Question about ABS on FZ6R ?

[UselessPickles]

I'd rather just keep my bikes simple (no abs/traction control) and learn the skills and abilities to drive the bike itself without relying on assistance.

If you're talking about a race bike and you're an expert racer driving on a closed course with reduced variables, then I can understand that point of view. The weight of an ABS system may be a significant penalty, or you just need that "feel" of pushing the limits of braking traction to squeeze out ever last hundredth of a second of lap time to win.

But for a street bike that you ride on public roads with unpredictable conditions/traffic, there's only benefits that can come from ABS.

Here's a very informative article about comparing braking performance with and without ABS in different conditions by different riders: Internet BMW Riders - No Fault Braking, A Real-World Comparison of ABS Systems

Notice that even the pro racer benefits hugely from ABS in a wet test over a sewer cover. Keep in mind that these are results from a controlled environment with anticipated stopping and well-known hazards. There's much greater opportunity for you to brake improperly for current road conditions or not recognize a hazard in an emergency braking situation.

That's what ABS is for. You can still learn/practice proper braking technique with ABS, but you'll be very thankful for it in that "oh sh*t!" moment where a car pulls out in front of you at an intersection with some rough pavement, a bit of gravel and a slick cross walk paint strip.

 

[MichaelInVenice]

If you're talking about a race bike and you're an expert racer driving on a closed course with reduced variables, then I can understand that point of view. The weight of an ABS system may be a significant penalty...

Worth considering that while pro racers don't use ABS (primarily for the reasons stated above), they do use all sorts of other "helper" circuitry, including traction control, launch control, wheelie control and a bunch of other types of things that are far from riding "without depending on assistance."

The point being that if even the pros, in highly controlled conditions, believe that electronics can do a better job at certain things than they can, there is absolutely no credence to the belief that any of us mere mortals can come anywhere close to the point where we do anywhere nearly as well without it as with. It's a great rationalization for not wanting to spend the money, but when it comes right down to it, even an experienced rider can benefit from all these things no matter how hard you train.

 

[Chevyfazer]

If a bike I wanted had abs it wouldn't deter me from getting it but I'd much rather not have abs, or at least have the option to turn it off. I really like locking up the rear and tossing the bike around like a huffy.

 

[buzzbomb]

If a bike I wanted had abs it wouldn't deter me from getting it but I'd much rather not have abs, or at least have the option to turn it off. I really like locking up the rear and tossing the bike around like a huffy.

What!!?? Sorry, I can't just let statement slide. I've never had a bike with ABS. Frankly, it would be alien to me, and would be a whole new learning curve.

I've locked the back end many times, none of them good. If I'm locking the rear, it's a panic-stop, and I'm doing lots of other things at the same time, to try and save my ass.

I've got to ask: What are you doing where you like when the back end locks up, and your tossing your motorcycle around like a bicycle? I haven't the physics to understand where a 450lb bike can be tossed around like a 20lb bicycle, nor do I understand where unexpectedly locking the rear tire can possibly be a good thing.

Enlighten me. I'm just asking.

 

[Chevyfazer]

Just playing around in parking lots and what not, I'll stomp on the rear brake and mainly use my feet pushing down on the left or right pegs to slide it to either side. It's actually pretty easy to control as long as you stay locked up, it's when you let off the brake and the tire regains traction that can get ugly. Plus I'm desperately trying to learn how to drift a bike, and locking up the rear is the 1st step. You never locked up your rear tire when you were a kid on your bicycle to see how far of a black mark you could leave lol?

I'll also add this, I'm not saying I have or haven't but tailgating cagers freak out when they see brake lights and smoke
(not as dangerous as it sounds, because the bike hardly slows down at all, danger mainly comes from pissed off cager. Of course that might be the biggest danger of all)

 

[UselessPickles]

I'd much rather not have abs, or at least have the option to turn it off.

Then I would suggest an adventure bike with ABS. ABS can be disabled on those bikes because you can actually get better braking performance in *deep* loose dirt/gravel by locking up the brakes (ABS is still better for dirt/gravel on top of a road surface). Street bikes are intended to stay on the road, so ABS cannot typically be disabled on street bikes.

I've never had a bike with ABS. Frankly, it would be alien to me, and would be a whole new learning curve.

The only "learning curve" is to purposely slam on your brakes to cause ABS to engage so that you know what it feels like (easier to do on a wet road). You need to not be surprised by it when it activates unexpectedly, because you will probably release the brakes if the ABS surprises you. If you release and re-apply the brakes, then you've lost some potentially precious braking. Best thing to do when ABS activates is to maintain braking pressure and let ABS do its job.

Normal braking is no different with ABS, and you can even use ABS as a tool to learn about how much braking traction you really have available on different surfaces/conditions.

I am wondering is it possible to put an ABS system on FZ6R 2009?

Oh yeah... this is what this thread was about.

You could try talking to the service department at a local dealer. Don't simply ask them the question and accept their answer, but explicitly ask them to contact Yamaha and find out what it would take to add ABS to your non-abs bike.

Depending on whether there are variations in wiring harnesses and ECUs between ABS and non-ABS FZ6Rs, you may be able to install the ABS components and plumbing on your bike. The cost of parts and labor would likely be ridiculous, making it more cost effective to simply buy a bike that already has ABS, but it can't hurt to ask.

 

[MichaelInVenice]

Then I would suggest an adventure bike with ABS. ABS can be disabled on those bikes because you can actually get better braking performance in *deep* loose dirt/gravel by locking up the brakes (ABS is still better for dirt/gravel on top of a road surface). Street bikes are intended to stay on the road, so ABS cannot typically be disabled on street bikes.

Depends. Suzuki doesn't offer a disable option for ABS on the V-Strom. Easy enough to disable by pulling one of the two ABS-related fuses, and in fact lots of guys say it's easier to to that than to do it the "right" way on the Triumph. The Super-Tenere also does not have an ABS kill switch, but some websites have noticed that if you put it up on the centerstand and run the bike in gear, the error between the rolling rear and the stationary front will cause ABS to disengage until you restart the engine. Some guys wire a relay and a switch to kill ABS if necessary. I'd imagine you could do the same on any other ABS bike without an "official" disable option.

Reports on the current V-Strom and Super-Ten are that the ABS has gotten so well-tuned to the purpose of the bike that disabling it doesn't provide as much of an advantage as it did on some of the old systems, when it provides any at all. The ongoing debate over this has generated hundreds of pages on ADVrider and elsewhere.

 

[buzzbomb]

The OP wanted to know if it was possible to put ABS on a 6R, LOL. The question has been answered, and I'm as guilty as anyone else here, but I get to use the ninja protester! :hijack: