I hear you, sounds like my better half's Corolla. Think it comes down to personal choice. As I'm older, I'm a real stickler for safety. Probably a false sense of security being sold to us as consumers. But I'm still a sucker for that.
Once again it comes down to strokes for folks or horses for courses. I'm in favour of ABS and will pay the extra for that option if available. I know I'm no high skilled rider, and the ABS has saved my bacon on that odd occasion when I was caught out by surprise. I know the feeling when the brain says, let up on the foot brake, the back wheel is about to overtake me, but as the stress shoots up the logic brain is overcome by the survival brain and the foot just keeps stomping harder. Hey I'm just human after all so I'll take what help I can get from technology. As for lowering, most of my bikes have been lowered, mostly by longer links at the back and if possible a bit on the front by pushing the forks through. I have always negotiated that before signing on the line. The Integra has longer links in as I was on tip toe when standard, but the forks are not lowered because they don't allow much space under the bars, so I said, i'll take it if you lower it, works every time.
Well once again this group forum and its members are a great source of infomation to use. As of today iv signed the paperwork for my nc at honda so will be gettin it this weekend