Red Brake Failure warning - MOT failure?

[Clem]

Anyone know if the Brake a Failure lamp (ABS knacked) would be an MOT fail?

Had it fixed over the summer, but it's gone again - motor brushes I think - and I'm wondering if I need to bother before the MOT.

Ta.

 

[FERRET]

Try the abs/speed sensor, that was the cause of my warning light, same one as on many BMW ;s picked up a 2nd hand one on ebay for £32 fixed the problem, may be worth a try.

 

[andy79]

Mine was the pump.

 

[Pukmeister]

Just changed my rear ABS sensor, it cost about £65 with the VAT and took me about an hour due to the cable ties and wheel removal. In my case I had issues with the ABS, Speedo and the ESA (which won't alter preload unless it knows the bikes speed is definitely zero).

No recoding necessary, its just a sensor.

 

[Fanum]

Definitely a fail on a car, and they were going to add it to the bike MOT as well but I'm nor sure if it's been changed yet.l

Check the uk.gov MOT stuff on line- you'll find the definitive answer as it stands today there

 

[trainman]

when I asked tester why he took mine round the block, one of the reasons was to make sure the abs lights went out once on the move, assuming that happens and no fault lamps appear they are happy - or he was anyway

 

[Fanum]

Just looked it up.

It isn't something they can fail a bike for on an MOT at the moment.

As long as the brakes achieve at least 30% braking one one end and no less than 25% on the other end, everything's secure and within wear parameters, it's a pass

MANUAL

 

[bikemad]

Iv blanked out airbag light on my last van black tape over lense area,they can't fail it for not coming on at all

Can't see it wouldn't work on a bike remove bulb or cover hole up

 

[Clem]

Just looked it up.

It isn't something they can fail a bike for on an MOT at the moment.

As long as the brakes achieve at least 30% braking one one end and no less than 25% on the other end, everything's secure and within wear parameters, it's a pass

MANUAL

Thanks for that, forewarned is forarmed etc.

 

[Mr K]

When I get mine MOT'd they don't even take it out of the workshop.

 

[trainman]

Just looked it up.

It isn't something they can fail a bike for on an MOT at the moment.

As long as the brakes achieve at least 30% braking one one end and no less than 25% on the other end, everything's secure and within wear parameters, it's a pass

MANUAL

under brake system there is a line about an observed defect and the tester being able to road test to confirm its ok

if it was me as the tester I would want to know that a brake system fault light didn't stay on - how do I know what that light means?

worth asking I guess if you have the same fault as the OP and maybe most testers don't bother, but I think some will

 

[Beemerman59]

I've never had any MOT tester take my bikes out for a test ride - that's the last 17 years of MOT's on bikes with ABS and flashing red warning lights when the engine's started. My current tester can't even get on the GSA and I have to ride the bike on the rolling road brake checks for him.

 

[snelly]

I don't know about the newer stuff, but on the 1100 you can turn the ABS off. I should'nt imagine they would be able to fail the bike for something the manufacturer allows you to disable yourself.

 

[Bendy toy]

ABS can also be turned off on the 1200 with some sort of switch holding feature.

The MOT tester, using a rolling road brake, was interested only in the braking forces (which very much impressed him). He wasn't bothered about warning lamps, though with only one wheel turning I'd expect some sort of ABS warning.

One tester lifted the back wheel to check if the front brake also activates the back. Which it does. He wasn't interested in the linked brake forces just the overall performance front and back.

 

[Steptoe]

Anyone know if the Brake a Failure lamp (ABS knacked) would be an MOT fail?

Had it fixed over the summer, but it's gone again - motor brushes I think - and I'm wondering if I need to bother before the MOT.

Ta.

You mention motor brushes, so I take it your bike is a post 2007 model..

Take the tank panel of and with a pry bar or something similar placed against the small round cylinder section of the abs motor, hit the end of the bar a few times, while moving the bar around the abs cylinder.
That fix your abs problem.... might last 5 minutes, 5 months or be a permanent cure, but whatever, long enough to get you through the MOT (although the ABS isn't part of a motorcycle mot test).

There is a proper fix - remove abs module, remove motor (the cylinder part), file off the rough edges of the brushes and re-assemble.

They can stick due to a low battery causing them to arc and the high point sticks in the holder..