Removing ABS

[Taz]

I have an 89 K100RS with dead ABS. I would like to remove the abs system completely. Has anyone done this? Tips and tricks appreciated.

[Rick G]

Like how dead is it, the computers can be repaired and there are quite a few used modulators around in good condition.
Are the lights flashing on the instrument panel?

[DRxBMW]

I have an 89 K100RS with dead ABS. I would like to remove the abs system completely. Has anyone done this? Tips and tricks appreciated.

Why bother, the brakes will work just fine non ABS.

Simply remove the light bulbs in the pod if the blinKing drives you CRAZY.

[frankenduck]

Or pull the blue relays in the relay box.

[Taz]

Thanks all. I will remove all the hardware as it's about 11kg's worth and looks ugly sitting either side of the bike by the pillion footpegs.

[frankenduck]

If you want to get rid of ALL of it then that will include the metal lines that run up to the front of the bike.  Just how I've done it but I dropped took the front wheel off, then detached the frame and bellhousing bolts and rotated the frame up.  But the was to put them in.  If you don't care about them then you could alternately cut them where they bend up above the coils and just pull them out from the front and rear.

[motodude]

I have an 89 K100RS with dead ABS. I would like to remove the abs system completely. Has anyone done this? Tips and tricks appreciated.

I have a '95 with perfectly working ABS and I'd like to remove it too.  Besides the ugly, the extra weight and taking up half the tail storage... what does it do again?

Tom

[TimTyler]

I've thought about removing mine as well, partly because I'm assuming the functioning components could fetch a good price on the used market.

Am I nuts for not wanting to keep it?

Will it likely save my life one day?  :embarass:

[Rick G]

Maybe when you jump on the brakes hard and the front locks and as its going out from under you, it may just come to mind how much better that emergency stop could have been. In 6 years my ABS has only worked twice and both times I consider things would have been much worse without that extra brain doing some real quick thinking.  The reaction times of the ABS are hundreds of times quicker than even the best riders or drivers.
Under ideal conditions the very besr riders can only be very marginally better than ABS about 10% of the time and when the surface is wet or slippery for whatever reason then ABS is so much better than anybody can be regardless of who they are.
Think very carefully before removing it as you may only need to use it twice in your life but without it the first time may just be your life.

[motodude]

YMMV and I'm not recommending anyone remove their ABS.  And, if you have a habit of engaging your ABS or locking up your non-ABS brakes, you should probably keep/get ABS. 

In 21 years of riding K-bikes (and a Triumph Tiger which has much better brakes than a 2v), I've locked up my front wheel once, at low speed, going downhill, in loose gravel.  I managed to modulate the brake and get stopped.  I've ridden in rain countless times some of them commuting in traffic.  I've done a track-day in the rain.  I've ridden in snow at least twice (I don't recommend it).  Once (riding in 6-8 inches of snow) I managed to not run over the rider who when down in front of me and get my bike stopped w/o dropping it.  That was fun.

Quite honestly, I just don't see the need on a 2v K-bike.  The brakes are fairly anemic to begin with.  And, yes, I understand that ABS is more about road conditions than how large your rotors are or how many pistons your calipers have.  But, it stands to reason that the more powerful the brakes the more easily they'll lock up.

Now, I could go out and lock-up my brakes, crash and die tomorrow.  It could happen.  But, the odds are pretty long. 

"What, me worry",
Tom

[frankenduck]

I tend to agree with motodude that the front brakes on the 2V Ks are somewhat anemic and, except for extreme circumstances, you'd be hard-pressed to lock up the front.  And if you can't recover from a locked up rear then you should probably work on your riding skills.  There's probably a marginal advantage to having ABS but I consider it a toss-up between the added weight and complexity vs. a simpler non-ABS K.

[Taz]

All removed. Bike looks much better and components weighed 12kg. Thanks all.

[TimTyler]

Did you keep the same front master cylinder? Do your brakes feel different now?

On the K75 I've read the MC's for ABS and non-ABS are different?

[WoahGold]

I can third that the 2V brakes are on the weak side. But they still get the job done just fine.
I've only had a couple of hard stops, but it didn't feel anywhere near lock-up.

[frankenduck]

But they still get the job done just fine.
I've only had a couple of hard stops, but it didn't feel anywhere near lock-up.

Try a quick stop 2-up. :yow

[sh00ter]

But they still get the job done just fine.
I've only had a couple of hard stops, but it didn't feel anywhere near lock-up.

Try a quick stop 2-up. :yow

did that from a relatively slow 15 mph today and pulled a small stoppie ... that'll get the heart going. (k11rs, not 2v)

[TimTyler]

I'm making the switch to non-ABS.

Can somebody explain or photograph the rear hose routing from the master cylinder to the caliper?

I'm try figure out if the hose travels above or below the swing arm, and how much hose flex to allow for shock compression. And what the fitting to the caliper looks like.

[frankenduck]

Like this.  There's a rubber bushing (right circle) that goes around where the left circle is and that sits in a bracket that goes into a circular notch on the inside of the wing arm.  It goes from the master under and inside the swing arm.

(I've got this stuff the next time you're in Seattle.)

[Taz]

With the rear on my 89 RS 2 valve I just unbolted the hose from the master to the modulator and connected that straight to the caliper. For the front I ordered the brake hose set up off a non abs model including the y pipe off ebay in the USA. Took a week to get it delivered to New Zealand. When they turned up they were braided hoses which was a bonus. Used the existing front master cylinder and braking performance is definitely improved. Not by a great amount but it is noticeable. All up cost was under 100 New Zealand pesos. So I'm happy.

[TimTyler]

Thanks for the help, guys.

Taz - Is there enough play in your rear hose to accommodate the swing arm swinging and the shock compression over bumps? I thought about doing exactly what you did on the rear, but tolerances would have been too tight for my liking.

I'm going to try and route conventionally under the swing arm, as mentioned in Duck's post.

[Taz]

The hose was plenty long enough and there are no issues regarding suspension travel. Mines a monolever tho. I'll post up some pics soon.

[TimTyler]

I had my hoses done locally at ABS Brake and Hose in Lacey, WA. The front hose was nothing special (30" of hose plus fittings) but the owner, Rand, spent a good hour+ with me custom fabricating the pipe and hose for the rear. Measure, bend, measure, bend, cut, crimp, measure, crimp, and he even cut a couple of fitting down on a lathe. The result has got to be nearly identical to the BMW parts, and I got out the door for half the BMW part price.

Don't ask me why I chose not to use SS braided hose. I just didn't see the advantage.

The rear hose ended up being 12" end to end, but the non-ABS BMW part number is supposed to be 14". Looking at mine, I've got think it's long enough.

It's nice to not have all the ABS hardware on the bike. I put it all in a bag and weighed it in at 20 pounds. Too bad the giant cable that went to the ABS brain in the cowl can't be removed.

[frankenduck]

Too bad the giant cable that went to the ABS brain in the cowl can't be removed.

Why not?

[TimTyler]

I couldn't see a clear place to disconnect it. The loom doesn't seem to be just ABS as far as I can see.

On another note...  What's the difference between the non-ABS calipers and the ABS calipers?

[frankenduck]

What else do you think is in there the ABS wiring clump?

Difference in the calipers is that the ABS calipers is that they have thread holes to mount the ABS sensors.

The master cylinders are different too.  My assumption is that they probably have different/better seals to accommodate modulation of the brake pressure.