2009 vs 2010

[Pokey]

Mine has never kicked in either.  But it is a majorly important safety device, to me.  Motorcycles are extremely unsafe.  ANYTHING I can reasonably do to help improve my odds and I am in favor of it. 

Plus, I know a few people with incidents where ABS was, indeed, VERY helpful.  And I do not think of myself as a bike expert and have ZERO illusions that I could brake harder and better than with ABS assist in an emergency.

I totally disagree with ya on that.

[stevewfl]

When anyone is ready for hard stats, facts, (and states, magazines, race teams, and factory tests) I'll start posting 

But the internet armchair debate is fun 

[VirginiaJim]

As it always is..

[Conrad]

When anyone is ready for hard stats, facts, (and states, magazines, race teams, and factory tests) I'll start posting 

But the internet armchair debate is fun 

Soooo, until we're ready, you'll stop?   

[Flienlow]

My Poor poor hijacked thread......

[Rhino]

My Poor poor hijacked thread......

So what did you decide?

[Son of Pappy]

When anyone is ready for hard stats, facts, (and states, magazines, race teams, and factory tests) I'll start posting 

But the internet armchair debate is fun 

Porperly applied brakes will always out do improperly brakes, regardless of ABS in use or not.  Debate that   ABS is a crutch for those moments of extreme situatuations, be it a high speed track or patch of gravel.  The vast majority of the time when a street rider is saved by ABS it could have been avoided by better vision/awareness.  Comparing track bikes to street bikes is not the same, controlled environment with everyone headed to the same place.  ABS has a place no doubt, but it will never be able to replace a skilled rider and the reaction required in any given situation.  The variables are many and unpredictable, yet very predictable for a seasoned, trained rider.  "There I was, grabbing a handfull of brake, uncontrolled, the suspension collapsed suddenly, ABS kicked in, suspension started doing a stutter step, and wham!!" 

Signed,

DB Cooper

[B.D.F.]

He he he.... yeah, ABS is one o' them there magic terms on the forum- mention it anywhere in the post and this kind of stuff happens. Other key words are oil, shaft noise, tire (best to mention a brand name here) and..... wait for it.... KiPass.

But back to your question: the difference between an '09 and a 2010 is that an '09 is a Gen. 1 bike while an 2010 (and later) is a Gen. 2. There was a significant bodywork change between Gen1 and Gen2s, they look different and the Gen 2's manage heat better (the rider will feel less heat on him / her than the Gen 1 bikes under the same circumstances). I am not going to begin the debate on whether or not Gen 1 bikes are 'hot' or 'too hot' but if you live in a warm climate, a Gen. 2 bike could be an advantage.

Also, traction control was introduced on Gen 2 bikes, as well as economy mode. Traction control reduces power to the rear wheel if / when it starts to slip under acceleration (nothing to do with ABS braking) and seems to work well and generally be liked by users. Economy mode leans the air / fuel mixture and also seems to be well received by users overall.  Gen 2 bikes also have linked brakes and apparently there are quite a few who do not care for the way Kawasaki implemented it and so far, there is no direct way to get around it.

Otherwise the Gen 2 bikes are still based on the same chassis and engine, most parts interchange, and overall the experience is very similar. Most of the time, identical. I do not think choosing any year C-14 would be a mistake, and there is little to be avoided in any year that I am aware of.

Just to be clear, I have a Gen 1, 2008 C-14 that I purchased new in July of '07. I still love the bike and would buy another one tomorrow should this one catch on fire or fail me somehow such as KiPass, bad tires, bad oil, a noisy drive shaft, exploding drive shaft or any such similar disaster. Now on a serious note, there are no chronic problems that will stop a C-14 although there are one or two [too common] issues that are annoyances. Some have work- arounds while others do not but overall, the bike and outstanding and you are missing a great experience riding one while you decide which one to get :-)

And, by the way, I believe you could ride over 100 miles at a time on a C-14, any generation.

Brian

My Poor poor hijacked thread......

[B.D.F.]

I've heard C-14 brake systems leak gasoline at your house....

Brian

Porperly applied brakes will always out do improperly brakes, regardless of ABS in use or not.  Debate that   ABS is a crutch for those moments of extreme situatuations, be it a high speed track or patch of gravel.  The vast majority of the time when a street rider is saved by ABS it could have been avoided by better vision/awareness.  Comparing track bikes to street bikes is not the same, controlled environment with everyone headed to the same place.  ABS has a place no doubt, but it will never be able to replace a skilled rider and the reaction required in any given situation.  The variables are many and unpredictable, yet very predictable for a seasoned, trained rider.  "There I was, grabbing a handfull of brake, uncontrolled, the suspension collapsed suddenly, ABS kicked in, suspension started doing a stutter step, and wham!!" 

Signed,

DB Cooper

[VirginiaJim]

My Poor poor hijacked thread......

Situation normal...no worries.  We're not as crazy about that here as in some other forums.....unless, of course, it's one my threads...    I try to keep things in line but it's easier to herd cats than this group of members.  They're a good bunch, though.  Somewhat eccentric and a little crazy.  We like that here.  No serious people allowed.

[Flienlow]

So what did you decide?

Let me just say that buying cars and motorcycles is literally torturous to me. I go round and round. but I think I have a plan. I found a nice 2009 by an inmate, and a 2010 by a private party. If the 2010 is as good as seller says. I will probably buy that.

However, I would rather buy the less expensive motorcycle (here I go round and round like a crazy bastard again.)  I just dont know if the extras on the 10 are worth it. At this point they seem that way but I just don't know. I also take resale into account on everything I buy because I don't to keep anything long term. I feel that a 10 would serve me better if I were to go to sell.

Once thing is sure... We are at warning yellow- Weapons are Hot. I'm ready to go. -Tomorrow.

[maxtog]

I totally disagree with ya on that.

That is your prerogative.  However, they are much less stable than cars and when they go down, injury almost always follows.  Meanwhile a car occupant has space, crumple zones, seatbelts, pretighteners, multiple airbags, intrusion bars, impact absorbing interior, and a roll cage and is riding in something much more visible.

ANYWAY, Flienlow, hurry up and buy one of these unsafe motorcycle things soon!

[Rhino]

Porperly applied brakes will always out do improperly brakes, regardless of ABS in use or not.  Debate that   ABS is a crutch for those moments of extreme situatuations, be it a high speed track or patch of gravel.  The vast majority of the time when a street rider is saved by ABS it could have been avoided by better vision/awareness.  Comparing track bikes to street bikes is not the same, controlled environment with everyone headed to the same place.  ABS has a place no doubt, but it will never be able to replace a skilled rider and the reaction required in any given situation.  The variables are many and unpredictable, yet very predictable for a seasoned, trained rider.  "There I was, grabbing a handfull of brake, uncontrolled, the suspension collapsed suddenly, ABS kicked in, suspension started doing a stutter step, and wham!!" 

Signed,

DB Cooper

Absolutely true. No doubt becoming a better riders is the best thing you can do for safety. I don't ride any differently on my ABS equipped bike then on my non ABS equipped bike. I once made a bad mistake and I happened to be on my ABS equipped bike and I'm pretty sure it made a huge difference in the outcome. If I every buy another new street bike, it will also have ABS.

[stevewfl]

This is getting better than an oil thread 

[Pokey]

I have never been on a dangerous motorcycle, nor have I ever owned or shot a dangerous firearm. People are the danger whether from inexperience, dangerous conditions, dangerous situations, or just plain bad luck. ABS and other safety features can help possibly put things in your odds, but the ultimate responsibility lies in the operator. Now as for the differences between the first gen and the second gen, there has been some nice upgrades to the current. Mainly for me would be the instrumentation and the layout and accessibility of the controls, better heat management, and I like the factory heated grips. I hate linked brakes and have no need for traction control, but can be helpful in some situations. There are allot of nice accessories available for these bikes, so make them your own no matter what year you buy.

[Scaffolder]

I did own a 2008 non abs and absolutely loved it. I put 44,000 miles on it in 18 months.  Overall, at the time, it was the best bike I ever owned. It was extremely hot on the legs when sitting in traffic. Fuel economy was about the same even though they mention the eco mode on the newer bikes. I liked the center glove box better on the 2008 compared to the locking box that is on the 2010 and up. I totaled this bike while trying to avoid a deer. Did no abs contribute. We'll never know.
I bought a 2010 abs and loved it even more. I put 38,000 miles on it in under two years.The cooler ride is great, because Boston traffic can get slow and hot. The abs and traction control is great. It's easier to keep the front tire down on a fast take off. I will never get a bike without heated grips again. The bodywork even seems to shed the rain just a little bit better. I rode the 2008 and 2010 in a couple inches of snow for about 100 miles and couldn't tell you which one I felt more comfortable with. I just kept it straight and smooth on both bikes. I did have the traction control kick in on an icy corner and probably saved my hide at about 45 mph. The linked brakes are my only complaint worth noting. It has a completely different feeling than normal brakes. It has grabby spots when braking. I have done some adjusting in my braking that has helped this, but hasn't made it perfect. Sitting in traffic it can become annoying.
I now have a 2011 abs I bought a couple months ago. I plan on riding this even more than the last two, but we'll see. I wouldn't even consider getting a 2008 or 2009 now that I've had the newer ones without a huge price advantage. And it would have to be in like new condition and have under 5,000 miles on it.
Just thought I'd give you some real input other than Me having a 2010 abs for sale. Good luck with your decision.

[martin_14]

BMW did extensive testing on the S1000RR

The pro's could not beat the stopping distance performance of the BMW ABS.

One can also google tests suggesting ABS bikes stop faster than non-ABS bikes by the same rider in a plethora of tests by governments and magazines.

Sooner than later, ABS will be required on all bikes in USA and europe.  Top manufacturers that aren't building budget bikes already have them on ALL models, such as BMW.

Steve... behave 

[Flienlow]

I did own a 2008 non abs and absolutely loved it. I put 44,000 miles on it in 18 months.  Overall, at the time, it was the best bike I ever owned. It was extremely hot on the legs when sitting in traffic. Fuel economy was about the same even though they mention the eco mode on the newer bikes. I liked the center glove box better on the 2008 compared to the locking box that is on the 2010 and up. I totaled this bike while trying to avoid a deer. Did no abs contribute. We'll never know.
I bought a 2010 abs and loved it even more. I put 38,000 miles on it in under two years.The cooler ride is great, because Boston traffic can get slow and hot. The abs and traction control is great. It's easier to keep the front tire down on a fast take off. I will never get a bike without heated grips again. The bodywork even seems to shed the rain just a little bit better. I rode the 2008 and 2010 in a couple inches of snow for about 100 miles and couldn't tell you which one I felt more comfortable with. I just kept it straight and smooth on both bikes. I did have the traction control kick in on an icy corner and probably saved my hide at about 45 mph. The linked brakes are my only complaint worth noting. It has a completely different feeling than normal brakes. It has grabby spots when braking. I have done some adjusting in my braking that has helped this, but hasn't made it perfect. Sitting in traffic it can become annoying.
I now have a 2011 abs I bought a couple months ago. I plan on riding this even more than the last two, but we'll see. I wouldn't even consider getting a 2008 or 2009 now that I've had the newer ones without a huge price advantage. And it would have to be in like new condition and have under 5,000 miles on it.
Just thought I'd give you some real input other than Me having a 2010 abs for sale. Good luck with your decision.

Thank you for your input!

[556ALPHA]

I suppose a better question would have been: 

Should stopping an ABS bike properly take less time versus just grabbing a handful and holding on allowing the ABS to stop you as it modulates.  I am sure that whatever you decide will be a good choice.  The C14 is a great bike.

[MAN OF BLUES]

my $0.02

my 08 is the first edition ABS model.
I have had it react at least 20 times since i bought it.
EVERY time it did "it's thing" I can honestly say that keeping the firm grasp on those brakes, and trusting them, came out fine....and much better than some older experiences I have had since 1973 clamping and trying to "modulate" brakes.


that said, I have NO NEED for LINKED brakes, nor electric grips, or any F'ing ECO MODE....or a slow bike...i.e. anything produced after 08.... but I do like black as a color.
dammit. Silver Dammit....freakin' NEUTRON Silver Dammit