abs vs non abs

Im looking to buy a used 05-06 gs1200. What is the cost difference for a non abs model. I have never had abs before on a bike and I was pretty excited about the bikes I have seen for sale have all had abs. I found a 06 gs NON-ABS with 700 miles on it for 13000. The bike has the bmw hard cases top and sides , valve cover protectors, tourtech fog lights. Is the abs that great that I will regret not buying a bike with abs. I appreciate any opinions on this matter. Thanks

Buy it!! Nice price too.
I've got an '07GS Adventure non-ABS and don't miss it one minute!!
Buy-Ride and Enjoy!!!

You don't miss ABS until that one time you might need it. No matter how good a rider you are ABS is awesome and can save your ass. If available I would never buy a bike without it.

Plus one on that..or I would consider the bike that the OP posted above that's in the classified section.....

Not saying anything against ABS (had it on a few bikes),but usually when the ABS kicks in,the operator was at FAULT. As in "Too Fast for Conditions".
Ride with a good head is best advice.... instead of relying on the machine to catch/fix the "Operator's" mistakes.

Is it only me or do others see the circular logic in that statement?

How can he miss something he's never had?

JJ

<BR>The other side is just as loopy. How would you know you couldn't have stopped without the ABS, if you have ABS?



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You don't miss ABS until that one time you might need it.
...and so are extended warrantys,extra ring antenna's,final drives...blah blah blah..

I’d rather not have ABS. I wouldn’t buy a bike with ABS if I could not turn it off. So you are safe with a GS however it is fitted out.

This would perhaps be true if you were the only operator on the road.

ABS is especially comforting for those of us who find ourselves having to ride in a variety of meteorological conditions. Wet pavement is often accompanied by reduced visibility, increasing the likelihood that other drivers may do something stupid. And while most of us hopefully have sufficient experience to know how our bikes stop on dry pavement, a situation like that is no time to figure out just how much traction your front tire has before you're sliding under a semi.

Don't skimp on safety.

Technique > ABS

I like it in cars, not on bikes. That about sums it up for me.

It's raining out and you are on a 2-lane backroad. A deer jumps out of the woods and stops on the road just ahead of you. Forget about technique, your instincts tell you to grab a fistful of brake ASAP. The ABS can make all of the difference in the world.

I can't imagine not wanting it.

I specifically sought a non ABS GS after doing a brief stint in a BMW shop. The most annoying and frequent problems were ABS related (pre '07 models). At least the system is switchable on the GS...

I don't know why you like it in cars. Cars don't go down when your front wheels lock up. If anything, the difference between ABS and non-ABS is far less substantial in a car.

And I hope for your sake your technique is as good as you imagine it to be. Sounds like a bit of squiddish machismo to me.

Regardless, there's little doubt that for the vast majority, technique + ABS is better than technique without it.

<BR>This took a while to get started

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ABS has only saved my life once, when it was someone elses fault, whit ABS you can turn it off, without ABS you can not turn it on.

I voted with my wallet and purchased a 2007 R1200GSA with ABS previously had a K1 and K1100LT with ABS.

Bulldust

We'll see how long it stays civil.

JJ

20+ years of riding in one of the rainiest states in the country has taught me how to stay within my limits at all times and not rely on driver aids to save me.

I only like it in cars because, as a gross generalization, cars do not have anywhere near the braking power of bikes nor the immediate control. I'm not sure about you, but I can control the force of braking on a bike much more precisely and modulate the brakes much quicker on my bike than I can in any car.

I have nothing against folks that prefer ABS on their bikes, more power to'em. It's a choice like anything else and I was in no way trying to downplay or insult those that choose it, rather I was only expressing my preference. Personally, it's not something I want to deal with (or pay for). It's just one more (expensive) thing to break.

Squidish machismo? Sweet, pointless insult #1. Fear not, I am troll-proof.

Cool. Then you don't need a helmet either.

I suppose I'd just rather not have to worry about whether I can do it as quickly as a computer. Maybe I could, under optimal conditions. What if I'm tired, distracted, hung over, etc? Sure, maybe I shouldn't be riding, but sometimes I am anyway, and I'd like all the safety features on my side I can afford.

Point taken.

However, in eleven years of riding, I've put well over 100,000 miles on five ABS-equipped BMWs, and I've discovered that while very little on these bikes is inexpensive to repair, ABS is not one of the things that has failed on me. If cost is that much of a concern, maybe you should have bought a KLR.

Fine, then. From what you say you have a lot of experience and are not a squid.

Substantiate your claim that "technique > ABS". I won't contest that not having ABS is cheaper, if that's your argument we can call it a day. But I'd be happy to go head to head with you in a stopping contest.

There's a reason we use machines for certain tasks. Can a human being stitch as well as, and perhaps even better than a sewing machine? Can Rainman count the number of matches that fall on the floor as well as a computer? Yeah, maybe sometimes, maybe even most of the time. I don't have the level of confidence to beat my chest and say "technique > ABS!"

I'm more of a cautious, self-deprecating type. If I do well, good for me, but riding motorcycles is risky enough that wherever I can minimize that risk I'll gladly pull out my wallet. And if my ABS breaks, which it has yet to in 120,000 miles, I'll pull it out again and have it fixed. What's it going to cost me to fix, $2k? Do the math.