worm~hole
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posted November 17, 2007 05:50 AM
 Edited By: worm~hole on 17 Nov 2007 08:03
C14-ABS
...who has one with ABS?...what do you think of the C14's ABS?...have had the opportuity to reap its benefits?...would it be better if there was a disable switch for when you 'think' you're not going to 'need' or want it?....hmmmm....
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fish_antlers
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posted November 17, 2007 07:22 AM
it's a pretty big bike... I've got no complaints with the ABS on the connie 
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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nabrxx
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posted November 17, 2007 07:43 AM
No ABS here, I had it on a bmw rsl in 96....I didnt like it. I dont think its an option for me...I might even pay NOT to have it,,,just another bit of complication on a bike...just my opinion.
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worm~hole
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posted November 17, 2007 08:06 AM
...fish....what do you lke about it?
...nabrxx...what didn't you like about BMW's ABS?
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
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-George Orwell
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fish_antlers
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posted November 17, 2007 09:53 AM
quote:
...fish....what do you lke about it?
...nabrxx...what didn't you like about BMW's ABS?
again... I like the fact that it's there. The connie is a big bike.
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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worm~hole
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posted November 17, 2007 10:19 AM
...have you actually experienced its mechanical benefits as oppsoed to its psychological benefits?...ie. has it saved your from an impending crash into the pavement or immovable object?...seriously...
...I know ABS in my cars have provided me with more control in certain braking/turning situations beyond threshold braking when it could gone badly when it got out of hand via operator error...not often, but enough to appreciate its merits...
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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garvin6
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posted November 17, 2007 09:08 PM
I have a c-14 ABS and have experienced it's great stopping power. Just today on the way to the intl. motorcycle show in san mateo, I was coming off 880 at jackson to access the san mateo bridge and ran into stopped traffic just out of my view. Was trying to beat the guy next to me to the end of the lane merge and was surprised with brake lights, grabbed a handful and stopped on a dime, just clear of the bumper in front of me. It works and is worth the expense.
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Kevin F. Garvin
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worm~hole
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posted November 17, 2007 10:51 PM
...so did you actually feel the ABS kick in or did you reach threshold braking and stopped just in time?....if the ABS did kick in, what did it feel like?....was it all front brake or did you use the rear as well?
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
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who would do us harm.”
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fish_antlers
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posted November 17, 2007 11:09 PM
quote:
...so did you actually feel the ABS kick in or did you reach threshold braking and stopped just in time?....if the ABS did kick in, what did it feel like?...
It felt a lot like you asking the same question over and over.
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What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?
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nabrxx
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posted November 18, 2007 06:11 AM
Im sure , like all things tech, that it has improved since I had it. On the beemer , it seemed like it came on to soon and had the annoying trait of "dropping into error mode"...the best brakes Ive ever dealt with were the linked system on the blackbird...I shit you not..I could stop so hard on that bike that I saw spots in front of my eyes. I feel the only real help ABS can give an experienced rider is in the rare "panic error"...or in the rain, in circumstances he or she is unaccustomed to...like mountain riding. Other than that... for me...I try to stay cool , and practice my emergency stopping. In the rain...I ride slower...and short-shift to stay out of "wheelspin" zone...the brakes on the conny are excellent, maybe a bit touchy for a rookie...this bike stops well even though it is a bit heavier that what Im used to...the "feel" is great!!
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worm~hole
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posted November 18, 2007 09:21 AM
quote:
quote:
...so did you actually feel the ABS kick in or did you reach threshold braking and stopped just in time?....if the ABS did kick in, what did it feel like?...
It felt a lot like you asking the same question over and over.
...ok, then fishbreath, you don't have to answer....why don't you put yourself on the naughty chair for a bit and let those with a bit more patience than you answer the question instead of saying shit like "its a heavy bike"....schia!  ....no shit Sherlock...we get it it....tis a heavy bike...heavier than your 1098, even...but what does its weight have to do with how ABS works on the bike, any bike...ok, I'll give you that if a hevy bike falls over then it takes that much more effort to right it up than a lighter bike IF ABS actually prevented you from letting ti fall on its side to begin with, comprende', putohead?
...anyways...I know how ABS feels on a four-wheeled vehicle, how its slips and releases and its effects on steering and eventual control....and I'm going to assume that ABS on a two-wheeled motorcycle is most effective when the bike is straight up with its rider having to only deal with stopping and straight-up balancing and not banked over or leaned over cuz if it slips and releases while in that attitude it might or will put you and the bike on your sides....
...or will it?....given that MOST folks don't practive emergency braking manuevers, will it help the rider keep that bike from falling over by allowing a bit of control?...or will it low-side anyway at that attitude during ts slip mode?...
....clear enough, fishtaco? 
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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worm~hole
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posted November 18, 2007 09:32 AM
quote:
Im sure , like all things tech, that it has improved since I had it. On the beemer , it seemed like it came on to soon and had the annoying trait of "dropping into error mode"...the best brakes Ive ever dealt with were the linked system on the blackbird...I shit you not..I could stop so hard on that bike that I saw spots in front of my eyes. I feel the only real help ABS can give an experienced rider is in the rare "panic error"...or in the rain, in circumstances he or she is unaccustomed to...like mountain riding. Other than that... for me...I try to stay cool , and practice my emergency stopping. In the rain...I ride slower...and short-shift to stay out of "wheelspin" zone...the brakes on the conny are excellent, maybe a bit touchy for a rookie...this bike stops well even though it is a bit heavier that what Im used to...the "feel" is great!!
....good answer, nabrxxx, very helpful in helping some of us understand how ABS feels on two-wheeled vehicles...I hear some California dealers say, "You don't need ABS in California!"....and I say, "Dude, this is a long-distance sport-tourer and it will not always be ridden within the confines of sunny California! "...I like to think that the interface between my brain and my right hand/right foot is my free and built-in ABS, but I can only imagine that its a good thing to have the C-14's ABS and not need it then to need it and not have it, yes?....hey its only a few bucks more that I'd spend on eating out in a year, so why not?
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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wormgear
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posted November 18, 2007 06:12 PM
copy from an earlier post
In one of my first posts, back in mid August, right after I got home with the bike I mentioned that I had a good "on my way home from the dealer" story. Well I'm finally getting around to typing it out.
I picked up my brand-new C14-abs Sunday morning in Little Falls MN and started heading south, home to Houston. Rain and plenty of it, but I was expecting it, had to get home and had the gear to deal with it. I played around with the abs within the first 25 miles so I'd know what to expect if I needed it. Nice I thought, seemed to work well with a soft and unobtrusive feel to it. What I didn't plan on was pulling the biggest bonehead, brain dead screw-up I've ever made on a motorcycle. Ok, to be honest, one of the biggest.
So like I said, lots of rain. I had ridden less than 200 miles and I had to make an exit. I may have been somewhat mesmerized by the rain and the road but for some reason I looked down at the gauges as I started onto the ramp and somehow managed to stick my head up my ass. When I pulled out and looked up I was much too straight up and fast to make the curve and I went straight off the ramp at maybe 45 mph. There I discovered a long fairly steep downhill slope covered with foot long wet grass. Well at this point I was pretty freaked and I'm sure my ass was trying to swallow the seat. I hit the front brake hard putting all faith in the abs. I'm not sure that I touched the rear brake at all. Then I saw a big rock right in my path and was thinking "shit, I don't wanna turn right now". But I did and cleared the rock. It seemed to take forever for the bike to stop but I just kept thinking, well you're still up, still up, still up. And I WAS up all the way, finally stopping about 200 ft. off the road and down the hill. With a lot of adrenalin pumping I managed to get her turned around and carefully and immediately back up the hill. I was impressed! And I'll bet the guy in the car behind me that stopped to watch was too. First impressed with the fact that I didn't go down. Then with the realization that I never felt the wheel slide at all. I'm pretty sure that would have been the last thing I felt before the thud. I never even felt the abs working and I'm pretty sure I had a death grip on the brake lever.
To sum it up, the abs works well. I hope I never use it again.
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TedG
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posted November 18, 2007 08:38 PM
Edited By: TedG on 20 Nov 2007 20:22
My first take on the ABS was no way, I don't want anything between me and my brakes. I push them hard, I late brake into fast corners, trail brake, and generally slide the bike around. I go through rear pads as fast as I do fronts (that is from being a flat tracker). BUT if I had to do it over again, after reading how well the C14s ABS brakes work, I would opt for them and just learn how to use them. On a sport bike, riding in the rain is pretty much insane, but on this thing it is a matter of the right riding gear. Yesterday I went from Reno to Truckee to Sierraville to Downieville to Nevada City then 20 to 80 and back home. The roads between Downieville and 80 were intermittently damp and those B021s work like shit. Downright fuckin dangerous. I am getting a set of Michelin Pilot Road 2s. The deal is it would be dry for a stretch and I would start riding faster, generally accelerating to between 85 and 100 plus between corners, then if a corner and the lead in was damp you really have to brake hard to get to a sane damp speed. The ABS would have been awesome, I locked up the front on several occasions (nothing big mind you, but enough to drain ones confidence). Anyway I think they are a great idea. And I didn't think I was going all that fast until I looked at the speedo, this damn thing doesn't give you any indication your are hauling ass.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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worm~hole
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posted November 18, 2007 09:51 PM
...thanks for the ABS feedback, wormgear and TedG....those are the kinds of opinions I was seeking to help me decide whether or not ABS makes a difference on a bike, any bike....and now I'm reading that it is quite possibly a very good thing, especially the way Kawasaki has their's set up..shit, ABS and a slipper clutch....next thing you know the 2010 C14 will have some kind of traction control and make a regular rider like me look good in all conditions
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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worm~hole
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posted November 18, 2007 10:04 PM
...hey wormgear...your story of how you took delivery of your C14 on a rainy day reminded me of when I took delivery of my new Z1-B back in '75 in Ashville, NC...rode four hours in pouring rain from Ashville to Fayetteville in G.I. issued leather combat boots, Levis jeans and jacket, a sweatshirt andt-shirt, a Bell Star-120 helmet, G.I. issued leather gloves and a free lime green Kawasaki nylon jacket...it was wet and cold, but I didn't care...I was finally on my dream ride 
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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nabrxx
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posted November 19, 2007 07:05 AM
I would like to try it out. Its a shame most of the japanese dealers dont give test rides. Im sure tech has improved since I experienced my 96 beemer. I hope I didnt imply that abs was for pussies or anything....that would be a prime jinx...I opted for simpler, and what Im familiar with....the zx14 didnt have the option...and I never missed it....wormgear and ted, thanks for the insight.....Fish, you get to ride everything, did you get the opportunity to ride both the abs model AND the non abs model?
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worm~hole
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posted November 19, 2007 07:51 AM
quote:
quote:
...so did you actually feel the ABS kick in or did you reach threshold braking and stopped just in time?....if the ABS did kick in, what did it feel like?...
It felt a lot like you asking the same question over and over.
....don't bother asking fish such simple questions, nabrxx...he apprently has no patience to answer these types of simple questions...its just too simple for him, not technical enough...to be safe, maybe you should ask him if you can ask him the question in the first place 
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“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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wormgear
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posted November 19, 2007 08:00 AM
One other thing about the C14 ABS, The more you need them the less you notice them. What I mean is if you're on a slick surface and they activate you can hardly feel them. If you try to lock em up on a dry surface you will definitely feel them pulsing hard. In my experience on dry roads they never actuate unless you try to make them. Any normal, up to very heavy braking on dry roads they stay out of the picture.
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GodDamnit there's always such a big temptation to be good, to be good! (Tom Waits)
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worm~hole
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posted November 19, 2007 08:02 AM
...another good and useful insight, wormgear....and that's what I was hoping they'd feel like and do....thanks!
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garvin6
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posted November 19, 2007 08:47 AM
The ABS brakes didn't give a certain feel other than giving me the confidence to be able to stop or slow way down in all situations without having worry about that part of my ride (where ever that might be). What I did not feel was a skidding tire as I slide into the car that I am trying to avoid. This bike with ABS brakes just gives me that much more peace of mind as I tear up the roads and have a blast doing so.
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Kevin F. Garvin
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worm~hole
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posted November 19, 2007 09:11 AM
...thank you....
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DLRPH
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posted November 19, 2007 08:49 PM
ABS
I'm new to this site, just picked up my C14 last month with 2300 awesome miles so far. More on that later. I just want to throw in my $0.02 worth on ABS. I traded in my 04 FJR1300ABS on the C14, even though that bike saved my life. I was coming down Sonora Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mtns at 40mph heading toward a sharp left corner, with a blind left side approach and a 50ft drop on the right with no guardrail. What I thought was water or heat reflection on the road turned out to be a 1/4 mile long, 3 ft wide OIL spill,which the Sheriff's office thought was dumped out of the back of a pickup with a 50 gal drum of oil. I hit that oil and immediately started sliding ass-end right towards the dropoff. Instincts just said hit the brakes-when I did the bike immediately straightened out and I was able to come to a controlled stop in about a 2 ft wide clean area of road just short of the dropoff. My friend behind me saw me throw up a 10ft high rooster tail of oil-didn't know what it was just knew he didn't want any part of it and went left blindly. Missed the oil and fortunately noone was coming the other direction. My other friend on his Goldwing wasn't so lucky and went down hard sliding left off the road. Broke a couple bones and about $8000 worth of his Wing.
Now there is NO way I'm that good of a rider to stop safely in that much oil on skill alone, nor is anyone else. The fact is I'm alive now because ABS modulated the brakes much faster than any human ever could, allowing a sometimes longer stop but almost always allows the rider to maintain STEERING control.
Riders that think they can stop better than ABS are only correct if they are professionally skilled on a controlled course like a track with PERFECT road conditions. In the real world, oil,water,ice,gravel,sand,antifreeze,rotting leaves,etc are what we deal with and NOBODY stops in that stuff better without ABS.
Technophobes and other skeptics-read up on the science if you don't believe me, but I'm living proof. I will NEVER own another bike without ABS!
If one rider out there hears this and chooses ABS I will be a happy guy.
Ride safe
Dirk
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DIRK A LEHEW
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worm~hole
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posted November 20, 2007 02:34 AM
...I will do my best ot make you happy...uh...wait...that didn't sound right  ..but you know what I mean. ....that's a good recall of what happened and how ABS contributed to your safety...maybe the motorcycle industry will make "switchable ABS" standard equipment on all of its bikes one day and really really make you happy...and...make it affordable, too, to make the rest of us super duper happy.... thanks for the info!
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
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