Front brake failure 2012 Ultra Limited, I am stumped!
#61
Well, in the interest of perspective, last year Harley-Davidson shipped 233,117 motorcycles (according to their Investor report). So far, we're looking at reports of what - two? (maybe) failures of the ABS module. What's 2 out 233,117 as a percentage?
And before anyone blames Brembo, note that they are one of (if not the) most respected brake system manufacturers on the Planet (certainly more so than Hayes Brake - Harley's former suppliers). Brembo make Ferrari and Lamborghini's brakes, fer chrissakes!
Not that the MoCo (or Brembo) are free of blame. Just that it's not cut-and-dried...
And before anyone blames Brembo, note that they are one of (if not the) most respected brake system manufacturers on the Planet (certainly more so than Hayes Brake - Harley's former suppliers). Brembo make Ferrari and Lamborghini's brakes, fer chrissakes!
Not that the MoCo (or Brembo) are free of blame. Just that it's not cut-and-dried...
This being said, my rear brakes are extremely hard to operate and I never felt comfortable with them. I use the front brakes 99% of the time and they work fine. If I use the rear brakes alone, the stopping power is extremely poor. I had HD and an indy mechanic check the system several times and they couldn't find anything wrong.
Go figure.
#62
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
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They might have shipped 233,000 bikes last year but not all of them had ABS. Matter of fact, very few of their bikes have ABS as an option. I have ABS on my bike and it saved my @ss once. That's enough for me to consider ABS a must.
This being said, my rear brakes are extremely hard to operate and I never felt comfortable with them. I use the front brakes 99% of the time and they work fine. If I use the rear brakes alone, the stopping power is extremely poor. I had HD and an indy mechanic check the system several times and they couldn't find anything wrong.
Go figure.
This being said, my rear brakes are extremely hard to operate and I never felt comfortable with them. I use the front brakes 99% of the time and they work fine. If I use the rear brakes alone, the stopping power is extremely poor. I had HD and an indy mechanic check the system several times and they couldn't find anything wrong.
Go figure.
But that's just me, if a person feels they need it then they should pay whatever it costs to get it.
Last edited by jpooch00; 08-23-2012 at 05:42 PM.
#63
I learned to ride and drive WAY before ABS was available on any vehicle, let alone bikes. If a bike I want comes standard with it, then I'll have it. I'd never pay extra for it, though.
But that's just me, if a person feels they need it then they should pay whatever it costs to get it.
But that's just me, if a person feels they need it then they should pay whatever it costs to get it.
#64
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
Posts: 4,867
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Ditto. By the way my wife and I were in Boulder visiting my mother and friends just the week before the Aurora mess. Having lived in California for the past 31 years we couldn't help but think maybe we should move back to Boulder and enjoy the beauty, serenity and sanity that Boulder and Colorado seems to offer by comparison to California. That illusion didn't last long thanks to the so-called Joker.
Hell yeah you should get out of Cali & come to Boulder! Way more freaks and crime there. The only reason stuff like the Aurora mess makes the news is because it's so relatively rare here. Plus, that happened in Aurora, not Boulder.
#65
This being said, my rear brakes are extremely hard to operate and I never felt comfortable with them. I use the front brakes 99% of the time and they work fine. If I use the rear brakes alone, the stopping power is extremely poor. I had HD and an indy mechanic check the system several times and they couldn't find anything wrong.
Go figure.
Go figure.
#66
#67
worthless may be a little strong, but the amount of applied foot pressure for a normal stop is totally unacceptable, I have stood on it full pressure of my 250# weight and the ABS hasn't triggered yet.. it takes a LOT of dedicated pressure for a normal stop... it only has 500 miles on it though, dealer says give it a couple thousand to loosen up
thats the only fault I can find with the bike though, but it's a big fault
thats the only fault I can find with the bike though, but it's a big fault
#68
Ditto. By the way my wife and I were in Boulder visiting my mother and friends just the week before the Aurora mess. Having lived in California for the past 31 years we couldn't help but think maybe we should move back to Boulder and enjoy the beauty, serenity and sanity that Boulder and Colorado seems to offer by comparison to California. That illusion didn't last long thanks to the so-called Joker.
Last edited by Airborne350G; 08-23-2012 at 10:04 PM.
#69
Sounds like the ABS system electronics worked as they should. A mechanical valve stuck as will happen will mechanical things. Given the low miles on the bike I would suspect a metal fragment or burr in the manufacturing process. I would no more not trust the brakes on the bike going forward than I would if a bulb burned out and I had to replace a bulb or a tire blew out and had to be replaced. While I don't know exactly how the ABS system functions I would expect the controller activates or deactivates the valves, not that it would specically know there position. I would not expect a "code" with this type failure.
#70
Let us recap here. Brake system on new bike failed.
Customer took it in to dealer.
Dealer said "We don't know what happened but will call factory and see what they say".
Factory sends out new parts. Dealer installed ASAP.
Customer picks up bike and takes home.
Looks like everybody in the story did what they are supposed to do and the system works.
Yet I still sense the customer and many forum readers are still unhappy and are left with a bad taste in their mouths.
Some things just can't be resolved to everyones satisfaction.
Customer took it in to dealer.
Dealer said "We don't know what happened but will call factory and see what they say".
Factory sends out new parts. Dealer installed ASAP.
Customer picks up bike and takes home.
Looks like everybody in the story did what they are supposed to do and the system works.
Yet I still sense the customer and many forum readers are still unhappy and are left with a bad taste in their mouths.
Some things just can't be resolved to everyones satisfaction.
Last edited by Retrop; 08-23-2012 at 10:50 PM.