I know it can't be added to a non ABS bike.
My question is why not.
Is it just because the MoCo just not sell you the pieces? Will they not sell because of legality reasons?
It's hard for me to understand why something that is bolted on at the factory cannot be bolted on by a dealer or yourself.
I have ABS on mine so I am just curious.

Thanks!

 

I am sure it is possible to install, but the cost would be prohibitive. Not sure HD would allow a dealer to do it.

 

I can only speculate because I haven't tried to do it.

I think that if you were to add up the prices of the pieces required to convert a non-ABS bike to ABS, you'd find that it really and truly is cheaper to trade the non-ABS bike in on one that had it. You're doing things like replacing wiring harnesses and wheel bearings and adding an ABS computer, plus the plumbing involved. Some years back a news show on TV did an "expose" on the cost of auto replacement parts, and came up with the "shocking" fact that it cost three times as much to build a car from parts as it did to buy the car whole. Obviously the factory can build it much cheaper than they can package and retail the individual parts. But if ABS is an $895 option, then it will cost roughly three times as much to buy the parts.

I'm guessing that if you go to a dealer and say "I don't care what it costs, I want ABS on this bike" they won't do it for liability reasons. Yes, a good tech could install all the parts and bleed the system using their special equipment and it would probably work just like a factory installation. But all the techs aren't good ones. Brakes are such a critical safety item that I don't think that the MoCo would touch this one with a ten-foot pole. And not many people would want to spend, what, $2500 for this conversion, so there wouldn't likely be anyone who gains a good level of experience in this conversion.

I don't think that there's any prohibition on selling you the parts. I think if I went on Chicago H-D's website and entered all of the part numbers, they'd send them to me. Maybe I'm wrong there.

 

There are also fitment issues throughout the motorcycle that would drive the costs higher than the above post mentioned. As stated it's probably cheaper to just trade bikes.

 

Whoa 2500? All I know is I'm am VERY happy I bought mine with ABS!! Worry Free in many ways! LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Mine didn't come with ABS and that's ok because the Brembos are fantastic to begin with. It'll just keep me paying closer attention to my ridin'.

 

It is basically an issue of liability and it is not just HD. We tried to add ABS to my wife's Ford Escape when we bought, but was a no-go.

 

I ask several Dealers in my area about adding it to my 09 EGC. I was told it could not be done because so many things would have to be changed, plus not enough space in some area's after the bike was put together at the moco. I wanted ABS since my wife rides with me all the time now. I sold the 09 and bought an 08 105th UC with ABS. I would not own another bike without it. jmo!

 

I think Harley should put it on all of them! If they did that the price would come down because the volume of parts moved would increase and the safety factor would increase1
Hoagie

 

cost - and practicality. Don't know why but the main wiring harness is different on non-ABS bikes. I suspect liability is a concern too but fundamentally when you add up the cost of the parts alone there's no way anyone would do it - so why support the possibility at the dealers. Plus it's a great way to turn over the installed base (sorry for the marketing jargon).