BMW Motorcycles Makes ABS Standard on 2012 Lineup

BMW Motorrad USA announced yesterday that they are going to be making Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) standard on all 2012 motorcycles.  BMW motorcycles have been available with ABS since 1988, making them the first major motorcycle manufacturer to use ABS.      

“Plain and simple, being able to stop a motorcycle faster and more predictably helps prevent a rider from becoming a statistic,” Pieter de Waal VP of BMW Motorrad USA said a press release.  “It’s time for all of us in the motorcycle industry to embrace the benefits of ABS. Extensive testing by safety experts, law enforcement authorities and journalists around the world consistently demonstrates that ABS reduces overall crashes and saves lives.”

ABS can make a huge difference when braking under certain situations, such as on wet or low traction surfaces, and also under hard breaking.  I’ve locked up the rear brake on a motorcycle a few times and I can honestly say ABS seems pretty appealing.  Check out this video from the press release and decide for yourself.

According to the press release, a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) claims that bikes with ABS are 37 percent less likely to be in a crash (over bikes without ABS). You can see the press release here on The Knee Slider. “Our research results show ABS on motorcycles saves lives, and riders are taking note, too. A recent survey found that a majority of riders said they would look for ABS on their next bikes,” IIHS President Adrian Lund Said.     

While the IIHS study reveals some interesting finds on ABS, studies from the IIHS should be scrutinized as they are known to have conflicting interests.  Here is what an article from Sport Rider Magazine had to say:

             

“While we don’t doubt that ABS can help the vast majority of riders and that they will help reduce the number of fatalities, many of the flawed conclusions the IIHS (which is funded and sponsored by the insurance industry) gleans from its “studies”—at least when it comes to motorcycles—should always be looked at with a wary eye. Using only the perfunctory follow-up investigations from insurance claims for an actual full-blown motorcycle crash analysis is ham-fisted at best, and the conflict of interest present by having insurance industry backing is undeniably prevalent.” 

BMW Motorrad is no doubt taking the next step in motorcycle safety evolution by offering ABS as standard equipment (albeit with their already high MSRP).  I won’t be surprised to see more motorcycle manufacturers following suit, and if not making ABS standard equipment, offering it on most models.