Strangely, according to Suzuki, the bike was not faulty. Its ABS had deactivated when the bike had wheelied slightly as I’d pulled away, not because the system had failed, but because it works by sensing the difference between front and rear wheel speeds, so deactivates if the bike wheelies and doesn’t reset when the front wheel lands. Suzuki’s official line is that I should have been alerted when a small yellow warning light in the speedo came on moments after the front wheel lifted.
Hmm. You can decide for yourself whether it’s acceptable for ABS to disengage when a bike wheelies, intentionally or otherwise. I’d say not; that it’s a serious design flaw. The Hayabusa’s one new feature could literally have proved its downfall — and still might, for other riders — although most of the time the bike’s improved stopping ability adds a level of refinement and safety.
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