I’m guessing most of you guys might have a modern bike loaded with all the electronic rider aids, but do you still own and enjoy riding an older machine that has none of that stuff? Are older bikes more enjoyable and rewarding to ride? Hmmm…
Got an old BMW with ABS and an Aprilia with three basic modes that is always in Sport. My 900 & 916 are so last century - that suits me fine.
I've never owned a bike with drivers aids until last year's purchase of a little KTM390. It does have ABS. I can get the gearbox blipper added by electronic wizardry for £130 but I won't. I might be missing out on an amazing new era of biking, but I don't care. I like riding the way I always have.
I quite like riding an older machine, but they don’t stop moaning. Younger machines tend to just go with the flow.
Traction Control, Corner ABS and Riding modes on my 1200RT, nice to have, in my 40 years and 500k km on a bike never needed it, just do not trust other road users, check your speed and keep your distance. I am just as comfortable on the 996 without those aids.
Thing is, will these electronic reliant bikes still be on the road in 25 years time? The guy with his 40 to 50 year old Ducati will still be able to enjoy riding it. Lot to be said about carburettors. Those with electronic bikes who are in it for the long term need to be squirrelling electronic components away if they crop up on the likes of eBay. A failed BBS in the future will make the bike completely unusable.
I have two with nothing, one with ABS only and the 1200s MS that has more things than you can shake a stick at, they just teach you to ride properly and not rely on electronics to keep you upright.
My view is that I don’t really notice all these aids in normal riding but I’m more than happy for them to be fitted on the rare occasions I might actually need them.
My 1098 SF has no rider aids at all and I don't miss them. KTM has lean-sensitive ABS, TC but they're unnoticeable. The TC has only flashed once when I made the mistake of fitting Mich Road 5 tyres and managed to unseat the rear under straight line acceleration on a dry road. I'm not sure if it has wheelie control. If it has it doesn't work... The Diavel's rider aid settings are all turned down to minimum and wheelie control is off. I don't see why you need WC on a bike like the Diavel. Lean-sensitive ABS and TC are not a bad idea as long as they're completely inobstrusive. Background stuff to cover you if something goes wrong. If it's an electro nanny it needs turning off or I don't want the bike. What I don't like is the increasing amount of gimmick electronics. Hill start assist (on a bike - why??) lane assist, radar etc. I also have not the slightest desire to pair my phone to my bike. I don't understand how all that shite works anyway and the last thing I want when I'm riding is to take calls. Usually my phone is switched off in my pocket. A lot of this leck-trickery is just there to pad the price.
I have ridden everything from early 1900s flat tankers to modern stuff with every aid available. I enjoy them all, you just adjust. Gears on the ‘wrong’ side on old stuff takes a bit of getting used to, a throttle with no auto return on very old stuff can lead to some interesting times but again, you adjust. As long as Itks got two wheels it can be a laugh to ride. Never rode a Lambretta type scooter but sure even they are fun in the right circumstances.
Personally the raider aids are fine, its just the modern Euro 5 engine mapping that spoils things - a dead-zone in the rev range. I think all modern bikes (sold in UK/EU) have that - annoyingly. My 2015 Fireblade had ABS, but that was it. Also no dead-zone in the rev range. Great bike.
My weapon of choice, 300tpi raw as nature intended, it's a pussycat if you want it to be, a real softy or it's a scalded cat, off like a rocket, it's heaps of fun to ride.
I’m very happy to use the hill hold on my Multistrada, especially when it’s fully loaded with panniers and I’ve had to stop on a steep hill T junction. I’m perfectly able to do a normal hill start but it’s a lot easier.
My track 1199 has stone age tc which is ok, but when I did 3 days on an all singing all dancing s1000rr, holy cow! But its too easy. And its telling that no-one with full electronics will turn it all off and give it large on track. So who is actually doing the riding?
All my bike except the 1098R have zero rider aids. The 1098R has first generation TC and it is completely shite. I turned it on once for one session at Brands Hatch and it was really awful so never used it again after that.
