ABS Brake Activation

[ARKNT]

How many of you have had your ABS equipped bike have to energize the system to help save your bacon?
The reason I ask is a pickup truck tried to turn in front of me earlier this week and I easily felt the rear brake pedal pulsing (2020 Kawasaki Versys) as I quickly slowed to miss him. I never noticed the front pulsing, it may have actuated but I can't be sure of it. It was fairly low speed, 25-30 MPH but a pickup truck front end is not very appealing from that view. Road was dry and clear, possibly a little leftover sand from snow back in January. Bike stayed straight and controlled. ABS seems very good to have if/when it is needed. The pickup driver did see me at the last second after he had 1/3 to 1/2 my lane.

I have had a non-ABS bike (Kawasaki C10 Concours) snap very hard back in line as the rear wheel regained traction in a panic stop back in the past. It did snap back hard. It got my attention.

So how many have had the ABS actuate? Who has never had it actuate? Of course, where you ride matters a lot. No traffic, no critters, not likely to need it very often.

Arknt

 

[DirtFlier]

Yes, I've had the ABS activated on my NT several times and without any drama...thank you.

 

[junglejim]

Mine activated twice in the 55k miles I rode it. Once was my fault when I used too much brake to scrub speed fast as I saw some sand on the pavement in a curve. The other time was to avoid a suicidal deer crossing the road.
it worked!!!!

 

[Phil Tarman]

I had the ABS actuate twice during the time I had Dudley, my 1st NT. The first time I was on my way to a Concour Owners Group National Rally in Tomah, WI. We had been in hard rain and finally got out of it in Waterloo, IA. Four of us were riding together and we were in an old part of town that had brick streets. A woman was at a stop sign and let the other guys go through and then pulled out right in front of me. I did not squeeze the brake...I grabbed them! I could feel the ABS working, but it was fairly smooth and I got slowed down before I hit her.

The second time, I was on my Epic Ride, going along the north coast of Newfoundland on my way to L'Anse aux Meadows, where the Vikings had a settlement for about 10 years in 1,000 AD. A woman was stopped coming out of a grocery store that's no longer there in Eddie's Cove. It was raining and foggy and she looked right at me and then pulled out. Again I grabbed the braked and managed to miss her by maybe 2-3 feet. She blissfully drove on down the road at about 45km/h. A few miles down the road she pulled into another grocery store and I followed her in and pulled up behind her. When she got out of her car, I asked if I could talk to her for a few minutes. She said, "In the rain?" but pulled out an umbrella and came out to the bike. I asked her if she had seen me when I nearly hit her. She was shocked and told me that her husband rode a motorcycle. I suggested she look for motorcycles and then stood there with her while she fervently apologized.

Our ABS indeed works. I don't think I'd ever want another bike without it.

 

[ARKNT]

Our ABS indeed works. I don't think I'd ever want another bike without it.

When ABS first came out I thought I'd be OK without it, never had it before why now. It does work well and any future bikes I get will likely have it. BTW, my NT was a non-ABS version.
It is very easy to lock up the rear wheel in an emergency stop. With the front brake on hard the rear end can get very light and not much traction for that rear tire.

Arknt

 

[JQL]

The rear on mine would activate every time I went down a particularly steep hill near where I lived. There were traffic lights and a very sharp and tight right hand turn which I needed to take at the bottom.

In 125,000 miles of commuting, I've not had the front activate, yet...

 

[karl]

I have marked my ABS Paid in full twice now. Most of the time it goes completely unnoticed.

 

[ST1100Y]

GF tried hard during an M/C safety training, them BT32's just stick too well...
But she also never had it activating during commute, in the rain, on the beltway tarmac polished by a million vehicles per day...