"ABS is totally transparent. You brake as normal for all your riding days. It only kicks in when you are in an emergency, and in an emergency where every fraction of a second matter, you can't fuss over how much pressure your right hand is applying to the front. ABS will hide in the background and save your hide only when you need it."
Oh lord help me. Of course you can fuss over your pressure FFS. ***That's what good braking is about.*** The above is exactly the kind of fear and misinformation that promotes ABS. ABS only kicks in when the computer notes the triggering event. It can't know when it's an emergency. It can't know when the surface ahead looks like it will offer poor traction. The only thing I agree with is that ABS (when working properly) is transparent in normal braking and that it will offer an extra level of assurance against lock up in wet pavement conditions (you could just slow down... ride more cautiously... just a thought). If you're about to lock up a wheel/wheels, ABS will save you from the very probable fall. That is all that ABS can do. All this "Our Father" / "Hail Mary" / "it will save your life" faith stuff that gets overlayed on ABS is a real worry, and it's so beguiling that riders don't even see they are doing it!
Cobbz is right. If you get used to just panic grabbing the brakes and letting the ABS sort it out, then what you're doing is TRAINING your lizard brain to make this the AUTOMATIC response to any survival reaction braking. That is bad. On simple ABS systems, the panic grab leads to a LONGER BRAKING DISTANCE than a what you'd get from a good set up and squeeze. If you ***value*** stopping distance then the key primary skill of braking correctly is still what's required for riding a bike, any bike, even an ABS'd bike.
Those that practice their emergency braking often and regularly (only needs a couple of goes each ride in one of the quiet backstreets on the return journey), are training their automatic lizard brain response when they have to brake hard. It's not pie in the sky. Muscle memory is used routinely by soldiers, musicians, martial arts, surgeons, sports people, gymnasts etc etc etc. It's nothing new.
For the person saying, "Oh but what about my tyres, brake pads and discs!"... seriously?? Sheesh.
