Troublesome ABS

[Hornblower]

I have persevered with the ABS on my 97 R1100 GS but the cold mornings mean that I have to repeatedly re-start the bike to get it to kick in even though I leave the bike on trickle charge. I don't know how old the battery is but I have had the bike for two and a half years and it's not been replaced in that time. Do the learned on here think that replacing the battery might help? If so, what is the best replacement battery to go for? All constructive comments gratefuly received.

 

[Ogmios]

Different Bike - a K75.
But i tried everything to cure the problem you are having, EXCEPT a new battery!
I would not accept it could be the fault.
Pissed about for ages trying to find out WTF was wrong!
In the end i sold the Bike (not because of the ABS - it was just that i could never get comfy on the damn thing!
sciatica's a bitch )

New owner was a work mate. He straight away bought a new battery and never had any further trouble with the ABS.

 

[Hornblower]

Thanks Ogmios
I think I should plump for a new battery then. The question is, what is the best battery to go for?

 

[Cook1e]

All constructive comments gratefuly received.

1) Scrap the ABS, it's more hassle than it's worth (I've removed ABS from 2 1150s)
2) Check battery voltage whilst turning over on the starter.
3) Also check voltage at starter terminal & earth. This will tell whether your battery's on the way out, you have bad connections or your starter is dying and drawing more current than it should - may save spending on a battery that you don't need.
4) A good battery is the Motobatt (search this site and the rest of t'interweb). Yellow, AGM type like an Odyssey, but better value.
5) If you find it's your ABS unit, I have a good S/H one you can have (ABS2 from an 1150, think it's the same as 1100)

 

[khpossum]

see: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?166527-ABS2-flashing-light-fault-7-NOT-the-battery post 8 and others.

Since I did my disable-ABS-at-startup several years ago I have not had an ABS fault despite starting the bike in some teens and twenties (F) weather. It is an easy fix and your battery may last just a few years longer. A new battery will fix the problem most likely as well.

I know other like to take their ABS off, but I like my ABS and it has never given me any problems on my 2002 100k miles bike.

KP

 

[Hornblower]

Thanks Cook1e
I have friends who slag-off the ABS and in my 40 years of biking this is the first bike I have had that has had it fitted. Nevertheless, almost all of the prangs I have had over the years have been fairly low speed skids (oil, diesel, ice etc) where the front end has gone away from me so I quite like the comfort of knowing the ABS is there. Thanks for the offer of your unit and the battery advice, I'll test my battery and take it from there.

 

[Deleted account 220427001]

go on all batteries dot com and get a 20 amp hr battery makes such a difference always get one bit more powerfull