Pick mine too if you like... I'm off the bike for another week or so (Long story). But it's booked in for Thursday next week at Motoden in Shoreditch to look at them. Rear is squealing a bit still, but after the last service (Where the front pads were replaced), the brakes were great (Couldn't make them fault) until recently... Feathering issues back, and as bad as ever. But now in addition if you grab a handful suddenly (to full force, it seems to be more suddenly rather than starting gently like you'd normally do), you just get almost no brakes... Not like you'd expect with ABS where you'd get brakes and loosening if your wheel was going to skid, but like you'd deliberately feathered.... Luckily both times it's happened I haven't gone up the arse of anyone... yet... H
Hello Kent, the dealer is going to do it for free as he still claims there is nor has ever been an issue with the C-abs system. He said that the issue with mine was the fact that they had never bleed the C-abs system before and he is not sure it was done the right way, they have now employed a Honda guy that knows how to do it. That said they still don't accept that it caused my crash even though it was before they touched the brakes, funny as it sounds mine only ever happens in the wet same thing though pull lever= nothing abs light starts to flash and the smallest touch on rear pedal and the rear wheel locks.
Do you have standard sized tyres on your bike? It sounds like the ABS system is detecting a skid a bit too prematurely. The manual does state that the ABS requires the official sized tyres to operate correctly... With regards to the ABS light. A general question. Is the ABS light supposed to flash when ABS kicks in? Or is it ONLY an error? Because when my brakes fail (Whether it's level to the bar, or not) I DO NOT get the ABS light flashing... There's no feedback at all (Apart from the clenching that happens in the nether regions, but that's another story). H
From my understanding the ABS light flashes when the system fails and ABS is disabled. I think what is supposed to happen is the manual system is meant to take over if that happens. That can happen if there is a problem with the wheel spin rate detection e.g. if the wheel leaves the ground or something. That's certainly my experience. My ABS light started flashing on my recent run out in Wales, but the brakes were working fine. I carried on riding until the next scheduled stop, and when I started her up again the light was no longer flashing and has been fine ever since. I assume I must have been riding more enthusiastically than I thought... Of course this is only my understanding of how it works - I could be talking b*llocks
Bike was totally standard as it came out of showroom 190/50/17 rear 120/70/17 front which it still has on it, my abs light has always started to flash when the issue comes on and it stays flashing till you switch the bike off then on again. just to point out that ALL the time it flashes i have no front brake and rear will lock as soon as you press pedal does not do it just once when it goes tits up it will stay like it till i turn the bike off then on. the manual says the light will flash if "the front wheel leaves the ground for 1 second or more, either brake is applied continuously from 0-50kph (31mph) or you turn the rear wheel while you bike is lifted of the ground. It also says that while the abs led is flashing your brakes will continue to work as a conventional system. I for one have never had "conventional brakes" when my abs light flashes, i have NO front brake what so ever lever goes all the way to bar and the rear will ALWAYS lock even with the slightest pressure. As soon as you turn bike off and on it is ok again till next time it goes which could be strait away or 20-30 miles or not at all.
Pete, I take it that its a Honda dealer that supplied your bike. Would you mind saying who? if they claim never to have heard of the issue before
No mate its not the Honda dealer where i got the bike from, this ones a new Honda dealership not been open a year yet rather not name names but its close to Maidstone Mine was the first C-abs they did last year which is why i think it took so long, however as i said the issue was there before this place even opened so i don't blame these guys at all for any of the faults on the abs.
WOW Pete - that sounds brutal!!!! Way beyond the usual "garden variety" C-ABS "quirks". There must have been some sort of code recorded with all the fault light flashing. My ABS light has never so much as flickered when the levers go
OK mate, I understand, My mate has just had the misfortune to buy a bike there and has been mislead and given the run around, in his words never again. I go to the one near Dover, they have been brilliant and supportive over this, dealt with Honda, got goodwill as the bike is out of warranty, they recognise there are issues and do everything they can to keep me happy.
Amnesia, under hard braking, I felt like a click on the lever this week, then it collapsed to the bar, as usual I come off and back on and all is well, but the ABS light started flashing and required the usual ignition on/off to reset it.
Hmmmmmm. There's so many variations to the flaws with the C-ABS system. Going with a "brake by wire" system was just plain stupid IMHO. The idea that it would be less obtrusive to the rider than a "conventional" ABS system is plain rubbish. Honda should have followed the KISS principal and used a standard ABS system like every other manufacturer and we wouldn't be having this conversation.
Most other manufacturers just bought in Bosch abs systems and fitted those which was a tried and tested method as they were designed and scaled from car systems, the first gen units did give a pulsing sensation at the lever but the newer gen Bosch systems have pretty much designed this out. Honda keep tweaking their own brake by wire system but they seem to be pretty much pokin a dead horse with that IMH, otherwise if it does work so good and the way forward why has it never been added to any other bike within the Honda motorcycle line up since it was released in 2009?
I was riding a Panigale the other day and the ABS felt just like they should - like they weren't even there. Personally if my levers pulsed on the rare occasion that the ABS was trying to save my life, I'd be perfectly happy with that. On the other hand if my levers go to the grips and i'm left with no brakes when I'm just trying to stop the bike - that I'm not too cool with.
Ducati use Bosch abs systems, as do aprilia, Mv, Ktm, BMW, Suzuki and the kwak zx10r! Can you spot the trend? jap manufacturers also adopted some nissin abs systems for earlier model bikes but the Bosch units are being adopted more and more for newer models.
ShinySideUp; I think your post says it all! The more I think about it the more I realize that there's probably nothing defective about my brakes other than the fact that they are an inferior, improperly designed, flawed system from the get go. And yet, I've never been able to find a single review that had anything but praise for Honda's amazing, revolutionary, brilliant C-ABS system - all by supposedly unbiased, professional test riders. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. I'll really be surprised if this "expose" article ever gets written (but I really hope it does!). It seems that no one wants to upset a major player like Honda with the truth. Really makes me wonder why I bother reading all the mags. C-ABS might belong in a VFR, or a GoldWing, but not a super sport like the Fireblade - end of story. Amnesia
Damn it! Didn't some d*&khead realise the pulsing is SUPPOSED to be there! It's feedback to tell you that the ABS is working. Next they'll try & make it so you can't feel the bloody wind or something.
Gents, The motorcycle publication I am being speaking to has now indicated they wish to move forward with this investigation and would like guinea pigs please. I am going to send out some PMs to those who have indicated an interest. Anyone else who wishes to be considered please PM me. I am sending out the contact details of the person reporting this, so you can make direct contact with your details.
Sounds promising. I'll look forward to the results. Hope it forces Honda into taking some action - or at the very least brings the problem to the attention of the motorcycling press...
