If Honda had decided to install the try and tested Bosch system like Ducati etc that can be adjusted and switched off and actually assists braking than control them then this thread probably would happen but Honda didn't and I would never feel confident riding an abs bike as there is a real possibility of brake failure! I mean the brakes are the most important control on any bike! So to have a system that actually brakes for you and has real chance of failure is like Russian Roulette guys with life and limb Not to mention the additional costs involved have c-abs it's the risks they far out weigh the benefits! I may have missed it but in the time I have been a member on this forum I've never heard anyone say they wished they had chosen a abs model over a non abs but the same can't be said the other way round!
The irony is that Honda frequently talk about the blade not needing rider aids and yet the ABS system they fit assumes that the rider doesn't know how to break properly and have linked the brakes. As has been said they should have fitted Bosch, a tried, tested and trusted solution.
I had issues with ABS on the 2013 model and had enough of Honda's poor customer service so I lost all my confidence in the bike. Bought myself a BMW S1000, now I'm enjoying going out on my bike and having all the fun I expect to have with my bike.
the answer is i don't know, why the ABS functions so often i can only presume is due to me braking to hard....having become reliant on a stronger available braking force than standard. its very subtle to feel it working but it does. i had an R6 no ABS and only locked up once in two years on oil patch released and carried on without accident thankfully...... so i guess i can get away with more brake and consequently use it....good or bad...... As regards to Kentblades comments, My Honda dealer said ABS great but you have to pull and fully release the brake leaver to avoid issues and yes they do know of them, of course they would they sell them for a living if you feather the brake for long periods in traffic expect problems...... That may well be what Kent finds not that he should suffer as a consequence, they should be up to the job and they aren't....knowledge is power.
The ABS system does not have a stronger braking force than a standard system. Only in adverse weather can the system come in to its own (Been proven before in a few publications) I've had my ABS blade now for 4 years, and can guarantee you that if you put a decent rider on a standard Blade he will out brake you in the dry.
Well wide of the mark with my issues, sure I could induce the feather issue at will, that was not a concern of mine and the brakes never failed then, just long lever travel. My main problems were nothing to do with any feathering, just plain simple trundling along at 50, 60, 70mph and operating the lever and it immediately collapses to the bar and zero braking effort, then on release and immediate reapplication the brakes worked as normal. Plus I have never ever seen a comment (though happy to to be corrected if I am wrong) of anyone complaining of a rear brake issue, it appears to only ever be the front. But as far as a dealer stating that in essence, the only way the ABS brakes will work properly is to use them as an on/off switch only....well what a complete load of bo**ocks that statement is. Feathering brakes is a normal part of motorcycle riding, the more I hear about this system ( or more to the point, the more ill founded misconceptions spouted by some people in the trade) the more I am relieved I am back to a non assisted system. Its plainly clear that certain elements of the dealer network have no more understanding of this system than the average punter, and that's possibly a reason why so many owners are dissatisfied with this whole sorry tale.
Different thing entirely to the feathering issue...........read the posts on here and on other forums......KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!!!
Wow, thanks for all the views guys. I don't think ABS is for me, I'm not rolling the dice on getting a working model, the main reason I'm changing from the multistrada is that I miss honda reliability and not living in fear of what may go wrong next. If I got the ABS model I'd still have that worry.
Hahahaha. Or you could look at it another way, maybe the ABS mob are mad bastards looking for bigger thrills! Who wants to go fast? Our hearts skip a beat trying to slow down lol
Did you replace it with the one we used to have on home made go carts? a lever made of wood that you pulled against the tyre. Friction did it's best to slow you down, usually about 10 meters past where you wanted to stop
All Matt does to slow down is put a bollock out each side of the tank, and they act as air brakes!!!!
I've had both and would go ABS again, mainly because of their ability to stop safely in all weather conditions but if you're a fair weather biker then there's probably no real need for the combined abs model. Had lever issues and the revised ecu fitted, but the easiest solution for this sporadic fault was a simple pazzo shorty from ebay, 15euro and you can adjust the lever out so that even if ABS fails you've still got loads of pressure left. I found with new pads the brakes were 100%, then after 50% wear there were sometimes problems with the abs malfunctioning but it was never really 'unsafe' as a light flashed on the clocks to let you know and you still had normal'ish non abs brakes to stop. If you're going to ride fast on wet/damp roads in colder weather they're essential in my opinion.
Is it only me that feels a little uneasy at how many people when talking about Honda's blade/baby blade ABS system when words like malfunction, fails, problems and issues are followed up with the words "never really unsafe"??? I really can't understand how many folks are happy to have a system on their bike that partially works well sometimes or exibits really inconsistent braking efficiency when a brake lever is pulled! The fact of the matter is the system should work and feel the same every single time the brake lever is pulled and not be some lottery as to how the brake lever might feel upon the next pull of the lever, brakes are more important than any other system on any vehicle and yet a lot of people seem to be pretty relaxed that they don't work 100% of the time! SERIOUSLY??? Would there be same sort of acceptance if there was inconsistent/unknown feel and performance when twisting the throttle or perhaps not knowing what would happen when turning the key and pushing the start button??? Also read a lot about other folks that are aware and had previous issues with the abs and now adopt a "if it ain't broke don't touch it!" attitude to brake fluid changes, brake fluid draws in condensation (FACT!) where the water mixes with the fluid and reducing the overall boiling temp of the fluid and eventually causing corrosion within various parts throughout the brake system. But each to their own I still call the system an unfinished project that failed otherwise why wouldn't the system be implemented on the rest of the Honda range that have ABS???
