phughes

What do you even mean by that? Nothing I wrote even remotely implies that, nor did anything I wrote imply that ABS is only necessary for the rear, or desirable.

Your use of hyperbole, i.e., fiery crashes, is exceeded only by your lack of reading comprehension. Nowhere did I say ABS was not a good thing, or not useful. I took issue with your hyperbole, as I do in any discussion related to new technology vs old technology. Hyperbole such as yours, has no useful place in a realistic comparison and discussion.

As for the studies, I have read them, I am extremely active in motorcycling, and as such have to keep up with the current trends and technology. The studies do not take into account the behaviors of the groups who buy ABS, or more accurately, what factors make them decide against ABS when they purchase a bike. The studies also fail to take into account the advances in tire technology as it relates to wet surface traction. Here is a quote from one study that came to the same basic conclusion as the one you cited, "However, this study is not free of limitations. ABS was studied as optional equipment, so the cohort of motorcyclists who choose ABS may differ in some substantive way from those who decline to purchase it. In particular, motorcyclists who choose ABS may be more concerned about safety than those who decline, thus leading to lower fatal crash rates through other safer riding practices."

And another, more damning, "Drivers of non-ABS motorcycles were slightly more likely to have been cited for speeding or to have blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08 g/dL or higher. The non-ABS fatal crash involvements also were slightly more likely to occur in states with helmet laws, both universal and partial, and to involve only the motorcycle."

The studies also do not take into account the safety gear worn, which have gotten markedly better over the years. They padding on jackets are better, helping to prevent many blunt force injuries.

I ride all year, in Pennsylvania. This year I rode a bike with a sidecar though, but usually it is my Kawasaki Concours. Years ago, I rode a 1986 Goldwing, no ABS back then, from Pittsburgh to Nashville overnight. It snowed on me as I was going across Ohio. I still was able to ride on the interstate, and was out before they began to treat the road, since it began while I was riding. I was able to ride, turn, and brake without dying in a fiery crash. I took that same Goldwing out one day in an ice storm. Why? Because I'm an idiot, and wanted to see how it would handle the ice. I rode the road behind the houses in my plan, about 1/8 of a mile, with curves, 100 percent ice covered, and untreated. I got to the end of that road, where it met up with the main road. To get back home, I was going to have to turn left up a hill. I opted to turn right, downhill, go to the stop sign where it was relatively flat, stop, turn around and go back uphill, around a bend, then around another bend, then turn 90 degrees left, downhill, then at the bottom of the hill, braking involved, turn 90 degrees right, and back to my garage. IN all that, on solid, untreated ice, complete with braking, no ABS, no one died in a fiery crash. No one even crashed, fell down, fell over, failed to stop, had to yell frantically, "Get out of my way, I can't stop!"

I took issue with your ridiculous statement regarding fiery crashes. It has zero basis in reality, and is the type of argument I get very tired of here, and everywhere discussions take place. In fact, hyperbole like yours is how we end up with seriously misinformed people. So please, stop. ABS is a fantastic technology, but it does have limitations. The one thing I really dislike about it, is the fact those who learn to drive with it, never learn to control braking without it. When it fails, and I do not mean a massive mechanical failure where the ABS is defective, or no longer works, I mean on solid ice, and the wheels lock up, the driver doesn't not know what to do, and they remain on the brakes, leaving them with no control. Yes, ABS will lock up on solid ice, on a good hill. In order to work, ABS needs to read different wheel rotational speeds, on ice, there comes a point where that may not happen, allowing the wheels to lock up. That leaves you with no control. If you learned to drive with no ABS, you would understand how to deal with that situation, namely getting off the brake, and pumping the brake as you do without ABS. That will allow you to steer, and control the car.

So please, stop with the ridiculous hyperbole. Stick with reality, and facts, not statements like, fiery crashes. Injecting hyperbole into an argument is there only for inciting an emotional response. Emotions are not a good barometer of reality, and a very bad way to make an informed decision.

As for ABS, it is a good technology, and it is getting better all the time, namely, as far as motorcycles are concerned, cornering aware ABS. Disc brakes are very nice as well on bicycles, but rim brakes will stop you as well, and you will not die in a fiery crash.