Author Topic: Linked Brakes Fixed  (Read 71559 times)

Offline Stephen.G.Fiddes

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #100 on: August 30, 2014, 05:56:00 PM »
Slick video. Makes it seem like we all need it to be able to ride. Problem is it is so abrupt and unpredictable in the application, that bothers me. Both my Gold Wing and FJR1300 were nearly seamless in the linkage.

It's kindof like the throttle.  You open it JUST A LITTLE BIT and it hesitates, then says "OH S#!T I'M A MOTORCYCLE!  I'M SUPPOSED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE THROTTLE IS TWISTED!" and tries to make up for lost time by applying all of that skipped power, all at once...
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Offline Cuda

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #101 on: August 30, 2014, 08:47:58 PM »
Drinking actually lowers my BP...which I'm doing now.
I guess your right, I went for a bike ride ... had a glass of red wine ... checked my BP
111/76 heart beat 69 ? I need to drink more... I guess :o 
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Offline Richard. Wales UK

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #102 on: September 29, 2014, 10:47:01 AM »
Hi

Great thread, I was guided here from the UK 1400GTR site, copy/paste of my post below, thing to remember here is mine is a trike: -


Having done nothing to the trike since last winter, apart from lots of riding, I have a growing urge to pull something apart soon .....

Issues: -
The traction control is a pain, it flashes up far to often when setting off in anything other than a straight line, this is because the ABS sensor is on one back wheel, and in a turn its either going a bit faster or slower than the front wheel, so the system decides to get involved, I don't need it, I have 2 large drive wheels providing loads of traction.

The ABS on the front wheel is great, but the ABS on the back is a pain, again because only one wheel is being sensed. This nearly caught me out last week pulling into a parking space, because I was turning right the right wheel was turning slower than the front so the system reduced the effort to the back wheels to nothing, causing me to have to quickly grab the front brake.

The linked brakes are a pain, despite my previous modifications to the back brakes I am still not 100% happy with them.
 
Solutions: -
Make a new sensor ring for the ABS and mount it on the front of the differential, this way it will average out both back wheels. Will need to do a load of maths to work out how many slots to cut in the disk, allowing for the size of the back wheels and the differential ratio.

Remove the ABS from the back brakes - make up a new pipe linking the master cylinder directly to the back brakes, but what do I do with the ABS pump?
I assume front and rear circuits are isolated from each other in the pump, so I can leave the front as it is, but what do I do with the original rear feed and output, blank them both off, link together ?

Your thoughts please

Richard

Offline wally_games

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #103 on: September 29, 2014, 11:06:34 AM »
Hi

Great thread, I was guided here from the UK 1400GTR site, copy/paste of my post below, thing to remember here is mine is a trike: -


Having done nothing to the trike since last winter, apart from lots of riding, I have a growing urge to pull something apart soon .....

Issues: -
The traction control is a pain, it flashes up far to often when setting off in anything other than a straight line, this is because the ABS sensor is on one back wheel, and in a turn its either going a bit faster or slower than the front wheel, so the system decides to get involved, I don't need it, I have 2 large drive wheels providing loads of traction.

The ABS on the front wheel is great, but the ABS on the back is a pain, again because only one wheel is being sensed. This nearly caught me out last week pulling into a parking space, because I was turning right the right wheel was turning slower than the front so the system reduced the effort to the back wheels to nothing, causing me to have to quickly grab the front brake.

The linked brakes are a pain, despite my previous modifications to the back brakes I am still not 100% happy with them.
 
Solutions: -
Make a new sensor ring for the ABS and mount it on the front of the differential, this way it will average out both back wheels. Will need to do a load of maths to work out how many slots to cut in the disk, allowing for the size of the back wheels and the differential ratio.

Remove the ABS from the back brakes - make up a new pipe linking the master cylinder directly to the back brakes, but what do I do with the ABS pump?
I assume front and rear circuits are isolated from each other in the pump, so I can leave the front as it is, but what do I do with the original rear feed and output, blank them both off, link together ?

Your thoughts please

Richard

Could we please see some pics?
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'11 Concours ABS (black) w/ Leo Vince carbon, heated Corbin, Garmin; TechSpec pads (gone but not forgotten)
'05 Yamaha FZ6, only crashed once, gone in trade; '87 Honda Gold Wing Aspencade, sold; '85 Honda Magna (700), sold; '76 Kawasaki KZ400, sold

Offline Richard. Wales UK

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #104 on: September 29, 2014, 11:10:13 AM »
Could we please see some pics?

Yes you can, but should I put them here, don't want to hijack the thread?
Here's one anyway, Trike, Mrs and the dog.

Richard

Offline The Pope

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #105 on: September 29, 2014, 12:02:49 PM »
Remove the ABS from the back brakes - make up a new pipe linking the master cylinder directly to the back brakes, but what do I do with the ABS pump?

Richard

See the very first post of this thread.

It should answer your question on how to plumb the ABS pump so that you will still have ABS on the front, but not on the rear.
The Pope
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Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #106 on: September 29, 2014, 04:59:57 PM »
Yes you can, but should I put them here, don't want to hijack the thread?
Here's one anyway, Trike, Mrs and the dog.

Richard

Hijack away.  Happens all the time.
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Offline Richard. Wales UK

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #107 on: October 01, 2014, 03:47:26 AM »
See the very first post of this thread.

It should answer your question on how to plumb the ABS pump so that you will still have ABS on the front, but not on the rear.

Hi, yes I think that is the way to go to solve the ABS / linked brakes problem.
I still need to sort the traction control issue, the only way I can see which also keeps the front ABS is to make a new disk and mount it on the front of the diff.

Richard

Offline martin_14

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #108 on: October 02, 2014, 03:11:12 AM »
Hijack away.  Happens all the time.

 :rotflmao:
a good old French shrug of the shoulders... I guess it comes with age. All good as long as the beer keeps coming, right Jim?  ;D
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Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #109 on: October 02, 2014, 04:12:29 AM »
 :)
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Offline TonyR

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #110 on: July 30, 2015, 09:32:35 PM »
I was also looking for some information on this linked brakes issue. I really hate this stuff so much that it makes me want my 08 even more. I think the ABS is very valuable, didn't have it on my 08, but the linked brakes trying to do what i can do better with less front end diving, is not making me happy.
I just can't get used to the fact that when I'm trying to get a smooth stop with my wife in the back, all of of sudden, she bangs helmets with me and the front end dives.
I like to have full control of my brakes... thanks kawy... There are also those times where you may just want the rear brake...

I'm wondering if by now someone has figured out a better way to do this and keep the ABS without any linking?

Tony

Offline maxtog

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #111 on: July 31, 2015, 06:04:45 AM »
I'm wondering if by now someone has figured out a better way to do this and keep the ABS without any linking?

Make sure you have it set in the lightly linked mode and not the highly linked mode.

There have been no other success threads or used methods other than replumbing as described in this thread.  It is a shame, because a simple software alteration could allow it to be any amount of linking desired, including a selectable (and sticky) disable option.  But no such patch exists (that I have seen, anyway).
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Offline PlaynInPeoria

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #112 on: August 12, 2015, 12:00:58 PM »
I unlinked mine as Randy suggested a long time ago.  I lost ABS on the rear, I could give a sh*t. No problems with it whatsoever.  I freaking love it. Now before you get all worked up about (fill in the blank), it's my bike, my time and my money.  I'm happy, hell no, I'm ecstatic with it.

I did it because I don't want the damn computer changing its mind mid-corner and suddenly, I get a bunch of brake dive when I'm already 'fully committed'.   Or having to brake one way on one of my bikes and a completely different way on another.  I heavy brake and trail brake with the front, no rear. I use the rear at low speed and to tighten my line in the corner. 

Did I mention I'm happy?

Just read that Kaw article, note this:

" Based on the vehicle speed, K-ACT decides the optimum hydraulic pressure to send to each caliper, ensuring that even with a heavy motorcycle, stable braking performance is possible."

What that seems to have done to me is, as speed lowers (because you're braking, duh), it changes the pressure to the respective calipers and you get chassis movement/transition that is not based on your inputs.  I don't like that.
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Offline Freddy

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #113 on: August 12, 2015, 06:46:10 PM »
Someone here or elsewhere said they had done it by blocking the ABS port to the right (linked) caliper and fitting the gen 1 hose from right to left caliper.  That way they had ABS as per gen 1.
« Last Edit: November 07, 2015, 10:11:08 PM by Freddy »
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Offline hawkerjet

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #114 on: November 12, 2015, 08:26:16 AM »
Someone here or elsewhere said they had done it by blocking the ABS port to the right (linked) caliper and fitting the gen 1 hose from right to left caliper.  That way they had ABS as per gen 1.

I am very interested with the linked brake fix discussed on this post. Unfortunately this post has been dead for a while.

Hoping to see some updates on what is working and in particular what is mentioned in the quote above.

Offline connie_rider

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #115 on: November 12, 2015, 11:46:41 AM »
Yes, me too.
I didn't know this fix existed.
Will do a complete read thru tonight.

Ride safe, Ted
« Last Edit: November 13, 2015, 07:52:14 AM by connie_rider »

Offline The Pope

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #116 on: November 13, 2015, 04:17:51 AM »
I am very interested with the linked brake fix discussed on this post. Unfortunately this post has been dead for a while.

Hoping to see some updates on what is working and in particular what is mentioned in the quote above.
That's basically the same theory that I have. I was just wanting to use a "Y" block near the ABS Pump to connect the front callapers to the ABS Pumps outlet for the Front Left Callaper. I'd still have a short (8"-12") rubber brake line coming off of the ABS Pump outlet for the Front Right Callaper, but it wouldn't be connected to anything, but it would have a bleeder installed so that you'd be able to still fully bleed all of the air out of the system. I also "believe" that with this setup, when you have the "Low" brake selected, the front & rear would be un-linked, but when you had the "High" brake selected, they would be linked.

Now, like I said, this is just a theory as I haven't done this and if someone does do this, they are doing it at their own risk.
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Offline Rhino

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #117 on: November 13, 2015, 08:59:53 AM »
The 2015's supposedly have improved, lighter linked brakes. I was wondering how much better are they? And weather or not this is just software or different hardware? Which then begs the question could this be retrofitted to older ABS bikes? Enquiring minds want to know.

Offline maxtog

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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #118 on: November 13, 2015, 04:58:00 PM »
The 2015's supposedly have improved, lighter linked brakes. I was wondering how much better are they?

I am curious too (just academically... I don't think the low-linked mode is any big whoop before).

Quote
And weather or not this is just software or different hardware?

I am pretty confident it is 100% software.  It is a simple program change

Quote
Which then begs the question could this be retrofitted to older ABS bikes? Enquiring minds want to know.

I already speculated about that in other threads.  I see no reason why such a change couldn't be ported to the other bikes, if it is something that COULD be programmed through a shop computer.  That doesn't mean Kawasaki would make it available, though.  And I doubt they would.  I am not sure if that functionality was meant to be updated, so the firmware might be fixed.
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Re: Linked Brakes Fixed
« Reply #119 on: November 14, 2015, 12:02:23 AM »
Don't have a 2014 or older to compare, but I can tell you my 2015 front calipers are fed by the same brake line, with a 'Y' between the forks. And similarly, just one brake line to the rear caliper. So apparently there was a hardware change too, if older ones were not like that. I HATE not having 100% front power with the lever, like Honda does. At least now, the brakes are linked electronically only. But not ideally, nor fully, like on modern BMW bikes, where the front lever provides 100% front & rear braking power (including a proportioning valve), and the rear only the rear.

The Connie has 100% FRONT braking power with the lever, but not 100% at the back. I think it's 50%. And I doubt it's 'intelligent' enough to be proportioning, but don't really need that on a sport-touring bike IMO, especially if riding solo. But it might have it. Somebody with a passenger can play with the brakes and find out easily. Solo, I feel no difference whatsoever using both brakes (as expected), from just the front... which is what I always do. I've been looking everywhere for specific info on the brakes, but just couldn't find ANYTHING. Anyway, the pedal has 100% power for the rear, and I believe 20 or 40% at the front, depending on linking setting (2 available- low and high). So just the rear pedal would be dangerous folks, as braking distances would be tremendously longer. As you should know, the great majority of braking is at the front, and that's why you have 8 pistons and 2 big a$$ rotors, vs 1 or 2 pistons and a puny rotor. Besides, by only using the front brake, in case of an emergency in a non-ABS bike, you'd be much less likely to inadvertently lock-up the rear wheel and end up on the ground. Believe me,  modulating the front brake alone is enough even for an experienced rider. And on bikes with linked brakes, makes no difference to use the rear pedal, so no downside to just use the front lever. But to each his own. But yes, with ABS, you can do whatever you want... but just make sure you're capable of invoking ABS (100% braking power) with the front lever, or you'd be wasting precious real estate in an emergency. Practice folks.