Alternative abs modules

Has anyone ever had a go at installing an alternative abs module on their GS?

There seem to be lots of opportunity to upgrade to a newer (more reliable?) component... I'm quite interested in the newer 1200 models, but what about Honda or any of the other manufacturers' kit?

Well that question didn’t land very well. Has no-one tried an alternative abs unit?

I’ve swapped to 17” wheels so was thinking about the S1000R unit as a possible alternative. The main hurdle I can see is the wiring connector. Anyone got any thoughts or suggestions ?

Usually the ABS units are just hauled out because they are duff

I know that there were quite a few ABS units removed from S1000RR for track / race bikes, but making them compatible probably entails sitting down and examining the part numbers of the sensors and ABS rings and then comparing the plugs

Probably just easier to buy a bike "with" ABS or fit a like for like unit

All an ABS unit is, is a high speed pressure relief valve. What controls it, is the inputs and it's programming to make it function

So if you have the correct signals for inputs in theory it should work

If you use the ABS rings from an R or RS or RT (1150 ) your ABS should correct errors


Edit:- Had a "thought" with smarter programming having evolved to "algorithms" ... Whilst previously the basis for activation, was the rate of deceleration of a wheel's rotation crossing a line of values (on a graph) of the maximum allowed rate of deceleration "supposedly" just before the wheel locked up

Nowadays they may have more interactive inputs ?? ESA for loading, Tyre pressures,

Basically I don't know what they may has as inputs now?? So it should be made a point of investigation as It would be a damn shame to do all the work and the fecker not to operate as it should!

Which is probably the reason that has put people off trying it

Thanks DrF. I’ve got the matching abs rings for the alloys on my 1150, but I’d also spotted the glut of S1000R abs modules and at £50, I wondered about the potential for modification/updating. The main issue I could see is the big plug into the 1150 module RCI.

There are still good prices on the ones from F800 models, or the non-servo 1200’s, so does anyone have any thoughts about how one of these might suit (or not )

Paul Young said:

There are still good prices on the ones from F800 models, or the non-servo 1200’s, so does anyone have any thoughts about how one of these might suit (or not )

Click to expand...

Oops you posted before I finished the edit

Edit:- Had a "thought" with smarter programming having evolved to "algorithms" ... Whilst previously the basis for activation, was the rate of deceleration of a wheel's rotation crossing a line of values (on a graph) of the maximum allowed rate of deceleration "supposedly" just before the wheel locked up

Nowadays they may have more interactive inputs ?? ESA for loading, Tyre pressures,

Basically I don't know what they may has as inputs now?? So it should be made a point of investigation as It would be a damn shame to do all the work and the fecker not to operate as it should!

Which is probably the reason that has put people off trying it

Click to expand...

ABS isnt that difficult,

The single components are quite simple, its as Dr F says when they all come together.

ABS sensors are just hall effect sensors,

all they do, is look for is variation in a magnetic field, and relay this information.

it may need some form of amplification to make the signal usable

The information sent will go to a central control unit which reads the signal and determines if the wheel has locked,

and releases the hydraulic pressure to the wheel via the abs module.

The abs module can switch states rapidly due to the way they operate.

Within the ABS module will be an envelope of paramters that are unique to the bike / car / series

The oem needs some flexibility when building stuff, otherwise its expensive to develop a new abs unit for every model.

The supplier of the ABS unit will dictate that the module will cover a window of operating parameters, and providing the car / bike falls within that window it will work.

Often the unit will be exactly the same as a unit fitted to another car or marque, but the piping / pump arangement will be different due to space constraints.

Any naturally the oem, dosent want you fitting somone elses parts, as it invalidates your warranty, and there not getting your money

Thanks a lot for the input, gents. I'm trying to see if I can get away from the old/temperamental non-servo unit that is fitted on my old bike. It might also prove useful to those wanting to ditch the servo abs but wanting an alternative to having a non-abs bike.

I'm expecting the parameters to be relatively simple, based on the different rotation speeds of the front/rear wheels, which are the same on my GS as they would be on the F800R/S1000R, both being 17". So I'm expecting the biggest problem being the main loom connector being different between the models, and this will be where I expect the biggest challenge. Wiring an adapter of some sort so that the power and sensor inputs are routed correctly.

Am I missing anything obvious? Brake pipes can easily be made to fit any re-routing needed.

Electronics are your biggest problem

Unless you can get access to the code/ specifications of the original unit, then you may struggle.

If the ABS unit uses CAN, it may well get it's info from the ZFE, which means another loom etc

That's the info I was looking for, Santa. Thanks a lot. The Canbus point means it's unlikely to be feasible so you've saved me a lot of work...

For what model are you looking at the ABS??


CAN bus is on the R1200gs and up - looking around it would appear that the R1150 range is non Canbus

if you know who makes the ABS unit, you could see if they do a catalouge, this may cross ref compatible units

I know some people have supposedly used a Ford fiesta ABS module on the R1200gs it needed some fetalisation on

the housing to make it fit.

If you look on real oem.com, you will find a part number for the ABS unit, this may be a start to go searching the WWW

I was looking at the abs from any of the newer models than the 1150 range, so the Canbus situation was effectively the killer blow to my idea.

Indeed,

The early R1200gs came in 2 flavours Non ABS & ABSII

ABSII has a history of failing, and the replacement is horrendous in terms of cost and time.

The route to servoectomise the unit is to remove it and do some pipework & electric mods.

The downside is that the electrickery bits see that the missing ABS module does not send out the required signals of

initialisation and the high / medium ZFE module flags a fault on the Kombi (dash) and in the ECU via the CAN bus.

The bike still runs and the brakes work fine though.

On the non ABS versions, the ZFE unit is called a low ZFE module, and is not looking for any signals from the ABS unit

( The relevant pin for the ABS signal path is not in this ZFE) so as it dosent see any ABS messages good or bad , it shouldnt send them round

the CAN bus.

Now potentially you could remove the ABSII unit from an ABSII fitted bike replace the medium ZFE with a low ZFE change the

pipework and in theory no ABS fault should flag.

However thats another oncost to the process, ( and i havnt been able to verify if this actually works) as SH low ZFE,s are about

£80, and i dont know if any further electricery mods are needed.

The current method is to disconnect the ABSII unit & split the electric module block leave the electrics connected , mod the

pipework, & pop a bit of tape over the LED in the kombi


Phew - hope that helps