ABS not working in cold weather ('95 1100GS)

[Rabbitson]

I have this problem about half the time and it seems to normally be when I start the bike first thing on a cold morning.

I asked the dealer about it and he said that the starter motor needs replacing (to the tune of about 200 quid plus labour), but I noticed while looking at the 'ABS or not' post that someone else mentioned this behaviour.

Perhaps someone could explain to me if it's normal before I go out and waste a whole load of money.

Normally if I restart the engine after about five minutes riding it works normally.

Don't think the problem is with the battery as it is new.

Any opinions?

 

[Greg Masters]

The earlier R1100GSs had an ABS system that was even more sensitive to input voltage than later models (they upgraded for the '99 model year).

Forget a new starter motor (unless there is a genuine problem with it), as my 1100GS started playing up when it was just 1 day old!

The general resolution according to received wisdom is to hook the bike up to an Optimate (or similar) when you're not using it. I have done this for several years and I can't remember the last time the ABS dropped out on a cold start - your battery will last longer too!

Greg

 

[richie]

Hi, I ride nearly every day and my ABS regularily does not start first thing so when I get to the first traffic lights I stop and restart and all is O.K. The simple solution is to get a new battery. When I bought my bike a few years back the battery was flat, but I'm still using it and see no reason to get a new one just for this reason. Funnily enough if I don't ride for 3 - 4 days the abs will work straight away. But if I park for 6-7 hours somewhere it probably won't. Explain that one...... (I know you'll say as the acid has had some time to react making the power)....

 

[boxer]

Greg Wrote:

The general resolution according to received wisdom is to hook the bike up to an Optimate (or similar) when you're not using it. I have done this for several years and I can't remember the last time the ABS dropped out on a cold start - your battery will last longer too

This was also my experience when I had an OE battery fitted. However, since fitting a Hawker Odessey battery the need to be conected to a tender has also vanished.

Russ.

 

[gutsi]

my '97 1100 also does it, its just down to battery voltage at starting. sometimes I can fool it by having my thumb on the starter as I turn the ignition on, starting the bike before the ABS makes the voltage check.

 

[Big Lad]

I've got a 94 GS with almost 60k miles. I had the same problem. The ABS lights almost never went out and were flashing showing they hadn't reset (alternate lights etc) and it got progressivly worse. Originally I could turn the ignition off and it would reset, which is a pain in the arse all the time. Eventually it was all the time. I used an optimate every night, but the battery was on it's last legs. Anyway, it was diagnosed (BMW garage ) as the starter motor being knackered. On start up it was killing the battery each time and the abs wouldn't set. I was relucatant to change the s/motor because of the cost, but did it in the end ( It was about 100 quid new from motobins ). It took half an hour to fit and was easy to do. The result was that the first time I started it again, the ABS lights went straight out as I pulled away and 2000 miles later they still go out every time. I'd say get a new s/motor.
I hope this helps.

 

[Richard Russell]

My '94 1100GS used to do this regularly in the winter, even with a new battery, and even if I had used the bike the day before.

Now it only happens if I forget to attach the Optimate after the previous ride.

It's probably not recommended, but it is possible to reset the ABS on the move, by briefly turning the ignition off and on (the kill switch on its own doesn't reset the ABS). It doesn't work straight away, because the ABS unit doesn't like being turned on with the wheels spinning, but the lights do eventually go out.

 

[DavidHolmes]

I had ABS on my 1990 K75S. Same problem - every day in the winter. Same solution as everyone else. Keep battery in tip top condition, or stop and re-start after 5 mins. (My 2001 GS 1150 does it occassionaly even on the optimate every night.)

So who was the dealer that told you you needed a new starter motor then??????

 

[Big Lad]

I think the dealer was spot-on to recommend a new s/motor because that was the problem I had. The optimate was not making the problem go away. I charged the battery every time I got in the garage and the problem was still there in the morning.
Once the new s/motor was on, I never had the problem again with the ABS lights flashing, so It goes without saying that the dealer was right.
You can't ride your bike every day with the things flashing in your eyes all the time and stopping the engine at junctions and all that. As for doing it on the move.... I just want to ride the thing and get where I'm going. It's flashing because there's a problem and in my case I'm now certain the s/motor was the cause.

By the way, the old s/motor is free to a good home if anyone wants it. I don't know if they can be reconditioned or not.

Right, back to painting the bedroom. Cheers

 

[jackwabbit]

Surely not another well-known fault with the big Gsers,
every time I look on this board there seems to be another well known problem.
I was beginning to think perhaps next year when my BMW badged Aprilia F650 was paid for, I may trade up to a GS1100 or 1150 but at £5000 for a 6 year old bike with all these problems I’m not so sure.
I’m beginning to think I should go for something more reliable like a (er dare I say it) Suzuki V-Strom. £5600 new on the road
I could have 2 for the price of one GS!

 

[Rabbitson]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

The battery opty-whats-it is not really an option for me as I don't have a garage, and the heavy duty battery option would be a reluctant one for me as I have just forked out for a new battery anyway (don't know what the dealer put in as that day the bike wouldn't even start and I just wanted something that would make it run ) might put a heavier duty one in next time, but hopefully this one should last at least a couple of winters.

At least someone else has had the starter motor replaced and said that resolves the issue, so that's probably what I'll have to do. To be honest, when I asked the guys at the garage (Harry Meyer - Badhoevedorp (not that it probably means anything to anyone in the UK)) they did seem to know what they were taking about and it only took a couple of minutes for the guy in their workshop to diagnose it with his multimeter.

It was just weighing on my mind slightly as the idea of departing with the cash for a brand-new starter motor for no reason did smart a bit.

Thanks very much for the advice, tips for fooling the starter process duely noted for the interim

I have to say this forum is great and I am going to sponsor it soon.

 

[MikeO]

I seem to remember reading that the ABS sensor equipment is sourced from a BMW car. If it detects less than 12v it doesn't 'fire'. The solution to the problem would be to use a motorcycle specific sensor, which allowed for the size of/load on the battery. If the sensor was set to look for 9v, for example, this wouldn't be a problem. HELLO BMW - ARE YOU LISTENING??
- thought not....
Mike

 

[Greg Masters]

HELLO BMW - ARE YOU LISTENING??
- thought not....
Mike

BTDT! The answer's No!

It's surely not rocket science - I just can't figure why they didn't do this several years ago.



Greg

 

[cookie]

operating parameters of the ABS sounds a bit marginal.

a thought: anyone ever tried putting a direct connection from battery to ABS ECU in decent wire to lessen volt drop?

ps. you'd have to relay it

 

[Richard Russell]

Load relief relay

Some of the GS's electrical components (lights, indicators, horn) are powered through a load-relief relay, which turns them off when there is current flowing through the starter motor. This is to reduce the load on the battery while the starter is in operation.

If the ABS unit was powered through this relay, it would solve the initialisation problem, because the ABS unit would be turned off while the starter current is lowering the battery voltage. Once the engine was running, the ABS unit would wake up to a full 12V.

Anyone else considered this modification? Any disadvantages I haven't thought of?

Rabbitson, if you do change the starter motor, I'd be interested to know whether it cures the problem. I had assumed this was an inherent flaw in the ABS system, as documented <a href="http://www.micapeak.com/bmw/gs/gs_tel2.html#abs">here</a>.

 

[Rabbitson]

Russell,

Thanks for the link, I guessed it might be a known issue after several people mentioned it, however I find it very irritating as I ride 60 miles a day to work and back then on weekends too (as the bike is my only means of transport), and to keep starting the bike is a real pain (I have to pull up on the hard shoulder of the motorway on my route to work), also the guy at the shop also seemed pretty adamant that this was the problem.

So, budget permitting, that's probably what I'll do. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,

David