Top ABS Light on...

[sgtboring]

I hate to ask but what does the top of the two ABS lights stay on mean???? I have a 99RT:banghead

[aaaaaa]

If it was mine it'd mean nothing. That's assuming the brakes work OK with the ABS faulted. Remember that ABS doesn't work in the dirt. IE, if you're forced onto a gravel shoulder on an ABS bike you'll have no brakes. So, depending on conditions ABS inop may be a good thing. I'd put some tape over the light so's I couldn't see it.
robert

[Burnszilla]

Bad battery?

[bikerfish1100]

1) Remember that ABS doesn't work in the dirt. 2) IE, if you're forced onto a gravel shoulder on an ABS bike you'll have no brakes. robert

sorry, but #1 does not = #2. you many not have full operation of your brakes on sketchy surfaces like dirt or wet grass or snow and such, but if you don't lock them up, then ABS will not be involved in the equation. If ABS does not engage, you WILL have braking capability, albeit something less than maximum. i.e.; I have ABS, and using my brakes I can come to a stop on dirt, gravel, grass, etc.

[PGlaves]

You all must have missed the outrigger bike demo's with the ABS and non-ABS K100s. Take a big parking lot area. Spread a whole bunch of straw. Wet it all down. Now approach the wet straw on the non-ABS bike with outriggers. See the bike flop around and only not-crash due to the outriggers. Repeat with the ABS and watch the bike chug to a fairly quick stop, upright, no flopping from outrigger to outrigger.

If it will work on wet straw it will work on the shoulders of most roads. Not really desirable on loose, knarly single track maybe .....

But we all know ABS is for sissies:)

[r11rs94]

I hate to ask but what does the top of the two ABS lights stay on mean???? I have a 99RT:banghead

On My RS it would mean its either time for a quick charge on the battery or a new batttery. I'm not sure about the RT. Mine has yet to do that. :doh So I guess this is no help to you. Guess I waite around for a better answer too. :lurk

[bikerfish1100]

You all must have missed the outrigger bike demo's with the ABS and non-ABS K100s. Take a big parking lot area. Spread a whole bunch of straw. Wet it all down. Now approach the wet straw on the non-ABS bike with outriggers. See the bike flop around and only not-crash due to the outriggers. Repeat with the ABS and watch the bike chug to a fairly quick stop, upright, no flopping from outrigger to outrigger.

If it will work on wet straw it will work on the shoulders of most roads. Not really desirable on loose, knarly single track maybe .....

But we all know ABS is for sissies:)

just like you Paul, i was there for the inaugural demo at York. agreed- if you LOCK the brakes on a sketchy surface, ABS is about all that is likely to save you. but to equate that to "no brakes on gravel" is a big jump.
yeah, i like my ABS.

[PGlaves]

just like you Paul, i was there for the inaugural demo at York. agreed- if you LOCK the brakes on a sketchy surface, ABS is about all that is likely to save you. but to equate that to "no brakes on gravel" is a big jump.
yeah, i like my ABS.

I live in the Chihuahuan desert. Right off the highway, but my driveway is gravel. Down at Study Butte/Terlingua I have to ride across gravel to get to any of the gas pumps. The hardware store parking lot is gravel. Other than the main highway almost all the roads are gravel - or just graded rock roads. Now our F650s don't have ABS but our K75s do - crude ABS I. Since nobody told me until this thread that ABS bikes don't have brakes in the dirt or gravel I have been riding my K75 in the gravel and dirt a lot. Ours must be different because on mine, and on Voni's both, the brakes work fine in gravel and dirt. Just as well as the ones on our F650s. I'll have to check and see why, I guess. :)

[bmwmick]

I guess I'm as stupid as Paul, both my ABS-I and ABS-II bikes stop fine on dirt or gravel. :buds The stopping distance is a little longer but you do retain control.

Back to to the original question here......

If the upper lamp stays on solid, you are not getting 12V on pin#15 at the ABS connector or the ABS warning relay in the relay box is defective. That 12V comes directly from the ignition switch. It could also be a dead Control unit. Do you have any other symptoms?

[sgtboring]

I can hear the ABS engage when I start up and pull away. I can feel and hear the ABS working if I am hard on the breaks. What do I do? Turn off the Heated grips, or the running lights, or the GPS? Is this a power issue, or a fault in the wiring? Do I put in a new fuse at #15, and what size?

[bmwmick]

I can hear the ABS engage when I start up and pull away. I can feel and hear the ABS working if I am hard on the breaks. What do I do? Turn off the Heated grips, or the running lights, or the GPS? Is this a power issue, or a fault in the wiring? Do I put in a new fuse at #15, and what size?

With those symptoms, I'd check/replace the ABS warning relay in the relay box.
P/N 61362306352 This relay controls the flashing of the warning lamps.

[aaaaaa]

I thought BMW put a switch to deactivate the ABS while on dirt roads. What's that all about then?
robert

[bmwmick]

I thought BMW put a switch to deactivate the ABS while on dirt roads. What's that all about then?
robert

The R1100GS ABS-II could be defeated with a certain start-up procedure. I don't believe they continued this feature on the R1150GS.

If I remember correctly, you pressed the ABS rocker switch on the dash and then turned on the ignition and started the engine. The ABS upper lamp would light and the ABS was inactive until the next ignition off/on transition.

[bikerfish1100]

my understanding is that for any of the bikes equipped with ABS you can temporarily deactivate it by hitting the starter switch before the FI computer goes thru its full cycle. (my K11RS had an on/off rocker switch, my R11S does not). It will leave the lights doing their alternate flashdance.

(but i could be wrong)

[bmwmick]

my understanding is that for any of the bikes equipped with ABS you can temporarily deactivate it by hitting the starter switch before the FI computer goes thru its full cycle. (my K11RS had an on/off rocker switch, my R11S does not). It will leave the lights doing their alternate flashdance.

(but i could be wrong)

Your K11RS has the momentary rocker switch but it does not disable the ABS.

Here is the drill for the R1100GS:

To disable ABS:
When riding offroad on certain surfaces some riders prefer to disable ABS. To do so:

1. Turn ignition off.
2. Press and hold the ABS reset button.
3. Turn ignition on.
4. Release the ABS reset button.
5. Start the engine and ride off.
6. If the ABS lights continue flashing, ABS is disabled until the next time you switch on normally.
The brakes work normally so now it is possible to lock your wheels.
If no lights are on (and you hear that grating clunk as you move off) then ABS is still engaged - stop and try again.
7. Press the ABS reset button to stop the annoying flashing and leave one red light permanently on. (You have to repeat this at intervals).

[jshuck]

it is my impression that the only advantage you get without the ABS in gravel is when you are going down a hill on gravel. Sometimes it is advantagous to let a mound of gravel build up in front of the locked up back wheel. This won't happen with the ABS engaged. The brakes work fine without the ABS engaged. They will also lock up and slide fine too. I think you have a battery that is low on charge. Mine did the same after it sat without the battery tender. You may need to reset the ABS... Check out Advrider Hall of Wisdom for the procedure.