This may be bigger than ben hurr but has anyone got any ideas on removing the ABS from my 2011 Softail standard??? The plumbing I can sort thats the easy bit but the electrical side of things is what im interested in.........

ok , I'm curious.  Why ?

 

Me too, why would you even consider taking it off unless the bike was not going to be ridden again?????

 just disconect the wires, follow the wires back and un-plug them. but im sure you will get a fault light come up on the dash, the dealer maybe able to cancel it out some how.

I just dont like ABS!! You just cant unplug it and get the dealer to turn it off because the new Softails all have canbus wiring.

 Hey Outlaw, i'm in the process of removing the ABS off my 2011 FXST at the moment.

As you said removing & re-plumbing the lines is the easy part! It's the body control module introduced on the 2011 onward models that makes the electrical system a real fuck around! If your happy to have the ABS light constently on your dash you can just take the ABS units off the bike & run the new lines, the bike will still run fine but the ABS light will remain on to indicate a fault with the ABS. I've asked several HD mechanics & they reckon you can't clear this fault, although I did speak to a guy in Melbourne that took the ABS of his bike, he said he had a mate that worked for HD Australia that knew the code to clear the fault so the ABS light would turn off. Unfortunatley I didn't keep the guys contact details so I don't know if what he said is actually legit or not, seems to be not from my research anyway.

The only way i've found to get rid of the ABS & the other electrical problems the BCM is going to cause me in the future, is to get rid of my current wiring harness & replace it with a pre 2011 one. I've been lucky enough to come across a guy wrecking a 2009 model that I was able to buy the complete wiring harness, speedo, voltage regulator & computer from. You can buy a genuine wiring harness from HD for (quoted price) $560 but then you're going to need the seperate harnesses for the switches, indicators etc, speedo, voltage regulator & computer. There's a fair bit in changing the wiring harness but for me there's no other option as I will be changing my handle bar controls & switches, installing a Dakota Digital speedo/tacho & also utilising the space on the rear where the ABS is mounted for relocating the coil & also air suspension.

It's got me fucked why HD has made ABS standard on most of there bikes & is know using a wiring harness with a BCM, there's no need for this shit on a motorbike especially a Harley! If you want it it should be an optional extra that you choose to buy.

Outlaw i'll keep you posted on how I go with this mod.

Cheers, Spero..

 if your worried about the light on the dash pull the bulb out.

 I'm running LED indicators front & back as well as an after market headlight, the electrical system error light is on as soon as you hit the brake though, my dealer said this is due to the LED's not drawing enough current & the computer thinking the indicators aren't working. Having the error light on doesn't affect or damage anything on the electrical system, it's jus a pain in the arse!

The only problem is if you start to alter the length on the wires from the switches, say installing a set of apes, if you don't get these exactly the same the BCM (my limited understanding) will sense differnt currents which will cause it to react in a different way. I've heard of a horror story about a dealer's mechanic installing a set of apes & fucking up the wiring from the switches, this apparently caused about $8,000 damage that HD doesn't want to pay for! Not exactly sure what happened or what got damaged, or if this story is legit, heard it from a mechanical shop in Albion Park....

You can just unplug the ABS, it won't damage anything except throw the ABS light on permenantly to indicate a fault. If you're worried about it check with your local HD mechanic before you do it..

I'm not sure if the rule is the same for bikes but dealers can't remove abs , air bags & waring lights ect.... It's got to do with the ADRs I'm told. But if you want to remove it with out replacing waring & bcm & who knows what else... Just fit a resistor to the wiring loom. The bcm gets a signal from the abs control module ( or pump ) when the module is unplugged the system will have a error code & the light will come on. When you fit a resistor to the signal wire it will think the pump is in place & working. The system may have more then 1 signal from the abs & it will need a few resistors. I do this at work for system testing & diagnosing faults. This info ( what resistance & what wires ) would be in the dealer workshop manual.
I also see this done on cars when someone will get a damaged car from auction & disconnect seatbelt pretensioners, side air bags & replace them with resistors so the waring light is off when they reegister & sell the car. Good news is the Laws have changed to stop this sort of thing.

Most if not all ABS or Safety releated circuits are 'Closed Loop" meaning they need all components in the circuit functioning or it will cause a error code/light. Two quick things you could try is, 1 , just remove the globe, this will cause the Closed Loop circuit to be broken and the ABS shouldn't work, and or 2 , remove the fuse. But with the fuse, it may and possible be tied into different circuits for reasons of the safety circuit. Pull globe and try it, but I'd suggest trying the rear brake not the front (Not knocking level of riding experiene, as not known.)

You could also unplug a wheel sensor and achieve the same thing, the light will be constantly on "Doing it's job and warning of a fault, so whilst lights on the ciruit is in-operational" so as to disrupt the closed loop. But I'd suggest just pull out the globe.

The simpliest way is to remove the globe, Can and Bus circuits are a simple circuit that can transfer mutipul messages in code at once, so they mostly, if not all operate on Closed loop for that reason. A very quick and somewhat simple system, but it has it's faults by working on low signal voltage.

If you do disable the ABS and have an accident and the insurance company wants to download the bike just be carefull, but you'd have your reasons why you want this and it's not up to me to tell you what to do.

On a note, Personally speaking here, I would leave it as it was designed to be as this is what you brought, but it's up to you..

 A bloke at one of the dealers told me that he thinks the abs on his own ride is dangerous because in a tight spot you can't deliberately lock up the back to increase the turn angle. He is a mega good rider though. Mugs like me should stick with the abs (not that mine has this but I'd be happy if it did). Sounds like you're a good rider and know what you're doing.

 

 Point taken Roosta.

It's a real shame that Harley feels they have to be another sheep in the motorcyle flock! (I guess a product of over regulating governments & it wasn't my fault society) I bought a Harley because in my opinion there is no substitute! If I wanted a quality engineered bike with modern technology I would've bought a bloody Virago... I just hope that Harley stays true to what they've been doing now for over 100 years, "form over function"...

There's some bloody great info been shared on this post, how good's this forum!! 

what about some thing simmilar to the plugs used when changing from the stock pipes and A/C to eliminate the error codes. It;s just a plug that completes the circuit

Talk to Big Goes Choppers they may have something for you guys....
All I can see being gained from this experiment is a BIG YELLOW STICKER
and something else for the boys in blue to pull people over for.....
"Them pipes are not STOCK, while your there have your ABS Tested ...."

Hi all...Im not to sure what all the fuss is about with ABS.Its a good thing.It may disadvantage the elite riders though.From my experience with ABS,You have to lock a wheel to activate it anyway,It only locks for a split second with ABS.However,you still need to ease off the brake and get back on the brake to get maximum stoppage just like non ABS brakes.Non ABS brakes you lock a front wheel and your in big trouble no matter how good of a rider you think you are.Lock a back wheel,Most of the time its not a big deal.But in some instance is can be a big deal.99.999999% of riders are better off with ABS IMHO.

I wouldnt hesitate to get rid of ABS if they were in the way of important custom work either.

 Thanks for your input guys, it's much appreciated.

Removing the ABS is just another thing to add to the list of possible defects on my bike, if it happens i'll cross that bridge when it comes to it but it's certainly not going to stop me from customising my bike! 

The wheels certainly don't need to lock up for the ABS to activate, firm pressue on the lever will activate it as you can feel a slight pulsating of the lever. The ABS is effective & I agree in emergency situations or the wet it's a good thing, it just looks fucked & is in the way so it's going, or should I say gone! When I switch my wiring harness over i'll be selling the lot if anyone of you guys that like it wants it???

I would not remove mine,reckon its great. why anyone would want to lock a back wheel up on a harley has got me fucked. Would have to be a fucking good rider to
be locking the back wheel up to change the turn angle. Its not a trail bike.