I know you like to nit pick the details. There is a difference between never owning an abs bike and never riding one.
Just curious how you know that you dont want something that you have never actually used before
Look, I've been riding bikes for a long time. I've been driving a long time. I have been a mechanic a long time. I've only ever locked up a tire on pavement one time and it was because I hadn't ridden that particular bike much, and it was also during a time I didn't own a bike and had been riding. A good rider knows his machine and can in fact stop faster without ABS than with it. Been proven before.
ABS is an additional piece of electronics that can fail, and requires different maintenance. I do not need it. I do not want to pay for it. I do not want to deal with it. It's not like I don't understand it, know how it works, and have fixed a million ABS systems. Most of my vehicles have it, and some are disconnected because they broke and I don't need it anyway. It's a safety feature, not a required function. In this instance, I have the choice to buy new without it, and it makes the price cheaper. It's not a feature I need. I don't want it.
New riders, especially now more than ever, need it. There are increasingly more drivers on the road that have never driven a car with drum brakes, no ABS and a carburetor. They literally have not had to learn how to brake without ABS. They don't know how to "feel" if the wheels are about to lock up. One of the biggest failures/mistakes relating to motorcycle crashes are guys who lock up the wheels in an attempt to stop. You can train yourself how to brake properly, but you have to practice. So many new riders just get on a ride. Very little training, very little practice. I've been riding for years, and I practice regularly. In empty parking lots, nothing to hit. I practice braking, turning, balance, emergency maneuvers, swerving, all kinds of things. Why? Because if you don't, when you need to do those things you haven't trained your brain how to do them. You have no muscle memory to know how to execute those maneuvers. Trail riding/off road riding teaches you a lot too, and shouldn't be overlooked. Guys who first rode dirt, make much better pavement riders. Way better actually. I applaud the guys who off road ride and who move to riding pavement, but they should still practice certain skills, because unless there is an emergency, you seldom use some skills.
Sorry for the long reply.
