I doubt very much that ABS is about to be compulsery on new bikes for a whole variety of reasons involving money and the people who want to make it out of us.
I for one dont want a new bike so they are welcome to fit it if they want.
As far as gravel and skiddy situations ABS would help you on a gravel car park if you got a little ham fisted with the brakes.
Do you get how it works?
wheel sensor keeps an eye on wheel speed, if you lock the wheel with the brakes it tells the ECU that wheel is skidding, the ECU lets off the brake pressure at that wheel till the wheel rolls again then re applys the pressure the rider is inputing. it will do this many 100s of times per second till either the rider adjusts brake pressure so the wheel wont lock or the bike stops.
ABS in action is in fact many 1000s of mini skids but as the wheel still rolls it should help stop the bike sliding out from under you or let you steer round an object you are emergency braking for.
I would say it has more of a place on cars as they have 4 wheels and it is always best that the wheels on one side dont skid because that will cause the car to change direction.
Have you heard of ESP. Now that is a wonder. Shame bikes have only two wheels or we could benifit from that too. Side cars hmm it may be possible
