Post 2002 servo assisted brakes

[rdover]

My p[roblem with these brakes is the number of times the ABS has come on unnecessarily and put the wind up me. It used to happen frequently enough that I had little confidence in them and tended to brake less hard than was actually possible to try an prevent the ABS cutting in.

In 35,000 miles in 4 years I never once had need of the ABS in anger and I am mega relieved not to have it now. Perhaps I am conning myself that my riding ability is that good that I don't need it or whether I've just been really lucky all these years but as riding is at least 75% confidence I'd rather believe in myself than technology.

 

[ChrisG]

ABS and Servo's

Perhaps I am stating the obvious, but you can have ABS without a servo and you can have a servo without ABS.

ABS.

Having ABS adds a potential level of safety in certain circumstances on a bike, but it also adds a great deal of complexity which could result in brake failure due to mechanical or electrical failure. Both have been reported in this forum and you pays your money and takes your choice. My 1150 has ABS, but I'm not sure if I'd pay for it on the next bike. The ABS on the 1150 is very crude and will only 'save' a very specific instance of lack of grip.

Servo.

The servo obviously applies extra pressure to the brakes, why BMW sought to introduce this is a mystery especially now that they have dropped it from the 2007 GS. User problem and recalls with earlier GS's and the servo system are no doubt at the bottom of this. A friend bought one of the first 2004 GS's and sold it before the waranty ran out due to the number of problems and recalls with the brake system - he replaced it with a Ducati for increased reliability!

The real irony is that once you have added a servo system which will increase brake pressure over what you input, it is probably much more important to have ABS to protect yourself against an unintentional over application of the brakes.

BMW do themselves a diservice by trying to hide the fact there has been significant problems with the servo on early 1200 GS's , but good on them for having the courage to admit they were wrong and removing it - now about those indicator switches .....

 

[Voyager]

My GS is an R100 without ABS or Servo.

However - I also have a 2003 K1200GT that has both.

Earlier this year I was on a BMW Club rideout in Cumbria and had to brake quite hard while decending the Kirkstone Pass (something to do with the bike weighing one third of a ton !).

After braking. I noticed that the bike appeared to be sluggish and pulled in - to find that the offside front brake caliper wouldn't 'let go'. The disk was almost glowing but I had caught it in time.

It turns out that this is a known 'feature' of the later 'K' series and with 130bhp and lots of torque and weight it is possible to burn out the front brakes without realising that the servo has locked on.

The Experts in the group released the brakes by holding them on hard while the disk cooled. It hasn't happened again, but then I dont attempt 'stoppies' as a rule !

Has this happened to anyone with Servo/ABS on the GS (either persuation) ?

 

[Steptoe]

Perhaps I am stating the obvious, but you can have ABS without a servo and you can have a servo without ABS.

.....

Wrong, your stating bollox - you CAN'T have servo without ABS

And the only wy to have ABS without servo is a pre 2003 bike , the same as all the 1100 and early 1150 .

 

[Steptoe]

The Experts in the group released the brakes by holding them on hard while the disk cooled. ) ?

Do that a fewtimes and you'll soon have warped discs

 

[ChrisG]

Servo

Re Steptoe's comments.

Funny I have had dozens of cars with servo brakes without ABS.

That you cannot seperate the two on a latter day GS relates to the system that BMW decided to employ - not because one follows the other.

My point was.

The fact that BMW did tie the two together clearly was not a good idea - otherwise BMW would not have dropped the system for 2007.