Pan European ABS - is it essential?

aidan13

Right guys, please help me with this one. I've dreamed of having this bike my whole life and now that I can get insured on it I want to go ahead and do it. The question is to get one with ABS or one without ABS. There is a couple of thousand euro difference in the price and I was wondering how vital is? I've never had a bike before that has had ABS so I don't know?

Any opinions?

Cuddlesworth

There is a slight feeling of a loss of control. Its hard to explain.

That being said, its a very heavy bike and if the front wheel locks I could see you going down very fast.

Quint

I have it on the GS. It works very well. Worth €2k? I don't think so. It's nice to have all right, but not worth the money

DonkeyRhubarb

I recently got a new Fazer and insisted having ABS. There was about 400 in the difference. My last two bike; the back wheel would lock up in rain. Too many near misses and I said when I had the option of getting ABS I would.

It is indeed a hard feeling to explain when the back ABS kicks in. On my bike anyway, the brake kicks your foot up slightly, preventing the wheel from locking. It may feel like a slight loss of control, but no doubt it's doing the job as I have not skidded once on this bike regardless of weather.

I would say, however, that for 2000 your either getting a lot more than just ABS or your comparing a new bike to a second hand one.

Quint

DonkeyRhubarb wrote: »

I recently got a new Fazer and insisted having ABS. There was about 400 in the difference. My last two bike; the back wheel would lock up in rain. Too many near misses and I said when I had the option of getting ABS I would.

It is indeed a hard feeling to explain when the back ABS kicks in. On my bike anyway, the brake kicks your foot up slightly, preventing the wheel from locking. It may feel like a slight loss of control, but no doubt it's doing the job as I have not skidded once on this bike regardless of weather.

I would say, however, that for 2000 your either getting a lot more than just ABS or your comparing a new bike to a second hand one.

At €400 it's worth it. My brakes are linked, so i just use the front and it automatically applies the back too, so it never locks up and abs never kicks in.
Works different on my bike, when it kicks in the brakes are automaticly turned on and off really quickly. It sort of feels like you're losing braking power. On the old GS1150 (2002 i think) they were rubbish, they would go on if you braked on a bump on a perfectly good surface in the dry! These ones are 100 times better, they just turn on when you're genuinely losing traction.
Although, when you get used to having them and you ride a bike without them you feel vunerable, especially when breaking in on a wet road

P.C.

If it is a new bike, I can't see the difference being 2 thousand.
I think ABS and combined brakes are standard on the new Pans.

This means that you are looking at a second hand bike.

I think ABS is great, and got a bike with ABS.
But, it does depend on your budget.

If you can afford it, get ABS.

The Doktor

Are you talking about the ST1300 or the ST1100?

aidan13

The Doktor wrote: »

Are you talking about the ST1300 or the ST1100?

It's an ST 1100

The Doktor

Well if its an ST1100 you are after, there is no real difference in price between ABS or non ABS. Its just about finding the right bike.
Just having a quick look at bikes for sale, there are bikes of the same year, and similar miles with and without ABS for the same money.

I had an 1100 without ABS, it was great... i now have a 1300 with ABS, id much prefer having the ABS, as it also has linked brakes if you go for one newer than 1996..

Apologies in advance if it seems like I'm taking the piss here(I'm not) but of all the bikes in all the world, you've dreamed of getting the pan european?

Paparazzo

Deleted User wrote: »

Apologies in advance if it seems like I'm taking the piss here(I'm not) but of all the bikes in all the world, you've dreamed of getting the pan european?

If you like going on long drives, the pan is a fantastic bike. Some people dream of Harleys. That would be considered a more normal "dream bike", but if I was to have 1 bike, I'd pick a pan ahead of a harley any day!

The Doktor

Deleted User wrote: »

Apologies in advance if it seems like I'm taking the piss here(I'm not) but of all the bikes in all the world, you've dreamed of getting the pan european?

Just cos its not your cup of tea doesnt mean other people dont love them.
If i had to have only one bike.. it would be a pan.

galwaytt

ABS has saved my bacon on at least two occasions. I'd have it every time.