urm... yes and know.
I'm a believer in the "a good rider is smarter than the machine" concept, but everyone has a moment when their not concentrating 100% and has to react quickly.
You will not be able to have the same circumstances for an accident twice. so it's hard to quantify if ABS would have stopped an experienced rider quicker than his own reactions and feel for the bike.
I've had a bike with C-ABS (Honda idea) where the ABS controls both front and rear brake like on any other ABS bikes, but pressing the rear brake also controlled the middle of the 3 pistons on the LHS front caliper.
A very weird set up, that took some getting used to, but in the end a system that gave you confidence it would work. But would I choose a bike with ABS over and Non-ABS bike if the option was there... yeah sure, providing the price is right.
I've Locked the front many a time, it's all about reacting correctly. For many a locked wheel increases the panic in their mind and makes them grab the lever more- resulting in an off. If you reduce pressure on the lever the wheel will once again rotate. Only Time I have ever come off due to locking a wheel is in mud, offroad. It's all about feel and being relaxed.
ABS is a good system to have, but none of my current bikes have it, nor would I go out there and spend money to fit the system if the option was available.
For new riders it's a safety net that is drilled into you that the ABS will save you if you just grab the lever and press as hard as you can. Not the case on a Non-ABS bike.
When I did my training on a CBF500 with ABS the instructor told us to go into the yard and doing about 30mph stamp on the back brake and grab the front as hard as we could... Never locked a wheel- the ABS kicked in and stopped up. I did need a change on underwear.
Would It have stopped me in a real emergency is anyone's guess.
Most bike down occasions are attributable to: too much speed, lack of awareness, target fixation then running off the road, getting hit by someone else- SMIDSY or overtaking and hitting something coming the other way. ABS would not help in any of these cases.
Ride defensively, and regard everyone on the road as an idiot and presume they are going to try and kill you.
Take on board the fact the 17 year old playing with their phone, listening to loud music and shouting at the passengers in the car and trying to show off will sustain zero injuries when they pull out of a side road into you and killing you. And as they didn't get hurt won't give a s***.
My main concern is "what the feck the moron in the KA is doing", not weather my bike has ABS. Not putting yourself in positions of increased risk and being more observant than those around you will help keep you out of trouble, ABS can only help you when you're already in it.
