ABS doesn't make you stop faster or make the brakes work better, it simply prevents wheel lock-up.

 

There for making people that like to just squeeze the brakes as hard as they can THINK they brake better. Its an obvious safety feature that might be nice, I dont think it is necessary on a smaller bike like the sportster though.

 

Absolutely. Ride your Iron to the local dealership and trade it on a Softail or Touring bike with ABS. Otherwise, the earlier replies are spot on - way more involved than you're likely to handle unless you're an engineer. But if you want better stopping, you don't need ABS, you need brake upgrades.

I'd say that a bit differently from personal experience. When I bought the 09 FLHTC that I just traded it had ABS on it. I refused to pay the dealer for it and they took the price off (got the cruise cost taken off as well). I read the info, including the warning to test them out in a safe environment but never did. Couple of months later my g/f and I are taking the long route back from Key West and in Lakeland some idiot decides to stop for a green light. I grabbed the brakes for all they were worth and would NEVER have been able to avoid rear-ending the cager without them.

Personally, I'd never buy a new bike without ABS. I don't THINK they stop better - I KNOW they do. Continued advances will ultimately allow them to show up on sportsters. Can't think of a single reason why the size of the bike would affect their effectiveness.

 

a bigger bike would need more time to stop, and like youve said you have used it once in an emergency situation... In my truck Iv never had to slam on the brakes so hard that the abs has kicked in. Maybe i should just go test ride one of these bikes with abs, might change my mind lol

 

Not necessarily. That bigger bike also has bigger and more brakes. I wouldn't assume it needs more time to stop without seeing test data to show that.

In addition, ABS isn't just about room. It's also about weather and road conditions and the specific situation. It also requires different skills - in a non-ABS bike, when you lock up the back brake you need to stay in it. Nearly everyone in that situation let's off the brake which puts the bike into a swerve, often resulting in a wreck.

With ABS you have to unlearn letting off. You pretty much can't lock it up, so you need to stay in the brakes the whole time.

BTW, while I cited one specific emergency situation, I've activated the ABS on that bike several times. As I said, I wouldn't buy a new bike without it.

 

I put XR1200 4 piston caliper on my 48 (drop in replacement)... amazing how much better the stopping force is...

 

preventing a wheel from locking will reduce stopping distances and makes the brakes work better. They are especially useful on wet roads times and emergency braking. Harley Davisons ABS isn't close to being the best, but it's better than no ABS when the rider isn't an expert or on less than perfect surfaces.

 

5 years ago.....

 

I'm well aware. What have you added to the conversation?

 

It's obvious....what he added was right before your second post (ever btw)

Here, I'll re-state it...

"5 years ago"

There, it's added again