‘05 1200RT no ABS

[genkigary]

Looking at a used ‘05. Only problem is ABS isn’t working. Dealer told seller the valve was very expensive and really wasn’t needed. What do you think?

[cygnet]

Better check and make sure the spedo works I had a F800st and the ABS went out and I had no spedo, and there right a new replacement unit is very expensive I would look at used and do the work myself that's what I did the bill went from $2200.00 Canadian to $75.00

[milleplod]

As an '05 bike, it will have the servo ABS - if the dealer's saying the ABS has failed, I suspect it will be the servo that's gone. Have you ridden it? I suspect you haven't, because the brakes without servo function will feel seriously poor, as in 20% of the usual braking will be available. The servo system was a very complex answer to a non-existent question, and why BMW didn't see fit to ensure that failure left a rider with at least standard, non-ABS brakes, is a question that many have asked! It's generally accepted that it can't be fixed - new units are around £1400, plus fitting costs.

My advice, if the bike's cheap enough for you to still be interested in it, would be to bin the system completely, a relatively simple job which here in the UK can be done by an independent for around £200. Some main dealers offer the service too, albeit at a lot more money! Or.....look at a different bike, preferably a later one where the ABS function can still fail (but which is fixable at much more reasonable money), but without affecting braking performance at all.

Pete

[bandytales]

Looking at a used ‘05. Only problem is ABS isn’t working. Dealer told seller the valve was very expensive and really wasn’t needed. What do you think?

Walk away.
Buy a later model (2008 onward I believe - others will chime in with the correct year). BMW finally that threw that terrible iABS gen 1 system in the bin and they replaced it with a MUCH better system that is great. There were also lots of other improvements. The 2005 was the first year of the 1200's and it came with it's own issues as it was effectively a Beta test model for us to sort out BMW's reliability flaws!

[rangemaster728]

Integral ABS II (‘non-whizzy’ brakes) for the Hexheads started with the 2007 model year, so anything from 2007 to 2009 will be fine.

Module Masters of Idaho can rebuild an I-ABS II unit from one of those for about $250...unless it’s the internal pressure sensors - but they should have core units for swapout/rebuild at an upcharge.

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[chopper_harris]

Or make a seriously lowball offer, the ABS-ectomy is not difficult and well documented.


You retain the servo-ABS controller to handle the brake light functions, and simplt disable the idiot lights in the dash.

[Sprintgull]

As Bandytales says - walk away.  Sounds like you would be buying trouble.

[B-Mendenhall]

Never buy a motorcycle without ABS.  It saves over 35% of accidents.  Believe me it happened to me.  BMW has the best ABS!!

[milleplod]

Never buy a motorcycle without ABS.  It saves over 35% of accidents.  Believe me it happened to me.  BMW has the best ABS!!

I wonder how on earth I've survived the last 40 years of riding.....without ABS.  :alas:

[MEM62]

Never buy a motorcycle without ABS. It saves over 35% of accidents. Believe me it happened to me. BMW has the best ABS!!

Where do those stats come from? 

[bandytales]

Never buy a motorcycle without ABS.

Can't agree with you there.

  It saves over 35% of accidents.

Based on what?

BMW has the best ABS!!

Again, what is the premise for your statement

[Graham88]

If your braking technique is correct you wont activate ABS even in the hardest of stops.. and I'm pretty sure a well applied brake will generate more action than an ABS system activation.

[julianq]

Working or not bleeding that system is bad news, stay away from it but have an 05 abs unit working in my shed attached to an '05 r1200rt. My suggestion is stay away from it though.

[milleplod]

Working or not bleeding that system is bad news, stay away from it but have an 05 abs unit working in my shed attached to an '05 r1200rt. My suggestion is stay away from it though.

My '06 RT's the same, it works perfectly (first bike I've had with ABS in 40 years or so) - it had a new modulator fitted a couple of years before I bought it at a cost of around £1400, paid for  by the BMW Insured Warranty that a previous owner had taken out. If it fails again, I'd remove it. BMW sold RTs without ABS, not having it doesn't ruin the bike, I suppose it might affect resale value (but I don't care) and I've already asked my insurer for their angle on it - they don't care either. If the price was right, and I was in the market, servo ABS wouldn't put me off at all, because, if I was in the mood, I could remove it myself, or pay someone £200 to do it for me - think of it as a potent bargaining tool when buying, unless you think you'll die if you ride a non-ABS bike!
Pete