2004 R1200GS abs issue, BMW want £1700, please help!!!

[BlueBird]

Ive been here with my 05 a few years ago.

I managed to cobble a repair by sourcing a low mileage pump of Patzx12, what i did was to transfer the mechanical part of the new pump onto my existing pumps ecu, its been working fine for a few years now.

When it goes again ill remove the abs all together.

Just open clocks and tape or paint over the warning light.

 

[mikeyboy]

No bulbs on a 1200 .... it has an Led circuit board

But there are ways and means

 

[k12pfc]

I have servo/abs on my GS nothing wrong with the servo but I don't like it so I'm getting it removed completely by a guy in Worthing ECM Motorcycles, £240 this is for the complete removal, reinstall brake lights etc I'll just have normal brakes with no worries that they will pack up due to an electrical fault. I'd do it myself but I'm not quite confident enough, there must be other independents out there who will do this, ECM are closest to me, they come highly recommended. Good luck mate.

 

[bigmadstu]

I had a 04 1200GS that the servo ABS died on. Bike had only done 4000 miles and nearly put me through a hedge when it happened. No warranty so BMW wanted £1500 to fix it. 4 out of the 5 BMW bikes I'd had at that point had failed ABS so I decided to junk the system. Had a chat with the guys at motorworks who sold me the brake fittings to bypass the servo. Came to about £80 and were very easy to fit. I then removed the servo unit keeping the logic board as it runs the speedo. I re-boxed the board and fitted it where the servo had been. I took the cover off the clocks and painted over the ABS light and for good measure painted the inside of the cover as well. Kept the bike for a few years afterwards and never had any more problems.

Went away from BMW for a few years but for my recent 1200 I made sure I got one without ABS.

 

[Steptoe]

My latest pile of recently removed fecked servo/abs units 16 in that one pile. Mileage ranging from 14k up to 130k.

I've a bigger pile in my parts storage.

 

[will-dakar]

Thanks everyone for there input. Well I guess I'll start taking the abs unit apart and see what I can do, if I can't fix it then it's no loss and just fit new lines to have normal brakes.
Does anyone have any uni in what I need to do wireing wise for break lights?

I'm near Dumfries and have a GS911 if you'd like the fault codes read / reset.

Thanks very much for the offer dude, I really appreciate it. Sadly I'm just outside Dundee but don't feel comfortable ridding it over to your neck of the woods to take you up on your offer.

 

[duckspeed]

I'm near Dumfries and have a GS911 if you'd like the fault codes read / reset.

There's a kind offer you shouldn't refuse!

 

[will-dakar]

There's a kind offer you shouldn't refuse!

Trust me I don't want to refuse it, I just don't know how to get it down to home safely.
I guess I could rent a van, I'll go get quotes

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

Trust me I don't want to refuse it, I just don't know how to get it down to home safely.
I guess I could rent a van, I'll go get quotes

Just go buy a 911. By the time you rent a van and fanny about you won't be much more out of pocket. To do any fault finding on these bikes you need one anyway and trust me you will be doing more fault finding!

 

[will-dakar]

After hours of playing I'm starting to think it might be something to do with the brake fluid level in the abs unit.
As I stated in the 1st post there was brake fluid dripping from the overflow hose that comes from the abs servo. The more fluid that came out the more the abs light would randomly come on and no constantly and the servo did not kick in.
I have now taken some I the brake fluid out I the front brake servo part and now the front brake servo isn't kicking in at all.

I have since filed them back up thinking that would solve the problem but no, now neither servos work :'(

So my thinking now is
1- Do they have to be under a certain amount of pressure to work?

2- as the computer has read that the fluid level was low (now in both brakes) and even though I have roped it up again, do I need to have the fault codes deleted so the servos work again.
It would amaze me if that is the case as that's such bad engeneering but I guess BMW can then rip you off yet again.

3- am I totally in the wrong ball park?

 

[Bendy toy]

Thanks everyone for there input. Well I guess I'll start taking the abs unit apart and see what I can do, if I can't fix it then it's no loss and just fit new lines to have normal brakes.

That would be my method. Maybe Steptoe can Hermes you one (or two) of his fecked units.

In terms of engineering these bikes have not few items that cost BMW money and offered the user less reliability. Wall to wall needle rollers on the suspension for a start.

 

[will-dakar]

Just go buy a 911. By the time you rent a van and fanny about you won't be much more out of pocket. To do any fault finding on these bikes you need one anyway and trust me you will be doing more fault finding!

I would but I'm now so pissed with the bike I don't want it anymore so will be sellin it and so don't want to spent the money for a 1 time use.
I also don't want to sell an unsafe bike.

You can't sell stuff in the Technical Forum - use FS&W (Moderator)

 

[Bendy toy]

I would but I'm now so pissed with the bike I don't want it anymore so will be sellin it and so don't want to spent the money for a 1 time use.
I also don't want to sell an unsafe bike.

Sleep on it first. There are plenty of crap bikes out there with different problems. Frying pan and fire come to mind.

 

[will-dakar]

Sleep on it first. There are plenty of crap bikes out there with different problems. Frying pan and fire come to mind.

Oh trust me I know and if I had the time I would keep it but in July in ridding my 650gs from Scotland to New Zealand so don't have time for this right now, plus the extra money wouldn't go a miss for the trip.

 

[Bendy toy]

Just get it lobotomised. Even at £250 (silly price) you'll get that back on the sale.

 

[bigmadstu]

Just get it lobotomised. Even at £250 (silly price) you'll get that back on the sale.

I would also, it does sound like you have mechanical ability will-dakar so I would go for it. Get the kit to convert it to non abs, either leave the servo in situ or remove the pcb and box it to maintain your speedo. Cover the up the warning light and you are sorted.
I had no problems selling mine on with no abs and mot was also not an issue.

 

[Bendy toy]

I'd love to take one of Steptoe's old servos apart just to see how they work.

Ditto a later ABS unit. I'd love to bypass the linked back brake.