Anti Lock Brakes.....

[cdorma]

Does anyone know if a 2014 Valkyrie that does NOT have ABS be fitted with the OEM parts to add ABS?  I would think I should be able to buy all the parts necessary from Honda and have a dealer install it.  I am sure it would be pricey but I thought I would see if anyone out there has any expertise in this area.  Thanks in advance!

[Robert]

You should be able to but there might be one big problem which is the instrument cluster. I think it is part of the system but Im not sure. Our bikes are already fitted for the mounting places for the sensors and the brake lines are already routed so I would imagine all the parts would bolt right up. The parts may be expensive though.

[Kidd]

Hey , if that'd  give me self canceling turn signals , count me in 

[ledany]

IMHO, the ABS on the Valk is useless because I don't drive that fast and the brakes are not that powerful. I have now 41,600 mls on the clock, ride every day and NEVER felt the ABS on the front (a few times on the rear, for nothing). I can tell you this though I'm a convinced ABS user 

@kidd : for the turn signal cancelation, I don't like it on the Valk because ten blinkings when you ride fast is not enough. I'm not sure if the dealer can fix it, I'll have to check it out and I'll go pretty soon, I want to have the oil fork changed and the K&N air filter cleaned, I remember it's a mess to reach the air filter. 

[Adirondack Bill]

I have never ridden a bike with anti-lock brakes. I think the front brakes on the Valk are great. I can't speak for anyone else, but I have been riding bikes for many years and I know if I lay on the front brakes hard and the front tire starts to lock-up, I know enough to let up on the brake a little. I learned this the hard way in the late 1960's on wet grass! We probably have all experience this. For me, anti-lock brakes would be a waste of money.

[cdorma]

Thanks for all the input!  I did speak with two dealers and it is possible but they both said I would be better off buying a new bike!  I would have to buy all the necessary ABS parts, plus a new main computer and Speedometer display.  Apparently they are not the same ABS vs Non ABS, so it is extremely pricey!

[idcrewdawg]

FWIW, I have felt the ABS on mine when a cop brake checked me. Pretty sure I'd have been in his back seat through the rear window had I gone over the bars.

[Shrubbo]

The ABS works pretty good as I have had a play with it one or more times. The comment about the brakes no being too powerful I find a little odd. Well at least for mine. Not going over the tank in a full blown emergency stop test was more a concern for me so I would not rate them as week that is for sure.

[Wayne Basso]

ABS will not stop you quicker.  They were designed to stop you upright, while still giving you the ability to steer in full braking.

[ledany]

@Shrubbo : in 1972 when riding a CB 350 I thanked the gods and the very loud muffler that avoided me a crash with a car willing to turn left suddenly (no signal of course). My brother had a Suzie T500 and I think I know what weak brakes mean. Even with my GSX-R 1000 K8, I think the front brake was not that fantastic for a sport bike. And now with the Brembo M50 you have on modern bikes, I don't have to experience the maximum efficiency of the brakes, the bike stops long before that 

The ABS is mostly useful at low speed, the wheel doesn't block (zebra crossings, gravel, oil, ice etc.). The counterpart is that the braking distance widens.
All I want to say is that I could do without the ABS on the Valk but I know that I couldn't spare the ABS on any of the current monsters, S1000RR, XR, R1200 GS, KTM etc.