Have you used your ABS?

[boris696]

I work for a large insurance company, but I work in IT so I don't deal with the business side much.  I've participated in their motorcycle enthusiast group, where they talk about all kinds of things like safety products, new innovative products, how much we ride and what products we'd accept from our insurance company as tracking/safety features for discounts.  BTW...our group consist of 8 Harley's, 2 other cruisers and a 2009 Street TripleR and my 2016 FJ-09.
 
One of the insurance guys stopped me in the gym to talk about ABS, he used to ride sport bikes.  He said they were thinking of offering discount for safety features like ABS, which is great! 
 
His question was, have you every used your ABS?  Is it like a cars ABS?  (because that'd be scary)  
 
I told him about how video's I've seen on youtube clearly show the benefit of ABS systems on motorcycles, but I had never used mine to my knowledge.  I have broke pretty hard twice for deer, but neither time did I actually lock the back wheel and feel the slide/chirp of hitting it to hard or see a light incidicator.  On my 04 FZ1 I had lock the rear tire a few times braking hard for objects in the road.
 
So FJ-09 forum members.  Have you ever used your ABS?  Do you have a story or can help explain how it felt?  I assume the FJ has a light indicator like the traction control does (I have tested that)? Please share your experience and/or story, as I'm interested to know.
 
 
 

[estell]

I braked suddenly on a wet road when a car stopped in front of me. It wasn't a gradual brake that would have transferred weight to the front. I felt the front brake lever pulse a few times. The tire maintained traction. I didn't experience any loss of control. Two thumbs up!
 
The ABS light indicator comes on after start up and before you move. I don't know if it comes on when the system intervenes, but that isn't necessary because you can feel the pulsing.
The rear ABS worked when I tested it in a parking lot. In that case, enough weight had transferred to the front tire that the rear tire wasn't carrying much weight anymore.

[caferacer]

I've experienced the ABS working on the FJ-09 a couple times when braking for other vehicles unexpectedly swerving into my lane ahead of me. I do not notice the front action, but the rear brake pedal definitely does kick back, and chirp, a lot! To answer your question, it feels very similar as a car brake pedal on the foot quickly depressing in rapid succession. In my opinion, it engaged way before the wheel would have locked on a non-ABS bike.

[boris696]

Ahh you're correct the ABS light does come on when you start it.  I believe the manual says that lights goes off at 3 or 6 miles per hour.  
 
Here is the video I watched that convinced me that ABS is amazing.  This guys had to be a little crazy.
 
 

[wessie]

Rear ABS comes on often - I often go down one steep hill with a 90 degree 2nd gear corner at the bottom of the hill so the rear tends to lock up on down changes as there is so little weight on the contact patch. This causes the rear brake pedal to pulse.
 
Front ABS has only come on once - that was exactly where you would want it to come on, approaching a roundabout in France where there was a white painted pedestrian crossing. I found the French paint their roads with gloss paint that is very slippery in the wet. In the UK we add some form of grit so the white paint has some grip.
 
In the EU, ABS has been compulsory on every new bike over 124cc since the beginning of this year. Of course, all of the old ones are still legal so maybe an insurance discount might persuade people to choose an ABS version over a non-ABS one.

[bobaintstoppin]

Getting off the interstate recently for a gas stop I was approaching the stop sign at the end of the ramp.  Turns out there was diesel fuel spilled on the pavement at irregular intervals.  Kind of like at every tire rotation.  I didn't realize what it was until the front abs kicked in.  The bike stayed perfectly straight and I came to a fine stop.  I don't think I would have gone down in this case, as there was good pavement between each spot of fuel on the road.  But the abs made the whole thing a non event.
 
My main desire for abs is the rear brake lock up in a panic stop.  That's something I just do in an emergency and the abs prevents a fall in that situation.  However, on my FJ, the back brake can't lock up the wheel.  I've bled at the caliper with no improvement.  Need to pull the tank and try the abs bleed location, assuming there is one.  Will get to it one of these days.

[wessie]

Getting off the interstate recently for a gas stop I was approaching the stop sign at the end of the ramp.  Turns out there was diesel fuel spilled on the pavement at irregular intervals.  Kind of like at every tire rotation.  I didn't realize what it was until the front abs kicked in.  The bike stayed perfectly straight and I came to a fine stop.  I don't think I would have gone down in this case, as there was good pavement between each spot of fuel on the road.  But the abs made the whole thing a non event. 
My main desire for abs is the rear brake lock up in a panic stop.  That's something I just do in an emergency and the abs prevents a fall in that situation.  However, on my FJ, the back brake can't lock up the wheel.  I've bled at the caliper with no improvement.  Need to pull the tank and try the abs bleed location, assuming there is one.  Will get to it one of these days.

Yes, something wrong there. My rear brake is very capable of locking the rear.

[fddriver2]

My main desire for abs is the rear brake lock up in a panic stop.  That's something I just do in an emergency and the abs prevents a fall in that situation.  However, on my FJ, the back brake can't lock up the wheel.  I've bled at the caliper with no improvement.  Need to pull the tank and try the abs bleed location, assuming there is one.  Will get to it one of these days.

Yes, something wrong there. My rear brake is very capable of locking the rear. 
Read more: http://fj-09.org/post/46735/quote/4126#ixzz4HX8SReDQ
 
 
Am I missing something? ABS will prevent lock up... Unless it has failed or it's disconnected....
I can't make either wheel on my FJ lock up, and I'm fine with that....
 

[wessie]

My main desire for abs is the rear brake lock up in a panic stop.  That's something I just do in an emergency and the abs prevents a fall in that situation.  However, on my FJ, the back brake can't lock up the wheel.  I've bled at the caliper with no improvement.  Need to pull the tank and try the abs bleed location, assuming there is one.  Will get to it one of these days.

Yes, something wrong there. My rear brake is very capable of locking the rear. 
Read more: http://fj-09.org/post/46735/quote/4126#ixzz4HX8SReDQ
 
 
Am I missing something? ABS will prevent lock up... Unless it has failed or it's disconnected....
I can't make either wheel on my FJ lock up, and I'm fine with that....

 
let me clarify - my rear brake is very capable of locking up the rear wheel for the miniscule fraction of a second before the ABS cuts in - not only going down a steep hill but on a straight, flat road i.e. the rear brake is capable of bringing the bike to a full stop by itself, quite rapidly in a sub 30mph urban environment

[db5304]

I've not seen my ABS light come on while riding, but I can say getting upwards of 5k on my rear and with how hot it has been lately, I know its skit a bit, so I'm sure I've used the ABS. If I was ever in the situation where I might lock up the front, I would be insanely greatful for it. I would have avoided my crash on my fz6r had it had ABS (newer rider going into a corner with gravel). I think the biggest safety benefit for most day driving on this bike however, is the traction control. I know I've used that. Lots of larger stones on the road here that i've hit that I don't know if it is my TCS that keeps me perfectly in line or I'm just used to them by now. ALso the slick strips on the road when wet (paint, tar, and bridge connectors). But that is not even where i get it the most. It is when I punch the throttle and the front tire comes off the ground for a bit, that I use almost every day.

[keithu]

I've had my ABS kick in for the rear wheel while practicing emergency braking. During rapid stops the rear wheel sometimes lifts off the ground, at which point the wheel locks. I can feel the ABS activate when this happens.

[bobaintstoppin]

To clarify. If I stand on the rear brake it will very gently slow the bike down.  It's really only of use in a parking lot to trim speed or stop in a parking space.  I tried bleeding at the caliper and got no air at all and no change in braking.  So there is no way I can activate the abs as the brake now operates.  I will try bleeding at the abs pump (assuming this is possible) next time I have the tank off.  Hopefully this will fix the spongy pedal and weak performance.  Will report when I try this, but mostly I just want to ride the bike these days.  Too old to have the desire to work on stuff in the garage anymore.

[boris696]

So it seems like the front is smooth than the rear when you actually get to ABS.  I wonder if that has to do with the weight distribution.  Under heavy braking the rear tire probably lift off the ground a little making the ABS lock the wheel easier causing the ABS to chirp which you feel in the lever. 
 
As far as getting a discount on insurance for having ABS.  A friend mentioned yesterday that he thought there should be a way to get a discount for being a rider who wears gear all the time.  Since I'm one of those guys that sounded great.  Surely someone who wears gear is less of an insurance liability than someone who doesn't wear any?!

[fddriver2]

Thank you for the clarification...

[boris696]

Also found this article today. It's a good read about how ABS has advanced and works now.
 
https://rideapart.com/articles/motorcycle-abs-work