Dead ABS options

[agfoxx]

Hello ladies and gents,

What do people do with a dead ABS on on 05 reg 1200GS?

I took it out this morning, and 10 miles later the "brake failure" and the red triangle both came on.

I gingerly rode it to Brian of BGM fame - he connected it to a computer, and it came up with a dead ABS module.

I understand I have four options:
1) New ABS module - £1800 or so
2) Remove the ABS module - £350 or so but a bit dodgy, to quote Brian
3) Second-hand ABS module - £500 or so fitted, but Brian said he wasn't sure it would work. "I've heard of people doing it, but I've never recommended it myself".
4) Sell the bike (I have been quoted £1500 for it with the ABS dead, or £3700 with the ABS working…. So not much of a difference).

What would you do?

Thanks.

 

[twizzle]

Remove it, no brainer.....

 

[JayC]

I would quit riding it gingerly for starters. The brakes haven't failed, they have just stopped functioning in the manner they were designed to. What you do is dependant on the depth of your pockets.

If you can afford it, put it right , if you can't then don't, and take the hit when selling it.

Wouldn't removing the module revert the system back to a conventional braking system? If so, then why is this , to quote Brian , "dodgy"?

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Remove it. Managed without ABS for long enough. Have you ever had it kick in ?

 

[agfoxx]

Angus - no, never. But Brian says that (although he's never seen it happen himself), he understands that sometimes removing the ABS can lead to the bike's computer going mad, and brings up lots of intermittent niggly faults.

 

[davegs]

ABS

Have a search many people have removed it no big deal.

 

[patzx12]

I have used an ECU from an ABS bike on a non ABS bike without issue, i never even had it plugged in to BMW diagnostics.

 

[PeeBee]

Mine went a couple of years ago. I bit the bullet and had a new one fitted; cost me over a grand even with some contribution from BMW; might be worth talking to a main dealer. I was led to believe that removing it is not an option on the 1200, unlike the 1150.

 

[DrFarkoff]

JayC its an 05 so its very likely to be a servo one!!! riding gingerly is a very sensible move
there's next to no brakes when a system goes offline!!!
Been there and done that and had brown trouser moment

 

[agfoxx]

I've read it can sometimes be down to brake levers not releasing properly and failing the self test. Allegedly sometimes if you start the bike while pushing the lever out and the pedal up, the fault can clear. Has anybody had any experience with this?
By the way, the front servo is still working - it's the rear one that appears to have died.

 

[PeeBee]

By the way, the front servo is still working - it's the rear one that appears to have died.

Surely, it's all one abs/servo unit - brakes are linked. If the servo is working for the front but not the back, then the problem is at the rear brake workings.

 

[steadysteve]

Surely, it's all one abs/servo unit - brakes are linked. If the servo is working for the front but not the back, then the problem is at the rear brake workings.

Is the servo triggered by the rear brake light switch? Switch maybe not working, therefore not telling the servo to work, system still sensing the pressure from the pedal being pressed.

 

[Pukmeister]

It could be as simple as needing the internal reservoirs refilling and bleeding.

I'd talk to Steptoe before doing anything to the bike, he knows a lot about both Servo ABS systems and their removal.

 

[GORILA]

Steve GROVER at MOTOSCOT now repairs ABS modules. I believe the cost is aound £350, check his website!

 

[agfoxx]

Thanks guys - I've now messaged both Steve and Steptoe. Let's see what they say.

 

[Doofus]

Wouldn't removing the module revert the system back to a conventional braking system? If so, then why is this , to quote Brian , "dodgy"?

I might be misremembering, but I thought the issue was recent MOT changes made it a fail to not have working ABS on a vehicle that was sold with it.

 

[agfoxx]

I might be misremembering, but I thought the issue was recent MOT changes made it a fail to not have working ABS on a vehicle that was sold with it.

Having trawled the internet, it appears this is at the tester's discretion for now. But another point is that the insurance company may have a few words to say if they ever find out.

 

[Steptoe]

Hello ladies and gents,

What do people do with a dead ABS on on 05 reg 1200GS?

I took it out this morning, and 10 miles later the "brake failure" and the red triangle both came on.

I gingerly rode it to Brian of BGM fame - he connected it to a computer, and it came up with a dead ABS module.

I understand I have four options:
1) New ABS module - £1800 or so
2) Remove the ABS module - £350 or so but a bit dodgy, to quote Brian
3) Second-hand ABS module - £500 or so fitted, but Brian said he wasn't sure it would work. "I've heard of people doing it, but I've never recommended it myself".
4) Sell the bike (I have been quoted £1500 for it with the ABS dead, or £3700 with the ABS working…. So not much of a difference).

What would you do?

Thanks.

Depending on the exact error codes and the unit a dead ABS/servo modulator can be very easily fixed for about £85. .

 

[DrFarkoff]

Having trawled the internet, it appears this is at the tester's discretion for now. But another point is that the insurance company may have a few words to say if they ever find out.

Yes but then if the exact same motorcycle was available ex factory without ABS How can they make a ruling on this?

There is no law requiring motorcycles to have ABS

BUT all vehicles undergo type approval procedures So that is where you get the "Get Out" clause both machines will have been presented for D.O.T. type approval (or whatever the hell they call it now)

One of their famous fuck ups was the Ducati speedos only marked in MPH as that was an MOT failure over here

And one of them that is a right bollix over here is removing the rear driveshaft off a freelander or the front shaft off a Range Rover with a bad Viscous coupling they will both fail as under type approval the vehicle was tested as a 4 WD

 

[Steptoe]

Depending on the exact error codes and the unit a dead ABS/servo modulator can be very easily fixed for about £85. .

Just read your email. Pressure too high in the modulator is a fairly straightforward fix.

The fix i've posted in the previous post (quoted above) is for a dead unit (simple fix), not high pressure.