2005 1200GS Brake Failure

[grahamf505]

Hi All

Posting for a bit of advice here before I rip out the Servo and ABS from my 2005 1200GS. A bit of recent history first....

Had the fluids changed in the brake lines/cylinders/reservoirs/ABS before Christmas by those great guys down at the Stroud Motorcycle Company as a precaution. Hadn't been changed for at least 3 years. Brakes were superb after the fluid change. It seemed 'I'd got away with it' as the guys did warn me there was a possibility on a bike the age of mine that replacing all the fluid might cause a problem given there might be loads of muck in the ABS/Servo reservoir (which there was).

My joy was short lived! Last week, the red triangle came on with the brake failure light flashing continuously. Still had brakes (as you do), but braking obviously compromised. Only other symptom was my rear brake light being permanently on. Not noticed that before, so i'm guessing that's related somehow.

Took it out again yesterday. Oddly, after about 20 mins of riding and 10 miles, everything started working as normal again, but the rear brake light was still on when I pulled up to check. After turning the ignition off and back on, again, no servo.

Between the original failure and it coming back to life yesterday, I ordered the 'bypass kit' from motorworks (the two bits of pipe) as I'd assumed it was dead and I don't have the funds to go for a replacement ABS/Servo job. My plan was to rip it out and go back to non-ABS. In any case, I've spent 45 years riding bikes with no servo or ABS, and sometimes no brakes either ;-).

Before I do any drastic surgery, thought I'd put a post up here and get some thoughts. Is the Servo/ABS likely to be knackered given the symptoms (including the permanently on rear brake light)? If they are knackered, do these things ever come back to life, or once they die, they're dead. Just wondering whether it might be an electrical gremlin that could be fixed before I make any decisions.

Thanks for your help!

Cheers

Graham

 

[Ajay]

I've just gone through same process with my 1150RS, servoectomy now performed. Consensus on forums (forii?) was once its gone, its gone

 

[Steptoe]

You need to plug in diagnostics to read what fault comes up. Your problem could simply be a brake switch or rear light unit.

 

[Bem]

2004/5 servo known to be troublesome, amazed it has gone this far.How many previous owners, any service history etc?
If you are ok then going back to non servo is the cheapest option.
But, worth checking with a GS911 or similar to check fault codes, ensure that it is the servo at fault and not something else causing negative feedback.

Damm. Beaten by The Man.

 

[Santa-2512]

On a 2005 bike, the cost to replace the servo is north of £800 and thats not including labour if i recall .

do a search for servoectomising the 1200 there's quite a few helpfull threads.

You will need to keep the electronics from the side of the servo, as there linked in to the canbus side of things.

you will also need to split the kombi, and deal woth the pesky LED that will keep flashing ..

if you do it correctly, you keep the warning triangle on startup, which then goes out

 

[grahamf505]

2004/5 servo known to be troublesome, amazed it has gone this far.How many previous owners, any service history etc?

Bike has done 67,000. Serviced it myself for last 20,000 or so. Been ridden like I've wanted it to last for 200,000 miles

Diagnostic test before dismantling anything sounds a good idea. Could be some weird electric fault. I can hear the microswitches for the front and rear brakes clicking in and out, but that doesn't mean one hasn't gone short circuit. Any suggestions as to how I can isolate the switches without taking loads of stuff apart?

I guess I could take the bulb out the rear light and see if that has any effect. You never know. Reverse logic sometimes works ;-)

Graham

 

[Bear]

Last time I had brake failure on a 2006 model it turned out to be a chafed wiring harness. One of the wires to the rear brake switch was broken, which made the witchcraft think that the pedal was stuck on. If you can get a GS911 to display the real-time stats for the braking system that should tell you one way or the other.

 

[grahamf505]

Last time I had brake failure on a 2006 model it turned out to be a chafed wiring harness. One of the wires to the rear brake switch was broken, which made the witchcraft think that the pedal was stuck on. If you can get a GS911 to display the real-time stats for the braking system that should tell you one way or the other.

Thanks for your suggestion Bear. Turns out the problem is the brake light switch. Disconnected it and shorted across the corresponding two terminals in the socket to the harness. Servo back on for both front and rear brakes and no warning lights until I press the rear brake and then I get the permanent red triangle, but not the flashing 'brake failure' light. I'm guessing this is because I've no brake light. New switch ordered from Motorworks and we'll see where we go from there. Hopefully everything will be fine.

Cheers

Graham

 

[Popell]

Dodged a bully there perhaps, fingers crossed-my 2005 still going strong...