you'll learn how hard you can apply the brakes without them locking up. You'll find you'll gain confidence and learn that the b400 has excellent brakes and can stop really quickly. I practice this and swerves regularly every couple weeks to keep my skills sharp.

I have over 30 years as an adult riding non-ABS bikes and I've never gone down or gotten hurt (I don't count my stupid teenage moped years). Ive locked the rear brake only once in that time.

And that's not for lack of trying by the motoring public as I've been hard bumped a few times (once doing 80 and another by a cop no less), had accidents occur in front of me, etc, etc. Luck may have played a part, but nothing beats training and practice.

And hey, it's a heck of a lot of fun to practice. Ride safe. : )

 

[cgs]

But, what do you do if you lock your rear wheel, or lock your front wheel? You learn from those Safety Courses what to do. I had my rear wheel lock because my engine froze up. I road it though, no choice. You should do that if you lock it up with the brake also, but not the front wheel. I have riden since I was 16, 62+ years ago. When I started taking the saftey classes I learned about all the bad habits I had learned.

I am not against practicing, but practice the correct things by taking the Safety Classes. It could save your or your passangers life.

CGS

 

[Liamjs]

But, what do you do if you lock your rear wheel, or lock your front wheel? You learn from those Safety Courses what to do. I had my rear wheel lock because my engine froze up. I road it though, no choice. You should do that if you lock it up with the brake also, but not the front wheel. I have riden since I was 16, 62+ years ago. When I started taking the saftey classes I learned about all the bad habits I had learned.

I am not against practicing, but practice the correct things by taking the Safety Classes. It could save your or your passangers life.

CGS

As I mentioned at the beginning of my post, I absolutely concur, take the Safety course. But you need to apply what you learn there to your own bike by taking it out and practicing the proper techniques in a safe environment like an empty parking lot. Just like school, The course is the beginning of what you learn. You need homework to back it up until you have knowledge.

 

[v8eyedoc]

As a newbie to this forum I just read a couple threads on ABS vs non-ABS. Sounds like if you ride a non-ABS when faced with a Panic Stop it is highly likely you're going down. Not sure I can get on my "none" ABS K8 400 and ever enjoy a ride again. Now I wish I hadn't read all that. Bummer!

If that is all it takes to keep you from riding - You should have read the ABS/Non ABS posts before you went out and bought your Burgman.....!!!

 

[Topless]

I rode a Zuma125 for 3600 miles before I got the B400 with ABS. Got real used to CVT with that and I'm glad. One day I was stopped at a light next to a Harley rider, the light is a block from a bridge and on the far side of the bridge is another light, this bridge is not flat, it's arched over the river and about 200 feet long. When our light changed, I took off on the Zuma, the Harley was slow off the line and I knew by the way he slipped the clutch he wasn't a frequent rider. He zoomed by me and 1/2 way over the bridge that far light changed, it always does. Like a noob, he locked up the rear brake, smoking his tire, then started to wobble, never touched his front brake. He skidded that for a good 75-100 ft and i know it was flat spotted. The rear of that bike was switching sides by at least 4'. I thought he was going down, but somehow he kept it up, but I think he needed an underwear change. Anyway, the point is, if you need to panic stop, grab both brakes and modulate the rear. I've had to do,a couple of hard stops on this scooter and it does a good job of hauling down its 500 lbs and my 200. Most of the braking needs to be the front with help from the rear, not the other way around.

 

[Bolzen]

Yeah, but skidding rear wheel is one thing, front is another. Trust me, you don't wanna lock the front.

 

[ChipDoc]

What's more, you don't want to hit the front brake hard while the front wheel's pointing anywhere other than straight ahead!

 

[Desert Rat]

Leave plenty of room around yourself in order to always have an escape route. Practice helps a lot, but you should also take the Basic Rider Course from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. I believe ABS is a good thing, but it's honing your skills and maintaining an awareness of what's going on around you which will do the most to keep you safe.

+1 :thumbup:
Also agree with the don't lock the front with the wheel turned. That's how most folks have dropped their bikes at slow speed. Don't ask how I know.

 

[Quantum Mechanic]

44 years riding and never needed abs….until last year! Thankfully, my new burgman had it. Glad it was the one I chose. Briefly, at 60mph a deer ran out directly in front of me from the bushes at very close range. I hit the brakes hard believing I was going to the emergency room or worse! The guys behind thought I was a gonna. But the abs instantly kicked in and not only allowed me to get maximum braking without a skid, but also allow me to alter direction enough to miss the ass of the deer by 1", yes honestly, an inch. I was pretty shook up but just amazed at how good abs is. All bikes sold in Europe over 125cc must have abs from sometime next year. Sensible if you ask me! It's progress in my book.

 

[Topless]

QM, my 1st experience with ABS was with a car turning in left in front of me. The ABS gave me the ability to steer around the car. At first I had basically decided I was going to get hurt, then while the ABS was doing its job, I instinctively tried to steer around the back of the car, I was amazed that I could with such rapid deceleration. I became an instant fan of good ABS.

If you haven't experienced ABS in a vehicle, go somewhere out of traffic and test it, that way you'll know what to expect when you need it.

 

[saabgeorge]

ABS can help even experienced riders:

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/an...ders-reduce-accidents-study-article-1.1114107

but this Bosch system seems even more desirable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n1CDN6el4zM

 

[Bolzen]

44 years riding and never needed abs….until last year!

I believe you would still have been able to avoid the crash on a non-abs bike, as you did for all those years, but you would likely be suspicious of any bush, paddle or unknown. This thing can drive one crazy and inflict fatigue pretty fast. Other than that you don't need the abs

 

[Quantum Mechanic]

I'm pretty sure I would have hit the deer without ABS. In fact, I know I would have. My experience of riding tells me it was a certainty. The instinct in a situation where almost certain doom looms is to grab at the brakes, usually too hard. I did just that, on autopilot as there was no time to compute the situation. I would have locked both wheels for sure and would have collided with the deer at 60mph without ABS. ABS allowed some steering ability with maximum stopping power being applied. I was totally impressed, the first time used in anger! It was in fact the first time ever I've had a situation quite like it too. Sure I've had a few near misses over the years with all sorts, but I have been able to avoid crashing due to experience and good riding. I always try to expect the unexpected, but the deer was just out the blue and I guess I wasn't expecting it. The situation was very different to other situations I've been in, and a deer running out at point blank range is really something else. No time to do anything much except hit the brakes and try to minimise the damage to oneself. But that ABS...wow! Total convert to having it on all bikes I own now.