06 sprint ?????s

I am ready to buy my new sprint but cant make up my mind to get abs or not, what do you guys think???? Pros cons etc.??? Thanks

[Aske]

I mentioned it in another thread on protective gear, but ...

I opted for ABS. I was returning to bikes after a 7-8 year hiatus. I'm now the sole breadwinner and we have a 1.5-year-old. As you can see, then, responsibilities have multiplied and I felt the extra cost was worth the extra stopping ability, even though I hope to never use it. (Much like my Arai in that regard.)

It won't help if you're leaned over and hit the brakes, but for upright stoppability, I'd rather have the minimum distance available, no matter the status of the road surface.

FWIW, I practice hard stops and haven't yet had the ABS actuate. Not sure if I want it to, either, but I probably ought to, so I know what it feels like and so I know more definitively where the braking limit is.

Good points thanks for the imput..

[david_m]

I also opted for the ABS for the same reasons listed: sole bread winner, 2 small children.

Keep in mind that the stock brakes on the Sprint have had some feel issues. They work, but there's a lot of lever pull. The brake pistons on my '06 were REALLY stuck. The dealer said, "That's how they work" and Triumph refuses to acknowledge any issues. I said phooey.

So.........

I put brakes pistons from a 675 in my Sprint, and they (so far) have solved all my issues. Others have replaced the front brake system with something off a a Japanese bike. Perusing Ebay shows that you can get an entire brake system off a late model Kawasaki that is a direct bolt on replacement for the Sprint brakes for about $100. The 675 pistons were $135. Pick your poison, but if I had to do it all over again I'd probably opt for the brake system replace rather than the piston swap. YMMV.

Based on the way the ABS is set up, you can still replace the front brake system and keep the ABS functionality.

Don't let the brake issue scare you away. After my issues I decided to throw open the whole bike search option even though my Sprint was only a couple of months old. After considering everything AGAIN, I still came to the conclusion that the Sprint ST was the best bike for me. The handling is great, the comfort is fantastic, the engine is real gem with regards to power delivery and exhaust sound. Just consider the purchase price to be about $100 too low. Once I've gotten my brakes sorted I'm a very happy camper.

I have gone out to a parking lot and gotten the ABS to activate for both front and rear brakes. Once you get used to it, it's great. Just grab a handful of front brake and hold on. The lever pulses just like the brake pedal in an ABS equipped car. In a panic situation you won't have to worry about brake modulation. I figure removing one more worry from my mind during a panic situation is worth WAY MORE than $1,000. I want to get home safely to play with my sons.

Good luck with the bike.

David

[huc]

I saw the ABS as another safety feature without compromising my ability to just ride it and have fun on the road or the occasional track day(e.g. they're not linked, etc.). I've practiced in the parking lot and have had the ABS kick in on two occasions on the street. One emergency stop -- one when there was a bit of light sand on the asphalt that I didn't see when braking to enter, oddly, a car dealership. In both cases, while I feel I could have stopped and been fine without ABS, the ABS did give me a added level of comfort and safety which is always a good thing IMHO.

[NinjaRAT]

I must be the minority, but I've had no issues with my Sprint's brakes, at all. Over 2000 miles and counting. I find them to be plenty firm, but not grabby.

In any case, I chose to shell out the extra $$, mainly because I was upgrading so quickly from my '03, I wanted to feel like I was making a more major upgrade than pure aesthetics. Ok, maybe not the only reason, but in a way that's really what it came down do.

On the other hand, I also wanted to get more "hard-core" in my riding and figured the ABS would come in handy in less than optimal riding conditions; such as rain or cold-weather.

Besides, I pay more for gear than the measly extra $$ ABS cost me.

[Pleifer]

I grabed the ABS

I figure if I need it once, it will pay for itself.

Hopefully I will never need it.....

[BMWK100]

I thought the ABS only works on the back brakes? Front brake ABS is new to me. :???:

[KevyKev]

I got lucky -- my dealer is waaaay cool, and he wanted/needed to move the 06 Sunset Red that I loved. I wasn't looking at the ABS option originally, BUT, he basically sold me the ABS model for the non-ABS price to move the early 06 model he had on the floor. Needless to say, SOLD came out of my mouth right away!! So far, have not needed the ABS, but like others have said, it is nice to know it is there just in case.

[bareyb]

Count me in as Pro ABS. Decided any safety feature is worth the extra money. I too have little ones who count on my paychecks. As to downside? Not sure I can think of any except cost. They aren't linked, so that's a plus for most people. They could save your life one day. Skidding on the freeway at 75 mph. isn't something I EVER want to do again. I ***** near went sideways. It was about that time I decided my next and any future bike would always come equipped with ABS. They work like you wouldn't believe. I tested them out from about 55 mph and they stopped me VERY quickly and in a straight line. No hint of the back tire wanting to come around because it never broke traction. I'm a believer...