Hey there, I was fortunate enough to pick up a 2018 R6 during the winter, and have been slowly getting it ready for this track season. It's a bit more digital than my last track bike. The biggest head scratcher for me is the stock ABS it came with. The ABS is not adjustable and doesn't know if you're at a lean. I've read reviews of testers on the track grabbing hands full of brake, never to have it engage, and forum posts of riders saying rip that $%!& out. I may have shot myself in the foot with already braiding the lines, though understand to remove ABS, I'd have to grab new lines, remove the pump and then grab a delete plug. My plan is to get some street miles under my belt before Autobahn, seeing if I can get the thing to engage in hard stops. Heh, just to feel what it's going to feel like! Worse case I was thinking I could pull the fuse on track day if push came to shove. I am new to the intermediate group, so lots to still learn and not sure if I will get to the point of triggering it. Having said that, I have some time to course correct if needed. Do you have experience doing track days with ABS?
Yeah, I did a day with ABS on my new GSXR 1000 and I hardly felt like it was there. The only thing it wanted to do was prevent rear wheel lift-off. I view it as a safety feature and, like you said, I can always pull the fuse if I feel like it.
My ZX-6R has it. I wouldn't bother deleting it unless you're a badass who's chasing every tenth and needs the bike as light as possible. It's not a bad thing to have if you find yourself in the grass or if somebody in front of you does something wonky that causes you to do a panic grab... You won't really notice it's there otherwise. The biggest downside I've found is you have to keep your brake fluid game on point. When I boil the fluid on my ZX-6R and get the lever spongy, I have to pit in and bleed the brakes... The lever doesn't firm up again on it's own after the brakes cool. I assume the bubbles get trapped in the abs pump or something, but I'm not a brakelogist.
I race a 2015 BMW s1000rr and the ABS works well. I've raced it in the rain and the ABS was fabulous. Very non intrusive with only a slight vibration of the lever. I've have no experience with the 2018 r6 but my guess is that it's a very good system also and my bet is your will never notice it. As Justin said you will want it if you end up in the grass. BTW the WERA racing forum has a "tech" section that would also be a very good place to ask these kinds of questions. http://forums.13x.com/index.php?forums/tech.45/
Appreciate the insights! Just signed up for Autobahn for Sat/Sun Memorial Day Weekend. Leaving the 98 VFR at home, anxious to take the R6 to the track. See ya'll there that will be there.
modern bikes are amazing, personally on my 2017 R6 race bike we took out the ABS completely . though on my old Panigale I never did. ABS is useful in inclement weather where your braking pressures are way less aggressive and the likelihood of locking the front wheel is higher. ont he same hand. it certainly wouldn't hurt anything on a dry day. I personally have noticed a bit more brake fade under LONGER RACE CONDITIONS. though in track day 20 min sessions I never had any ill feel.