Should i buy a gsa with a servo.

[Rocket Rob]

Yes - servo went on me in town one day. Up to the local Motorrad who gave me an all in replacement quote for........£1,480..!!!!

The part itself costs £1,100 the rest is labour.

So had the servo removed by an independant dealer and the brakes are as good as before, maybe slightly better cos there is more feel to the front brakes.

Would I have another bike with the servo.....er....NO!

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Yes - servo went on me in town one day. Up to the local Motorrad who gave me an all in replacement quote for........£1,480..!!!!

The part itself costs £1,100 the rest is labour.

So had the servo removed by an independant dealer and the brakes are as good as before, maybe slightly better cos there is more feel to the front brakes.

Would I have another bike with the servo.....er....NO!

He speaks wise words

 

[MikeP]

He speaks wise words

Really?

Everyone knows that they can and do fail, that replacement is far too expensive to be worth the effort, that it's relatively simple to remove the servo and that the braking efficiency is hardly affected.

Few would dispute any of the above.

However, it shouldn't be a bar to buying a servo equipped bike any more than knowing that tyres can suffer sudden deflation should deter anyone from buying something fitted with pneumatic tyres.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Really?

Everyone knows that they can and do fail, that replacement is far too expensive to be worth the effort, that it's relatively simple to remove the servo and that the braking efficiency is hardly affected.

Few would dispute any of the above.

However, it shouldn't be a bar to buying a servo equipped bike any more than knowing that tyres can suffer sudden deflation should deter anyone from buying something fitted with pneumatic tyres.

Fair enough

I decided to go for the 'non brown trouser' variety of a non ABS 1150GSA variant, having owned one bike with a Servo in 2004

Sure a brake line or coupling can fail - but unlikely

 

[MikeP]

I've suffered only one sudden and catastrophic tyre failure in my life (thankfully only one) and I don't want to do so again. I know of more. The fact that it has happened to me and others, plus the knowledge that it's possible again, won't stop me buying something with pneumatic tyres.

When or if the servo packs-up on my bike, I'll junk it as others have done. I've learned to live with its idiosyncrasies and its presence doesn't affect my use or enjoyment of the bike one iota.

I accept that the early versions of Servo-ABS lacked some operating finesse compared to non-servo and later Servo-ABS versions. That might deter some potential owners just as ATE calliper equipped Boxers are shunned by some. It would be just as wrong to avoid ATE equipped bikes just because someone-else doesn't like them.

 

[robc]

Heh!

I've got both varieties.

They are both different in feel but I like them both.

Anyway, as is always the case, where there is a choice to be had opinion is always divided. That's a good thing. Life would be boring without the choice.

Hey, maybe we should combine "What engine oil" and "What braking system" into one big thread and have a fight.

Never been to a GS meeting yet but I bet the conversation in the pub of an evening is entertaining


Sorry, just had to put tongue in cheek for a moment.

Regards

Rob C

 

[chad]

Heh!

I've got both varieties.

They are both different in feel but I like them both.

Anyway, as is always the case, where there is a choice to be had opinion is always divided. That's a good thing. Life would be boring without the choice.

Hey, maybe we should combine "What engine oil" and "What braking system" into one big thread and have a fight.

Never been to a GS meeting yet but I bet the conversation in the pub of an evening is entertaining




Sorry, just had to put tongue in cheek for a moment.

Regards

Rob C

NoNo at meets the arguements are about what sauce you have with your egg n bacon and is lager a tarts drink
by that time we're all to pissed to understand what the others talking about

 

[robc]

Brown sauce on bacon sarnies.

No sauce on egg and bacon sarnies.

Larger is a tarts drink.

Ale and brown beer is a man's drink.

Cider (or Zoidrrr where I live)is a health drink - think of all those apples.

Can I come to the next meeting?



Regards

Rob C

 

[chad]

Brown sauce on bacon sarnies.

No sauce on egg and bacon sarnies.

Larger is a tarts drink.

Ale and brown beer is a man's drink.

Cider (or Zoidrrr where I live)is a health drink - think of all those apples.

Can I come to the next meeting?



Regards

Rob C

your in

 

[Rocket Rob]

The issue is not about trying a bike with servos - we clearly have. Its about not wanting to repeat the circumstances again. And lets face it - the problems or failures with some servos are well documentated both here and elsewhere.

I could have replaced my failed servo with an ebay 2nd hand part for the same price as the removal and re-plumbing. Why didn't I? Because I did not want to possibly recreate the same circumstances again.

And the end result is a braking system as good if not better than with the servo without any of the inherent known problems.

 

[MikeP]

The issue is not about trying a bike with servos - we clearly have. Its about not wanting to repeat the circumstances again.

No. The point of the OP is whether he should allow the vicarious experience of a few others to put him off buying a servo equipped bike because he particularly wants one with ABS.

Have a bump for the sale of your servo-removed bike sale anyway.

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256235

 

[warmshed]

I have had a servo bike for 9 years, just bought a GSA with servo. Love the power and the security of the braking system. never has a single fault with the system. Yes things do go wrong with mechanincal and electrical things but dont let a few failures cloud the issue. ABS can save your life too and more that outweighs any concerns over brake failures/ residual braking.

My daughters Ford KA has abs that has just failed due to the electronic ABS ECU, quite a common fault and around £1000 to fix! but I still prefer her to have ABS. I would not get her one without just in case it goes wrong again. Stand back and think, get what you want, deal with problems IF and WHEN they occur. regards Dave

 

[gabriel_gs]

Wow, this is going on a bit...

Look, just buy one with a servo if that's what you find. If the servo fails, have it removed. If not, job's a good 'un

 

[richierex]

Well I had one with a servo and while the brakes were very grabby at slow speed, they were no better than normal brakes at higher speeds, so I really dont see the point. Neither did BMW because they stopped fitting them.

And the brakes on my old 850 are just as good, but miss the ABS, worth having.

 

[Kawanor]

1150 GS-A,,2003..165K

I LOVE the ABS in wintertime,on snow/ice,,,No problem so far...