Are anti-lock brakes as great as they say?  

My girlfriends dad has a brand new BMW K1200S with ABS, he says they are worth the extra weight but there have already been some matainance problems...which the dealer was more than willing to fix, but still...  

For me, I'd have to put them in the same catagory as linked brakes; fine for those riders less familiar with the sub-conscious (sp?) application of both brakes especially in panic stops. I guess I have become too used to doing the job myself over the years to feel the need.
For the new rider ABS would probably be a good thing since locking up one or both wheels would be one less thing for them to think about.