On the limit ABS "feel" for servo 1150GS

[Packer]

Warm dry night so I came home the indirect way and as the tyres are almost finished (Tourance) decided to do some practise very hard braking.

Now I've done this in the past in the wet but never in the dry so:-

How should the front lever feel at the limit

I squeezed rapidly but progressively harder and the lever loaded up and then just went rock hard. I was decelerating very effectively but there was no tyre squeal, no ABS vibration nothing to indicate that all was well, just a solid lever, (no not touching the bars or anywhere near them) and rapid stopping. I felt that I should at least have had the tyre howling! The rear also felt well planted on the black stuff, the suspension had stretched but no sign of the wheel lifting.

Repeated on several occasions after allowing the disks to cool and then it was the same again.

As the bike approached zero mph I felt the ABS "pulsing" so I'm sure it was working at that point. Servo motor's are working as I can hear them.

Is this right?

I suppose that should point out that my grip is strong enough to hang one handed from a beam etc. despite weighing over 95Kg. so it's not a case of insufficient grip strength

 

[Packer]

Help wanted! Or have you not tried hard enough?

Come on all you hard riding Tossers, someone must know how the 1150GS ABS system should feel at maximum braking!

Talk to me!

 

[unhinged]

I don't have servo brakes but they are ABS (02 if that makes any difference) and I definitely know when it's kicked in, it's not real smooth deceleration that's for sure. I've tried it with it turned off too and that's much smoother but the front squealed and left a bit of a stripe so it's definitely working.

 

[Steptoe]

Come on all you hard riding Tossers, someone must know how the 1150GS ABS system should feel at maximum braking!

Talk to me!

Bit of a difficult question to answer - no two bikes feel the same.

 

[MikeP]

I squeezed rapidly but progressively harder and the lever loaded up and then just went rock hard. I was decelerating very effectively but there was no tyre squeal, no ABS vibration nothing to indicate that all was well, just a solid lever, (no not touching the bars or anywhere near them) and rapid stopping. I felt that I should at least have had the tyre howling! The rear also felt well planted on the black stuff, the suspension had stretched but no sign of the wheel lifting.

Sounds right to me.

If you hear "tyre squealing" I'd suggest that the ABS isn't working.

If you feel brave, turn off the ABS and repeat the process.

I take it that if you have servo brakes you also have the semi-linked variety? It isn't split 75/25, it adjust the braking force according to the what the wheel sensors tell it is going on. Therefore you shouldn't experience the rear wheel lifting off the surface.

The early K-Series ABS was much slower and you could hear it in operation.

The lever pulsing (something engineered out on the first generation) isn't very noticeable in my experience (either that or when I have had the ABS kick-in my concentration has been elsewhere at the time ).

 

[Packer]

Thankyou gentlemen.

I'll go and try it with the ABS switched off and see what effect I get then Not tonight though so don't sit up waiting for news asI'm off to see if I passed my yachtmaster theory exam.

It sounds as though the ABS calculated that I was stopping fast enough. If that is the case I'm a bit worried that it doesn't make the most of the traction available. To be honest though in the 30k miles I've now done on this bike I've never needed to brake anything like as hard as I was last night. Good to know what it can do though.

 

[Coolcarbon]

Don't use my brakes much, sorry, can't help you there Kevan...

Best-o-luck with the result BTW....

Where you going to moor the Yacht?...

 

[Packer]

Got to afford it first Mike, I'm just a pauper. Serves me right for buying a GS I guess

 

[Packer]

Tried to switch off ABS

I tried to switch off the ABS this morning without success on my 1150GS.

I have a busy day today but couldn't resist a little 25 mile blast in the sun. I decided to switch off the ABS so stopped switched off the engine, depressed the ABS disable button and restarted the engine whilst still holding the button down. I seemed to hold it down for ages but nothing happened and on checking after getting moving again the ABS was still active.

How long do you need to hold the button down?

Do you need to wait for the ABS light sequence to change prior to starting the engine?

Any suggestions welcome as I really want to find out how it all feels under hard braking on my knackered tyres before replacing them.

 

[MikeP]

IIRC, you only need to turn ignition off, press ABS button while turning ignition on and release the button. Start the bike and the warning light should remain on and steady to act as a reminder.

Just switch off ignition and restart normally to re-set.