The Hidden Danger of Modern Motorcycle Safety Features!

This video is not for everyone! Many won't like what I am about to say, but I will do it anyway! I will open Pandora's box and will steal the dreams of many future adventure riders.
If you are still here, after the intro, that means that you are at least curious to see what are this ugly truth. Because you are ready to listen, I will consider this as progress in the right direction.
One of the web sources: www.bts.gov/content/motorcycl...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My second channel - travel videos only: / @motorcycleadventureslive
Third channel - live streams only: / @motoadventureslivestr...
Channel support: payhip.com/b/Xfzm
Free PDF file: "10 things that you have to learn before you start your motorcycle trips": rtw-adventures.com/let-me-hel...
Online course "The Essential Guide to Any Motorcycle Traveler": rtw-adventures.com/online-cou...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Become my Patron: / motorcycleadv
Join the channel: / @motorcycleadventures
Support my channel: rtw-adventures.com/support-1.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amazon Shop (Affiliate): amzn.to/2OKfzd2
Books: rtw-adventures.com/books-1.html
Merch: rtw-adventures.com/shop-1.html
Smart GPS Tracker:monimoto.com/uk/ride/6/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Website: rtw-adventures.com
Facebook: / rtwmotorcycleadventures
Instagram: / motorcycleadventures
Telegram: t.me/PavlinMotorcycleAdventures
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[@rhenus2625]

The most important safety feature in motorcycling is the brain of the rider. I survived without any injuries 43 years riding motorbikes. For 42 years I had no "so called safety features" on board. Since I have ABS on my one year old T700, I appreciate it but still use, guess what... my brain

[@motorcycleadventures]

Agree! Thanks for sharing!

[@martinpolach1330]

What brand/ kind of stove do you have burning in your shop ? 1:18

[@opichocal]

100% Your brain is more important than any safety feature. I rode with a guy that just bought a new Harley and asked me why I wear a full faced helmet. The reasons I gave him went in one ear and out the other even faster. I told my wife he won’t be riding long and he totaled the bike before his first payment. He’s lucky to be alive and I can only imagine how much his medical bills are

[@maskedavenger2578]

The only things I require on my motorcycles are standard motorcycle controls , Cable operated throttles ,standard clutch & gears ,& standard unlinked front & rear disc or drum brakes . I don’t want or need any cruise control ,traction control, slipper clutches ,blipper throttles or even ABS . An competent experienced rider with a full licence should be able to adjust their riding style & speeds to the conditions required for roads & weather . They should give us the choice & produce models without all the unnecessary expensive gadgets at reduced prices . The more gadgets the more to possibly go wrong in the middle of nowhere & leave the rider stranded .

[@MrORANGEMAN1966]

I disagree it's the drivers all around you that you can not control

[@marc123work]

I am guessing that mobile phone ownership has increased since 1990 and a complete distraction to car drivers, and with that i also guess that a lot of the fatalities happen on the road. Intersection junctions are the most dangerous place for a biker in America. That is still no reason to not upscale your skillset as you could never learn it all, and like you say they are rider aids not rider autonomy. Excellent video Pavlin , keep up the good work 🙂

[@motorcycleadventures]

This is also true!

[@geraldscott4302]

I still use an old school flip phone, with no internet and no touch screen and I keep it put away while riding. Car drivers are not the only ones being distracted by these things. I've noticed that most riders now have one attached to their handlebars. They can't go even one minute without it. Why not just have the damn thing implanted, and become like the Borg on Star Trek?

[@mariogarrido]

Notice that between 1990 and 2021 the number of vehicle-miles doubled, that’s why in practice the fatality rates halved. Many more people (and bikers) on the roads meaning a lot more chances for accidents. I agree with your point that one must learn to ride properly, defensively, regardless of safety features… but unfortunately that doesn’t eliminate the fact that you’re reading the data wrong.

[@motorcycleadventures]

See vehicle miles for early years. For example from 2007 to 2012, about the same miles and the same dead, even less without any systems.

[@stanislavsutak130]

Thats the point. Statistic can bee readen many ways. Nova days is way more trafic and drivers whit more powerful cars and bikes. There are no numbers how many crashes was the cars caused and ,and ... I dont believe that safety features are the only way to save lives but this video is not very right.

[@stevebures9735]

It could also be that those of us that learned to ride on bikes with no safety features we learned the limits of the bike. With all of the current features you can ride faster and harder. When you exceed the limits of those features you're in real trouble.

[@motorcycleadventures]

True!

[@puffybodie5282]

Exactly. Same with the cars. But while driving Lada or such you were feeling when limits are coming. In Audi/BMW/whatever it's ok,ok,ok, CRASH because electronic assistants can keep only up to some level of driver stupidity. When they can't it's already too late to do anything. And motorcycles are becoming cars (one engine / frame shared between multiple platforms and so on) because of the cost saving.

[@andrewdoran4572]

​@@puffybodie5282spot on, I rode bikes for 40 years, and yeah I've binned a couple of bikes in my time but only through my own stupidity and not using the 5 brain cells I had. I simply would not have bought a machine fitted with ABS, traction control and any other "safety aids" it takes away the skill of riding a bike or car.....if you need them you should give up using the roads.

[@bmylesk]

To further simplify: safety breeds complacency. Thanks you again for your honesty and informative videos.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for watching!

[@Leonard-kd7uj]

Hi from Uk your spot on more tec doesn't mean riders can give up on building skills by the only way possible ride and practice never rely on tec makes riders complacent

[@glyngreenwood8377]

Again pavlin you make total sense I've maintained ' increased speed equals increased risk ' ive found over the years by sticking around the speed limit ish i rarely have a problem with other drivers,to be honest its taken age and experience to realise this.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for taking the time!

[@dilwyn1]

As always Pavlin, well said. Forget fancy electronics ETC, the best person to keep yourself alive, is, yourself !!!

[@motorcycleadventures]

Absolutely! Thanks for taking the time again!

[@markturner1149]

Absolutely spot on as usual. There is no substitute for an experienced, seasoned and mature outlook on todays roads. These rider aids only mask poor judgement. We all learned the hard way when we reached the limit of our talent then continued to learn.... that mindset seems to have long since vanished, as my late father always used to say, "a bad workman always blames his tools". Keep up the good work Pavlin. Best wishes and safe travels from the UK.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks, I will!

[@neil_the_wheel3493]

Excellent video Pavlin and I could not agree more. ADV motorcycles have gotten too heavy, too powerful, and too expensive. I think that too many riders are now jumping into the sport with their checkbooks wide open with the mindset that they can buy a bike that makes up for their lack of experience and skill, and the motorcycle manufacturers are helping them with this idea. The problem is that you can not trust the electronics with your life in all situations, over years of time. Riders need to go back to basics, learn to ride proficiently in the dirt on smaller machines, and then move up the displacement ladder to a point that makes sense based on desired speed and road miles for their trip plans. I like to ride mostly dirt these days and for that I find that I really only need 25 HP and a much lighter bike. It is a funny paradox that the big bikes have a ridiculous amount of power now and then they put an electronics package on top of that which basically reduces the power down to a more manageable level so why not just buy a less expensive, less powerful machine and spend more on gas and travel in the beginning and have a more reliable machine as a bonus? Good video, more riders need to understand that electronics can not make up for lack of basic skills.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for taking the time!

[@henrytowne7463]

I concur with Neil and Pavliv. The modern boondoggle of today's bike are wonderful in function but can be distractive as well. Often they dull your senses to the actual events; you loose your "feel" of the situation. There is a lot to be said for keeping things "simple". I've been riding for 50+ years starting with a 350 on the road and a 250 on the dirt. As time passed my skills improved and I progressed in displacement et al. Currently riding my 1st gen Hayabusa and 1st gen Weestrom. I don't like ABS in the dirt so I engineered an ON/OFF for it… Lots of mileage a la IBA.

[@riderramblings]

Excellent video Pavlin. I, like many others, learnt to ride before there were any safety features. We learnt how to stop in an emergency, we learnt how to ride in slippery conditions (rain, snow and oil & diesel - vehicles weren't as "fluid-tight" as they are today), we learnt to ride in the dry and the wet. We then had to pass a test, usually in the rain, where we had to perform an emergency stop from 30 mph (50 km/h) without locking-up the wheels. After that we were able to learn to ride properly, not just to pass the motorcycle test 😁. I've had to perform emergency stops from speeds of 80 mph (130 km/h) in the wet and, once, from over 140 mph (225 km/h) in the dry without ABS (and no, I didn't need to change my underwear). We learnt how to understand the feedback the bike was giving us. We learnt to negotiate roundabouts in the wet which were covered in diesel. _All without _*_safety features_* I personally believe that new riders should learn the same way as we did - to control the bike without safety features. Bikes today are way more powerful, 500cc bikes when I started riding were considered very powerful and 750cc and above for professionals or idiots. On these more powerful, modern bikes, these safety features should be an option. For example, I've never used the safety features yet (and hope I never have to) on my 149 hp bike and on my commuter bike (49 hp), they are more of a hindrance than a help and in over about 200,000 km I've never had to use them.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@human1513]

1,000 % agree. The electronics cause newbies to ride over their head and teaches them to rely on the bike' systems. Causing more crashes due to lack skill.

[@Patshes]

To name just 3 road bikes I had was a Suzuki gt 750 2 stroke, Kawasaki 750 z, Honda 900f and a few off roads like Yamaha xt500, Yamaha 400 two stroke and so on over the years . Never needed any of those electronics to have a joyful and safe journey. Glad you bring this to our attention thank you! 🆒😎💪!

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for taking the time and sharing your experience!

[@KS-qf1pn]

Hi Pailin, I fully agree with you. I grew up on the farm and started off with enduro/ dirt bikes, which gave me the opportunity to fall and learn (not on the main roads). That afforded me the opportunity to learn, and develop my skills and large motor skills such as balance and judgement. I haven’t been riding for many years, and wish to start once again, but because of previous experience I realise that I need to be cautious. I grew up without all these safety features, and it reminds me of the modern era in construction where management believes that if that force employees to wear all the PPE, they wouldn’t get injured..we all know that’s not how it works. IMO the same rules apply to riding a bike.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for taking the time!

[@ioar5481]

Totally agree with you Pavlin. The first and by far most important safety issue is the pilot, his/her ability, experience and conciousness. The only electronic or mechanical gadgets that, in my opinion, are of some value are the ABS (not always you can avoid an accident just manouvering) and the slip clutch, which prevent blocking the rear wheel when downshifting.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Fair enough!

[@fxgraphicslive]

You will see the same or higher rates in auto accidents right after seatbelts were mandatory. Does that mean cars are less safe? No. It means likely that people feel more secure so they take more risks. It's not a new topic. The increased power, I would think has more to do with it. In 1987 my GPZ 750 had about 60 HP and a modern 600 can have 100+. The statistics you are missing is the breakdown of which type of bike is involved. It's important to properly parse the data. Lots of studies on this very subject. As always good video, even when we don't agree exactly. Cheers!

[@motorcycleadventures]

...people take more risks, because of the false safety they have from many fancy features. Thanks for taking the time!

[@davidalder6558]

Great video Pavlin. All you need is thinking and scanning ahead plus traction control in your right wrist. I agree that the lighter and simpler the bike, the less problems you will have. DAve from Canada

[@motorcycleadventures]

Absolutely!

[@kiwikidusa]

You nailed it again! I have attended fatal reviews of accidents and the motorcycle ones have a consistency; so you only need to hear the accident description without the mention of the motorbike involved and you know immediately what type of bike and rider. Unfortunately, most are OVI (Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated). If you can't ride a motorcycle with ABS, Traction Control and all the other gizmos you should not be riding a motorcycle in the first place. This goes for cars too! I have a 2016 Africa Twin (before they added all the electronic crap); the first thing I do is turn off traction control, but that is all I need to turn off as there are no 'Rider Modes'. I'm keeping my 'old' 2005 Forester for precisely these reasons. IMHO, EyeSight can go to a place where the sun doesn't shine.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@coconuciferanuts339]

Good vid. Pav. Safe motorcycle riding cannot be stressed enough. Knowing myself,knowing my bike.Understanding my riding ability & how I'm feeling.The weather,tyres etc.all play a part in staying alive. Too many young riders die because they are not fully aware.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Exactly! Thanks for taking the time!

[@inkalankala7106]

Awesome infomation and advice. Keep it up a work

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks, will do!

[@pepelimantour3757]

You are right on. I ride alone, today riding in groups is super dangerous. I have no abs and and never ride with a group. Trust only yourself your skill and come home alive

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@pw3591]

I generally agree, I grew up riding off road bikes with no rider aids, so learnt the hard way how to brake to the limits of grip, and can control the traction of the rear wheel with my right hand. In fact ABS can be dangerous off road. Having said that, on the road I would still have ABS given the choice just in case I'm not on "top form" one day, it might help you out.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing your opinion!

[@alexandrecamargo7146]

You are absolutely right, , nowadays with all the gadjets people get distracted and forget about their ride. Thats when accidents happens.

[@motorcycleadventures]

It is what it is!

[@budzab]

I do agree with the point, i sometimes turn off the ABS and traction control on my R1250GS to feel the bike. But i disagree on the views of the statistics, because its missing a big game changer and big danger for the bikers, the climb of a car drivers that use mobile phones while they drive. You look at the 1991 or 2005 when there was none of the mobile phones in hands of car drivers

[@motorcycleadventures]

This could be also a factor.

[@timsalabimbombassa]

I had 2 actual traffic accidents in my life. In both cases I had to brake unexpectedly in a corner to avoid a car (both cases the cars fault and completely stupid and unexpected) In both cases I avoided the car, but I fell because I blocked the front brake. Cornering abs may have just saved me there… And I was a quite skilled national level motorcycle racer at the time. I knew how to brake. Doesn’t mean you’re wrong, just that there’s 2 sides to the it.

[@motorcycleadventures]

In some situations ABS extends the brake travel path, so you don't know what might be.

[@kwakithailand]

You don't know how to brake, if you lock the front wheel. Read more about "Trail braking"...

[@davegoldspink5354]

As someone now 61 and after a life time around bikes and cars as a rider starting as a little tacker at 5 and driving tractors at 9 and my years since my late teens building both cars and bikes I’m still a big believer in KISS (keep it simple stupid) totally agree with you people today become to dependent on assist toys and have lost to much of their road or dirt craft skills. Even now when looking at any vehicle I’ll always look at the lack of bells and whistles as an advantage and will go for as pure or simple as I can get. As always great video and very sound advice. Thanks for sharing. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@motorcycleadventures]

My pleasure! Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@visovanioan2509]

Started 4 years ago with transalp 650... did many mistakes, but the bike is forgiving. But I gained confidence to ride without any system, just my reflexes and agility..and I want to keep it this way.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Good!

[@tonyrdr7207]

Very good observation and yes there are a lot of people who think exactly like you. I was so happy when they brought out the 300 Hondas simple machines and all I really need. The other danger of safety features is them malfunctioning an leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Reliability is another good reason to avoid them. Thanks for taking the time!

[@kahidunn7907]

Some good points raised, thank you Pavlin

[@motorcycleadventures]

My pleasure!

[@thecorporategypsy]

I don,t always agree with your points BUT you make me think which is important!

[@motorcycleadventures]

Good!

[@andrewrobertson9450]

Thanks for your efforts and honesty brother

[@motorcycleadventures]

My pleasure!

[@pepesmagazine]

Great topic, I think you are right, the more equipped with safety features the motorcycle is, the less careful the rider will be. Ride safe, cheers!

[@motorcycleadventures]

Absolutely!

[@rolandomasellikelly531]

Excelent video Pavlin! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks, man!

[@scanadaze]

I am 53. I have been riding motorcycles since my teens. To this day. I have never riden a motorcycle with ABS, etc. My 2019 Doul Sport has none. I adjust everything myself. Tires on up to my brain. I have had only one accident. Going slow around a corner and the valve stem tore away from the tube on my front tire. That was two years ago. Thanks for sharing.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@brobin66]

I still think the safety features are a net positive… there are many more factors such as mobile phones, increasing size of bikes, aging boomers,etc. plus it was hard to see how if the overall accident rate was dropping over time. There certainly a lot more bikes on the road. In any case, without these features we would probably see far more accidents and far more fatalities, everything else being held equal. I know for myself I have had my abs save me when someone cut right In front of me and then came to a stop. I know the abs out performed what I could have done in braking and in another incident my traction control helped me avoid a collision when I swerved very aggressively to avoid a deer. I was braking hard and swerving and both systems kicked in. I am not in the statistics because I avoided the crashes! I would also point out that similar arguments were made about abs on cars decades ago.. people made similar arguments that a good driver could out perform them or they make people take more chances, etc.. those arguments are long in the past.. insurance companies will tell you these have greatly improved safety.

[@motorcycleadventures]

As I said I always question and doubt on everything that comes from main stream media or it is regulated by authorities. It is not always in our favor. The last great example that I can give you was the coronavirus and lock downs.

[@vishakr7194]

Always true 😊 thanks for sharing your experience sir

[@motorcycleadventures]

My pleasure!

[@paulcooper5610]

I agree, it's the same with cars people drive and ride more dangerously the more safety features they have, but with a bike you are far more vulnerable and are therefore going to get hurt far more. I've never ridden a bike with ABS or traction control as I prefer older more classic bikes. When you ride a bike over 45 years old with narrow tyres and not so great brakes it makes you ride more carefully. Very interesting video, it's made me even less likely to go out and buy the latest motorcycle, thanks for saving me money.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for taking the time!

[@craigreynolds2539]

Truer words were never said. I learned to ride in 1982, on my brother’s Yamaha RD 350, on the back lawn… I knew that if I dropped his bike, it wouldn’t be the fall that would break my arm lol. I quickly learned about traction, power and breaking on a slippery surface. Still riding safely today.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@2007stor]

Good thought provoking video as usual, thanks for sharing.........

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for watching!

[@gislisigurdsson1092]

Ooh but you are so right ;) Riding tractors in the country side in Iceland growing up from 11-15years old teaches you the most about what works ant what doesn´t... :) - good times, good times :)

[@motorcycleadventures]

It is what it is!

[@enduromotorradtouren]

As you say, Pavlin, there is much marketing in the bike business. The best piano in the world won't make a Mozart out of you. Even with Usain Bolt's shoes I am still a lame duck ;-) Constant training (riding/fitness) and a sound mindset is most important in my opinion. I love that you question the industry's "stories". Günter/Nürnberg

[@motorcycleadventures]

Absolutely!

[@mateiiucha5568]

Hi Pavlin, The only thing I would add to what you said on this topic, with which I agree completly, is that modern (new) motorcycles have besides weight, power, systems, etc. is speed. This is what raises the % on deaths # and lowers it for the injured. All the best from Romania from a fellow T7 happy owner, Matei

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for adding!

[@mikemarthaller8789]

KISS Well said Based on 50 years teaching military, civilian parachuting, teaching, flying civil aircraft, ultra light AC, Heavy trucks and weapons I agree, as people become dependent on "Safety systems" they relinquish "Personal Responsibility " Thus if a "System fails" before reverting to basics they first waste time figuring why the system failed. Even worse as you state people do not learn from mistakes. The situtation is compounded as people who in the past scared themselves and left before being able to over reach skills or equipment We have several well documented airline accidents resulting from this trouble shooting systems failures rather than reverting to basic flying skills. An observation, modern "Fuel effecent, aerodynamic, safer automobiles have large blind spots. As a rider i attempt to brighten up and beware they/I if driving may simply not see.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Exactly!

[@mariiivanov3290]

You nailed it, this is the simple, ugly truth. The same goes 100% to driving cars by the way! Поздрави Павка, продължавай в същия дух!😉

[@motorcycleadventures]

Благодаря!

[@_Corsa]

Good informational video! The ABS on my BMW works as intended and I don’t want to do any more experiments. 😮

[@motorcycleadventures]

Good!

[@wheels2fun526]

One of the biggest problem is how many rider over rely on these safety features. For example ABS having started off riding when I was 15 when bikes didn't have ABS, I learned how to ride pre-ABS. Same with traction control. Since 2017 once a month I do a riding course at one of the local schools, which helps people get their 500cc plus license. I purposely use bike for this training that don't have ABS for my students. At the beginning what i've noticed is many are nervous of even scared riding a bike that doesn't have ABS, because they have been told it's dangerous. This of course is just not true. Over-reliance on technology is more dangerous. Common sense is safer. Of my 5 bikes only 3 of them have ABS and traction control, and I'm ok with both of these features. But, at no time do I think. ABS or traction control will save me from a sticky situation. That would be just dumb.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@erosas887]

One point missing is that nowadays more people report accidents due to technology. Maybe in the past people used to report accidents only when they have injured people or fatalities. Usually data is not so simple to analyse.

[@motorcycleadventures]

True

[@MacawAviculture]

I would never purchase a new motorcycle/truck/car because of all the new electronics. I ride a 2017 KTM 1090R because of the limited computer/electronics. My 2023 KTM 350 EXC-F has none. Most of the new 'adventure' bikes have too many electronics that for me, take away the pleasure and adventure of riding, both on and off-road. The new KTM 890/1290 are so complicated because of the electronics, many riders have issues starting the bikes while off-road, and far away from potentially life-saving help. It seems KTM is now doing the same insanity in their enduro bikes in 2024 with a new centralized computer that will control startup. After riding for nearly 60 years, the days of buying new bikes are over for me. Great video, thank you for sharing!

[@motorcycleadventures]

Reliability of those features is another story that deserves a different conversation.

[@valeriykrylov1855]

Completely agree with you. Also at`s additional point of failure. For example, i rode almost new indian bike in Turkey with problems in ABS. Some times rear brakes stops working becaus of it :)))

[@motorcycleadventures]

Good to know.

[@NeedleBender785]

Love watching all your videos, as I just bought a 2024 Tenere 700. Thanks for all the content you make. Спосибо большое.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Пожалуйста!

[@borilapostolov7474]

One more ok from me. My previous bike was Virago750-no aids as we all know. I learned how to manage it, how to use this tool for joy. My new bike for 2 years is Vstrom 650 with some basic electronics and guess what? I still ride it with TC off. To be honest abs saved my arse about three times because I was pushing over the capable limits of the bike. Rider mistake😢. Trying to put it at permanent off...The other reason are the rules which every manifacturer has to follow/ include to the vehicle in order to pass all the demands from the industry. There are so many safety organizations and compliances to follow that everybody does it. For the sales reasons only. But well the medal has two sides. The button has two positions: on and off. After all - ride safe and use your head before you dig in the menu on the screen of gadgetry! Thank again Pavlin.

[@motorcycleadventures]

My pleasure!

[@Mrflymess]

It would also be interesting to see if there is a relationship between fatalities & type & capacity of bike. As someone also noted the distraction caused by mobile phones could be a factor. I enjoy your videos.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Sport bikes take a big chunk from the stats.

[@meansoftolerance]

In 1990 there were way less cars and also NO MOBILE PHONES therefore WAY LESS DISTRACTIONS for car drivers. A lot of them accidents are caused by car drivers which result to minor accidents for them but not so for motorcycle riders. Also, cars have become bigger and heavier, making it harder to stop but also protect their passengers but not what they are crashing against. Of course you are right to say that motorcycle riders have become less capable and less aware and respectful of the power they hold.

[@motorcycleadventures]

This also helps!

[@andrzejch8124]

Pavlin , i love your style. I assume I'm 20 years yunger then You , but i agree 100% percent with You. Most responsibility is on You than on electronics on motocykle. Gadgets are nice , but more important is trip. Greetings from Poland. Thank You for all your movies. Andrew-PL

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks, man!

[@duncanjowett5575]

Reminds me of my old Dad's idea: "Take all the safety stuff out of cars. And put a 2 foot long metal spike in the middle of the steering wheel - BOOM - overnight no more accidents!"

[@motorcycleadventures]

Might help!

[@Larr3y]

Hey pavel got a question what do you think about mocycles airbag jeans I saw an add for them and was thinking about buying them any thoughts. Keep up the good work

[@motorcycleadventures]

Never seen them

[@Larr3y]

@motorcycleadventures I am a new rider actually still in school in Germany so you know how long that is. So I have to get gear and would love to see the opinion of an expert rider And thanks for the reply

[@evgenykornev2480]

You added warm light bulb to your shelf, very nice 😊

[@motorcycleadventures]

Yes, thanks!

[@samhill3496]

28 years a federal safety inspector and accident investigator. Numbers don't lie. Things can change for the better. Throw the human being into the equation and you spoil the consequences of most all safety devices. The real answer they are only there because of the mistakes made by the operators. A do good scenario to save us from ourselves. I did a lot of fatal/injury investigations. There are almost no accidents in life. They are caused by actions of human beings. That said learn how to ride. Ride properly for the conditions, your own personal abilities, proper safety gear to minimize injury and use a machine you can control given the worst of the worst drivers and conditions that you are exposed to. Good job Pavlin.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Completely agree with this!

[@stitchjones7134]

If im being honest, I found my 1290's tech aids made up for more than a few of my shortcomings. That being said, i found my primary danger as a daily rider was people in cars

[@motorcycleadventures]

Fair enough!

[@timking2822]

I couldn't agree more with your thoughts on supposed safety features. The same is true for automobiles and trucks. They do make up for lack of skills, but they also detract from learning skills. To derive any conclusions from the statistics is immediately put into question though from the number of variables involved. Comparing the riding environment in the '70s to now involves potential differences in: 1) typical rider skill levels and backgrounds, 2) the roads, 3) the other traffic, 4) the typical motorcycle characteristics (power, weight, and safety features), and finally, 5) added hazards like driver behavior and 6) distractions. In the '70s, many new drivers received formal training. Now, this is not common.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ljubo63]

I enjoy it with my 1998 Aprilia Pegaso and totally agree with you. I listen to "recognized" vloggers who, in the comparison test of motorcycles, consider a motorcycle to have a disadvantage of a 10" display compared to a 12" display... simply crazy and sad that these bloggers have such many followers

[@motorcycleadventures]

There is place for everyone on KZbin

[@903lew]

The only relevant statistic is accident rate/fatalities per mile. Twice the miles with less than twice the number of fatalities is an improvement any which way you look at it. This being said a lot of safety features seem designed to gloss over the quite frankly extreme amount of horse power present in many bikes. When I was a kid a powerful car with a turbo 2.5-litre engine had 190 hp. Today you can easily find a bike with that power and you know….I mean, for me it’s too much and quite dangerous. I think you end up making the best point: don’t buy a bike so powerful you need electronics to keep you alive.

[@motorcycleadventures]

See vehicle miles for early years and you will see what I see. For example from 2007 to 2012, about the same miles and the same dead, even less without any systems. So the result is no improvement or turn in very bad direction!

[@903lew]

@@motorcycleadventures Yes and the graph shows just that. A huge reduction in fatalities in about 07, a plateau thereafter and a marginal increase in 2020-2021. But as a measure of fatality/ridden mile 2021 is still far safer than the time before any safety features. FortNine made another statistical comparison and stated that the increase in fatalities in the past few years has come from 1400+ cc bikes. Highway tourers who put down serious miles and are usually ridden by older gentlemen. No amount of ABS or TC will stop you crashing if you fall asleep or you can’t react in time. Maybe radar cruise control could help in some cases (it works for cars) but I’m not sure I’d want it anyway.

[@Gh3cko]

@@903lew also increased number of vehicles on the road...the data is incomplete. OFC the 1st line of defense for a rider should be his brain...but we also cant react as fast as TC. Why cant we have both? brain and tech working together...for a safer ride.

[@903lew]

@@Gh3cko I’m just not convinced its needed on all bikes (see above point about engine size from F9). If I owned a fire-breathing litre bike? Yeah, I’d take every aid I could get. But I ride a Tracer 700 with the same CP2 as Pavlin. I take it easy, I ride fairly slow. Do I really need to amortise the needs of those that have bigger bikes than I am interested in? I’m not sure. I wouldn’t avoid a bike with TC, IMUs or anything like that but I don’t see it as a plus for me.

[@Leonard-kd7uj]

Hi from Uk your spot on the more we rely on tec instead of riding and practicing your skills only lead to complacency tec will save me no it won't its there to help not do it for learn to ride without it you will always be a better rider

[@motorcycleadventures]

Absolutely!

[@danstevens2204]

I’ve paused at 4.50 and I’m going to say people forget how or don’t learn how to ride properly and have a false sense of security when a bike is loaded with features. I’m a T7 man, throttle, clutch, two brakes and a shifter thank you 👍🏻

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@adamhrachowina9119]

Totally agree. I've been riding for over forty years, three decades were racing MX, enduro, road bikes and stunt riding. As a teen I learned to ride with garbage handed down tyres until later I could afford the luxury of proper tyres for each condition. Cutting fresh edges on old mx tyres for grip and stuck with whatever tyre was free, no luxury of soft med or hardpack tyre. My current KTM 890 has the abs removed and the traction control disabled, it stops better and provides way more feedback than the dulled down constant intervention of electronic aids. Claim what they want, a bike with abs, 50/50 tyres and abs is a poor combination off road, I have seen many riders have accidents because when the tyre lacked traction the abs intervention caused the bike to carry on rolling and they hit an immovable object. A better tyre for the conditions would have been the correct way to approach things. But doing multi surface riding with just one tyre is what most adv riders will encounter. Learning how to feel for traction rather than letting the gizmos doing it hide the true feedback would not give so many less experienced riders a false sense of ability, and they would ride more appropriately for the conditions. There are several studies by motoring institutes that confirm abs can be a hindrance and even counterproductive when used off road. I prefer zero and ride 365 days of the year in any condition. Even after decades on MX bikes, moving to stunting on tarmac and learning how to manipulate the front brake from three figure speeds in the wet, popping a rolling stoppie was worth more in skill set training than abs could have ever done for me. I'm not saying the aids don't have a place, but I'm sure glad I learned on machines without all the crap. Wheelies are another bone of contention and frowned upon and illegal in most places, they are may be considered show boating but are actually a bike control skill. I was once actually let off after being stopped for a slow wheelie because the two police officers started to argue. The second officer was a biker and defended me saying that he couldn't do what I did and said to the other officer to stop it, it was skill not a dangerous manoeuvre on a quiet dead end road 😎 There is a reason why nearly all of the top road racers and circuit racers have come from a trials or MX background - they possess the skills riding on tarmac with a digital controlled bike just doesn't teach you. Rider aids are there for manufacturers to comply with regulatory needs imposed by organisations that don't always work with all of the facts...

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@adamhrachowina9119]

You're welcome, thanks for the great content and straight talking 😎

[@motorcycleadventures]

Any time!

[@KathrynLiz1]

That's a very clever flue system on your heating stove... I ride a 1988 Honda CBR600... no ABS, no slipper clutch, not quick shifter, no traction control. But then I got my first bike in 1962 so I learned when no such aids were available. A few years ago, I went on a riding refresher course and on the braking exercises I was out-braking the new bikes with ABS, even though the instructor actually required the non-ABS bikes to have more available distance. So yea I agree with you. I think that those aids, useful as they can be especially on 'dodgy' surfaces tend to be relied upon by those that know nothing else, and that in turn results in such riders more often getting ahead of their skill level and coming to grief.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@andrewroberts1197]

I totally agree with you're good conclusion we all need to learn by our mistake

[@motorcycleadventures]

Good!

[@fredhadley739]

I would also factor in the increase in motorcycle speed/horsepower from the 1990s and the distracted driving of motorists. Larger passenger vehicles (SUVs and large pickups) also impair driver vision and have significantly more mass/crash energy=more potential fatalities.

[@motorcycleadventures]

This is also true. They are so many factors out there.

[@armdm]

well said, my teacher told me one a time , you ride the bike, dont let the bike ride on you :) forget all the fancy things just see it like a bonus, if it works it works if not you have the control anyway.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Well said!

[@equaliser2265]

100% correct Sir, observations and defensive riding wins everytime.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Good!

[@BrianPatrick-rj3bm]

Hello from Ireland my friend I am a biker of a certain age and ride a 94 diversion 600 just to keep me sane 😅 I've had many newer bikes with rider assistance technology but I like to be in control, I am the abs I control the traction and I use a paper map if I need it 😄 the key word is complacency

[@motorcycleadventures]

That is awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@Wrong-Way-Round]

You're so right Pavlin, because of todays safety features riders are riding faster because they're relying too much on said features to get them out of trouble. My first big bike was the '89 BMW K100LT , the first bike model fitted with ABS as standard (fromm '88). I didn't tho' buyit because of the ABS but purely because I thought itwas the best touring bike on the market. I never changed my riding style eitheras I still rode it as if it had non. A lot of bikers race around on their bikes unnecessarily, whether riding 1km or 100km because they think they are safer with all the gadgets instead of using them whilst riding normally in case of an emergency. Infact the bike I have now is 30years old and has no electronics not even ABS. I still ride WITHIN my capabilities and not let the bike take me for a ride. Ride safe Pavlin.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@mtx_by_ovimoto]

Hats off to Pavlin for another excellent video!

[@motorcycleadventures]

Glad you liked it!

[@davidroberts9376]

In the table, the number of motorcycles involved in crashes per 100 million vehicle miles is 1096 in 1990 whereas it is only 553 in 2014. This would suggest a considerable increase in safety over the years.

[@motorcycleadventures]

There are some years, between 2007 and 2012 with more miles and the same results

[@oscarskold9757]

You're a funny guy and I wholeheartedly agree. You are correct, sir!

[@motorcycleadventures]

Glad you think so!

[@ryancraig2795]

I've never had the front wheel ABS activate on my BMW, and the rear wheel mostly only when I've deliberately activated it. But the traction control has kicked in a couple times. I've never crashed due to a loss of rear wheel traction under power, though, in 30 years of driving. I learned how to play with rear wheel traction and what to do if I lost it. But my 2008 BMW, which i bought in 2019, is the first bike I've owned that had either of these features.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@flyovercounty1427]

My XT250 (Serow) has “none of the above”. Thank you for the video

[@motorcycleadventures]

Any time!

[@danstevens2204]

Couldn’t agree more on the cruise control either

[@motorcycleadventures]

Good!

[@gbner9991]

Traction Control and ABS worked amazingly on my old KTM. Now on the T7 the ABS is really slow and clunky. I prefer if my bike has good electronics than bad ones that you still have to turn off all the time.

[@motorcycleadventures]

You can always turn it off.

[@cba4hk]

Everything is so true. Anyway I would like to make an additional remark: There is much more traffic and the drivers are worse and worse. Why? They don´t learn to drive bit rely on the cars saftey systems. And they are distracted by the entertainment and large displays in the car. Besides, windows in modern car design are much smaller than 20 years ago. But after all it is us who drive sensibel and carefully

[@motorcycleadventures]

True

[@SigmaSheepdog]

I don't need safety features or rider aids, which is why I purchased a base model KLR last year. I would have bought a Suzuki DR650, but the KLR was actually cheaper.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@kwakithailand]

Keep up God's good work by mercilessly preaching your message to the public, brother 💪

[@motorcycleadventures]

I will, thanks!

[@gtptvanbuuren3795]

Thank You

[@motorcycleadventures]

Any time!

[@MegaMidds]

I use my cruise control for the 50mph average speed camera zones as it allows more eyes on the road than on the Speedo. Unfortunately mine doesn't work at 20mph, the speed at which it would be most useful 😢

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jun701]

Very uncomfortable truth! As I learn from decades of motorcycle ridings. To be fair I consider early 2000 was the most fatal era due to multiple factors. But not much number changes. Somehow overall drivers get incompetent. Love to see so many stupid people saying “what I think” “what I believe”… this is why the marketing works.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Exactly!

[@renzoblecich8590]

Pavlin, U R 100% right. The young kids, and 60% or more of adults, do not and don't want to understand these simple things you are explaining. They believe in the marketing magician. My parents were traveling in the old days with the NSU 250, 19HP all over former Yugoslavia having fun. Presently I have a Tenere 700 and an old tenere 600. To be honest the old one would be more than OK 4 my riding & traveling style. Well , I am not perfect 2 .... lol

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@carstenpobzien2130]

and again i agree a 100 percent buddy. When i started motorcycling in the 70´s nobody even dreamed of the actuell technology to protect ourselves from our stupitidy. We learned it the hard way, or (a bit more intelligent) by listening to the elder bikers. I grow up with tyres that had the grip of an Iceblock on wet soap. Frames and suspension were a bad joke comparing to the the bikes in our days. So we had to learn that our brain is the ABS and TC and what ever. Don´t get me wrong, i apreciate modern technology , but if this technology needs to engage, you did something wrong before.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@banzobeans]

I recently rode my 2014 CB500FA (with ABS) at sub-zero temperatures in my hilly surroundings around sundown. Snow on the fields next to the roads, varying micro-climate, not all roads salted. I really missed being able to "test" the tire grip as I used to 20 years ago, by carefully working the brakes (mainly rear brakes) in specific parts of the road. A motorcycle dealer (and experienced motorcyclist) recently tried to convince me you can do the same with ABS by just sensing when ABS kicks in. Perhaps he‘s right and I just need to get used to it. All I can say is, as of now the ABS reduces my confidence in the situation described above. I can't get the feedback I need or want. It has me riding around tense and nervous because I'm just not in tune with the conditions. I must add that I suspect the ABS on my bike is of inferior quality and better ABS systems may work better and allow me higher confidence in such situations. I don't know, this is the first ABS bike I've ridden. The ABS seems super clunky, the opposite of refined. The other thing the aforementioned motorcycle dealer said is there's a big difference in locking the rear tire between a 125cc and a heavy 500cc, i.e. it's much more risky to lock up the rear tire on a heavy bike than a light bike. I doubt he's right (as long as you're going straight and have off-road experience as I do on mountainbike and enduro riding and inner-city bicycle messaging. Thoughts?

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@nugginusslover476]

I get where you are coming from and I think in parts you are correct, but to me, you are drawing a lot of conlusion from one study. There are a lot of unkown variables which are hard to judge imho

[@motorcycleadventures]

There are many studies that shows more or less the same, but as I said in the video, I rely mostly on my personal experience and everything that I have seen with my own eyes.

[@nugginusslover476]

@motorcycleadventures Yes, but your experiences are inherently biased. If I just look at my experiences, rider aids are a good thing. I think it's not hard to believe that a bike ridden the same way, is safer with than without safety systems. If the rider changes his riding because he has safety systems, is up to the rider. It's the same discussion with bicycle helmets or you could even make the same argument for motorcycle helmets. (By the way I am riding with helmet and all gear, but without abs 😉)

[@Underthehelm]

Servus und Respekt!!!

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks, man!

[@SandraOrtmann1976]

I am still convinced that even with every available modern feature (I refuse to call them safety features), you get a little less careful and concentrated while you ride. When choosing my new bike three years ago, I knew I could not escape certain things such as a TFT and ABS (the latter is mandatory in the EU). Though this may not sound much, I still prefer analogue instruments. I often catch myself staring at the display comparing the fuel indicator to the kilometer counter (I cannot bring myself to trust this thing. With the kilometer counter and the fuel valve, you always knew when it was time to get to a gas station.) With the fuel indicator, I more than ofter visit a gas station "just in case I run out of fuel". Ridiculous. Now I know carburators won't come back...but still. And no, I have no cruise control or riding modes. If I want that, I have my car. This has all the bells and whistles you can imagine. But not on my bike. All those riding modes and stuff is simply too much to play around and unneccessary weight IMO.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing your opinion!

[@pepelimantour3757]

You are 100 percent correct. Learn to ride first then you will dislike electronic braking etc. because the electronics are not as smart as experienced rider that is not doing stupid things. I have 65 years of experience and I have one bike with abs a BMW 1200gs 06. I never go fast with this bike as the abs is scairy just feels like power brakes. My 07 gs has had the abs removed and to me is way safer, especially n town. Cheers pavlin

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@TonyMarstin]

Riding skills and the right mind set are 100% more important than electric assistance. I test rode one of the new Triumph 1200s and spent the majority of the ride trying to switch off the different assists. The anti stall was the most annoying, never got the ABS to trigger because I have a pretty good level of brake control.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Vilmantas_A]

My story. Had BMW F650GS. 2006 year, ~37kw. Had it for 3 seasons. Traveled alone and with my girlfriend. It was fine, no problem even two up with side cases. Then decided that I need a BIGGER, more POWERFUL bike. Tried many (Africa Twin 1100, R1250GS, V-Strom 1000, Tracer 900, Transalp 750, Terere 700...). And well, I am comming back to 700-800cc territory. I do not need 1000+cc. 100-120km/h - comfortable speed. 130km/h - about my limit speed. ~140km/h - too fast for me. Feels like I can't control the situation at that speed. If something happens, I don't feel like I could react and avoid an accident. And it does not matter what bike it was: big Africa Twin 1100 with fancy modes or a smaller Tenere 700 with abs only. All of them feel the same - the faster you drive, the unsafer it gets. Thanks for video. Keep going. Drive safe.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@snatr]

Heavier, more powerful bikes may be a factor. But I think all those safety features leads to even more of a feeling of invulnerability 🤔 Especially among the young.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Exactly!

[@superwag634]

Same is happening with cars. In some parts of the world, fatality rate is rising even though cars are 5 star safety with ten airbags. The common denominator is the idiot in control 😅

[@motorcycleadventures]

True!

[@pepelimantour3757]

As usual you are spot on. I have no abs, traction control or other sexy devises. I depend only on my brain and experience to ride. A lot of abs (Bmw) that combines front and rear brakes can cause problems. It was designed for amateur riders that have never taken the Time to learn how to ride and use the brakes properly. Better that they. Bmw, give you a car and keep you off of the road. Motorcycles are wonderful but must be appreciated and learned. To depend on crazy electronic aids is the kiss of death. Ride with nothing and learn. Pavlin you know teach the world. Cheers Pepe from tzaneen south africa

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for taking the time!

[@user-rr3dj8ty5t]

Павлин, отличное и верное мнение, спасибо. Полагаю что статистика верна, а причина увы проста: мотоциклисты ездят быстрее и быстрее.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Ето тоже верно!

[@losingbaggage]

50 years of riding on and off road and I'm grateful for at least front wheel abs after a long wet day going home on overcrowded roads on knobblies. Junk the rest.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks for sharing!

[@BladeRicsi]

I agree every word what you said, and this theme is a wasps nest every time when i it for mention someone.

[@motorcycleadventures]

Thanks, man!

[@dianedrake4476]

I agree somewhat and I know proper braking is faster braking the using abs. I am keeping my abs brakes.

[@motorcycleadventures]

I never said the opposite, but it has some downsides.

[@steveh545]

Interesting topic. We’d need a statistician to break all the numbers down. You could probably sample the numbers to support any theory. Are the number of accidents up and the fatalities down? That might mean gear makes a difference. Or bike safety features. Or neither? Or both? Are some countries safer than others? The US doesn’t have A2 refs. Probably should. For reference, I just bought a 35 year old bike… , but it needs a newer companion in the garage and I have no issues with some rider aids.

[@motorcycleadventures]

It is what it is! You are right, these stats are from the USA only, but I doubt that will be different in any other places around the world.