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ABS retrofit...


Elefant

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I don't know whether this would belong here (i guess IF doable) or over at the bar (if undoable), but as of lately I've been wondering.

The XX is a VERY GOOD motorcycle. I really think so. With proper traveling gear and suspension and brake upgrades I really don't think can get much better than that. The engine.... welll..... what can I say...

Anyway, I've been looking at other bikes lately, and unfortunately, I can't find anything to replace it. When I thought I did (Kawa Z1000SX), I realized that the good old US of A doesn't get ABS. Well then, Mr. Kawasaki, FUCK YOU! I'm keeping the XX. WTF would be the point of replacing it with your product other than pissing $ away? Right?

I have a friend who has a VTech, last gen VFR. I've always thought if their ABS were "retrofitable" to the XX I just would not feel the need to buy another bike for a loooooong time.

Yesterday morning commute to work with wet roads full of leaves brought back to mind......

Traction control would be nice too.... :icon_evilgrin:

And the little ambient thermometer on the VFR.... :icon_whistle:

So anyway, does anyone know if this would be doable and what it would entail? Beside the wheel sensors, of course....

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I've tried, Lord knows I've tried to get information from the available forums and people who might know to either fit a VFR system or at least find out if the Australians actually do have ABS on their later model birds. Nobody seems to want to reach beyond the "can't be done" chant, and I can't afford to buy a VFR to check it out. I got at least a couple replies that the VFR system is tied into the ECU, and not much from the other source.

Haven't given up on it, but its definately on the back burner (like still in the freezer).

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I've tried, Lord knows I've tried to get information from the available forums and people who might know to either fit a VFR system or at least find out if the Australians actually do have ABS on their later model birds. Nobody seems to want to reach beyond the "can't be done" chant, and I can't afford to buy a VFR to check it out. I got at least a couple replies that the VFR system is tied into the ECU, and not much from the other source.

Haven't given up on it, but its definately on the back burner (like still in the freezer).

Well.... lets defrost it a little bit.

I did know that it is tied to the ECU. But that was it.

I could ask this friend of mine to lend his bike for "exploration" purposes. He's in Jersey, and I go to Wayne Co. (not too far from you) every weekend..... so maybe we could work something out... I'm talking COLD winter months. He does ride almost year round. And I do have a pick up truck....

As a matter of fact, I'm leaving in a few hours. Hopefully the fucking NE extension of the turnpike won't be jammed up again with YET another accident on Friday afternoon.

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There are very few engineering feats that "can't" be done.

I'm guessing that it is tied to the ECU in terms of supplying certain data inputs - VSS, IGN, prpbably a few others. There may or may not be the necessary outputs from the US ECU to supply that data. If so, you can make it happen in a fairly tidy fashion. If the 'bird ECU will not supply the required outputs to the VFR ABS box, you'll need to figure out what the inputs are into the ABS computer and then fool the box into thinking it is getting the data it needs - there are ways of creating that data and supplying it without the ECU output.

The first step is to get electrical schematics for both bikes. Finding out what data inputs the VFR ABS box needs, and in what format, voltage, etc. will be more involved. It isn't impossible, but it would be an interesting challenge.

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I've tried, Lord knows I've tried to get information from the available forums and people who might know to either fit a VFR system or at least find out if the Australians actually do have ABS on their later model birds.

NO! The BB/XX never came with ABS anywhere AFAIK and certainly not in Oz :icon_wink: I have wondered about it myself whether a VFR system would fit but don't have the knowledge or $$$ to try it :icon_rolleyes:

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So nobody can analyze and compare the difference between both ECUs?

Well lest see, hummm, 800 cc to 1037 cc, v four, inline four, different firing order, off the top of my head, but, if you think abs is going to save your ass, just what kinda riding do you do?

The zx conversion to radial brakes and USd forks, is the only choice that makes sense, for the bird. Upgrades everything that matters. If you need any more get a BMW...and get the rest that you need, ESA, and ABS.

But, that is just me.

But, just to be sure, how much money do you want to put into this??? Cause I could do it for the right amount of money. :icon_biggrin:

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if you think abs is going to save your ass, just what kinda riding do you do?

The zx conversion to radial brakes and USd forks, is the only choice that makes sense, for the bird. Upgrades everything that matters. If you need any more get a BMW...and get the rest that you need, ESA, and ABS.

I don't know about Elefant, but I can tell you that I ride on roadways that can have a degree of unpredictability in their surfaces. If I could plan on a consistently smooth and dry surface, ABS wouldn't look as interesting. I don't need stronger brakes than the XX has....they already can do more in stopping the bike than I have the ability to use to the maximum. ABS brakes are smarter brakes, not stronger.

If you have more operational skills than I (and I believe the majority of folks here do), perhaps radial brakes and USD forks are the best thing since sliced bread, but my brakes stop the bike, and my revalved stock forks seem to work fairly well within my capabilities.

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It would be great to have anti lock brakes for the bird.

Especially for when you are passing more than one car at once, but that's another story.

I think it would be easier on the pocketbook just to get a newer bike that came with ABS.

Like a sexy cherry red ST1300 or sweet black FJR.

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http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/02/...or-motorcycles/

http://www.tcbbrakesystems.com/motorcycle-brakes-tcb.html

Well if Joe cares, I care. The above is crap, but, I am looking. And learning. Will see if I can come up with anything. Don't hold your breath. I am pretty snowed under with work, real work, like a job work. Imagine that...

That comes off, after reading it, all wrong. Don't take it that way. I ain't coming off in this whole thread like I care, I do.

Must be the comming weather, and time change, always makes me cranky...

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The Traction Control Braking (TCB) is nothing more than an inline damper that prevents your brakes from working...and consequently from locking up. Brought to you by the same folks that brought you the Loud Pipes Save Lives slogan and the impressive concept that full face helmets are dangerous because they cut off your air supply.

The Continental system I've checked briefly, but not in depth.

I have to go over the electronics and input systems of the VFR assembly. I don't believe the system is very sophisticated and probably only relies on some rudimentary comparitives between speedo sensor output and wheel speed to actuate the servos. The trick may most probably be in figuring out how to run the VFR ECU on just the braking/servo circuits without it kicking into fail-safe mode (no ABS) because it has no feedback from the rest of the engine management system.

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if you think abs is going to save your ass, just what kinda riding do you do?

If you really have to know, I'll tell you. The kind that whooops people's asses on a race track on my little 900cc air cooled two valved 15 year old Super Sport when they ride liter bikes (L twins and/or inline 4s). At least until a couple of years ago when I could go to the track often....

Or the kind like yesterday about 2pm riding back from the lake doing consistent triple digits through here. Rockmeup might know the area.

191

But when Autumn shows up every year, and it's frosty in the morning, and/or wet with leaves all over the place, it's just nice to have ABS. The K1200S had it and I think it kicked in twice in 19k miles. But the confidence of having it there was.... priceless.

Then again, we can all get a 4 wheeler and forget about it.... :icon_oldman::icon_fingers:

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