brakes ABS or not

7184 Views 34 Replies 15 Participants Last post by x44, Mar 19, 2009

captainkirk11111

Discussion Starter · May 30, 2008

Just a question, would you go for the £6950 bike with the radial calipers or spend the extra £500 gain ABS (worth having ) but lose those lovely calipers. Personally as I ride in the winter I would pay the extra for the ABS as my wife's got ABS on her CBF1000 and it does work :eek

Edit:
I thought as we have discussed this thread a fair bit and there is more information about the brakes that I would add a poll... You can change your vote if you change your mind...

I personally think non-ABS will be the favourite.

DAN

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DAN

· #2 · May 30, 2008

Personally not....

It does work but is not a replacement for rider brake control, especially in winter. I think spend the £500 on personalising the bike.... also the extra cost of the bike will soon be swallowed up by depreciation.

Also if you are likely to get braided line... Goodridge or similar then the ABS version would cost something like £200 for replacement lines :eek

Antnee

· #3 · May 31, 2008

I personally ride all year round, currently on a Hornet 600, and I don't have any interest in the ABS version. I've ridden 500 and 600s with the ABS/CBS system and I don't like it personally. It's very smooth, the CBS, but it just feels boring to me. I prefer to have full control.

I've only been riding for a couple of years I must admit, and I did lock the front when I first got the Hornet, but that was ages ago, in a straight line, which I recovered and I think my current level of experience is good enough to not need it. I don't ride so fast when the conditions aren't good either.

Besides, I'd rather have those tasty 4-pot radials than 3-pot ABS

DaveCB1000R

· #4 · Jun 6, 2008

Was talking to Honda Main Dealer today and he advised that Honda's product line will be moving to ABS as standard over the next 2 - 3 years and than non-ABS bikes will be the exception.

As such, he suggested that the depreciation on an ABS equipped CB1000R would be less.

The cynic in me thinks '... well he would say that, the ABS version costs more to buy and service so there is more in it for him ...' however this guy has always been a good reference source for the 8 or 9 years that I've known him so I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Which would I prefer, ABS or non-ABS? I really don't know. I previously owned a Blackbird that had linked brakes and I was more than happy with them on that bike (other than when you want to apply the rear only in slippery conditions). If they were fitted to my current bike, CBR600RR '05, I probably wouldn't have bought it.

I guess the answer will be in the test-ride next month but what thoughts have other forum members got ?

Antnee

· #5 · Jun 6, 2008

I think your dealer may be a little confused, and I've seen a few people who are equally confused. What Honda actually said is that by 2010 they will offer ABS on all their big bikes (I forget how they classify a big bike mind you). In some cases, yes, you will have no choice but to take the ABS option, but on others it will be up to you. It is expected that the next CBR600RR and the 2010 Blade will both have ABS options.

Personally, I'm taking the riskier stance and keeping full control of the front/rear brake balance and hoping that I don't lock the front under braking and plumping for the non-ABS. I might consider an ABS only braking system in the future, but I'm not interested in having CBS forced upon me as well

G

· #6 · Jun 17, 2008

I do agree with the above experts not having the ABS. Unfortunately the world goes to a different direction, not only with bikes but with cars also. Don't want to argue with the manufacturers, this is their decision and luckily we still have the choice; but from the customer and seller point of view it has to be considered. It still might happen that I need to sell my bike (let's say) in 3 years and everyone avoids it because of the lack of ABS.

So my question is: will there be a replacement (as an "accessory"?) to change the non-ABS brakes into ABS ones?

By the way, any Honda employee here?

Antnee

· #7 · Jun 17, 2008

That's an interesting point regarding the future, though the general attitude here in the UK at least is that most riders don't want it, so unless they make it law to have on bikes then I can't see the problem. Personally my problem is less with the ABS and more with the CBS. The new electronic CBS that Honda are putting on the supersports bikes from the next models (2009 CBR600RR and 2010 CBR1000RR) looks much more interesting but I'm still weary of it. Give me ABS, sure, but give me the same quality callipers as non-ABS and don't force CBS on me please Honda

JJON

· #8 · Jun 17, 2008

There will be those who prefer CBS and those who don't so I don't think you'll need to worry about not selling it, most people I know don't get on with the linked brakes and will avoid at all costs (including me).

If Honda introduce this as standard then I'll simply by elsewhere. Had a conversation about the brakes with a Honda man recently and his take was that "Yes but you get use to them after a short time". Err, yes, but I still don't like them :notme

I covered alot of miles on a CBS bike going to, through and back from Wales and I did get used to the linked system, but I was so glad to get back on my 7 year old crap heap, mainly because it hasn't got CBS.

DaveCB1000R

· #9 · Jun 17, 2008

Just seen this item which doesn't really add or take away from any discussions in the wider world: -

http://www.visordown.com/motorcyclenews ... &attr=news

Antnee

· #10 · Jun 17, 2008

Yeah, that's the system I mentioned in my previous comment. I've been reading about it since last Wednesday when Honda demoed the system to journalists. It does sound like a better idea than the current one, and since the CB1000R shares bits with the CBR1000RR I hope that we'll get an option within the next couple of years, rather than remain on the existing hydraulic based CBS. This system will retain the standard radial brakes, rather than requiring the dedicated piston as found in the current CBS system

DAN

· #11 · Jun 17, 2008

Just been reading on the Fazer forum that Gen2 FZ1's with ABS are supposed to only have thier rear wheel removed by a dealer.... they must be having a laugh.

Yamaha are usually pretty good when it comes to self servicing, but I know a bike with difficult to remove wheels will not go down well.... might be worth double checking this in the case of the CB100R.... however with it's single sided swingarm rear wheel removal should be an absolute doodle! :thumbup

DaveCB1000R

· #12 · Jun 17, 2008

DAN said:
Just been reading on the Fazer forum that Gen2 FZ1's with ABS are supposed to only have thier rear wheel removed by a dealer.... they must be having a laugh.

If you have a puncture outside a tyre shop but a 100 miles from a Yamaha dealer they cannot expect you to phone for breakdown recovery and have your bike transferred elsewhere :thumbdown

If that is true then Yamaha have lost the plot

DAN

· #13 · Jun 20, 2008

Some helpful vids here... the first is the system as used on the CB1000R.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KbXRzLioXdg

The second is the new electronic system Honda are prototyping...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7Eb3AVqwow

sadbiker

· #14 · Jun 23, 2008

Non abs option for me then.

Do they do a version with parachutes ?

Fordzoid

· #15 · Jun 23, 2008

:clap :rollin

DAN

· #16 · Jun 23, 2008

I've now added a poll. :thumbup

rui

· #17 · Jun 23, 2008

NO-ABS here. In Portugal, Honda will sell only no-abs model, so, I dont have to choose.

Rui

Bartek

· #18 · Jul 10, 2008

Re: brakes ABS or not - DILEMA, your thougts please

Hello CB-Litre-R Users!
the story is as follows - yesterday I had a phone call from the dealership: non ABS model not available so far (that's what I've ordered), since yesterday first ABS pieces - available, so he offered me to change my choice and pay extra 600Euros for ABS model. But, I still have a dilema here, let me know your thoughts please... :help

Both have advantages and disadvantages:
ABS vs no ABS:
+ braking safety and slip control (also when in the curve???)
+ combined CBS (is that a real advantage???)
+ trend of "follow" the modern techs
- weight of the bike
- no choice of "which and when" brake you apply
- standard nissin calipers vs tokico radials
- cost of maintenance (brake pads life time due to CBS play)
- tricks and evolutions (stoppie or rolling burnout with ABS and CBS???)
-/+ behaviour on not "European" standard roads' surfaces and smoothness (rough and bad conditions roads, ABS activated on every second traffic lights when braking due to "sinusoida tarmac profile"???)
-/+ anything else???

My total mileage on the different bikes as a driver is around 100k kilometers, all done without ABS, but maybe it is worth to follow the modern trend of ABS + CBS in the bike???
In general my driving style is moderate, sometimes with my "better half" on the bike, but sometimes its aggressive and tricky... :stupid
Does it really help or give the feeling "good to have it" only???

Thanks in advance for your opinions. I've noticed that in spite of the poll there is a big number of owners "with ABS"

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hass

· #19 · Jul 10, 2008

One of the main reason so many of my previous bikes have been BMWs is because of ABS. I am not a racing professional, if I was I would probably have the control necessary to ride safetly without abs, however I am not; so I don't.

All recent studies of abs vs non-abs show two interesting facts:

1. In poor conditions (oil, rain + metal, gravel, etc) abs bikes out perform non-abs bikes.

2. Non proffessionals commonly make one of two mistakes in a panic situation;
a) Lock up the front wheel and go down, or
b) Tend not to brake at 100% because of the fear of a) which means they don't stop as quickly as they could have.

I would therefore encourage everyone to choose abs.

Antnee

· #20 · Jul 10, 2008

Except of course for people who are very good with their braking and are capable of stopping far shorter than an ABS bike can. Likewise, in the dry, a non-ABS bike is capable of stopping a lot shorter than an ABS bike because the ABS doesn't always wait for a lockup, so it kicks in earlier than is necessary. Also, the ABS bikes have lower-spec callipers than the non-ABS bikes (at least in Honda's case).

1 - 20 of 35 Posts

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