Are you referring to the situation where one hits a patch of bumpy pavement say just prior to an intersection and you feel the brakes release?
Thought that was my imagination. Have a couple of intersections with "washboard" like run-ups where this routinely happens.

 

This was the problem with the law suit against Toyota. When the Prius hit an area like this, the ABS cycled on and off, giving the driver the sensation of accelerating with a stuck throttle. Harley fixed most of that with a firmware update 2010. I never had trouble after the new update.

Beary

 

Like Beary said, their was an update, download. Although some say it does not fix it completely. The other thing that will address this is a real suspension that stays compliant and planted. Keeping the wheels in contact with the road.

 

I just had the brake fluid flushed in my bike. Nearly $200. If I have a HINT of a problem with the ABS system I'm converting to non-ABS. I've been riding for five years without it already, my King is the first bike that has it.

 

Yes. The cycle time for ABS brake release and re-application matches the frequency of the washboard bumps and the brakes are in the released mode every time the wheel touches the ground and you have no brakes with the ABS system working exactly as designed. If the software update mentioned above changed the cycle time, the problem can still happen but perhaps at different speeds or distance between washboard bumps. A nice gentle stop on a lazy summer afternoon turns into a panic situation. I have survived 55 years of driving on 4 and on 2 wheels without ABS. If I get killed in a braking situation, I want it to be MY fault, not from some mechanical marvel stealing my brakes while supposedly doing what it was engineered to do.

 

This seems to be a double-edged sword. Sometimes, when I come to a stop light on a highway where the pavement is wash-boarded, my ABS cycles. It happens so frequently that I can almost predict when it will happen depending on the road surface. Common sense tells me I should have slowed down sooner then chattering my tires coming to a stop. Good point? I'm cycling my ABS. Bad point? I only have about 10 square inches of rubber stopping me.
Ride smarter, keep up on your maintenance, remember that only a few have experienced this "issue" and many have not. For those of you that have had issues? I feel for you. But even the NTSB states they have received 43 complaints and very few injuries. Show me any vehicle with a perfect safety record.... 2 or 4 wheels. Does anyone remember the Volvo acceleration issue? Seriously.

 

"Ride smarter, keep up on your maintenance, remember that only a few have experienced this "issue" and many have not"

That is an infuriating comment. 1. When touring (on a touring machine) pretty well by definition you are in an unfamiliar area meaning you can't pre-plan for the rough spots, they catch you by surprise.
2. Not owning an ABS equipped machine, I don't know what information is provided to a first time owner, but I doubt that anywhere in the owner's manual is the warning that rough pavement may cause your ABS to cause total brake failure. You can't outsmart a weak point you don't KNOW about.

If I told someone to "ride smarter", it would be to develop the skills you need to stay alive and don't waste your money on electronic doohickies with hidden defects that can kill you. If your machine won't go, that's bad. but if it WON'T STOP, that's a lot worse. Take responsibility, don't become DEPENDENT on technology.

 

Loquacious, aren't we. You didn't say anything different, only elaborated on what has already been said. The threats stated on this thread are real. The probability of these threats are slim. I can be killed in my car or truck too. Ride at your own risk.

 

[QUOTE=Hate Work;15401417]Loquacious, aren't we. You didn't say anything different,

I merely addressed what I am confident was your heart felt suggestion (to ride smarter) but was impossible to actually use, and illustrated why. If you could have done so in fewer words, I am willing to learn.

 

The issue folks are complaining about with "todays" ABS is a problem on most motorcycles and cars. It's less noticeable on cars because the suspension is more forgiving with four wheels and more weight on a more balance suspension. But most BMWs, Yamahas, and Kawasaki's riders have the exact the same situation with their ABS. It's a simple matter of keeping both wheels on the ground at the same time.

Some here make such a big deal of the situation that they would consider choosing to not have ABS. I come from the non ABS world and have made unexpected "spirited" stops with and without the system. Using the brakes correctly in sudden emergency stops requires a lot of practice all the time because it's a perishable skill. Given a choice, I really like my ABS.

Beary