If anyone has mech/tech experience with Harley's ABS systems I'd really appreciate some advice.

I installed bars on my bike and had to change the front brake lines. I bled them out with a vacuum pump and they work fantastically. Seem firmer and perform better than before. However, today I decided to test out the ABS and it is clearly not working. The front tire just locks up, almost laid the bike down.

My question is, since I changed lines and bled them out, is there some magic that the dealer has to do to get the system working again? Light is NOT on, no fault code, the ABS pump just does not seem to be relieving pressure in the front lines. Everything is hooked up correctly, no leaks and no blockages.

 

You probably introduced air into the ABS module when you bled the brakes. On bikes with ABS, it is recommended you take it to the dealer to have the brakes bled. They will hook it up to the Digital Tech II to cycle and reset the ABS module.

There are ways of doing it yourself but it takes more care than bleeding brakes on bikes without ABS. I would suggest you take it to the dealer to have the brakes rebled correctly.

Here are other threads about bleeding brakes with ABS.

 

+1 with Bone Doc.

 

I know some will disagree but, Harley ABS systems on ABS equipped bikes must be bled with a Harley-Davidson scan tool or they will not cycle properly.

 

Yes, that's what I indicated. But, in other threads other members have reported bleeding brakes on ABS equipped bikes without any negative effects. I gave links to those threads. There will always be dissenters.

 

Yeah - the other threads is what I was referring to. Others talk about taking the bike out and activating the ABS with hard stop etc. Personally, I have the dealer bleed the brakes because I have ABS.

 

Abs module needs replaced...

 

You have some strange things happening there,,,

The ," Not relieving pressure on the front brakes", concerns me.... Does that mean you front brake is hard/ solid ??? If so , I would trailer the bike to dealership for them to work out the problems with their Digital Tech tool .. There are reported problems of abs modules failing when air gets in the system .... Hopefully all that is needed is a flush of the brake system and cycling of the abs module solenoids .... If not, be prepared for a new abs module ......