Watch ARCH Motorcycle co-founders react to ABS on the KRGT-1 for the first time

In the world of motorcycles, there are a lot of misconceptions about anti-lock brake (ABS) systems. An ABS system is designed to increase traction with the road, preventing wheels from locking up and skidding across the surface of the road in dangerous situations.

 That makes ABS a lot like an airbag system: It only engages when necessary, and it can save lives. But despite the clear safety benefits, many passionate riders believe ABS somehow detracts from the natural feel of the riding experience. 

I love riding motorcycles myself, so I kind of understand where that misconception comes from. Most of us love that distinct feel of riding a motorcycle: You’re on top of the vehicle, you’re out in the open, you’re in control of everything from the clutch to the accelerator to the lean angle to the front and rear brakes. For those reasons, many people think electronic systems will take away that feeling somehow.

 Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether you’re an aggressive or mild-mannered rider, ABS systems don’t intervene unless it’s “code red.” They kick in only during critical situations, ones where you’re losing traction with the road and the technology needs to react to keep you (and those around you) safe.

 I recently had the pleasure of hosting the ARCH Motorcycle team for a unique test drive at the Bosch Proving Grounds in Flat Rock, Michigan. If you love motorcycles as much as I do, you’re almost certainly familiar with ARCH and the company’s beautiful bikes. ARCH creates gorgeous custom-built motorcycles that look futuristic and timeless at the same time. They’re chiseled out of gleaming billet aluminum and sculpted from curvy carbon fiber.

 They’re rideable works of art, and ARCH’s founding team is an all-star squad. The co-founders are renowned custom-bike builder Gard Hollinger and actor/motorcycle enthusiast Keanu Reeves, and they teamed up to launch the company back in 2011. Since then, they’ve made a serious splash in the world of motorcycles. The results of their combined passions are clear, as ARCH’s incredible bikes have earned rave reviews from the likes of Cycle World, Autoweek and TopSpeed.

 Here’s how this test drive came together. Last year, at the EICMA show in Milan, ARCH announced it would be adding ABS as an option to its new models. I happened to be at the show with Bosch, and I saw ARCH’s announcement as an opportunity to talk to them about how Bosch could help with their ABS plans. As it turns out, they were happy to talk about it.

We are in the process of integrating Bosch’s ABS system as an option on ARCH’s incredible bikes. Part of that process involved giving Hollinger, Reeves and ARCH R&D and manufacturing leader Ryan Boyd a first-hand experience with the ABS system.

We wanted to showcase how well our ABS system worked while also showing them that the technology didn’t detract from the riding experience. For a passionate team like ARCH’s – a team that cares about every detail in their bikes and how they can provide the ultimate riding experience – that combination of safety and feel was essential.

And so, driving through a track that simulated the effects of ice, hard-packed snow, slick rain, slippery tile and gravel, the ARCH team experienced the ride with the ABS system turned on and turned off. To make the ride perfectly safe in any test scenario, Bosch equipped each ARCH motorcycle with large outriggers to prevent the bike going to the ground.

 Those outriggers provided a safety net of sorts when the ABS system was turned off. With the ABS system turned on, those outriggers aren’t even needed to keep you safe. The system is catching you instead of that mechanical rig, and that’s where the lights really turn on for a lot of people.

 As a result of these test drives, ARCH’s remarkable bikes now have a remarkable ABS system to match. To watch the ARCH Motorcycle team put Bosch’s ABS through the paces of simulated snow, slick tile, gravel and more, watch the video above and visit our web feature (https://bit.ly/ARCHBosch) for more videos and details.