I have seen several posts about pulsating while applying rear brake. Mine is pulsating while sitting still. If I apply the front or rear brake the bike vibrates noticeably more. The dealer said it was because it was transfering vibration up through the front end once the pads lock down. ABS is not designed to pulsate unless there is hard breaking involved not while sitting still and lightly applying the brake.

Anyone else experience heavy pulsating while sitting still? I just noticed this in the last couple days. I have put on 2200 miles since Feb. and never noticed it before.

 

I don't know if this'll help, but my '99 Yukon had something similar go on in that the ABS would kick on during low speed stops which is scary because you aren't going fast enough for the brakes to pulse, so it really feels like you have no brakes until you press harder than normal! Recall said to clean the Wheel Speed Sensor, and all has been great since that happened.
Maybe something similar needs to be done on the bike?

 

are you sure it's the abs pulsating? when you are sitting at idle, the rubber mounting of the drive train will act like a paint shaker, if you apply brakes, either front or back, some of those vibrations will then travel through the frame. apply your front brakes and watch your handlebars.....

 

It will vibrate with either front or rear brake applied. The dealer said maybe brakes need bled as there is a possibility of air in the line. That didn't make much sense as I am prety sure it just started doing this a couple days ago and no reason for air o get in the lines as no brake work has been done. They feel fine when stopping. I could be wrong but think I would have noticed it before now. It is alot more shaking when I apply the brakes when stopped.

 

It is just the rubber mounted engine doing what it likes to do when idling. ABS can not pulse when you are stopped - period!

As some have said it will shake more at a stop when the brakes are applied. Welcome to the HD world.

I understand the The GoldWing 6 and the BMW 6 are super smooth when stopped, at idle and at speed. What fun is that?

 

I know exactly what you're talking about. Mine does the same thing. But first of all, the way ABS works and why it pulsates. When you engage a conventional brake with sufficient force it will lock up the wheel. The ABS mechanism will detect the motion has stopped and release the brake for fraction of a second, then repeat a fraction later. So it is impossible to stop the motion. That's the pulsating you feel, it only can happen when the bike is moving.

Now, the vibration you feel when the bike is stopped is just the normal shaking of the bike. If the brakes are off the bike can shake a little bit back and forth on the axels rolling the wheels a millimeter or two back and forth. When you put on the brakes, that motion is stopped and the rest of bike shakes a bit more. The effect is more noticable with the front brake than the rear.

 

Maybe I just didn't notice it before. I'll check a couple buddies bikes & see if they are the same. I know how ABS works, why it pulsates and how it reacts when applied. Just do not remember feeling the amount of vibration I felt when I grabbed the front brake yesterday as I was leaving work.

 

Here's proof that it's not the ABS.

Mine does the same thing. And I don't have ABS.

Try sitting at a light without either brake applied. Then apply the front and feel the difference. Also, try watching the front tire of a bike that is idling. It'll move back and forth a bit when idling without the brake held. When you apply the brake, it can't move. That vibration has to go somewhere, so it's into the frame and up the handlebars.

 

I thought you were sitting still? If the bike isn't moving the ABS can't pulsate. Plus they wont pulsate if you're moving unless you're on the brakes so hard that they would normally lock up.

 

Guess I never noticed the transfer of vibration when I grabbed the brake. I started it up and watched the front wheel and how it vibrated unil I grabbed the front brake and now see that it is just transferring back to the front end. Just a brain fart moment I guess, lol! Thanks for the input.