I would never buy or ride a Servo ABS again..................end of
No matter how nice or stunning it was
No matter how nice or stunning it was
Servo brakes .. are they that unreliable?
- Thread starter Bryn
- Start date
I would never buy or ride a Servo ABS again..................end of
No matter how nice or stunning it was
Is this because of the exact moment that a fault showed up?
Its usually just at that point when you're rather relying on them to work, and for most its not really an option of if they work good, if not doesn't really matter!!
One of our members had them on an 1100S, he eventually gave it back and put his solicitor to the job of getting his money back. Its not funny when they keep failing on you as you're bowling into a bend, yet your dealer keeps telling you there's nothing wrong with them.
For all those that have said 'mine have always worked so I trust them' be warned, the moment they stop working could well be that moment you need them most. The residual braking effect probably won't be of much help, especially the early versions that had very little residual effect.
sockpuppet
Registered user
So now I'm considering removing the servo etc.. How many have experienced problems with them? Mine's fine at the moment but I worry the brakes will pack up in the middle of europe - I know you'll still have residual braking but that's crap
I reckon its a stupid idea from BMW in the first place- why make things so complicated?
Hi Bryn.
I junked my servo from my 1150. I'm local to you so If you want me to ride over and meet you you can see the difference servo/non servo. I like the now non snatchy feeling I've got. Also I removed my servo in a way that means if I want to I can put it back on the bike and it'll be back to standard, no cutting into the loom etc.
Its a simple process.
Richard
sockpuppet
Registered user
I used all BMW components. So the bike is now a standard Non ABS 1150GS bike.
I asked the insurance companies and they don't have a risk rating for the ABS / Non ABS and they can't tell from the reg no what type you have so can't bias risk based on ABS/Non ABS.
Agreed. To cover my ass I told them I have "modified the brakes" for which my insurance company increased the premiums by £0.
Thanks for the offer Richard
I did have a non servo/ABS GSA before this one, and it was fine- which is why I don't think I'd miss the servo assistance one little bit 
ELIMINATOR
Registered user
Two servo failures while under warranty.
now on 53,000 and all well.
now on 53,000 and all well.
My god, you are right. All these years and miles that I have been not worrying about a servo failure. It's all been an exercise in self-delusion. I feel so foolish.
From now on I'll be certain to fret about something that may never happen.
The world needs more people like you to shake us out of our complacency.
OzzieGSA
Guest
Did BMW stop using servo brakes on 1200's? What did they change to?
Did BMW stop using servo brakes on 1200's? What did they change to?
When they finally decided that Servo brakes were the complicated answer to a problem that didn't exist they went back to 'normal' brakes. Servo assistance was unnecessary from the beginning.
Any GS with ABS had servo assistance from 2003-2006
Mr K
Registered user
Servo pump failed 90 miles from new, left me with enough brakes to ride back to dealers.
Been fine since.
Been fine since.
Actually it was from late 2002 - the last of the single spark ABS bikes had a servo.
Myke Rocks
Registered user
My god, you are right. All these years and miles that I have been not worrying about a servo failure. It's all been an exercise in self-delusion. I feel so foolish.
From now on I'll be certain to fret about something that may never happen.
The world needs more people like you to shake us out of our complacency.
Likewise. There I was, for all these years with nothing to worry about, when I could have been scared stiff!
Myke
They stopped using servo brakes due to the complaints about the grabiness/sharpness.
They kept reducing the pressure over time to keep the customers happy to the point where they realised the servo wasn't needed.
57,300 miles and no problems. I find that the Ferodo Platinum pads that Steppers supplies don't have the same level of initial grab and so suit the servo brakes. Two fingered braking under any circumstances? No problem.
I got used to them about 57,290 miles ago
I got used to them about 57,290 miles ago
DutchBryn
Registered user
A good idea, imperfectly executed.
There used to be a page at the back of MC Int., many moons ago - it analysed how riders fecked-up and crashed their bikes.
Many crashes were technically avoidable. 'If only the rider hadn't've panicked, locked-up the back wheel and slid to his death' etc.
BuMW's servo/ABS was meant to be a bit like a (fancy) cars emergency brake assist. The pumps give it everything and the ABS moderates. If the 'bike (per se) needed servo assistance, all models, with and without ABS would have had it. The key then was linking the servo to fast acting ABS.
ie a sort of human bypass.
If it had have been up to car standards of reliability, I think i would have bought into it.
Still, at least they dealt with it swiftly and decisively...
There used to be a page at the back of MC Int., many moons ago - it analysed how riders fecked-up and crashed their bikes.
Many crashes were technically avoidable. 'If only the rider hadn't've panicked, locked-up the back wheel and slid to his death' etc.
BuMW's servo/ABS was meant to be a bit like a (fancy) cars emergency brake assist. The pumps give it everything and the ABS moderates. If the 'bike (per se) needed servo assistance, all models, with and without ABS would have had it. The key then was linking the servo to fast acting ABS.
ie a sort of human bypass.
If it had have been up to car standards of reliability, I think i would have bought into it.
Still, at least they dealt with it swiftly and decisively...
Mutley
Registered user
DutchBryn
Registered user
77 1/2% .
OK, I know what you're saying, (it's just that we disagree.)
If they had had a failure rate of (say) well under 1/10th of 1%, then
maybe they'd still be fitting them.
I am not anti technology. As I wrote, above, I get what they were trying to do.
And I take my imaginary hat of to them for trying to save lives.
Really.
OK, I know what you're saying, (it's just that we disagree.)
If they had had a failure rate of (say) well under 1/10th of 1%, then
maybe they'd still be fitting them.
I am not anti technology. As I wrote, above, I get what they were trying to do.
And I take my imaginary hat of to them for trying to save lives.
Really.
sockpuppet
Registered user
Simply for the fact that I can now sit at traffic light with the front brake on without a servo screaming its tits off it was worth it.
Don't want to use the rear so I can take the bike out of gear so not feck my clutch slave over early without doing the hendon shuffle.
Don't want to use the rear so I can take the bike out of gear so not feck my clutch slave over early without doing the hendon shuffle.
70,000 on my Adv 1150 with the linked servo system. No problems have shown up at all - except when I left the ignition on one night and the battery was too low to give it enough to start etc....ABS lights and stuff stayed on after I started it (cold start ramp and let clutch out) after a good thrash there was enough battery top up to stop. Turn off and re start everything sorted itself out and that is th eonly time I have had a "problem".
I don't think they are grabby either - you lot must be the diehard last minute brakers. I find I don't need the brakes at all for much of my riding, the engine braking is usually sufficient for most riding, provided you look far enough ahead and just roll off the throttle.
Anyway, I have one bike with servo and ABS linked brakes - which are brilliant, but I agree are probably over complicated to what is actually required. I have another bike with ABS but no servo - they are also brilliant and I think they stop just as well. I have EBS pads in there at the moment and they work brilliantly. I will give the Steptoe ones a try at next change, if everyone rates them so well. I like to support the community if I can.
By the way. Tossers Tipple is wonderful!
) after a good thrash there was enough battery top up to stop. Turn off and re start everything sorted itself out and that is th eonly time I have had a "problem". I don't think they are grabby either - you lot must be the diehard last minute brakers. I find I don't need the brakes at all for much of my riding, the engine braking is usually sufficient for most riding, provided you look far enough ahead and just roll off the throttle.
Anyway, I have one bike with servo and ABS linked brakes - which are brilliant, but I agree are probably over complicated to what is actually required. I have another bike with ABS but no servo - they are also brilliant and I think they stop just as well. I have EBS pads in there at the moment and they work brilliantly. I will give the Steptoe ones a try at next change, if everyone rates them so well. I like to support the community if I can.
By the way. Tossers Tipple is wonderful!
ahutcheon
Registered user
That's not how mine work - the servo multiplies the lever effort, but the braking effort can be modulated to whatever I desire. Just like car servo brakes. What you describe would surely only be capable of the maximum effort stop dictated by the road surface.
The servo is a bit grabby at very low speeds (I notice it when turning in my garage, so below walking pace).
The non-servo brakes in 2003 were woefully heavy, needing 4-finger braking effort whereas my three previous Hondas offered two finger braking without the complexity. I presume BMW were addressing that issue, using the servo to give the sort of brake effort that most other bikes had anyway. No idea why BMW still has early 1980s braking effort in 2003...
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