Braking on BMW's ABS

[Crank]

I had an incident in Arizona that I had to grab a handful of front brake while riding a 1200GS to avoid a rear ender. I was going about 30, the pavement was dry, and the ABS performed beautifully allowing me to continue steering away from the collision while still applying full braking. I was so impressed I said I would never have another bike without ABS (except for dirt).

 

Here's my question regarding the 2006 R1200RT that I now ride: What will happen if I am on a rain slick street and I am going 50 MPH and have to grab a full squeeze of front brake, say due to a car turning in front of me? Will the bike perform as it would on dry pavement? Does the rain-wet street change the masterful result of collision avoidance that I had on dry pavement?

 

I was riding in heavy rain last Saturday and started thinking about this. You know, you think about things like this sometimes! I have been told that BMW has demonstrated their ABS on similar wet conditions doing the same full braking and that it doesn't low/high side ever, but comes to a perfect upright stop!

[Crank]

I just realized this should prob be posted in the "Ride Well" forum, which I did, but I don't know how to delete this one. My bad.

[John Bentall]

I have read quite a few ABS comparison tests (which BMW's always win) & ABS will dramatically decrease the braking distances and improve the control of an average rider in rain conditions, as it does in the dry. There are so many other factors involved in determining available tire grip in a potential tip-over i.e rider experience (how suddenly/hard the application of brakes), road surface (gravel, ruts), conditions (ice), road layout (sharp curve) that is impossible to say that you will never fall off.

[Boffin]

Lets continue this in Ride Well.

 

Andy