Sorry that this has turned into a brake thread but I have to jump in here. The Linked brakes is my only worry on the new bikes. There are times when I do not want to use my front brake. What if your in a sand dusted turn and you brake? Will it link your front brake, wash out the front tire and down you go? this thought may keep me from a 2014.
If the ABS system is functioning properly, that should never happen...at least not because the tire locked up. Now TRACTION is a different ballgame, regardless...if you're in a turn too hot and hit sand/gravel, you're going to have a handful.
I would also assume, though I have not seen the stats on the HD ABS linked system, that there is a proportioning valve to apply the "right" amount of force to both wheels, regardless of conditions.
While there is no doubt that there might be a VERY small percentage of the riding population who can honestly react the same way in a deliberate full on braking situation vs an actual full blown panic stop, their numbers are extremely small. By definition, a panic stop is one where your reflexes take over and you can't
really practice that, unless you're in a simulator with random situations thrown at you. It's just like training for a gunfight...you can practice shooting 'till the cows come home, and even go so far as to go through courses where simulated "bad guys" pop up for you to shoot at. But in a REAL gunfight, it's a different ballgame and virtually impossible to predict how your mind/body will respond. Training will help you respond
better, but you just don't know until you get there.
What I want to see are some stats on stopping distances with a linked system utilizing only one brake pedal/lever vs both.