No. Bad system. They are only good on perfectly smooth even pavement, any other surface and you're not going to stop, as a matter of fact your stopping distance will increase so much you could end up going thru an intersection, or worse. I wont own a bike with it.

 

After having conducted numerous tests of motorcycle ABS systems in my role as a LEO traffic accident reconstructionist, I would not own another bike without ABS. It ain't the better stopping (although in most real case scenarios they do stop faster) but the fact that while at maximum braking you can still steer, counter steer, and remain upright that sells it to me.

 

get it, you have it on your old bike so no issues, just get it

 

Get it, no ifs, ands, or buts. There will always be the naysayers, ie: it takes longer to stop on gravel. But I dare say that 99.9% of miles put on these bikes is on pavement. (At least nobody I know has done a 1000 mile trip where 995 of them have been on gravel). Just when you ride on other surfaces, be extra careful, but that should be the case anyhow.

As with any advance in technology or knowledge, there always will be detractors. I didn't like ABS on the first car I had with it, but very quickly I learned to like it. On my car, the ABS helps me stop quicker in panic situations on gravel, snow, and ice, thus I assume it will do the same for my street glide.

 

Sorry about your friend Spence, may he be at peace.

The accident you decribed is similar to what happened to me a couple of years ago, but the bike didn't skid until I was almost stopped. It is an amazing feeling when you high side. You know you should stay with the bike, but there's nothing you can do, you just fly. Ended up with just a broken rib, but I knew I was lucky. That was the main reason I traded my 07 for an 09, to get the ABS brakes.

Studies have shown a 38% drop in fatalities in ABS bikes, vs. similar bikes without ABS. Hard to argue with numbers like that.

 

I vote: Yay.

 

Well they have only been making them since 08 so I am skeptical to read so many say they wouldn't buy a bike without it. Guess they just started riding Harleys, huh? Don't care what other bikes have. I been riding Harley since drum brake days and plan to stick with em. You ride what you want to.

 

I've been on a Harley since 1984, man have they come a long way! If I didn't own a Harley, it would be a BMW. Why? cause of ABS! Its about time Harley has put ABS on there customer bikes. Police bikes have had them for a while, how long I can't remember x-actly. I got involved in ABATE back in 1989. Did alot of cool things when they moved into my region back then, but having a bike with ABS gives me that added little bonus that I really thought of alot in certain situations, I knew was missing b/4! If you do your homework, when a rider goes down cause of a lock up from having to brake suddenly and hard, the bike does WEIRD things. Its not pretty to watch, but with ABS, its more tolerable to watch. And could even give you that little edge, that Non ABS bikes don't have!

 

worth the money wouldnt get another bike without hem

 

I bought my 08 without ABS. I never had a bike that had ABS so I didn't think much about it. After a close encounter with a van - it was a miss but a near miss - I have reconsidered my choice. I went in to talk about trading for an 09 with ABS but so far we can't get together on a price.

I would recommend ABS. From reading here, I think it is a very wise choice.