Disconnecting ABS
 

I want to disconnect this ABS system ....

Does anyone know how to do it ?

Premanently disconnect it or just switch it off when you don't need it ? Which bike ?

Hi .... permanent disconnection and 1150GS (2002) ...

thanks,

The same question was asked on the Uk GS site a while back (UKSER.COM) and there was no conclusive simple answer except it was suggested to remove the whole ABS unit, sensors and wiring and replace the brake hoses with new ones directly to the master cyclinders. Not exactly what you were looking for I suspect. I imagine you were hoping to take a fuse or relay out and have instant non-ABS brakes. From what I know it isn't that simple. You effectively need to replace the braking system with a non-ABS set up completely.

I think this stumped the long way round crew.
Problem seems to be it is interconnected with the engine management electronics

Damn! ....thats what ı was hoping for .... :(


Thanks anyway,

Somebody told me, it was someone at the HU meeting in Creel, if you take of the abs sensor from the front or rearwheel it will disconnect the abs. You should tape the sensor out of the way somewhere. I never tried this so I don't know if it will work or not. It won't cost anything to try so you've got nothing to loose. Hope that helps.

It is not necessary to remove the entire ABS unit but you might have to disconnect the electric connector and you will have to remove all the brake hoses and replace them with hoses running direct from the master cylinders to the brake calipers. If you decide to remove the entire ABS unit with sensors and all, (recommended as this is some weight mounted high up on the bike.) you will have to cut the cable to the rear sensor and keep the sensor in place in the final drive to stop oil from leaking out and dirt getting into the final drive.
This job is not so complicated and can be done with standard tools in a basic workshop, but once you get started, know that it takes special gear to bleed the ABS unit so it is not so simple to refit. Make sure you have what you need before you start because once you have disconnected one of the hoses you can't go back except back to the dealer.
To bleed the brakes after fitting of the hoses you need a simple vacuum pump the can be found at any auto supplier or even from the adult store, the type that is used for male stimulation, but I suspect that the same pump might be less expensive to buy from the auto dealer and less embarrassing.
PS: your dealer might be able to help with info, but will surely be able to do the job for you as well.


I can supply the hoses in stainless steel braided hose with chrome fittings ready to be fitted. It will be shipped from Cape Town South Africa.
Keep watching this space as I am busy doing this on a friends bike and will give more details on what else might have to be done.

disconnecting
 

Please correct if Im wrong, but I believe ABS should be built in such a way that the bike will never be totally without brakes, no matter what? I would believe that requirement would be compulsory for any manufacturer who builds such systems.

So, taking the ABS motor fuse off (or any other fuse thats related to the operation of ABS), should resume the system back to normal brakes. Im not 100% sure, because I havent tried.. Ive got an ABS bike, but its not BMW.

Please also note that if you plan to ride for an extended period of time with the system deliberately disconnected, the ABS motor could be damaged. This is because the hydraulic pistons inside will need to function every once in a while, if they remain stationary all the time, they might get stuck. For this same reason, they will function one time back&forth every time you put the ignition switch to "ON". Even when ABS is on and functioning, these pistons may not get to work, unless the user activates the brakes hard enough to activate ABS, and this might not happen very often.

Or at least thats what happens with my bike, cant be 100% sure how BMW works, but I´d guess its a similar system. So would be a good idea to reconnect it every once in a while, even if its somehow disabled most of the time.

[QUOTE=pecha72;148743]Please correct if Im wrong, but I believe ABS should be built in such a way that the bike will never be totally without brakes, no matter what? I would believe that requirement would be compulsory for any manufacturer who builds such systems.

You would think so, but Apparently not with BMW. go watch 'Long Way Round'

Switch it off when you don't want it?
 

Excellent point Pecha72; so which bike have you got that functions like this?

Further, which bikes have switcheable ABS, so that the rider still has a choice about what is going on under him? (Personally, I have never owned a bike with ABS but I guess one day soon it will be compulsory :rolleyes2: ).

I have a Vstrom650A. Now that I think of it, it does work with normal brakes, when you move the bike around without turning the switch to "ON". So if a malfunction is detected, I guess it should just cut the power going to the system, which should take it back to normal, non-abs brakes. In theory!!

"Further, which bikes have switcheable ABS, so that the rider still has a choice about what is going on under him?"

I believe many BMW´s and Moto Guzzi´s do have a button to disconnect it. Suzuki does not, but so far I think its been working ok, so havent felt the need to have it taken out. Even tried it early in the spring one day, when it was snowing and the road was a fair bit icy underneath, and even then it worked surprisingly well. Without ABS, I couldnt have stopped the bike so quickly on such a slippery surface, and theres a good chance I wouldve gone down, too. These systems obviously have improved a lot from how they were in the early days, now theyre ´tuned´ better, and can respond a lot quicker.

The ABS system is built into your brake system and cannot be bypassed by simply flicking a switch.
ABS do not control the braking but rather take over only when it detects that the brakes have locked up.
On BMW's you have a function where you can switch the ABS off but braking is still being done through the ABS unit.
ABS can save an inexperienced rider from a fatal lockup of the front brake but a more experienced rider can more easily control the amount of braking between front and rear to slow down fastest with or without the ABS in place.
In loose conditions with fairly off road oriented tires you can brake faster with the rear locked up and it is in this kind of conditions where ABS will not serve the rider, but then again only experienced riders will want to lock up the rear when braking.
The only reason why ABS should be entirely removed from the bike is when you will use it to travel in more remote parts of the globe. This is for two reasons, firstly because it can not be repaired or even be bled in a basic workshop and can leave you without front and rear brake if faulty, and secondly it does reduce the weight by a considerable amount.