Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

I will be removing the ABS from my 2001 1150GS.  Notes, pictures and experiences will go here as I progress.

The simple, low-cost procedure is described here on UKGSer.com.  I intend to improve the process by having a single hose from the front-brakes to the master cylinder (not joining the two existing hoses with a coupler), and possibly wiring the ABS warning light relay into the relay box instead of mounting it behind the battery.

Before the ABSectomy

This is how things look under the tank before I removed the ABS.

Top brake hose goes to ABS: This top hose will be replaced

Front brake coupling to ABS

The hose from the brakes connects to the metal pipe that leads to the ABS, and the metal pipe coming back from the ABS connects to a host that leads to the brake lever.

ABS to front master cylinder

The hose to the brake lever (master cylinder).  This will also be replaced with a single hose from the brakes to the handlebar.

ABS Pump and controller

Rear brake hose

Notice how the rear brake hose is frayed (small arrow).  The intention was to attach the hose directly to the master cylinder (double arrow), but the orientation of the coupling is all wrong, and with the frayed section I am retiring this hose and having a new one made up.

ABS from the LHS

The key to getting the brake light and tail light working lies in the wiring of the connector plug on the right of the ABS unit in this picture.

After the ABSectomy

New hose

Other end of the hose

ABS removed

Dismantling the connector plug

Some clever squeezing of the retaining tabs, both inside the connector and on the side allows one to remove the connector from the plug.  These wires will be connected to the ABS warning light relay (which is no longer being used) to turn on the brake light.

Rewiring

Turns out, on the 2000 1150 GS, there is no need to do any extra wiring to make the brake light or taillight work after the ABS has been removed.  I spent quite some time looking for the wires that various posts on UKGSer.com said I should connect together, but they are not on my bike.  You can tell if you need to do this or not by seeing whether the plug to the ABS logical unit has every slot occupied with a wire, or whether only some slots are occupied (like mine).

It took me longer than usual to work this out, because my brake light had fused, so I thought it was not working as a result of the ABSectomy.

Options

I now have several options available for the wiring and for the space under the tank.  Some people have put seldom needed but critical spares in the space, and others have mounted a tyre pump there.

Also, there is a thick ground and live wire connected straight to the battery there, that could be used to connect to a cigarette-lighter socket, and/or the pump.

The ABS deactivate switch sends a black wire in the plug to ground - this might make a nice radio PTT switch, already built into the RHS switch cluster.

The green wire in the plug is a fused, ignition-switch switched 12V that might be used to power a radio transmitter, autocom or other electrical goodies mounted under the tank.