I’m a firm believer in ABS which is why I updated to a 650 Exec only a year newer than my 2004 650. I believe both of my accidents would have been prevented with ABS. The first when the kid made a left in front of me. I never hit him, just locked the brakes and lost it. IN this case ABS would have allowed me to come to a safe stop upright

In the second I was going on to the gravel median due to gravel all over my lane on a turn and was very easy on the brakes, I thought. Never the less the wheels hit the gravel, locked, dug in and I went down sliding along for about 10 to 20 feet on my and the bike’s side. I think ABS would have again prevented the lockup and I would have been able to steer back onto the road.

In my case I think the price I paid for the bike with ABS was well worth it. I think of ABS the same way I think of any insurance policy. You hope you never need it but are very glad to have it when you do. In a way it’s cheap insurance.

Another cheap insurance policy, for your kids, is after they have had their driver’s license for about a year, send them to a good Skid School. What they learn there for a few hundred bucks may save their life many times over their driving life. Most programs only take two days.