R1100GS Project, Remove ABS Y/N

[Das68]

Hi All, I've brought a 1999 R1100GS as a project, its basically a genuine bike (owned by 3 friends over the last 15 years) that's in need of a a light restoration / cleanup. It has a few minor problems that I'm hoping to sort along the way.
On starting to strip it down my first 2 issues are
(a) A lot of the cable sleeving has fell to bits, so I've stripped out the complete loom and will fix / repair it.
(b) The ABS hasn't worked I'm told for 15 years, checking the bike before I started to strip it down it showed the "low voltage error", of course that might be the only error or just the first of many. While its all in bits it would be easy to remove the unit totally (including all the wiring) ?, or do I refit and try to repair it?
Thanks Das.

 

[DrFarkoff]

The starter could maybe with a service and the battery perhaps need changed and Frame / Engine earths

The old ABS II is a very stable system and a low voltage fault usually means someone tried to start it with a duff battery or a sticky starter

If you insert the Key (having already cleared the ABS fault Codes??) and you get the two lights blinking on and off together

The system does not "see" a fault But when you press the starter the two lights start flashing alternately then its a low volt fault attributable to the above issues

I used to do a mod with an extra relay that when you pressed the starter button the ABS was disconnected for the time the starter was running and it did not matter if you had low voltage!

As the system would switch back on when you released the starter and at that time the engine should be running so no low volts fault

P.S. ABS II is a piped straight through system you don't need to remove it unless you want to

Its a quite a good system to be honest Not Perfect but it reacts quicker than you do when it sees a wheel lock up happening IF its just a low volts fault its well worth having

P.P.S. Learn how to switch ABS off if you go on Mud!!! D A M H I K !!!

 

[Tsiklonaut]

As DrFarkoff said it's hydraulically "flow through" system, meaning even if the electronic side goes to bonkers the brakes will still work like normal non-ABS brakes. In that sense I find the old ABSII near "perfect" system unlike the newer ABS systems that can kill you if they malfunction (very little to no brakes).

ABS II on my 1998 R1100GS has saved my and wife's arse too many times I can't even count now (mostly the rainy or morning frost days) so I'll be keeping mine. I've overhauled the main ABS unit once (a thread should be somewhere in case it's the same problem you're having), other than that the 20+ year old system has worked flawlessly so far, just very rarely needs ABS reset after service rebleeding (easy-peasy to do). It does need a VERY good battery, lithium-ion or solid battery (i.e. Odyssey) works the best by far (7 seasons no prob so far), quality Gel battery is so-so in my experience (4 seasons), I'd deffo avoid cheaper regular lead-acid batteries (I've had 3 of them and they all lasted a single season, maximum two).

The only pro I see is when removing it it'll save some weight, but it'll be marginally tiny saving compared what the lardy bike itself weights. Yet if you ever decide you need it again then putting it back on it can be a major hassle, so in that sense it's better just to make sure it works and leave it on(?)

Just me 2 bobs,
Margus

 

[Das68]

Thank you both for your recommendations.
So I’ll leave it in and try to fix it once I’ve put it all back together.

I’d just read that so many people seem to give up and don’t have the system working that whilst it’s all stripped down it would be easy to totally remove it.

I would rather have it working if it’s not likely to need a complete new unit.

Cheers Das.

 

[Two wheels good]

Very reliable ABS system on my 02 1150GS (non-servo). It threw it's first ABS error recently. First time in more than 10years - apart from an occasional low battery error that resets itself.
I reset this error by earthing a pin in the diagnostic plug. Seems fine now but admittedly I haven't been further than the shops.

Change the brake fluid and check the sensor gaps. There's a bleed nipple on each ABS unit too.
The original brake hoses are known to degrade with age. Worth replacing if not already replaced.

 

[DrFarkoff]

I would rather have it working if it’s not likely to need a complete new unit.

Cheers Das.

Das something popped back into my foggy brain

If your bike has braided hoses thats okay

BUT If you still have the original rubber ones Its time to get them changed !!

They have a habit of splitting the inner liner and making a flexible bubble just below the other layer that grows quite alarmingly when you pull on the brakes

At best you have reduced braking effect Worst is if bursts and you have NO brakes

They also do a weird thing where they de-laminate and you pull on the brake and when you release it the de-laminated inner behaves like a one way valve and does not release the pressure completely and the brake remains partially applied Heating the hell out of the disc and the pads etc

 

[Feisty]

My 1100gs hadn't worked for years the p.o. told me. He and his mechanic gave up and took out the bulbs after spending hours and lots of $ on it. I was going to send the unit off for exchange. As I took it out I noticed corroded connections on the big plug. Cleaned them and presto it worked again.

Might be worth a look for you

Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

 

[Das68]

The bike has braided hoses on the front but not on the rear, but the rear looks in decent condition.

 

[John B]

The bike has braided hoses on the front but not on the rear, but the rear looks in decent condition.

The old hoses delaminate from the inside, so even if it looks ok on the outside it can still seriously impair brake operation. For the small(ish) expense very well worth doing. Cheers, JohnB

 

[Das68]

Thanks John , I’ll put a braided rear hose on the shopping list. (With lots of other bits that need changing)

 

[Das68]

Thought I would give an update on the ABS, I have now rebuilt my old 1100GS (with just a few bits of final polishing to do).

During the rebuild, I rebuilt the calipers, set the ABS sensor distances, replaced the old rear brake pipe for a new braided one.

I then modified the wiring so that the ABS enable signal is supplied by a small automotive relay powered by the load relief relay.

This cuts the ABS while the starter button is being pressed. The ABS now works exactly as it should (after 15 years of not working)

I didn't like the idea of wiring it to the alternator like most people do, as I'm not a very experienced rider (I enjoy the tinkering more) , and the thought of me grabbing a handful of brake in an emergency and stalling the engine, which would then kill the ABS didn't sound right to me.

 

[Seamaster]

My 1100GS did not have ABS from new.
I have removed the passenger seat and replaced the exhaust with a low slung Remus, the end result is quite a responsive chuckable lump, that said, I would still prefer to have abs.

 

[DrFarkoff]

I then modified the wiring so that the ABS enable signal is supplied by a small automotive relay powered by the load relief relay.

This cuts the ABS while the starter button is being pressed. The ABS now works exactly as it should (after 15 years of not working)

I didn't like the idea of wiring it to the alternator like most people do, as I'm not a very experienced rider (I enjoy the tinkering more) , and the thought of me grabbing a handful of brake in an emergency and stalling the engine, which would then kill the ABS didn't sound right to me.

Nice Work! That's pretty much what I thought about the Alternator relay thing too

Load relief relay is pretty much infallible


Health to Ride and Enjoy