Most people would agree that ABS is a useful safety feature to have on pavement. Off-road riders are quick to turn off their ABS as soon as they hit the dirt though. Most ABS systems seem to get confused once the pavement ends, becoming a potential threat to your safety if you ride with it in the dirt.

ABS technology has continued to advance over the years and off-road specific ABS systems are becoming a popular feature on many of the top Adventure Bike models. These specialized off-road ABS modes are much improved over standard ABS systems originally designed for the street. The new breed of off-road ABS systems have clearly improved, but is it possible that they are better than a professional off-road racer?

Cycle World Magazine off-road test rider and pro off-road racer Ryan Dudek recently accepted the challenge to find out if he could beat KTM’s off-road ABS in a braking test. The crew headed out to Johnson Valley in Southern California to perform the test on a dry lake bed. The challenge would pit the KTM 1190 Adventure’s Enduro Mode ABS against Ryan Dudek’s tremendous off-road riding skills. A simple 60-0 mph stopping distance test was performed with Ryan taking passes with ABS both on and off. Watch the video below to see who wins the challenge.

It’s surprising to see that ABS has now evolved enough to beat a professional off-road racer. Just a few years ago, this would have been hard to imagine. It appears ABS now allows you to potentially brake faster than a pro racer.

Braking distance chart demonstrates the effectiveness of off-road ABS.

Ryan Dudek loses the 60-0 mph braking test by nearly 8 feet and you would expect your average rider to have an even bigger margin between ABS on and off. When riding off-road, just a few feet in stopping distance could mean the difference between going off a cliff or not. With all the hazards experienced riding off-road, new and improved safety features are always appreciated.

This video may not tell the entire story though. The surface in the test was fairly smooth and uniform. We wonder how well KTM’s Enduro Mode ABS would perform against a pro racer on rockier terrain. Either way, it’s good to see that ABS is improving and becoming a viable safety feature for off-road riders. Who knows, one day ABS could even become a standard feature on all dirt bikes.

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.