ABS or NON ABS?

[wozza]

Sorry.....lol it was meant to read 'In Europe you can't buy a car without ABS.

 

[MZ5]

I wish mine had ABS, but it wasn't worth the cost of the DCT to get it. If it had ABS, I'd wish it was switchable for certain off-road circumstances that I'm VERY unlikely to ever have this bike in.

 

[Rocker66]

I'm surprised to read so many people want switchable ABS. I'm glad my bike has ABS and I'm very glad I can't switch it off. The NC is not designed as an off road machine. If you want to go off road get a bike designed for it. I realise that there will be people on here who probably live in more rural locations where the roads/tracks aren't particularly good. I would say in that case get a bike appropriate for the conditions of where you live.
In Europe you can't purchase a car with ABS and soon this will be the same for bikes 125cc and over. Eventually the same thing will happen over in the USA.

I also don't hold with I'm experienced in this or that so I don't need it etc etc. Everyone at some point makes mistakes no matter how good you think you are. I make mistakes and I've been riding bikes for almost 40 years. However, my main concern is the lack of awareness by other road users.

Whilst I personally would never switch it off I can appreciate that some would like the choice. In the same way that I don.t like my headlight being hard wired on although I always ride with it on. I think MAG summed it up with their slogan during the anti compulsory helmet campaign which was " Helmets Yes Compulsion NO"
Personal choice is always a thing to be valued

 

[Luis Rosa]

The cost was a factor and also don't think I would enjoy the experience as much on an automatic as opposed to the physical act of shifting and clutch work which is very satisfying when done right.

 

[xamagi]

To me the ABS is a must. It is better if you never need it, but should the situation arise, you will appreciate having spent some extra $$$.

 

[NC7X]

I cringe every time I see: "ABS saved my life" posts. No offense to those who love it and have typed out those very words, but should I be writing: "My brain, skill, reaction time and practice saved my life" every single day I ride, since I've never, in nearly a million kilometres, crashed or had an unavoidable accident because I locked my wheels up?

My BMW was a frigging deathtrap because it had the world's worst ABS, and was everything I always dreaded and worried about with a vehicle trying to (poorly) out think me, and decide what was "best" in a braking situation. *memory shudder*




I hated the ABS on my BMWs, almost killed me a couple of times, but one time I wasn't paying attention and it did save me. I still won't get it though.

 

[Atomant]

Well I must say that anything that's 'switchable' or 'adjustable' on a bike is premium and a luxury to have.

So far based on the limited ride I made on my NC (700km) ON ROAD I must say I am pretty 'satisfied' with the ABS especially when late braking into a turn. That's as about as much I know about ABS that do good to me. Anyone care to share when or where would the ABS do really poor in?

Hondabikepro ever stated that the ABS does really bad when going downhills on loose gravel though. Which I believe to be true though I have not personally tried that yet.

 

[L.B.S.]

Anyone care to share when or where would the ABS do really poor in?

I can only speak for myself, and at that, only one model of BMW. (2009 F800ST)

It was horrible, because if you were on nice, dry, grippy pavement, *that's* when it would catch you off guard. Not in the rain, or on gravel, or panic braking, where one would think ABS would come in handy.

If you hit the tiniest bump, ripple, or small surface irregularity while braking, the brakes would "release" and not allow you to actually stop where you were intending to.

Ordinarily, if I come up to some small bumps or a little bad patch in the road, say a spot of oil or a little pothole, or a paint strip etc., on a non ABS bike, and I was a klutz and used a little too much brake causing a wheel to chirp, (lock for a split second) all I had to do was slightly let pressure off lever or pedal, and reapply as needed.

Or not really even have to do anything most of the time, as the tire/s would only chirp for the micro second or two, and then regain enough traction to allow the braking to continue, without causing the tire to be disturbed.

No drama, no fuss, a little chirpy noise for a split second, and then you come to a perfectly safe and normal stop, exactly where you were planning to.



But with my brand new, $$$$$$ ABS bike, same exact conditions, hit a little ripple while applying the brake, and the lever would suddenly go completely dead! You would not hear any chirp noise, because the computer was not allowing the wheel/s to lock, period. So this meant you merrily sailed on, many feet (or yards, in some cases!) past where you had wanted to stop!

It felt as if suddenly, someone sprayed oil on the brake discs right as you were braking.

I had to outrageously modify how I used the brakes, to the point of absurdity: "OMG, is that a leaf in the road? Ack! I better swerve around it, in case I need to brake going over it."

"Gasp! A small bump vaguely near where I want to stop! I'd better brake 10 yards in front of it, completely let off the brakes, make sure I've gone over the bumps, and then nail the binders again, in case I'm still going too fast or a car turns in front of me."

"God help me if someone in a car slows before I can clear those suspicious looking ripples in the pavement, and I actually need to brake there. I'll run straight up their backside!"

I was a nervous wreck every time I rode the stupid thing. Having to do this was insane, completely unenjoyable, and very dangerous, especially when coupled with the idiotic BMW turn signal switchgear, and the very twitchy throttle. And this was under perfect conditions, with no need to panic stop!

And yes, suspension Gurus, I know a huge amount of this trouble had to do with the fork and shock settings, and/or swapping out the crappy OEM stuff for aftermarket set ups. I had the shock set up as best as could be with a million different trials, and the front was unadjustable, aside from oil type and viscosity.

I had no time, money, or disgusted inclination to dish out even more bucks for new suspenders, while still making payments on my falling apart, vibrating piece of crap, oil spewing, brand new $20,000.00 dollar BMW.



For what it's worth, the NC700X ABS seems to work just fine, braking over all the very same spots that the F800 tried to kill me on, and the forks and shock aren't exactly thought of as top shelf items by anyone in the motorcycling world, eh?

 

[Crilly]

Unlike my BMWs, the ABS on my auto is excellent. The auto bike has over 6000 miles on it with TKCs and I have yet to wish I could turn it off. The auto is so nice in tech situations, I am not sure I want a new GS.

 

[L.B.S.]

Unlike my BMWs, the ABS on my auto is excellent. The auto bike has over 6000 miles on it with TKCs and I have yet to wish I could turn it off. The auto is so nice in tech situations, I am not sure I want a new GS.

The very first bumps I came up to when braking on the NC700, had me reflexively cringing, remembering my BMW, and thinking: "OMG, I'm not going to stop and rear end this car!", and was wide eyed in amazement when I stopped with no problems at all.

I was so very happy at that first impression, lol

(Can't get NC700's up here without ABS)

 

[Atomant]

I can only speak for myself, and at that, only one model of BMW. (2009 F800ST)

It was horrible, because if you were on nice, dry, grippy pavement, *that's* when it would catch you off guard. Not in the rain, or on gravel, or panic braking, where one would think ABS would come in handy.

If you hit the tiniest bump, ripple, or small surface irregularity while braking, the brakes would "release" and not allow you to actually stop where you were intending to.

Ordinarily, if I come up to some small bumps or a little bad patch in the road, say a spot of oil or a little pothole, or a paint strip etc., on a non ABS bike, and I was a klutz and used a little too much brake causing a wheel to chirp, (lock for a split second) all I had to do was slightly let pressure off lever or pedal, and reapply as needed.

Or not really even have to do anything most of the time, as the tire/s would only chirp for the micro second or two, and then regain enough traction to allow the braking to continue, without causing the tire to be disturbed.

No drama, no fuss, a little chirpy noise for a split second, and then you come to a perfectly safe and normal stop, exactly where you were planning to.



But with my brand new, $$$$$$ ABS bike, same exact conditions, hit a little ripple while applying the brake, and the lever would suddenly go completely dead! You would not hear any chirp noise, because the computer was not allowing the wheel/s to lock, period. So this meant you merrily sailed on, many feet (or yards, in some cases!) past where you had wanted to stop!

It felt as if suddenly, someone sprayed oil on the brake discs right as you were braking.

I had to outrageously modify how I used the brakes, to the point of absurdity: "OMG, is that a leaf in the road? Ack! I better swerve around it, in case I need to brake going over it."

"Gasp! A small bump vaguely near where I want to stop! I'd better brake 10 yards in front of it, completely let off the brakes, make sure I've gone over the bumps, and then nail the binders again, in case I'm still going too fast or a car turns in front of me."

"God help me if someone in a car slows before I can clear those suspicious looking ripples in the pavement, and I actually need to brake there. I'll run straight up their backside!"

I was a nervous wreck every time I rode the stupid thing. Having to do this was insane, completely unenjoyable, and very dangerous, especially when coupled with the idiotic BMW turn signal switchgear, and the very twitchy throttle. And this was under perfect conditions, with no need to panic stop!

And yes, suspension Gurus, I know a huge amount of this trouble had to do with the fork and shock settings, and/or swapping out the crappy OEM stuff for aftermarket set ups. I had the shock set up as best as could be with a million different trials, and the front was unadjustable, aside from oil type and viscosity.

I had no time, money, or disgusted inclination to dish out even more bucks for new suspenders, while still making payments on my falling apart, vibrating piece of crap, oil spewing, brand new $20,000.00 dollar BMW.



For what it's worth, the NC700X ABS seems to work just fine, braking over all the very same spots that the F800 tried to kill me on, and the forks and shock aren't exactly thought of as top shelf items by anyone in the motorcycling world, eh?

WOW L.B.S you got me holding onto my breath until the very last sentence! That was a very good read though and I wonder if BMW have made any progresses with their ABS as compared to Hondas.

 

[nodirtburt]

Wanted ABS but didn't want DCT. Also didn't mind the money saved.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

I believe ABS has come a long way since BMW first introduced it. I was never really a fan of ABS, but after the system on my Triumph recently got me out of a spot of bother when a Stop sign was covered by a bush at a hidden junction on a wet road, I am a confirmed fan !

My NC is a standard 6 speed with ABS. I would not have taken ABS if it meant I had to take DCT with it. However the braking system on the NC is very good as standard. Add in ABS and it is excellent.

 

[OriginalRocket]

Of note is that the ABS front brake NC is 3 piston, and the non ABS version is 2. On this forum many people report a shutter/chatter noise and feel under moderate to hard front braking pressure when coming to a stop.