Motorcyclists can benefit from antilock braking systems whether they're cautious riders or more likely to take risks, according to an analysis by the Highway Loss Data Institute.

The research sought to look into limitations from earlier studies, which determined that ABS lowers the rate of motorcycle collision claims and fatal crashes. Those studies noted that it is difficult to account for differences between motorcyclists who choose to buy a bike with ABS and those who don't. As a result, it was unclear whether riders who used bikes with ABS also took fewer risks when on the road, with this behavior possibly accounting for the lower claim and crash rates instead of the ABS technology.

ABS technology automatically reduces brake pressure if it senses that a wheel is about to lock up and increases the pressure once traction is restored. It prevents skidding in both vehicles and motorcycles, but this result is considered more beneficial on motorcycles since a skid can also result in a rider losing balance and falling onto the road. ABS can also affect a motorcyclist's riding habits by eliminating the worry of such an accident, allowing them to be comfortable with applying their full brake power in an emergency.

The study based its analysis of risk on the auto claims history of a subset of motorcyclists with optional ABS. The motorcyclists were classified as having no claims during five insured years, a low rate of up to one, a medium rate of one to two, or a high rate of two or more.

Before the HLDI analysts determined the effect of ABS on these groups, they looked at how the auto claims history related to the claim frequency for motorcycle collisions. Motorcyclists with higher rates of auto claims had a motorcycle claim rate 64 percent higher than riders with no auto claims. Those with a medium auto claim rate had a motorcycle claim rate that was 18 percent higher than motorcyclists without any auto claims, and those with low auto claim rates had a motorcycle claim rate 4 percent higher than those without any auto claims.

Researchers said that one limitation of the study is that it is impossible to determine how risky an individual is when riding a motorcycle. However, the study says the auto claims history provides some information on how much risk a motorcyclist is likely to take on the road.

Previous studies by HLDI and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that ABS technology results in substantially lower rates of collision claims and fatal crashes. A 2013 study determined that ABS reduces the frequency of collision claims by 20 percent, while a 2010 study found that motorcycles with ABS were 37 percent less likely to be involved in fatal crashes.

The risk study ran the same ABS analysis as the earlier studies while controlling for the auto claims rates. The results reaffirmed the conclusions of the earlier study, and the auto claims control even resulted in a slightly better reduction in collision claims at 21 percent.

Researchers also looked at the effect of ABS on the motorcycle claims in each group. The technology resulted in reductions that were similar across the four groups, ranging from 24 percent to 29 percent.

Motorcyclists considered to be high risk were not less inclined to purchase a motorcycle with ABS. In fact, 32 percent of high risk riders had ABS equipped on models where the technology was optional, compared to 26 percent of motorcyclists who had no auto claims.

The results of prior studies encouraged HLDI and IIHS to petition the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last year to make ABS mandatory on all motorcycles. Such a requirement is already scheduled in the European Union, where motorcycles with an engine displacement higher than 125 cc will be required to have ABS starting in 2016.