Integral ABS (and Rainbow M/c)

[GSdude]

First of all - hats off to Rainbow who today accepted my bike without a moments notice - to investigate a strange ABS problem which literally developed in front of me.

2002 / integral ABS / R1150 GS / 22,000 miles.......start up from cold...set off.....tickover a bit low (recent service )...and bike stalls at junction. I go to re start the bike and my ABS warning light blinks like mad....PLUS the red box with the warning triangle inside wont go out...........and wont go out despite attempt to restart. Mmmmmmmm thinks me - straight to Rainbow. So I have a blat up the motorway (finding beforehand that I have a limited braking capacity). By the time I exit the motorway some 15 miles later, I have virtually NO brakes.

Rainbow offer to examine / diagnostic without question . Two hours later Im told that the ABS pump is cream crackered. THANK GOD for warranty. This replacement is totally covered by BMW for the sake of the 200 or so quid I splashed out when I bought the bike last July.

Now then, Ive had e mails etc from people questioning the fact that Ive recently had an Autocom unit fitted. I believe that it MAY have been wired up via the ABS in line connector (as per Autocoms recommendation ). Anyway, anbody got any issues / points to raise over this. Oh by the way MICKY WHEELER - this isnt an opportunity for you to hammer me again ..I took quite enough of a battering this afternoon when you reminded me that you told me about ABS a long time ago. Im begining to think you were right !!!!! (p.s...cheers Rainbow)

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

First of all - hats off to Rainbow who today accepted my bike without a moments notice - to investigate a strange ABS problem which literally developed in front of me.

2002 / integral ABS / R1150 GS / 22,000 miles.......start up from cold...set off.....tickover a bit low (recent service )...and bike stalls at junction. I go to re start the bike and my ABS warning light blinks like mad....PLUS the red box with the warning triangle inside wont go out...........and wont go out despite attempt to restart. Mmmmmmmm thinks me - straight to Rainbow. So I have a blat up the motorway (finding beforehand that I have a limited braking capacity). By the time I exit the motorway some 15 miles later, I have virtually NO brakes.

Rainbow offer to examine / diagnostic without question . Two hours later Im told that the ABS pump is cream crackered. THANK GOD for warranty. This replacement is totally covered by BMW for the sake of the 200 or so quid I splashed out when I bought the bike last July.

Now then, Ive had e mails etc from people questioning the fact that Ive recently had an Autocom unit fitted. I believe that it MAY have been wired up via the ABS in line connector (as per Autocoms recommendation ). Anyway, anbody got any issues / points to raise over this. Oh by the way MICKY WHEELER - this isnt an opportunity for you to hammer me again ..I took quite enough of a battering this afternoon when you reminded me that you told me about ABS a long time ago. Im begining to think you were right !!!!! (p.s...cheers Rainbow)

The Rainbow technies are a good crew ....................

Good job you got a warranty

 

[Aidan1150]

Ive recently had an Autocom unit fitted. I believe that it MAY have been wired up via the ABS in line connector (as per Autocoms recommendation ).

Sorry for your trouble GS dude.

I have found that probably the best place to take power for the Autocom from is the horn fuse. No risk of interfering with ABS and the power to the Autocom is cut when you switch your ignition off. Very simple to install too.

 

[GSdude]

Cheers dudes. YES ! I too am glad that Ive got a warranty. You know - Ive heard a lot of people 'knock' warranties - and , in the main I can understand their point of view....all too often its something that one just does NOT take advantage of, and in that sense , one has to consider it as money down the drain......HOWEVER, having done my police advanced course about 15 years ago on an old boxer,I realize that even a solid lump like the GS can eventually give up the ghost...and if its your own bike that happens to fail, then the bills can be extortionate. Lets face it, owning a BMW is akin to owning a Ducati - it needs to be looked after, and in my case, for the first few years at least that means having it serviced at a dealers so that Im covered as much as I can be. Ive already e mailed Sean at Rainbow regarding my concerns about the wiring of the Autocom and Ive no doubt that he will do the right thing - even if that means leaving it as it is. The guys at Rainbow have never let me down, and although Ive heard good reports about Jeffries -Rainbow is convenient and Ive no reason to doubt their professionalism - and more importantly - their CARE (because that does matter to me)

 

[Bigtwin]

THANK GOD for warranty. This replacement is totally covered by BMW for the sake of the 200 or so quid I splashed out when I bought the bike last July.

Cheer up - it's £650 a year (or more next, probably) to renew it. That's a lot of problem's worth as a yearly sum, especially if you can use a spanner at home.

 

[GSdude]

I agree wholeheartedly...Indeed it IS a lot of money...however, on the spanner front - if a BMW technician cannot sort it out in two hours, Im damned sure that 'me' waving a spanner about wont cure it either !!

 

[Timolgra]

Lets face it, owning a BMW is akin to owning a Ducati - it needs to be looked after,

I have to disagree.

The problems you encountered on your GS cannot be attributed to the bike not being looked after or lacking in attention. and as you say may have come about from the way the Autocom was wired into the brake light, in which case I think you are fortunate in using an exceptional dealer who will do the repairs under warranty. Good luck though