ABS Reset Part II, or my ABS Hydro unit is TU at 19K miles

[kpoling]

My ABS went into a permanent fault again. I took it to the dealer & asked them to check the fault & reset. It was the same #16 piston fault as it was in Feburary. Cost to reset was $39.60 with no test ride vs. $27.5o in February-- inflation?

Anyway, the dealer says the hydro unit is "bad". For them to fix:

Hydro Unit $1500+
Labor $ 600+
Flush fluid $ 75.00
Total $ 2175+

Low book on bike $6700 (probably can not sell for that even if perfect).

So, I am in the market for a cheap usable hydro unit or I will gut out the old one & make it a "non ABS".

Has anyone discovered a way to reset the ABS on a 1999-2002 S?

This site discusses it, but has not actually done it:

http://www.largiader.com/abs/absfault.html

[JonyRR]

man, I'd yard all that ABS bovine-feces outta there and toss it into the nearest cesspool and live happily ever after. Every time I read about issues like this, I'm glad I didn't pop for abs, regardless how many wax exstatic about it. Good luck KP!

[BMW Atlanta]

It would appear the ABS unit is on its last leg. Youre better to remove it then to do nothing. Flushing your brakes at least every year is the key to keeping these systems operating flawless over the long haul. I do have an ABS unit out of a 2000 R1100S with approximately 15k on it and was removed from the bike over 2 years ago in fully operational condition. Its available if youre interested in making an offer.

[SergioK]

So, do you have to hookup the ABS pump to one of those computers in order to properly flush it with new fluid?

Also, is ATE Typ200 (same stuff I use on my bimmer) good? I swap between the Typ200 and Super Blue.

[BMW Atlanta]

non-servo/integral ABS pumps do not require an aux computer in order to flush the brake fluid. Flushing the ABS on 99-2002 bikes is like flushing standard brakes. However a computer is required to read fault codes or reset the computer management portion. If you have ABS,......flush your fluid regularly. We just flushed an Integral ABS system on a friends 2004 R1100SA from South Florida with 12k on it this weekend. Due to all the humidity in S FL, his brake fluid was way overdue for flushing at just over 16 months and only 12k on it.

[kpoling]

Bobby: I bought the bike when it was 2.5 yrs old, 7000 miles. The PO had all service done at the PDX dealer, so I "assume" the dealer did it at the 6000 mile service. When I bought it, I immediately changed all fluids including brakes & clutch. I have flushed the brakes again after the 1st reset in Feb. The fluid was only a year old & clear as new when I changed it. I have a climate controlled garage so it helps because the bikes sit 90% of the time unfortunately!

Oh Well!!! How much for the used unit you have? I go to our plant in La Grange 3-4x's a year. I can stop by your shop to look at it on my next trip if you still have it.

Has anyone ever dismantled one of these units or are they factory sealed? If I yank this one out, it will be dissected!

[JonyRR]

KP: I advised 'sand city flyer' here on this very issue. I haven't talked to him in a good bit, but at last report he was yanking both servos out and replumbing with off-the-shelf SS braided hose. he was freaked out by just unplugging the servos, but for gosh sake, just cap the cannon plugs and be done with it. $1500.00+ for a part on a scoot with less than 20K and not even 10 years old....sheesh. My non-abs S is as complex a device as I want a motorcycle to be. And they wonder why we complain about these things. No mechanical device made by the hand of man is perfect, but dang, I'da thought a critical component like an ABS servo would last longer than 6 or 7 years, good care or not. My BMW car has held up under my lead foot for 160K, but it ain't a motorcycle. Guess there's something to be said for stone-axe simplicity, like setting ignition points on the side of the road with a matchbook cover....

[kpoling]

Jony: I have no problems yanking out the ABS system, I'm just pissed off that it failed and have to spend money to fix it. I don't know how many cars I've had with ABS, but I have never ever had an ABS problem with a car.

For a supposedly premium brand M/C, this is a real let down. This is my 3rd BMW w/ ABS, & the first with a total failure. My old '99 RT had a front sensor failure due to the factory over tightening a wire tie that eventually cut through the wire. My GS is one month out of warranty & only has 8500 miles, so far so good. But it has the left side cam chain tensioner issue that will need to be resolved.

[JonyRR]

KP; I know, it's depressing that a 'supposedly premium' scoot has failure issues more associated with an AMF-flavor hardley. I put in paralever pivot bearings at 15K and was astounded that this was accepted as 'just the way it is'.
Some issues are really annoying and we can just suck it up and go on, albiet wiser and poorer; an ABS failure isn't such! I feel for ya. It's a good thing these here beemur S job bies are so sexy and so good over the road, otherwise they could shove 'em until they gagged on 'em. It makes the marque "KTM' seem more and more bettah. If hardley-abelson ever got off it's duff and built a REAL sport-tourer....

[island_dude]

"I know, it's depressing that a 'supposedly premium' scoot has failure issues more associated with an AMF-flavor hardley"

Watch your language man. Those could be fighting words around here. :-)