Modern Vespa

I hope no-one here has ever trained for riding aggressively.

I was trained in the UK by Police riders to ride assertively - if they'd seen me ride aggressively I'd have been thrown off the course.

Maybe he meant "defensively"? Just guessing.

could be that they were using the term aggressive to refer to an evasive manoeuvre - ie the suddenness of a swerve to dodge.

I suggest those who use the term 'aggressive riding' look up the dictionary definition of 'aggressive'.

I don't want any aggressive people anywhere near me, ta very much.

Does not compute...

We're just trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Spirited?

Like for hooning around cemeteries.

nope

nope

nope

I may have missed something and I may also not really understand what happens on the pavement when ABS does its thing, but in the video the cop floating on his little cloud says that there are no skid marks in 80% of motorcycle accidents, which means the crashing riders didn't brake at all. But if their bikes had ABS and the ABS did its thing, wouldn't that mean that there would be no skid marks?

The alternative is that you wash out the front wheel and hit the ground. Which, you know, I've done more times than I care to admit in the earlier phases of my riding education.

ABS will generally save you from that particular failure mode.

I think the whole statement is... suspect at best. Just because there are no skid marks doesn't mean the rider didn't brake. It just means they didn't lock up the wheel.

Unsure but don't most PTW's have ABS at the front wheel only? Wouldn't that make a skid mark possible from the rear wheel?
I've had my SR500 sideways like a stuntman twice avoiding a car turning left in front of me. Both of which were old people in a hurry to get to heaven(church).

I don't know the statistics here, but the bikes I've ridden with ABS has both wheels covered.

My 150 Liberty has a drum rear & ABS front
The cable & hand lever operated drum brake might as well be ABS in most conditions

Aggressive/assertive
I know that I must own my position on the road, being tentative will get me killed
Example: when riding in the right lane, if you ride the right side of the lane, cars will take that as an invitation share the lane with you

I like to use the term offensive riding instead of assertive. Just like defensive riding. Offensive is proactive riding including placement or location in a lane, speed, lane choice, etc. Defensive is what one does as a reaction to another vehicle. Offensive actions can help limit defensive maneuvers.

Classic case is when a driver is positioned to pull out in front of you from a side street. What does one do? Take action or be prepared to take action.

Aggressive driving or riding is bad and can lead to something less than good, even dangerous. Road rage anyone?

Spirited riding is a whole 'nother conversation.

FYI

Largest study of its kind strengthens argument for motorcycle ABS
"Examining fatal crash rates for 65 motorcycle models offering ABS as an option over 2013-19, the researchers found that bikes equipped with the feature were involved in 22 percent fewer fatal crashes per 10,000 registered vehicle years."

https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/largest-study-of-its-kind-strengthens-argument-for-motorcycle-abs

The point of ABS, whether it be on a motorcycle or a car, is to maintain steering control during emergency braking. If it shortens stopping distance, great. Where this idea that it will always make you stop shorter came from, I don't know. Even the salesmen (bikes and cars) get this wrong.

I remember talking to a Nissan salesman about a 200SX (shows you how long ago) and he actually tried to talk me OUT of getting one with ABS! His argument, ABS sometimes take longer to stop. I politely informed him that THAT was not the point of ABS. ABS is to where you don't skid and when you don't skid, you can continue to have steering control, thereby hopefully avoiding a crash in the first place.

Cheers

I like Ryan F9. I think he's pretty on point here. Anyway, I'd rather have ABS than not. Keeping control is most important to me. IMHO.