Ok, I officially love ABS brakes.

[scot in exile]

You have to react so quickly to lock-up, I submit that is beyond 99% of riders. I knew mine were locked as I was high-siding down. That's just what I said before -- this is so much conjecture that doesn't pass the real world test, unless similar to the firearms training we received before being sent overseas, one practices, practices, and practices some more -- hours per day, days per week, weeks per month.

Who does that ?

I am pretty close to it, I teach the BRC and ARC classes nearly every weekend, plus the club I am a member of has skills practice once a month.

 

[Joesmoe]

So you are in the 1%. Point remains.

 

[parallel]

I just got back from a trip to the Smokey Mountains where I rode the Tail of the Dragon a couple of times on the luckiest day of the year (7-11) and then I heard about another course called the Devil's Triangle. So a couple of days later I rode West to ride the Devil's Triangle and as I was rounding one of those gnarly blind curves there was a deer in the middle of the road. I stood the bike up and grabbed as much brake as I could and the ABS got me to a stop with about three feet to spare before I went off the mountain.

I pulled over to check my drawers and collect myself and then I continued on thankful for the addition of ABS on the Rocket. I wish I would have had the time to ride that route again clockwise but I had to get back to my wife and kids at the Elkmount Campground for dinner.

 

[Azisbest]

Glad it saved your butt, how did you somehow not like the feel of the ABS? under normal everyday riding conditions you would never know if you have ABS or not?

I had played with panic stops just to check the thing out and ABS felt kind of "squishy" to me, plus it kind of chatters. But I didn't get as hard on the brakes as when I had the real panic stop, plus to be truthful I dont remember anything about the stop other than the panic look on the pickup drivers face that I am sure was matched by mine. But I took that lack of any negative sensatation (braking wise) to be a good thing.

 

[Boog]

@Azisbest Thanks for sharing your story. It is good that you aren't writing from a hospital or a jail...

 

[rocketjohn]

ABS brakes are softer feeling than regular....and the pulsation or chatter is something that you have to expect...that's the ABS pumping the brakes for you.

 

[40mmrrsmith]

Don't forget about riding in the rain. I don't know how I got along without it in the past. Actually I do, because my Rocket doesn't have ABS. But with Commander IIs and ABS on the Bird, wet or dry feels pretty much the same.

 

[scot in exile]

I had played with panic stops just to check the thing out and ABS felt kind of "squishy" to me, plus it kind of chatters. But I didn't get as hard on the brakes as when I had the real panic stop, plus to be truthful I dont remember anything about the stop other than the panic look on the pickup drivers face that I am sure was matched by mine. But I took that lack of any negative sensatation (braking wise) to be a good thing.

It does make a wee bit of noise when activated but nothing like a harley they sound like a freight train .

 

[Kojack1970]

Don't forget about riding in the rain. I don't know how I got along without it in the past. Actually I do, because my Rocket doesn't have ABS. But with Commander IIs and ABS on the Bird, wet or dry feels pretty much the same.

For rain riding ABS has to the single most important technological advancement in motorcycles in 40 years.

 

[BillyIndiana]

I have not had a life saving experience, but I have had the ABS on my bike kick in. It is nice knowing it is there.

It is not easy to stop a battleship.