ABS or CBS: what braking system does your new bike need?

What the rule actually says today

If you are choosing a new scooter or commuter, the braking tech it ships with depends on one number: engine size. Since April 2019, Indian law has required every two-wheeler above 125cc to carry ABS meeting the IS 14664:2010 standard. For anything at or below 125cc, which covers most of India's bestselling scooters and entry bikes, the manufacturer can pick either CBS or ABS. Most pick CBS because it costs less. That is still the rule in showrooms as of November 2026, even though the government spent much of the past year trying to change it.

The all ABS plan that did not arrive as planned

In June 2025, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways drafted a notification to make ABS compulsory on every L2 category two-wheeler, regardless of engine size, from January 1, 2026. That would have pulled in the 84% of industry volume that sits at or below 125cc and currently does not need ABS, against the 16% above 125cc that already has it.

Two-wheeler makers pushed back hard on cost. Brokerage Nomura estimated ABS would add about ₹3,000 to the price of a vehicle, a 3 to 5% hike, while Kotak Institutional Equities put the number at ₹3,000 to ₹5,000, or 4 to 6%. Both brokerages warned of a 2 to 4% hit to sales volumes in the price sensitive entry segment, with Hero MotoCorp seen as most exposed since close to 79% of its sales come from bikes under 125cc.

By July 2026, MoRTH had quietly stepped back from naming a specific technology. The ministry is now working on performance based safety norms: a minimum braking performance and stopping distance that a two-wheeler must hit, leaving manufacturers free to get there with ABS, an upgraded CBS, better brake hardware or better tyres. That suits domestic OEMs, who avoid a guaranteed cost increase. It is a setback for suppliers who had built capacity for a locked in ABS order book, chiefly Bosch and Continental, who between them supply most of India's two-wheeler ABS, and Endurance Technologies, which makes both ABS units and disc brakes for Indian OEMs.

CBS or ABS: what it means for your money

For a buyer today, the real choice on anything 125cc and below is still CBS or ABS, and most mainstream models like the Honda Activa, Hero Splendor and TVS Jupiter sell in both. CBS links the front and rear brakes to one lever so braking force is shared automatically. It is a mechanical system, with nothing electronic to fail, and it does its job on dry, flat roads. ABS stops a wheel from locking under hard braking, so you keep steering control on wet tar, loose gravel or a sudden swerve, which is exactly what Indian traffic and the monsoon throw up most mornings. If you ride in heavy city traffic, ride at night, or are still building braking feel, the extra you pay for an ABS variant is worth it. If your riding is short, slow and familiar in good weather, CBS is not a downgrade to no safety net, it is just the cheaper one.

Above 125cc, check single channel against dual channel

Cross 125cc and ABS stops being a choice, so the spec that actually matters is how many wheels it watches. Many sub 350cc bikes use single channel ABS, managing only the front wheel, to keep the price down. Dual channel ABS manages both wheels and holds the bike steadier under hard rear braking too, and it tends to show up on costlier variants, such as TVS's bigger Apache models and Royal Enfield's 650 twins. The brochure will say which one you are getting. Do not assume dual channel just because the price looks premium, read the spec sheet.

Sources

• ABS mandate to skid entry level two wheeler sales and profitability, spur component makers
• Two wheeler braking norm shift is positive for Hero MotoCorp, a risk for Bosch and Endurance
• MoRTH plans performance safety norms for two wheelers
• ABS to be standard on two-wheelers in India
• Bosch and Ultraviolette collaborate to launch India's first electric two-wheeler with dual channel ABS
• Understanding the ABS and CBS debate for Indian roads