Most people know that ABS or anti-lock braking system is a system on motor vehicles which prevents the wheels from locking while braking. The purpose of this is to allow the driver to maintain steering control under heavy braking and, in some situations, to shorten braking distances by allowing the driver to hit the brake fully without the fear of skidding or loss of control. .Harley-Davidson introduced an antilock braking system on two police cruiser bikes in 2005. Now it’s a factory installed option on all 2008 Touring & V-Rod models (total of 10). The use of Brembo brakes with the latest in braking technology will improve consistent braking and stopping power under all operating conditions. At the Dealer Convention July 9th in Nashville TN, Harley declared that the system is almost invisible Unlike many motorcycle ABS, Harley-Davidson ABS is a manual, independent system, meaning the rider maintains full, independent control of how much of each brake is applied. The ABS system is provided by Delphi Corporation.
if you consider “invisible” as taking up half of the right saddlebag so be it. the system works well but as an experienced rider if i want to lock up the rear and slide i want the ability to do it not a grab and release electronic solenoid telling me no you cant.
Besides not being able to trail brake, i’m wondering how much this option adds to the cost of maintenance.
Will the average owner be able to purge their own brake systems?
Exactly what was the “business case” for adding ABS…. Who asked for it?
Seeing one bike at a dealership for an extended period because of some unresolved ABS problem was enough for me to opt out.
What possible reason could HD have for increasing the price of their product…?
Sorry, smells like more Progressive, do-good meddling….
Standard HD (And others) methodology.
Police bikes first- have law enforcement do your beta testing to tweak the most flagrant problems before you
Tout it as an option- have thousands of option happy buyers pay for the exclusive opportunity to shake out the bugs in as guinea pigs before you
Make it standard on some models- if it doesn’t kill enough of the option buyers to get blamed for any fatalities make it a standard item, talk up it’s wonderful safetiness and add a few benjamins over cost to the tab before you
Make it a fleetwide standard- so you can placate the DOT that you are continuing to imprint safety onto your products and onto your customer base, because after all riding is about safety and expensive add ons that you have to pay for if you want to get an RK to park in your garage and show to people when they say to you that they didn’t know you have a bike because they never see you ride.
It no longer takes up saddle bag space, it is a new system that resides behind the left side cover.
I thought the idea of brakes was to STOP the bike, if you are sliding, you are not stopping.
don’t know of any one, Harley, BMW, Ford, Chevy etc. who has been killed by using abs, know a bunch who have been killed without it.
Read up on the system …. think about it….. and like me you will want it.
If this ABS system is so great, why is it an option on a few models & not standard on the entire line of bikes? Are we to assume some bikes should stop better than other bikes?
Sorry Motor6
i smell a basic problem here and pop may have put his finger on it:
“…the DOT that you are continuing to imprint safety onto your products and onto your customer base, because after all riding is about safety …”
-1- Who decides how much “safety” is enough?
Not too long ago some idiot actually proposed safety legislation that included “seat belts for bikes.”
-2- Riding has always been about “riding.” Those who want to be “safe” should take safer transportation.
The problem with our society is that everyone wants to be indemnified against all of life’s liabilities. This is some sort of Progressive Liberal mind set that’s been creeping into our culture for the last 50 years.
Are you sure the people you know
“… have been killed without…” were actually killed because they didn’t have ABS or were they killed because they didn’t know how to ride?
Don’t make the rest of us pay for the your need to be safe.
Wanting DOT to assure all productes are safe is the same mind set that almost got us Hillary & Ira Health Care.
Read up on trail braking.
Motor6, if you want ABS I don’t see where anything anyone is saying prevents you having it.
There have been aftermarket retrofits for a few years and everybody knew it was coming.
That being said, before casting the “ABS” is safer net (insert any of a number of safety devices into the quotation marks)do just a little research like this…
http://www.aa1car.com/library/abs98f.htm
Google, it’s a wonderful thing.
PoP
RE:
“…ABS-equipped vehicles ….suffered a 44% increase in rollovers…”
Could it be ABS has created “Highg-side” for cars…?
Too much of a good thing………:-)
hello,
has anyone heard of any lockup problems on the new harley abs systems. in other words, in a panic stopping situation has anyone heard of brakes failing to do what they are supposed to do and that is not lock up? thank you for your time, carl merena