Linked brakes not working

Butterthebean

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2018
Messages
86
Location
Temple, TX
i replaced all my brake fluids the other day and now it feels like the rear isn’t activating when I apply the front.

I don’t know any other way to confirm this other than putting the bike on the center stand while in gear and applying the front brake. The rear wheel continued to turn at idle speed.

When I apply just the rear it works just fine.

Any thoughts?
 

tallpaul

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2017
Messages
912
Location
Whitworth, Rochdale, UK
Just a wild guess about your test but the link effect is computer controlled based on speed and brake force applied. On the centre stand you will have no speed input from the front wheel, so the linked brakes will not activate. Hopefully a more knowledgeable person will confirm my assumptions.

If I'm honest the only reason I know my linked brakes do work is because I had to replace the rear pads. The system is brilliant in that it is undetectable (in road use) but highly effective.
 

Grumpy

Getting old is not for wimps
Joined
May 28, 2013
Messages
411
Location
Surbiton U.K.
Ditto tallpaul. If your bike is a Gen.1 running the bike on the stand for 30 seconds or so will also defeat the ABS until you turn the bike off. It will reset when you turn the bike back on via the ignition. Compared to my old XJR, this bike has a lot of electrickery.:cool:
 
Last edited:

Butterthebean

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2018
Messages
86
Location
Temple, TX
Just a wild guess about your test but the link effect is computer controlled based on speed and brake force applied. On the centre stand you will have no speed input from the front wheel, so the linked brakes will not activate. Hopefully a more knowledgeable person will confirm my assumptions.

If I'm honest the only reason I know my linked brakes do work is because I had to replace the rear pads. The system is brilliant in that it is undetectable (in road use) but highly effective.
Do you notice a difference between applying both brakes vs just applying the front brake handle in terms of stopping difference? Cause I'm noticing a big difference. Do you ever use the rear brake pedal in conjunction with the front brake handle or do you just pull the front and let the syncing function do the rest? Does a full activation of the front trigger a full activation of the rear or just a partial activation?
 

tallpaul

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2017
Messages
912
Location
Whitworth, Rochdale, UK
For my normal stopping I only apply front brake and let the computer sort out the rear. The only time I use the rear brake pedal is for low speed manoeuvring so that I don't get fork dive. To be clear, I'm a fair weather rider. I have very little experience of riding this bike in wet conditions.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
I use both brakes, and there is a noticeable difference in feel between just using the front brake and letting the linked system balance the rear and using both the front and rear simultaneously. There also seems to be a difference in feel from using solely the rear brake, and using the front and rear brakes simultaneously (the rear brake seems to apply with more force when you use it in conjunction with the front brake, than if you apply the rear by itself).
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Butterbean, you had me curious, so I went out, put the bike on the centerstand, started it up, put it in first, and pulled the front brake. It had no effect on the rear wheel. The rear brake does work when used individually. So, either both our bikes are messed up, or yours is working the way it should. I'd say they're both working correctly.
 

limey

Well-Known Member
Founding Member
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
1,913
Location
Bowmanville Canada
Butterbean, you had me curious, so I went out, put the bike on the centerstand, started it up, put it in first, and pulled the front brake. It had no effect on the rear wheel. The rear brake does work when used individually. So, either both our bikes are messed up, or yours is working the way it should. I'd say they're both working correctly.
Rear brake will not work when on the centerstand you need to go for a ride and hammer the fronts and feel the heat on the rear.
 

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
Staff member
Global Moderator
2011 Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
11,489
Location
Damascus, MD
From your owners manual:

UBS does not function until the vehicle starts moving. . .
UBS will disengage when stopped and the brake lever is released.
UBS does not function when the brake pedal is applied before the brake lever.
UBS is activated via the front brake lever only.
...
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Rear brake will not work when on the centerstand you need to go for a ride and hammer the fronts and feel the heat on the rear.
I'm not sure what you're saying. Are saying that the rear brake doesn't work on the centerstand when the bike is in gear and the rear wheel is turning? Because yes, it does; I just went out and checked it. If you're saying the front brake doesn't activate the rear brake when it's on the centerstand, I know, 'cuz that's what I wrote in my earlier post. I'm definitely not clear on the "hammering the fronts and feeling the heat on the rear" part.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
From your owners manual:

UBS does not function until the vehicle starts moving. . .
UBS will disengage when stopped and the brake lever is released.
UBS does not function when the brake pedal is applied before the brake lever.
UBS is activated via the front brake lever only.
...
Thanks Checkswrecks. I thought that the UBS had something to do with the sequence of which brake was applied first, but I didn't want to mention it because I wasn't sure.
 

Butterthebean

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2018
Messages
86
Location
Temple, TX
Butterbean, you had me curious, so I went out, put the bike on the centerstand, started it up, put it in first, and pulled the front brake. It had no effect on the rear wheel. The rear brake does work when used individually. So, either both our bikes are messed up, or yours is working the way it should. I'd say they're both working correctly.
Thank you for checking your bike. You’re probably right. I need to go for a ride and then come back and checking for heat on the brakes.
 

AdvToorer

Active Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2012
Messages
108
Location
Denver, CO - USA
TIL... I always thought the Tenere's UBS was a glorified proportioning valve but it's more sophisticated than that. When UBS is engaged by front lever (as ChecksWrecks described) it's the ABS pump that supplies hydraulic pressure to the rear brakes.
Now we all know!
 
Last edited:

MikeinNZ

Active Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2018
Messages
122
Location
NZ
If you want to check if your UBS is working use the front brake only from a good speed then apply rear brake. The pedal will feel firmer (more pressurised) than normal.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,812
Location
Joshua TX
I'm pretty sure the ABS light stays on until you exceed 3ish mph; it was the same on the Honda, and BMW. When I first got the Tenere, I used both front & back together. I then noticed excessive rear tire wear, and realized that with bike's UNLADEN front weight bias, I didn't need to utilize the back brakes; the tire was sliding down the road without activating the ABS. IF I need back brakes, the computer activates them with the front. I only use my rear brakes for parking lot speeds, or when I have a passenger. With a passenger, or loaded bags, there is enough weight on the rear wheel to keep from sliding.
 
Top