ABS, Can I perminantly dissable it?

[MrIFan]

OK, I'm totaly fed up with the ABS kicking in every time I'm breaking hard over a bump. The scariest things are the painted white/yellow rumble strips on the approach to roundabouts etc. Hit the breaks with any amount of force and just sail straight on
Is there any way to dissable the ABS on a semi permanent basis. i.e so I don't have to switch it off every time I start the bike.
It would also be nice if I didn't have red lights flashing at me all the time but a bit of black tape would cure that I suppose.
I know.....should have bought the non ABS but it's abit late for that now.
Any solutions welcome, serious ones even appreciated

Cheers

Ian

 

[Timolgra]

Don't brake hard over bumps

 

[wessie]

Don't brake hard over bumps

Exactly. Why do you need to brake hard approaching a roundabout?

Perhaps you need to do a bit more forward planning?

 

[DrAlf]

My bike didn’t come with ABS which is handy because I didn’t want it. However before I got my non-ABS GS I was looking at one that had ABS fitted and asked a BMW techie whether it was possible to convert an ABS bike to non-ABS. Apparently it isn’t a big job – you can simply pull the ABS unit out. I didn’t look into it any further so I’m afraid that’s about as much as I know. You could probably sell the ABS unit to Motorworks, Moto-bins or stick it on Ebay and use the funds to buy some nice new toys.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[MrIFan]

Don't brake hard over bumps

Exactly. Why do you need to brake hard approaching a roundabout?

never heard of having fun guys

I dont allways brake hard into islands or over bumps, but when the road is dry and empty I don't want the bike taking control from me. Especialy when it makes such a bad job of it. I am sure the ABS is a great tool for those without the experience or confidence to use the brakes hard but I personaly would prefer to be in charge of when to let the brakes off and when not.
Ok rant over

Any more info on pulling the ABS unit?

Ian

 

[Paul Wakefield]

those without the experience or confidence to use the brakes hard

Hmmm. I have the experience to know that in an ohhhh shiiittt moment I am more than likely to throw all my training, etc. out the window and grab any available lever. Thats when I want to have ABS.

I admire those who have complete presence of mind when confronted with the unexpected. I just wish I did.


Paul

 

[finglonga]

Just keep your battery in a semi charged state, works for me the ABS never bloody comes on.

 

[Dennis]

Just a thought Ian, but have you cut the seat belts out of your car too........?

 

[Rob Farmer]

I'd like to get rid of the Servo brakes on my Adventure. Completely pointless technology that s up what could be great brakes

 

[richie]

Thats an interesting idea Rob, are you sure that its just not a case of still getting used to the new bike?

 

[Paul Wakefield]

I'd like to get rid of the Servo brakes on my Adventure

I love the servo brakes on my 1200 but they don't snatch at low speeds which I gather (though I have never ridden with them) the previous generation of servo brakes did.

Paul

 

[Reprobate]

have you cut the seat belts out of your car

And welded a sharpened steel spike to the steering column?

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

is it not possible to just disconnect it from the loom beneath the tank? there's a big 'hole' under mine where the ABS unit would have been if it had it (i think!), and a corresponding empty connector at the loom....


pr0ne

 

[richie]

Surely just disconnect the whole thing, remove the sensors, rings and abs unit and redo the brake lines. End of story.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

Quickest just to remove the brake pads.

Paul

Sorry - I'm just getting silly now

 

[CoolCarbon]

never heard of having fun guys

I am sure the ABS is a great tool for those without the experience or confidence to use the brakes hard
Ian

Ummmm,

Interesting take on things............

Just What do you consider to be sufficient experience NEVER to need the possible Life saving Advantage of ABS........

CC

 

[guitarman]

MRIfan, you cannot be serious. I just can't work out why anybody would want to disable the ABS (except if you only ride off road). There's a load of bollox talked about how an experienced rider can brake more efficiently without ABS but I reckon unless you're a top notch GP rider, ABS will always bring you to a stop more safely than before non-ABS.

I really think you've got to look at your riding as it sounds like you're pushing way too hard for a public road. Remind me not to buy your bike when it comes up for sale.

Cheers

Dick

 

[Greg Masters]

There's a load of bollox talked about how an experienced rider can brake more efficiently without ABS but I reckon unless you're a top notch GP rider, ABS will always bring you to a stop more safely than before non-ABS.

..and you'll find the evidence of that bollox here - and when you read it, remember that this test was conducted with what is now 12-year-old technology - BMW was then on 1st generation ABS (3rd generation now).

Check out the 60mph full wet/sewer cover stopping distances. The absolute newbie still stopped 68 feet shorter with ABS than the best of the rest without ABS.

...and you want to disconnect your ABS?

jerkit

Greg

 

[MrIFan]

It would appear that what started out as a perfectly simple technical question has now taken a somewhat personal turn So in answer to some of your remarks/questions

I prefer to find the limits of my bikes (and cars) on quiet empty streches of road, or track, before a situation arises where I may need to use the brakes hard in an emergancy situation. Much better to practice and find how your vehicle is going to react in a situation that you control than have to discover it in an emergency. Anybody who thinks they are good enough never to get in to a situation like that is fooling nobody but themselves, it's only a matter of time.
Whilst practicing getting the hang of both the ABS and telelever front end it became very obvious that over a bumpy surface the ABS was totaly unable to cope. Every time the front wheel hits an uneven piece of road the ABS releases the brakes. By the time the system reapplies the brake the bike has traveled between 3 and 10 feet depending on speed. As the roads arround the Peak District, where I live, tend to be very bumpy and uneven this can often mean that when braking hard the brakes are off more than on. Not the ideal way to stop quickly!
On the same strech of road with the ABS dissabled the bike can be brought to a halt in a much shorter distance without any fear of the wheel locking.
This is obviously the ABS working as it should. With the front brake applied hard as the front wheel drops in to a pot hole or such like it momentarily slows at a higher rate due to reduced grip. The ABS senses this as the wheel begining to lock and releases the brakes as it should. However as the wheel hits the other side of the hole grip is momentarily increased, due to suspension compression, which on a none ABS bike gets the wheel turning and gripping again before the average person would have even realised anything had happened. So in these circumstances the ABS is over reacting and therefore increasing stopping distances dramaticaly.
I am quite sure that there are many situations in wich the ABS would be very effective, however for the roads that I normaly ride on, and due to the way the ABS works on them, I personaly would rather not have it.

As to
"Just What do you consider to be sufficient experience NEVER to need the possible Life saving Advantage of ABS........ "
I think 30+ years of riding Trials, Motocross, Road racing and 20+ years riding on the road including being a CBT and DAS licenced instructor enables me to make a fairly qualified judgement, having now experienced ABS, about whether or not it is right for me.

As I have said previously in this thread, I am sure the ABS is a great tool for those without the experience or confidence to use the brakes hard. I am also sure that no matter how skilful or experienced there are situations in wich the ABS would easily out perform the rider. However after balancing all the pros and cons of having ABS I would rather rely on my training and experience on the very few occasions where I feel the ABS would be an advantage rather than having the liability of ABS the rest of the time.
So there
Ya BOO Sucks to the lot of ya

 

[richie]

Mr I Fan,

I already posted.

"Surely just disconnect the whole thing, remove the sensors, rings and abs unit and redo the brake lines. End of story."

Just do it and don't worry about what others say. Recently there was a post from a guy who sold his bike only for the new owner to come back saying that it cost him £1400 to replace the sensor. I know that for me I'd have kept the £1400 in the bank.

I have done 40000Miles on my bike and the ABS has never kicked in apart from when I make it do so. So I feel happy about not having it. As well as having it JUST IN CASE...