Should I buy a FZ6 S2 without ABS?

[Cloggy]

I bought my 2007 with ABS as I commute and ride in the rain and cold conditions, having said that I have never had to use it.
IMO it does give you more confidence braking in certain conditions, but you shouldn't get over confident and should still try to avoid grabbing a handfull of brakes if possible. As has been stated if you know how to use your brakes you can generally get yourself out of a tricky situation, but the truth of the matter is that it's difficult to avoid a knee jerk reaction in a tight spot (for me anyway).

Having said all that I think that bike looks really smart (I really love the lower fairing):thumbup: If that bike is on offer for a nice price I wouldn't let the lack of ABS stop me buying it.

If you can buy the same bike with ABS and still afford it I would do so, if not it's not a problem. Your best defense on the road is yourself, if you ride defensively (this does not mean slow) and expect other road users to do the unexpected you should be OK.

I'm sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs (you didn't say how much riding experience you have had).

Good luck on making the right decision :thumbup:

 

[steveindenmark]

As George points out, there are points for and against or advantages and disadvantages.

At the end of the day you will never get a definitive answer for this question. You just have to read all the comments and make your own decision but there are topics like this where we all "agree to disagree"

I would buy it.

Steve

 

[ebk71]

Thanks for all those reply's, I never opened a topic with so many reactions:thumbup:

I would not expect THE ANSWER. But it gives some useful thoughts.
About my riding experience:
18 dec. 2007 driving license
5 Jan. 2008 Bought a Thundercat
Used it for fun and commuting in heavy traffic
2 Dec. 2008 after doing about 6800 mile : Crashed it probably due to a slippery road combined with steering and braking very light(just touched the brakes)

Would ABS helped me in this situation? I don't think so. But ABS is a nice feature. My feeling for this bike interfears with my common sense........

 

[Ashbone]

would ABS give you a false sense of security braking or does it really work that well as in a car? I have never ridden a bike with it so I wouldn't know, if I had the choice between the two my head tells me to go with the ABS even though I never tried one.....Brainwashing or simple physics, this is an interesting thread.

 

[GConn]

CanadianFZ6 created a new thread with a video. Have a look
http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-videos/11103-demo-video-abs-braking-motorcycle.html

 

[Ashbone]

Whoa!!!! That is an excellent demo, from that one video there would be no question ABS for me I'm sold, or at least those funky frame sliders with the wheels, hmmmm I wonder if there might be a market out there for all of us that dont have ABS!! LOL:thumbup::thumbup:

 

[YamahaMAXdRPMs]

i wish my bike had ABS...

ABS does stand for AIR BAG SYSTEM right??? hehe :squid: :thumbup:

 

[Nelly]

There's a FZ6 S2 (see photo) available from 2007 without ABS.
Normally they come with ABS (Netherlands). Is this a buy or not buy?
If I would sell it, should someone buy it? After a crash I'm very interested in ABS but it's no miracle solution.

It comes down to this my friend. Do you want abs or not?
Your road conditions may well be a lot more reliable in terms of grip tahn ours?
I live in the UK its 1C above freezing where I am in the morning. I would swap my left arm for abs at the moment.
work out what you want and need then but that it.

Nelly

 

[ready2goriding]

FWIW- The '09 CBR1000 is available with ABS. It is timed to come into play VERY late in the braking cycle, in order to preserve the sportbike feeling, but just in time to save your a$$. Maybe a very good rersearch point? (How late does it hit?) Hope this helps, ready

 

[Fz6Sa]

"Insurance Institute for Highway Safety" just published a survey showing that a motorcyclist WITH ABS has 38% lesser chance of getting into a death accident than a motorcyclist without ABS.

They have compared accident statistics on Honda, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha bikes that are available both with and without ABS on the American market, and can also conclude that the payouts to ABS drivers was 21% lower due to much less damage to both bike and driver. They also see a considerably lower number of impacts in the ABS group.

I know that you always can argue with statistics, - arguments like "Its only older more experienced drivers that bye ABS, and they are simply better drivers" are bound to come up, and to some extend I would accept these. But they can newer account for almost 40% difference!

Therefore I have to state again: In my mind there is NO doubt, - ABS saves lives, and if you have the option/possibility to get ABS - GET IT!!

 

[StratLCFZ6]

I've never ridden a bike with ABS, but the standard brakes work excellently, and I wouldn't hesitate on buying the bike because it doesn't have ABS.

 

[Rob2222]

Hi all,

I drive motorcycle since 14 years now, and I am driving almost in any conditions. The motorcycle is my main and only vehicle. But I try to avoid ice and snow cause it raises the risk of damaging my bike exponentially imho. In that 14 years I had 2 low speed crashes and 2 high speed crashes. Before the last high speed crash (deer accident, no chance to brake, with 100km/h - 62mph, ABS had not could help here) I drove 10 years accident free and feel very safe (regarding my biking experience) on my bike.
But I really!!! think that 90% of the bikers can't fullfill a accurate emergency brake in an chaotic emergency situation. I think that even with my 14 years experience (and I really enjoy hard accelerating and braking) I will not match the optimum braking pressure.
I think in a emergency situation where you just have millisecs to react, you will brake to hard (and touch down) or brake to low (cause you know how hard the bike is to handle if the front wheel started to slide).

I just switched from a FZ6 without ABS to a FZ6 with ABS and wow .... what is this for a difference. I had to play with my new goodie (ABS) and its easy to get it in regulation as soon the street is a little wet. After feeling comfortable with hitting the rear brake full until the ABS starts, I started to practice to use the front brake until the ABS starts. THIS is anyhow strange. After 14 years learning how to brake good front without going down, to hit the front brake full. But as the first fear was gone, I really love it. I was really happy about the system that I provoke the ABS to start at almost every traffic light.
My opinion is you can't practice emergency maneuvers often enough and you have to "know" your bike.

The (my) positives of ABS are:
a) You brake (much) stronger in any situation cause you did not have to fear wheel locks.
b) You (I) feel MUCH! more relaxed while riding in bad conditions, like rain aso. Even this more relaxed feel is a really big safety aspect imho.

It's a very very very good feeling to know you have ABS under your butt. I think this can only understand riders that had a touchdown cause a slipping front wheel.

But even ABS can't safe your ass when you go to fast (or to deep) in a turn where the street is slippery.

I even would not say "only buy a bike with ABS" BUT I REALLY HAVE TO DISAGREE with some meanings like "ahh, you probably wont need it" or that it depends on the bike type if you need it or not.

The best braking performance is short before the lock. And this counts for EVERY bike. Its hard to match this even with experience and I think it's almost impossible to match this in an emergency situation.

ABS is a real safety aspect and WILL save your ass in some situations. The only question is, if you will come in such a situation or not OR what are the correct numbers of the lottery next weekend.

So the final question for the thread starter is "You want more safety or not". And to answer this question you must have some riding experience and a feeling which situations can occur and how the propabilities for that situation are. For me the result was: I want it! and I sold my FZ6 without ABS. Even where ABS just would have saved my ass in 1 of my 4 crashes.

For me the answer to your question is: Try to get a good FZ6 with ABS. If you can't get another bike, purchase the FZ6, cause a FZ6 without ABS is still much better than no FZ6.
But try to get a ABS one if you have the chance to.

Best regards
Robert

 

[barrysheenefan]

I am an ex racer and have always thought abs was a bit of a joke on a bike. But I can tell you it has saved me in the wet a couple of times so if it save's you once its worth every cent of the extra cost.

Richie