Let's go back to the logic here...

If you can only afford a $7,000 bike, and you want a Harley-Davidson, and you want ABS for all the right reasons, you can't have a Road King.

If you can only afford a $7,000 bike and you want a Road King, then you already know you can't have ABS, so buy it.

If you understand why having ABS is so important, and you can afford more than a $7,000 bike, then I don't understand why you're asking for input on a bike with no ABS.

Personally, I rode for years on bikes with no ABS, and I'm still alive. On the other hand, one of the reasons I traded in my FXDC on a new Road Glide Special was because I will no longer ride without ABS.

Your decision.

 

[QUOTE=Tampa Fatboy;, my first ABS took some time to get used to in the rain.[/QUOTE]

Could you explain that. Please.

 

It's easy, don't ride in the rain, or get a bmw.

 

I have a 2011 Road King with abs and I'm a guy who likes abs. I'd buy the bike without abs. I have a lot of miles on abs bikes, Harley's abs from 2011 back isn't that good. It uses sensors in the wheel bearing as opposed to a tone ring on the rotor. That means it doesn't update wheel speed data as quickly as other systems. What that means to you is that it's slow to engage and slow to disengage compared to other motorcycle abs systems.

Do I want remove it because it's not worth it? No, but it is sub par. I wouldn't let that particular feature keep me from getting a good deal on a bike.

I would be more interested in the cam chain tensioners that are on the 03 you're looking at. If ridden aggressively, the tensioners could be worn to the point where they can or have caused damage. If he has receipts, I'd wanna see the documentation on when (if ever) they were inspected.

 

I just bought a 2004 RK. No ABS, but I ride very defensively. If a cage is approaching an intersection, I assume he is going to pull out in front of me. If a deer jumps from the woods, I don't know how much ABS is going to help.

 

To the Captain: with drum brakes you already have ABS. LOL.
My question to Tampa Fat Boy was because there is nothing to get used to With ABS. If you are on a wet road and you feel the ABS cycling the brakes you have applied the brakes too much and the ABS has prevented you from locking the wheels and losing control.
To everyone else nothing beats skill and experience but ABS can save your butt. Planned controlled stops on dry pavement you can meet or maybe beat ABS stopping distance. On unexpected panic stops especially when you add potholes, rough or loose pavement or slick places like oil, water, or leaves, or grass clippings as was brought up recently on a group somewhere ABS will stop you in the shortest distance without losing control. Believe me the rubber tires stop shorter than metal and plastic when you have to "lay'er down".

 

The problem with ABS is that it allows newer riders the pass on never learning a very important skill set - How to safely stop a big bike without ABS. (Kinda' like what GPS has done to map reading.)

You clearly don't have that braking skill developed (otherwise why would you post?) so in your case I would say pass on the Road King and get a smaller bike to learn on first.

 

I wanted to add that having been a member here for seven years and lurking much longer I can't count the number of times I've seen threads stating they didn't need or want ABS brakes. Most of the time not understanding how ABS works or being misinformed. Then multiple post on the same page where others had locked up their brakes and "had to lay'er down".

 

If you mean me at 57 , I started riding off road at 10, got my license at 15 and have been riding safely ever since. I average 20-25,000 miles a year depending on if I ride coast to coast in the year. I have owned many motorcycles with and without ABS. I'm under no illusion whether ABS makes the bike safer. Just check insurance rates with and without.

 

This is utterly absurd, in addition to being insulting.