ST1100: Abs vs Standard Brakes

Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
126
Location
Moon, VA
Bike
1991 ST1100
STOC #
8654
Hi,

I have a 1991 ST1100 with 58,000 miles, and have previously owned a 1994 ST1100. I have never ridden an ABS version of this bike, and want to know the difference between the early And version and the later ABS versions

There is a 1998 ST1100 for sale with less than 10,000 miles that I am considering for my son to ride. Since I have some familiarity with the bike, it may simplify things for me.

Any thoughts?
 

Erdoc48

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Honest opinion: I have a 2000 non ABS and a 1994 ABS bike- I generally ride in nice weather and dry conditions (but have ridden in the wet when I've had to do so).

I have no doubt ABS makes for a 'safer' bike in the wet, but I have never had mine activate, even under hard braking in the dry (and on the few occasions in wet with the 94, I'm still careful not to lockup the brakes). If the bike you seek is a non ABS bike and is in decent condition, I'd just get it- put on a set of really good tires (read sticky) and ride on. I don't think I've ever slid the back tire and know I've never lost control of the 2000. I've trained myself to use the front brake primarily and then the back when the load is off the front (as the front brake applies ~ 70% of the braking force in a panic stop), and to squeeze the front brake lever (not grab) until just before lockup in a panic stop.

I think learning better brake application technique on a non ABS bike can be a better defense than having a false sense of security that ABS is on the bike and will save you in a panic stop (not to say it won't help, but I feel learning to modulate the brakes is a better technique).

Again, just one opinion- I'm sure others here may tell you to seek out an ABS bike. I didn't get the 94 because it had ABS, but I thought it was a nice feature to have when I bought it- it just happened to have the ABS.
 
Last edited:

Gymbo

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892
The 1996 and later ABSII bikes have a linked braking system.

I've had 4 non-ABS ST1100's and a 1996 ABSII. I never actuated the ABS, but the '96 easily had the best brakes of all the ST1100's I've had.

If I were to buy another ST1100, it would definitely be an ABSII version.
 
Joined
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Medina, Tennessee
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2021 Tracer 9GT
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375
Going by memory here. The ABS brakes on '92-'95 ST1100s are the older versions, and non linked.
They work fine, I put over 100k miles on a '95 ABS model.
The '96 and later ABS on ST1100s is linked, and overall superior, IMHO.

Get the ABS. I have been riding 51 years and will never own another new street bike without ABS. I used it on the '95 I owned riding home from the dealer just after I bought it. Some idiot cut me off at a toll booth. That was in 1994 and ABS has kicked in many times afterward on several different bikes, and not always in wet conditions.

Riding and braking skills are important, yes. However,we sometimes do not have control of the environment in which we find ourselves, and ABS offers some extra degree of safety to deal with that.
 

richpeabody

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Feb 17, 2007
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381
Location
Venice, FL
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ST1100
STOC #
yes
I am happy as if I had sense with my 2001 ABS....stops well wet or dry and I have only stopped real hard when an old critter in a car looked at me, waited until was REAL close, then pulled out.....a HARD stop!
An issue that I have had is riding in wet, slippery grass, as the rear wheel spins a couple time and then the rear brake is applied...impeding progress and screwing up the gyroscopic effect. I'm aware now, and if I'm slogging for a distance in slime, I turn the ABS/TC off.

Have fun!
 

Uncle Phil

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You don't need the ABS ... until you need it! I call it the 'Automatic Butt Saver'. The 96 and later ABSII brakes (not the ABS part but the stopping power itself) is far superior to a standard or a ABSI. You have much more pad surface and amore aggressive pad surface on the ABSII units. If you've never ridden an ABSII model, you would be very surprised at the difference between a standard and an ABSII. I've got both and speak from experience! ;-)

BTW - The ST1100 ABSII front tire happens to be the same size as ST1300 front tire. So if you go with a 170/60 rear (same as the ST1300), you have all the ST1300 'version' tires available.
 
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DJDixon

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I have had both the ABS-II model (1997 ST1100A) and the non-ABS model (My current 2002 ST1100). I prefer the ABS-II model brakes, in fact, when I first got the 2002 I thought something was wrong with the brakes!! :confused: The ABS-II brakes (in my opinion) are far superior to the non-ABS brakes.

Some other things to consider regarding the late model ST1100A's ('96 and up) is that you also get a wider front wheel and tire and a much more powerful alternator (both of which can be retrofitted to the earlier/non-ABS models) and larger front forks (43mm vice 41mm, if memory serves). There are times that the Traction Control System is nice too. :eek: I actually bought my '97 ST1100A because of the wider wheel and larger forks (improved handling) and not really so much for the ABS and linked-brakes. :eek::

If I had the money I would gladly get another ABS-II model - I hope to do so soon (as soon as I win the lottery, that is!). :D
 

paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26
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'97/'01 ST1100 ABSII
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8735
[-]I've owned[/-] I own two 2001 ST1100s... the 2-piston non-ABS and the 3-piston ABSII. As others have mentioned, the ABSII version has far better stopping power (before ABS activates) and the linked brakes work great. Personally, I would not buy an ST1100 that was not ABSII ('96 and up).
 
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kiltman

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I've owned a 1990 standard and now currently own a 97 ABSII The stopping power alone is worth it. I haven't had the ABS kick in nor traction control. My observation is that it stops in 2/3rds the distance of the regular ST.
The computer does demand solid power, I had a bad ground that gave me a fault code.
If I was in the market for another ST1100 I would try and hunt down a ABSII unit.
 
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