HOW TO: Quick and Easy ABS Disable Switch

Mak10

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It’s just easier to say the bike wasn’t engineered for XXX. I must have missed the part in the manual that specified what the “intended” purpose of this bike is.

I might just as easily say “if you don’t like the oem tires, your taking this bike where it wasn’t intended or engineered for”.

If you modify your bike and put a more substantial skid plate, or crash bars, you “might” be taking your bike “in places it wasn’t designed for”.

Disabling the ABS is a good mod for off road. Just like skid plates and crash bars.

If it helps Your ego to call people with more off road skill or ability than oneself “ham fisted or chest thumping” so be it. Just know the Super Tenere is far more capable than the pavement princess you think it should be.
 

elricfate

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If it helps Your ego to call people with more off road skill or ability than oneself “ham fisted or chest thumping” so be it. Just know the Super Tenere is far more capable than the pavement princess you think it should be.
Honestly I'm surprised you put this much civility into it. When I see someone come sweeping into a thread with an immediate impugning statement on the thread's posters, I basically just pretend they never existed (if I'm capable).
 
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ballisticexchris

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Honestly I'm surprised you put this much civility into it. When I see someone come sweeping into a thread with an immediate impugning statement on the thread's posters, I basically just pretend they never existed (if I'm capable).
I see nothing wrong at all with disputing the validity of why someone would make a drastic modification that can negatively effect the safe operation of a bike. A person who does not have the skill set can get in over their head real quick on a heavy bike such as this.

Modifying the electronics of a brake system carefully engineered for safe operation of the vehicle is a lot different than simply adding skid plates or crash bars to prevent drop/engine damage.

I am doing nothing more than simply pointing out that there are just as many disadvantages as advantages to disconnecting ABS. There are also many more options that an experienced rider can do to prevent wheel slippage (as stated in my previous post).

That being said, the ultimate choice is up to the rider. I'm simply giving other safe options to fellow riders who might be on the fence as to doing this.
 
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Mak10

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This is a How To thread. If you want to debate the pros and cons of the mod do it in a separate post.

Locking up and skidding the back wheel is essential for advanced off road riding. The abs on this bike works well on paved and gravel roads. Having a switch to turn it off and on is a great option.
 

Berg_Donk

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Snowy Mts Oz
It’s far easier to blame the tires, speed, terrain, weight or any other number of things, when it really comes down to your own riding skill. If you have never had the abs “freewheel” on a steep, loose downhill- you are not pushing the capabilities of this bike.
A few bumps, like corrugations/washboard when slowing for a corner is enough to activate the ABS and means getting down to a 'safe' speed for the corner is compromised, let alone the feeling of a bike accelerating when on a loose downhill. Improved suspension helps a lot, but doesn't fix it. Improved suspension up back also reduces TC intervention, but doesn't eliminate it.

If people don't want to turn their ABS off, fine, but criticising those who do makes no sense.
 

elricfate

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I see nothing wrong at all with disputing the validity of why someone would make a drastic modification that can negatively effect the safe operation of a bike. A person who does not have the skill set can get in over their head real quick on a heavy bike such as this.
I'm also glad you put a lot of thought into YOUR answer, but I wasn't referencing you there, just the fella who "called out" people who do this mod. It's not my bike, do what you want.
 
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ballisticexchris

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I'm also glad you put a lot of thought into YOUR answer, but I wasn't referencing you there, just the fella who "called out" people who do this mod. It's not my bike, do what you want.
It's cool I understood. I was just giving riders options other than this modification. I am fully aware that in the right hands this modification can help control the bike in slippery conditions. In the wrong hands of a novice rider (such as myself) not having antilock brakes can in in disaster on a bike this heavy.
 

patrickg450

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mine has been bypassed since 2013, turn if off all the time. I wonder it TT ever made money on my MOD..............

And for reference, at about 20MPH when off roading. The ABS engaging when you are trying to stop makes it feel more like 55MPH.
 

StephanSF

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Las Vegas, NV
I am trying my hand at making this switch.

I purchased a rocker switch with an LED light on it and I was hoping to be able to make the LED work, but electrical stuff is a mystery to me... I get that I am running two wires from the two sides of 30A fuse through a switch (which I have tested and works). But where would I wire the third wire that is on the rocker switch in order to get that on/off LED to work.

All the diagrams Ive seen reference running into the + and - of the battery, but in this instance I am running into the place where the fuse was so I dont get how to wire this up.
 

thughes317

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No real need for a lighted switch, the bright orange "ABS" warning light in the dashboard is usually a pretty good indicator that you have activated the switch. ;)
 

Niterunnr

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I am trying my hand at making this switch.

I purchased a rocker switch with an LED light on it and I was hoping to be able to make the LED work, but electrical stuff is a mystery to me... I get that I am running two wires from the two sides of 30A fuse through a switch (which I have tested and works). But where would I wire the third wire that is on the rocker switch in order to get that on/off LED to work.

All the diagrams Ive seen reference running into the + and - of the battery, but in this instance I am running into the place where the fuse was so I dont get how to wire this up.
Make sure your switch can handle 30A as most cannot. Since this switch is breaking the positive wire, you connect the “third” wire for the LED to ground. If the LED stays on even with the switch off, simply reverse the way you have the other two connected.
 

StephanSF

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Make sure your switch can handle 30A as most cannot. Since this switch is breaking the positive wire, you connect the “third” wire for the LED to ground. If the LED stays on even with the switch off, simply reverse the way you have the other two connected.
Thanks.. Yes my switch is rated for 30 amps (got it at O'Reilly autoparts), and so is my in-line fuse. I'll try the 3d wire to ground method, is any metal part near the switch good enough?

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk
 

StephanSF

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No real need for a lighted switch, the bright orange "ABS" warning light in the dashboard is usually a pretty good indicator that you have activated the switch. ;)
You're right, but the switch I bought had a red led on it and I'm a little ocd lol

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk
 

Niterunnr

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You're right, but the switch I bought had a red led on it and I'm a little ocd lol

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk
Couple more things;
I’ve read about plenty of riders routing this switch up to a dash switch; in my opinion this is not advisable. As previously discussed this wire is 30A, not something to take lightly in the first place, easily start a fire and I’m curious how many have used the same 10awg wire that leads to the back of the fuse. Also, this fuse is live anytime the main battery is connected, so you’re LED will likely stay on 24/7 unless you switch it off after each ride.
Personally I attached a rated switch with 10awg wires just two inches long and mounted it so that it can be reached between the right removable fairing cover and frame, just by you’re right knee. I also added my own fuse to prevent my wiring from disabling the system in any way.
My original plan was to use a push button interrupt switch, (normally closed, so it would auto reset when you restart the bike, but finding one rated for 30A@12V proved very difficult.
 

StephanSF

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Couple more things;
I’ve read about plenty of riders routing this switch up to a dash switch; in my opinion this is not advisable. As previously discussed this wire is 30A, not something to take lightly in the first place, easily start a fire and I’m curious how many have used the same 10awg wire that leads to the back of the fuse. Also, this fuse is live anytime the main battery is connected, so you’re LED will likely stay on 24/7 unless you switch it off after each ride.
Personally I attached a rated switch with 10awg wires just two inches long and mounted it so that it can be reached between the right removable fairing cover and frame, just by you’re right knee. I also added my own fuse to prevent my wiring from disabling the system in any way.
My original plan was to use a push button interrupt switch, (normally closed, so it would auto reset when you restart the bike, but finding one rated for 30A@12V proved very difficult.
You obviously know a lot more about electric stuff than I do. I followed the OP (above) instructions and got 14-2 outdoor low voltage wire and wired up the switch as per the instructions including an in-line heavy duty fuse holder into which I put the fuse I removed. The switch, as mentioned, is rated for 30amps.

I ended up not wiring up the ground to illuminate the Led since I had already installed the switch into the dash area when I read your post and getting everything in there and buttoned up was a pain and I didn't want to pull it all out again just to have a little red Led light up.

I don't really follow why this set up would risk fire, and I don't intend to ride with the Abs often, it's just for situations where I feel I prefer to be able to lock up my rear wheel for better control such as gravel roads where I really dislike how the ABS feels.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk
 

Niterunnr

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You obviously know a lot more about electric stuff than I do. I followed the OP (above) instructions and got 14-2 outdoor low voltage wire and wired up the switch as per the instructions including an in-line heavy duty fuse holder into which I put the fuse I removed. The switch, as mentioned, is rated for 30amps.

I ended up not wiring up the ground to illuminate the Led since I had already installed the switch into the dash area when I read your post and getting everything in there and buttoned up was a pain and I didn't want to pull it all out again just to have a little red Led light up.

I don't really follow why this set up would risk fire, and I don't intend to ride with the Abs often, it's just for situations where I feel I prefer to be able to lock up my rear wheel for better control such as gravel roads where I really dislike how the ABS feels.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk
As stated this is a 30A fused circuit and always live; running smaller gage wire increases the temperature. 10 gage wire is rated for 30A, while the 14 that you used is rated for 15A. The wire will carry the load, but will become resistive and get warm because there is less wire to flow through. I’m sure many here will tell you it’s fine; I’m just explaining what I did.
It’s already fused and if you added another fuse there should be no danger, but the possibility exists that someone might wire the wrong side, bypassing the fuse block and without adding a fuse of their own, would be running 30A unprotected across the bike.
 

Jazzer

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Jun 22, 2015
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Tracy, CA
Hi,
I am kind of a wuss off road, and I’d like to keep the abs on the front tire (I think it’s saved my ass in a down hill in the dirt) but turn it off on the rear. I didn’t see this talked about. Is it possible (and desirable)?

Thanks,

ken
 

elricfate

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Aug 29, 2019
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380
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Ohio
Hi,
I am kind of a wuss off road, and I’d like to keep the abs on the front tire (I think it’s saved my ass in a down hill in the dirt) but turn it off on the rear. I didn’t see this talked about. Is it possible (and desirable)?

Thanks,

ken
No and no, you shouldn't be really using the front brakes enough, going downhill, to activate abs. Downhill is a rear brake game.

Also there's not ready way to deactivate abs for one tire and not the other. A fault in one renders the whole system in a fault state.
 

hodee

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Jun 5, 2013
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Houston,Tx
When are you coming out to Utah, Idaho,Colorado, Montana, Wyoming? It doesn’t take much, a downhill with loose rocks. Ophir pass is a good example, coming down the hill towards Ophir, Colorado.
Been there done that exact pass. Fully loaded. Quite a pucker factor !!! Came down Engineer Alpine Loop Road into Ouray. It was even worse!!!
 
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