Hello all, Thanks for all the useful info previously posted in this thread. I found another reference to ABS problems below on the Superbike website: 2014 Honda Fireblae SP | Superbike Below the seventh photo the writer writes "I can clearly remember having a few issues with the ABS on my 2010 Fireblade, namely the lever coming back to the bars and doing nothing every now and then"
Hi All, I have a couple of questions, and i hope you can help: - Pete1897 you mentioned 'this months Ride edition' can you confirm that as June 2013 please as i'd start searching for a copy if i can find one. - grizzle you mentioned ' 2 breather tubes...one was kinked', can you describe where they are and what they attach to. - and finally, does anyone think its worth me paying to have the front modulator(servo) changed or are the mechanics just grasping at straws? Thanks in advance for any info
I have left a comment on the write up they did. It is awaiting moderation. Let's see if it gets allowed on.
PMSL.......every UK bike mag are on their knees bowing to the altar of the Big H, shite scared of biting the hand that feeds them.....journalists my ass, nothing but a bunch of ass licking pussies
Zippy, I just found it very interesting, that commercial operations like motorcycle publications, that depend on their readership for their survival, report defining issues such as brake failure, then when their readership write to them, identifying with the same issues, they flatly ignore them, fail to respond, and never appear to write about the issues again.........nice to see in the motorcycle press, investigative journalism is dead and buried. And much like the Big H, do not appear to give a toss about their customers.
Im not disagreeing mate, we all know their scruples only run as deep as the next big article. Its a real shame as they should use the influence they have to help rather than line the classifieds page!
Let's be honest about this issue, The Fireblade ABS system is now a tarnished product, far too many owners have reported brake failure for it to be just a 'one off', and are still reporting issues on 2014 bikes, it does not matter one bit that some owners never see issues, the system is suspect and will never lose that tag whilst the manufacturer refuses to confront the issue. Then, when you get the motorcycling press even refusing to enter into correspondence on the issue, you put 2 and 2 together and start to smell a rat. Will the next Honda super bike, whatever that maybe, have an identical ABS system to the 2009 onwards Blades? I think I have already been told the answer to that, but we shall see, that's if they ever produce another Superbike after this model runs it's time.
I see this topic just running and running, borne out by this thread amongst others. Won't be long before all Dealers, whatever the manufacturer, know about this and start devaluing ABS Blades at p/x time. Another reason why I sold mine before this happens regrettably!
There is another route that can be taken with the ABS bikes if it is worrying anyone. Remove it. I know that's not the principle here before anyone gets the hump, but if that's the only issue you have with the bike, it can be done. I'll let you all know how it's done shortly.
There's very little info about this. It is supposed be less intrusive and allow use of different tyre sizes. It may be similar to what has been used by Honda Legends team in endurance racing?
I'm proof that these issues do put potential purchasers off buying the ABS models. I've just purchased a 2015 Fireblade, but opted for the NON ABS model, I just didn't want to take the chance of not feeling confident on what is otherwise a great bike.
It's obvious that many CBR 1000rr ABS owners are plagued by this completely annoying, and very dangerous problem that Honda refuses to own up to. I just wanted to post an update on my experience. After 2 years of Honda's bullshit, I finally went back to the original dealer who sold me the bike in the first place. He is a seasoned rider (and a great guy) and totally gets what the problem is (even though Honda has tested the bike and assured me that there was nothing wrong with it, and all C-ABS blades did this "lever to bar" crap - that it's a characteristic of the system). He felt so bad that he offered to trade it in for pretty much what I paid for it and let me get a brand new blade! Unbelievable deal! As anyone with this problem will understand, I wanted nothing to do with Honda's C-ABS so my only option in Canada was to buy the Repsol SP model. I was pissed that I would have to add $7000 to the pot just to rid myself of these crappy brakes, but since they were gonna let me test ride the SP first, I decided to go for it. When I got to the dealership for the test ride, I noticed that they had a brand new 2015 ABS blade, and a 2014 with 60km from a previous test ride. Since I could have one of these bikes basically for free, I decided to test them first, before plunking down the cash for the SP. Here's what I found: 2014 1000rr ABS: The brakes performed flawlessly! In fact I loved them. The front brake lever was incredibly firm, crisp, & powerful - with minimal throw. In fact they felt better than the Brembo's on my Ducati! Riding with the lever set on 6 (closest to the bar) there was just a very small amount of throw (about a centimetre) to max brakes - yet with excellent modulation. After jamming on the brakes as hard as I could, I still had about 2 fingers width of space from the the lever to the bar. There's no way I could come close to trapping my fingers. And best of all, this response is 100% consistent - every time, no matter what I do they move the exact same amount and feel exactly the same. Wow, I was stunned. And since I believe in ABS, and have gotten quite used to worry free, very hard braking, I decided I didn't even want the SP with regular Brembo brakes. 2015 1000rr ABS: Since I had the opportunity, I thought well, what the hell, I should give the 2015 a try. Here's what I found. The brakes on this bike were 100% consistent as well. No matter what I did, I couldn't make the lever's move closer inward to the bar! Since I had basically learned to make them fault at will each and every time on my original bike, this was enough to convince me that they were fine. The only difference between this bike, and the 2014 one, was that the lever movement on the 2015 was quite a bit more and felt a bit "mushier" than the 2014. I would trap my fingers on #6 and had to change it to #4 just so it wouldn't touch my fingers on hard braking (with very little free space left over). There was just much more throw in the system, and they didn't feel nearly as crisp - but no sign of the dreaded inconsistency. So needless to say, I took the 2014 with the amazing brakes, and haven't looked back. I've put on 2500 km and they still feel exactly the same as the day I bought it, and have never had a single instance of any inconsistency in lever movement or feel whatsoever. My conclusions are these: 1] Due to inconsistencies in Honda's manufacturing techniques there is definite variability in how the C-ABS brakes feel from bike to bike. 2] Either my original 2012 was just a lemon, or Honda has somehow fixed the problem in 2014 and onward. One thing in favour of this conclusion is the fact that the brake bleeding procedure has been changed on the 2014 model. This means that at least the computer's software has been upgraded (and possibly the hardware as well) and possibly the valve unit (with the stroke simulator) and/or the power unit has been upgraded as well. Whether Honda continues to put out lemons, I don't know 3] Never buy a C-ABS equipped CBR 1000rr without a thorough test ride, and even then you may not be able to properly assess the brakes if you don't know exactly what you are looking for and how to make them fail. NOT VERY COMFORTING AT ALL 4] If you can get a properly working 1000rr with C-ABS, they truly are fantastic and you'll love them. Unfortunately, if you do get one with the problem, you'll hate them and Honda will treat you like shit and you'll never get any satisfaction. Not very comforting! It's a total crap shoot. Is it worth the risk, I don't know. 5] One point to note: Once you come to a complete dead stop, release the brakes, and then reapply them the lever WILL move about 1cm closer to the bar. This is because at full stop the electronic (brake by wire) system is taken out of the circuit and you are using the "conventional" system which is inherently a much sloppier system and has more throw than the C-ABS system. This conventional system is only intended as a fail-safe - in case the electronic system fails. This is why you can't simply "pull the fuse" and ride without the brake by wire system because you will not be happy at all with the brakes. This extra movement ONLY occurs at full stop, and has NEVER happened while the bike is moving. It is no big deal, and you get used to it after one or two stops and it is NEVER a problem. This situation is clearly laid out in the owners manual, and is an inevitable result of having 2 different braking systems operating in tandem on the same bike. Overall, an unnecessarily frustrating experience made all the worse by the customer service staff at Honda corporate head office! Thankfully, it had a happy ending for me only because of a nice sympathetic dealer. I am now finally enjoying my ride. It's amazing how from the very first time that your brakes fail, you will NEVER enjoy riding the bike again. You never push it because you simply can't trust it. I no longer have any "chicken strips" on my tires where as my original bike had about 3 cm on each side after 2 years and 9000km. That says a lot! I hope this helps anyone contemplating purchasing one of these potentially awesome bikes. Amnesia
Glad you got it sorted man I have a 2010 non abs and I know a lot of guys have not had any issues with their abs Blades and absolutely love them but personally I don't trust the system and I'm so glad I didn't go for one! I think the way tyres have progressed over the last few years it makes it less likely you'll have to relay on the system also the cost of maintaining the brakes is a big minus!
