The Invention of the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)

Most riders think Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) were created for high-performance sports cars, but the technology’s roots go back to aircraft landing gear and train tracks in the early 20th century. However, bringing ABS to two-wheeled motorcycles was a massive hurdle because locking up a front wheel on a bike almost always results in a crash.

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In 1988, BMW became the first motorcycle manufacturer to introduce an electronic/hydraulic ABS system on a production motorcycle, the BMW K100. By using sensors to detect wheel speed and rapidly pulsing brake pressure when a slide was imminent, ABS allowed riders to brake hard in wet or emergency conditions without losing control of the front end.

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