Beneficial


Yes


Hell No!

I can probably ride better than the majority of the riders on the road but there's no way I'm going to outperform a computerized ABS when I have to suddenly brake hard during a turn on sandy pavement.

Even Don Canet from Cycle World loved the Traction Control on the ZX-10R. And he can definitely ride circles around me and probably 99.95% of the riders.

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2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2002 BMW R1150R
1996 Ducati 900SS

Interesting enough, I just posted this today from BMW. Now you have NO CHOICE but to have ABS on your BMW motorcycle, sorry.





BMW Motorcycles First to Offer Life-Saving Antilock Brakes (ABS) on all Models
19.04.2011
Press Release


Motorcycles with ABS 37 Percent Less Likely to Be in a Fatal Crash



Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 19, 2011… After pioneering the concept of antilock brakes (ABS) on motorcycles 23 years ago, BMW Motorrad USA announced today that it will be the first motorcycle manufacturer to offer ABS as standard equipment on its entire range of 2012 model year motorcycles.



“Plain and simple, being able to stop a motorcycle faster and more predictably helps prevent a rider from becoming a statistic,” said Pieter de Waal, Vice President, BMW Motorrad USA. “It’s time for all of us in the motorcycle industry to embrace the benefits of ABS. Extensive testing by safety experts, law enforcement authorities and journalists around the world consistently demonstrates that ABS reduces overall crashes and saves lives.”



“We commend BMW for taking the lead to improve motorcycle safety,” said David Strickland, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Motorcycle fatalities and injuries have been on an upward trend for the past ten years and ABS and other safety technologies can help reduce these tragedies.”



An analysis of 2010 motorcycle crashes released today by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reveals that although motorcyclist fatalities are down for the past two years, they began to slightly increase in the third quarter of 2010. GHSA Executive Director Barbara Harsha noted, "We are concerned that motorcycle deaths may be on the rise again. ABS and other safety technologies and programs can help continue the progress that has been made in motorcycle safety."



A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) revealed that motorcycles equipped with antilock brakes are 37 percent less likely to be involved in a fatal crash than models without ABS. “I commend BMW for taking the lead in making ABS standard across the board,” said Adrian Lund, IIHS president. “Our research results show ABS on motorcycles saves lives, and riders are taking note, too. A recent survey found that a majority of riders said they would look for ABS on their next bikes.”



According to IIHS, many factors contribute to motorcycle crashes, but improper braking was identified as a major pre-impact factor in a study of motorcycle crashes. When brakes are applied too gently, the rider risks colliding with the obstacle. If brakes are applied too hard, the wheels can lock and cause an overturn. ABS is crash avoidance technology, meaning it helps reduce brake pressure by detecting an impending lockup and then increasing the pressure again when wheel traction is restored. Brake pressure is evaluated by a sensor multiple times per second, so riders may brake fully in a straight line without fear of locking up.



Many law enforcement agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, concluded after testing that ABS reduced the number and severity of accidents and now mandate them on their police motorcycles. Internationally, BMW is the largest seller of motorcycles for law enforcement use. More than 80,000 BMW police motorcycles are currently in official use in over 150 countries on five continents. In the United States, more than 225 law enforcement agencies have BMW police motorcycles in their fleets of patrol vehicles.



BMW was the first motorcycle manufacturer to introduce ABS in 1988 and now offers a sixth generation and numerous ABS options across its product line, including a system that can be switched off for off-road or track use.



In addition to ABS, BMW has pioneered other technologies to improve the safety and environmental impact of its motorcycles, including:
•The world’s first “Adaptive Headlight” for increased safety at night (available on the 2012 BMW K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL)
•A multi-controller on the left-hand grip (available on the 2012 BMW K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL), which allows riders to operate the motorcycle’s systems and adjust its settings without taking their hands off the bars
•Electronic Suspension Adjustment -- ESA II – to allow rebound damping and spring rate to be adjusted at the touch of a button to suit load and road conditions
•Dynamic Traction Control (to adjust engine torque to the level of grip and angle of lean, reducing risk of wheelspin and improving control on treacherous surfaces)
•The world’s first motorcycle catalytic converter and closed loop fuel injection to radically reduce emissions



Rider skill training is a key element to motorcycle safety. The latest Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) Owner Survey found that fewer than 50 percent of riders have taken formal rider education and training such as the Basic RiderCourse offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. BMW offers on- and off-road motorcycle training at the BMW Performance Driving School in Greer, SC.

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I think its commendable that (IIRC, in the early to mid 2000s) they were the first manufacturer to make ABS available on all their models. Making ABS standard is another matter entirely. These days, I don't think I'd buy a bike without ABS, but if you're going to force all riders (well, all Beemer buyers) to have it, at least have the option to turn it off (the way you can on the GSes, and on, come to think of it, many of their cars).

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"If you ride like there's no tomorrow, there won't be."

You can turn off the ABS on BMW cars?

The reason they have the on/off on the GS is for going off-road so they can lock up the rear brakes on purpose to turn etc.

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2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2002 BMW R1150R
1996 Ducati 900SS

Checked and . . . whoops, riiiiight. Apparently it's the ASC/DSC that can be turned off on all cars that have it, not the ABS. My bad (although maybe someone can confirm if the ABS can be disconnected on the M cars. I'd imagine you'd want to at least have the option, during a track day for instance).

Anyway, I'd still like people to have the option to turn ABS off on a bike. I've had to ride my bike on the occasional unpaved road and would've wanted to be able to turn it off. But more importantly, even though I'm a firm believer in ABS, I wouldn't want people to be forced (by a manufacturer or a regulation) to have it. Some people might prefer simplicity, one less potential point of failure, easier servicing, whatever. It's your bike, it should be your choice.

_________________
"If you ride like there's no tomorrow, there won't be."

ABS can be switched off on both my wife's previous ('07 G650Xcountry) and current ('09 F650GS) BMW motorcycles.

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2005 Triumph Bonneville
2005 Suzuki V-Strom 1000
2003 Triumph Trophy 1200
2009 BMW F650GS (wife's)
1990 HD Sportster XL883 (for sale; wanna buy a Sportster??)

Yes I think all BMW bikes with off road intentions have that feature.

_________________
2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100
2006 Kawasaki KLX250S
2004 Honda CBR600RR
2002 BMW R1150R
1996 Ducati 900SS