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[RedDevil]

Most motorcycle sales have little to do with rational decisions
If it is cool in its own way all it needs is a good excuse.

It isn't cheap - nor are gas Harleys... That doesn't stop people from buying them. You could almost have a new Tesla for the price of a CVO Limited!

[JSH]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

Most motorcycle sales have little to do with rational decisions
If it is cool in its own way all it needs is a good excuse.

It isn't cheap - nor are gas Harleys... That doesn't stop people from buying them. You could almost have a new Tesla for the price of a CVO Limited!

True but the typical Harley rider (at least in the USA) hates technology.

[RedDevil]

Even if the gizmos are placed at a 45 degree angle?

Likewise the control electronics of the Tesla powered 1949 Mercury:



"Looks like a V8! Cool!"
Cause it IS cool, though it doesn't make sense.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

Even if the gizmos are placed at a 45 degree angle?

Yes. Harley didn't even offer ABS on a Sportster until 2014 and it is still an $800 option in the USA.

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by JSH

Yes. Harley didn't even offer ABS on a Sportster until 2014 and it is still an $800 option in the USA.

My last bike (ST1100) did not have ABS, even though it was available at the time as an option. I rolled it once too many, it was too much to fix.
I rode it nude for a while. Short geared, long wheel base, low center of gravity, Mad Max style (the V4 cylinder heads look gigantic when exposed), light from shedding 100 pounds of plastic; it was savage.
But I lost my trust in it.

Not having ABS contributed to me no longer riding.

[redpoint5]

Do they even fuel inject them yet?

I bought my 2001 Honda because it was the first year they had FI on their 600.

Didn't really mean to turn it into a dog on Harley thread. People like 'em and I'm fine with that.

... I hadn't kept up on the latest tech on bikes these days and didn't realize their ABS, traction control, and cruise control are getting very good now, and somewhat standard depending on what the intended purpose of the bike is.

That said, I don't think I've had any close calls with braking. I pretty much exclusively use the front brake, so the back is never stepping out due to braking. I suppose if I were good I'd learn how to trail brake into turns.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Do they even fuel inject them yet?

I bought my 2001 Honda because it was the first year they had FI on their 600.

Didn't really mean to turn it into a dog on Harley thread. People like 'em and I'm fine with that.

... I hadn't kept up on the latest tech on bikes these days and didn't realize their ABS, traction control, and cruise control are getting very good now, and somewhat standard depending on what the intended purpose of the bike is.

That said, I don't think I've had any close calls with braking. I pretty much exclusively use the front brake, so the back is never stepping out due to braking. I suppose if I were good I'd learn how to trail brake into turns.

Harley added EFI in 2008

ABS is an excellent tool to learn just how quickly a motorcycle can stop. Many people get nowhere near threshold braking because they are afraid to actually find the point where the brakes lock up. With ABS you can practice in an empty parking lot or road with the confidence that when you find the limit and lock the front brake you won't crash.

In the past 25 years of riding I've crashed twice from locking up the front brake in situations that would have been prevented by ABS. Today I will not buy a bike without EFI and ABS. Traction control is nice too.

On my last trip to Europe I rolled on the throttle a little too quick shifting from 1st to 2nd on the BMW R1200GS we rented. The traction control let the front come up a few inches and held it there until I rolled off. It was amazingly smooth cut to the power.

[redpoint5]

In a straight line, it's not really possible to lock up the front wheel of my bike unless you grab too quickly before the suspension settles in. I can stoppie in the wet. Would be cool learning where the limit really is though by having systems that won't let you exceed them.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

In a straight line, it's not really possible to lock up the front wheel of my bike unless you grab too quickly before the suspension settles in. I can stoppie in the wet...

That is true with a consistent road surface. That was not the case in the situations I mentioned above. Both crashes happened at night while braking approaching an intersection. The first time I hit a patch of of fine sand, the second was an oil patch on a wet road. Both times the front locked and I was on the ground before I knew what happened.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

Harley didn't even offer ABS on a Sportster until 2014 and it is still an $800 option in the USA

Even in Brazil ABS is now mandatory for motorcycles above 300cc.