Fitting Anti Lock Brakes ABS to a non-ABS Motorbike - can it be done ?

Summary

This video tutorial guides viewers through the process of installing an aftermarket ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) kit on a motorcycle not originally equipped with it. The host shares their experience with finding a suitable kit online, emphasizing the importance of an electronic control unit and custom sensor discs. They detail the installation steps, including mounting the ECU pump, routing brake hoses, and wiring the system. The video also covers post-installation testing and calibration, highlighting the increased safety benefits of ABS on motorcycles.

Takeaways

• 🔧 The video discusses adding ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) to a bike that doesn't come with it as standard.
• 🌐 The ABS kit is sourced online and is compatible with bikes that have front and rear disc brakes.
• 🏗️ The kit includes an electronic control unit (ECU), pump, wiring harness, ABS light, wheel sensors, brake hoses, and custom-made sensor discs.
• 💡 The ABS system significantly enhances safety, especially in challenging traffic conditions.
• 💸 The cost of the ABS kit is significantly lower than the premium for ABS on new bikes, making it a cost-effective upgrade.
• 🛠️ The installation process requires some mechanical skills and the right tools, such as spanners, screwdrivers, and a brake bleed kit.
• 📏 Accurate measurements for the sensor discs are crucial for a successful installation.
• 🔌 Wiring the ABS system into the bike's electrical system requires care and possibly a wiring diagram for the specific bike model.
• 🚫 Not all ABS kits are created equal; some are just valves attached to brake calipers and do not offer true ABS functionality.
• 📝 The video emphasizes the importance of researching and selecting a reputable seller with good customer support for the ABS kit.
• 🛑 After installation, it's essential to bleed the brakes properly and calibrate the ABS system if necessary.

Q & A

What is the primary reason the speaker wanted to add ABS to their bike?

The speaker wanted to add ABS to their bike to make it safer, especially due to the crazy local traffic in the area where they live.

What type of bikes are the ABS kits mentioned in the script designed for?

The ABS kits discussed are designed for bikes with front and rear disc brakes. There might be some kits that handle drum brakes, but the speaker did not find any.

What is the local name of the bike the speaker installed the ABS kit on?

The local name of the bike the speaker installed the ABS kit on is 'Rusi Classic 250'.

What are some other names or models that the bike is known by in different regions?

In different regions, the bike is known as the 'Peda Cafe Racer' in Europe, and the 'GPX Legend' in Thailand and Malaysia.

What is the importance of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and pump in an ABS system?

The ECU and pump are crucial components of an ABS system as they act as the 'brains and engine' of the system, controlling the anti-lock braking mechanism.

What is the first thing the speaker advises to look for when searching for an ABS kit online?

The speaker advises to look for an electronic control unit (ECU) and a pump, as these are essential for a real ABS system.

What is the significance of sensor discs in the ABS kit according to the speaker?

Sensor discs are significant in the ABS kit because an ABS system won't work without them. They are custom made for the buyer's bike by the seller or their agents.

What is the approximate cost of the ABS kit that the speaker purchased, excluding delivery?

The speaker purchased the ABS kit for approximately 230 US dollars, excluding delivery.

What is the speaker's reasoning for considering the cost of the ABS kit a worthwhile investment?

The speaker considers the cost of the ABS kit a worthwhile investment because it can reduce the risk of hospital bills in case of an accident, which can be much more expensive than the cost of the kit.

What is the first step the speaker took after receiving the ABS kit?

The first step the speaker took after receiving the ABS kit was to read the manual carefully and contact the seller for an English version when they found it was only in Chinese.

How did the speaker address the issue of the incorrect sensor mounts included in the kit?

The speaker contacted the seller to request a spare pair of mounting brackets with the correct angles. In the meantime, they 3D printed a temporary bracket to continue with the installation.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Introduction to ABS Installation on a Bike

The speaker introduces the idea of adding anti-lock brake systems (ABS) to a bike that did not originally come with this feature. They discuss their motivation for wanting to increase safety in their local traffic conditions and share their successful experience with installing an ABS kit on their bike, specifically a 'Rusi Classic 250'. They clarify that the tutorial is not one-size-fits-all and that the kits are suitable for bikes with front and rear disc brakes. The speaker also warns against cheap ABS valves sold online and emphasizes the importance of a genuine ABS system that includes an electronic control unit (ECU) and a pump.

05:01

🛠️ Choosing the Right ABS Kit and Seller

The speaker provides guidance on selecting an ABS kit and a reliable seller. They advise looking for a kit that includes an ECU and pump, and to avoid cheap options that may not function properly. The speaker shares their experience of searching on various platforms and eventually finding a suitable kit on AliExpress. They stress the importance of the seller's responsiveness and the completeness of the kit, particularly the inclusion of sensor discs. The chosen kit cost approximately $230, which the speaker considers a worthwhile investment for safety.

10:02

📦 Unboxing and Preparing for Installation

Upon receiving the ABS kit, the speaker outlines its contents, including the ECU-pump combo module, wiring harness, ABS light, wheel sensors, brake hoses, and custom-made sensor discs. They note the importance of accurate measurements for the sensor discs and the need for clear communication with the seller. The speaker also discusses the support received from the seller, including an English manual and assistance with additional parts needed for the installation.

15:03

🏁 Completing the ABS Installation and Testing

The speaker details the steps for installing the ABS system, including mounting the sensor discs, routing brake hoses, and securing the ECU pump. They emphasize the importance of careful wiring, following the manual, and testing the system for proper functionality. The speaker also describes the process of bleeding the brakes, calibrating the ABS system, and conducting safety tests. They conclude by summarizing the experience, highlighting the satisfaction with the working ABS system and the value of the investment for increased riding safety.

Keywords

💡ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)

ABS refers to a safety feature on vehicles that prevents the wheels from locking up during hard braking, thereby maintaining steering control and reducing the risk of skidding. In the context of the video, the host discusses adding ABS to a motorcycle that did not originally come with this feature. The video's primary focus is on the process and considerations of installing an aftermarket ABS kit to enhance safety.

💡Bike Safety

Bike safety encompasses all measures taken to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries while riding a motorcycle. The video emphasizes the importance of bike safety by detailing the installation of an ABS system, which is a significant step towards making the bike safer to ride, especially in challenging traffic conditions.

💡Aftermarket ABS Kit

An aftermarket ABS kit is a set of components not originally installed by the vehicle manufacturer but added later to enhance the vehicle's features. The video provides a tutorial on how to install such a kit on a motorcycle, which includes an electronic control unit (ECU), pump, wiring harness, and sensor discs, among other parts.

💡ECU (Electronic Control Unit)

The ECU is the brain of the ABS system, controlling the operation of the anti-lock brakes. It processes inputs from wheel speed sensors and modulates the brake pressure accordingly. In the video, the ECU is highlighted as a critical component of the ABS kit that the host installs on the motorcycle.

💡Wheel Speed Sensors

Wheel speed sensors are devices that monitor the rotational speed of the wheels and send this data to the ECU. They play a crucial role in the ABS system by providing feedback that allows the ECU to determine when to modulate brake pressure. The video mentions that the host had to provide measurements for custom-made sensor discs, which are part of the wheel speed sensors.

💡Brake Hoses

Brake hoses are the flexible tubes that carry brake fluid from the master cylinder to the brake calipers. In the video, the host discusses the need to replace the original brake hoses with new ones as part of the ABS installation process, as the ABS system requires additional hoses to connect the ECU pump module.

💡Installation Manual

An installation manual is a guide that provides step-by-step instructions for assembling or setting up a product. In the video, the host mentions receiving a Chinese installation manual and later getting an English version from the seller, which was crucial for understanding the installation process of the ABS kit.

💡Calibration

Calibration in the context of an ABS system refers to the process of setting or adjusting the system to ensure it operates correctly. The video describes a quick and easy calibration procedure for the installed ABS kit, which is necessary to finalize the installation and ensure the system works as intended.

💡Bleeding Brakes

Bleeding brakes is the process of removing air from the brake lines and refilling them with brake fluid to ensure optimal brake performance. The video explains that the host had to bleed the brakes as part of the ABS installation, which involved adding more brake fluid than usual due to the new, longer hoses and the ABS pump.

💡Error Codes

Error codes are numerical or alphanumerical values that indicate issues or malfunctions within a system. In the video, the host discusses the ABS light that can flash error codes if there are any faults with the ABS system, highlighting the importance of monitoring this light for any issues post-installation.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of adding ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) to a bike that doesn't come with it as standard.

The motivation behind the project: enhancing bike safety in dense local traffic.

Success in finding suitable ABS kits online after extensive research.

Limitation of the tutorial to bikes with front and rear disc brakes.

The importance of an electronic control unit (ECU) and pump in a real ABS system.

Caution against cheap ABS valves sold on online marketplaces that may not function as expected.

The process of searching for an aftermarket ABS kit on various e-commerce platforms.

Advice on scrutinizing search results to avoid cheap, low-quality ABS kits.

The necessity of ensuring the ABS kit includes custom-made sensor discs for the bike model.

The author's experience with a responsive seller who provided necessary support during the installation process.

Description of the contents of the purchased ABS kit, including the ECU, pump, wiring harness, and sensor discs.

Instructions on providing accurate measurements for custom sensor discs to the seller.

The importance of following the seller's instructions carefully for a smooth installation.

Challenges faced during the installation process and how the seller's support was instrumental in resolving them.

The process of mounting the sensor speed discs onto the brake discs and the adjustments needed.

Strategies for routing the brake hoses and mounting the ECU pump module on the bike.

The wiring process of the ABS system, including connecting the ABS light and interpreting wiring instructions.

Mounting the wheel speed sensors and ensuring they are positioned correctly above the sensor discs.

Bleeding the brakes and initializing the ABS ECU pump as part of the installation.

Testing the ABS system for proper functioning, including a description of the expected pulsating feel during hard braking.

The author's satisfaction with the ABS kit's performance and its impact on bike safety.

Recommendations for future tests, including real-world video comparisons with non-ABS bikes.

Transcripts

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hey folks so let's talk about adding abs

brakes or anti-lock brakes to a bike

that never came with abs as standard

i really wanted my bike to be a lot

safer in the crazy local traffic we have

here where i live now

and after a lot of searching i found

some really great kits online and i've

just finished successfully installing

one

for sure i'm just showing you it can be

done this isn't a like a guaranteed

exact tutorial for every bike out there

on the market

i mean for a start these kits are for

bikes with front and rear disc brakes

there might be some out there that'll

handle drum brakes but i didn't see any

okay so install the abs brake kit onto

my bike you know it's known locally here

as a rusi classic 250

the same bike which is a yin gang 90

model is sold in a few different regions

around the world like it's the peda cafe

racer in europe and i think the uh gpx

legend in thailand and malaysia

now the kit wasn't listed for being for

my model so you know really this was

just a bit of a test by me to see if i

could get one that works

so first off i'm not going to be

covering off the complete history and

the benefits of an abs system on a

motorbike there's plenty of great

youtube videos out there will fill in

those details really really well

in fact i found a pretty good concise

one here and and i'll post that link

in the description below for you

okay so let's take a look through the

abs kits online uh you'll find different

options when you start to go searching

let's see what kits to look for and what

abs options not to consider

and then finally what kit did i get

you really need to make sure that what

you are looking at really is an abs kit

any real abs system will have an

electronic control unit or the ecu

and a pump and it's usually going to be

combined in one piece now like in this

picture and if you do want real abs

features you're going to have to pay for

it

i'll be careful what i say here because

they are selling these valves that they

attach to your brake calipers on amazon

and aliexpress etc and they also call

them abs well you get what you pay for

with them go watch some youtube reviews

of them

and you can decide for yourself if it

looks like they work or not anyway so i

spent quite a while uh looking for an

aftermarket abs kit on ebay and amazon

lazada and shoppi and all i came up with

was those cheap caliper valves

and

until i put in the right wording and

then finally i found some that looked

interesting on aliexpress you know

amongst the hundreds of wrong results

that you tend to get on there and when

you do start going through the search

results look really carefully

first eliminate anything cheap and nasty

and even then some of the correct kits

aren't complete which is why you'll see

such a big variation in these prices the

one on the right here is either not a

complete set or it has some options that

you need to select when you're checking

out so you've got to be careful

okay so

before you rush off and buy the first

kit that you see you're going to need to

do a little homework before you can

choose the kit and the seller you're

going to buy it from i mean this isn't

just a sale where you buy a single item

it is a kit

and one part of it the the sensor disks

will very likely be custom made for you

by the seller or his agents

you want to find out how quickly the

seller asks and answers questions so you

got an idea how long all of this would

take so it's not just price you're

interested in

you're going to need to tell them the

model of your bike so they can see if

they think that their kit is going to

work on it

and you really need to make sure that

that kit is complete and the one that

you're going to order does include those

sensor disks the ones that make up for

you because an abs system won't work

without the sensor discs and you need to

ask them to make sure it includes it

anyway the kit i bought was the one that

had the best price including delivery

and the seller was really responsive

with questions and answers and that made

me feel really confident they were going

to help me out if there are any problems

with the installation

which you know turns out to be i think

the first i know of

for my model

now you can see here they sold the kit

in two forms one without the sensor

discs and one with the discs that one's

called option b naturally of course i

went ahead and bought option b with the

discs that kit worked out to be about

230 us dollars thereabouts at that time

uh not including delivery

yeah i know to some people 230 us

dollars plus delivery is going to sound

like a lot of money and you know for

some people it is but i look at it this

way the abs option on most new bikes

usually costs between

say 500 to 1000

and i know that even a one day stay in

hospital will cost a lot more than 230

dollars so

i'd rather use the abs to reduce the

risk of those hospital bills if i

possibly can

okay finally let's look at what the kit

that i bought included

firstly it has the all-important ecu

pump combo module

that's the brains and the engine of the

whole system

then we have the wiring harness to

connect that and integrate it into the

bike's electrical system

we also have the abs light

that flashes for the abs status and it

shows in the error codes

we also have the wheel sensors some

brake hoses which they seem to have

forgotten to show in this picture by the

look of it and finally those custom-made

sensor or speed discs that we need you

know for some bikes

those might be off-the-shelf items but

they weren't for my model bikes so they

had to custom make them

and this shows the parts list of what

they deliver

i've also just noticed that it even

looks like this one's wrong because it

doesn't list the four brake hoses so

maybe this is a list for that option a

but it's once again it's best that you

ask the seller to check that out

now you notice that it lists some yamaha

honda and benelli models that the the

kits will work with as well as other

12-volt bikes with brake signal well

that

other covers my bike and i guess most

road bikes that are 12 volt and have a

rear brake light and of course

front and rear disc brakes as i've

mentioned before so look for that other

when you're comparing the aliexpress

kits to see which ones might work with

your model okay after you order the kit

you will most likely be contacted by the

seller to provide them with some

measurements of your front and rear disk

mounting holes the holes in your disks

if your bike is on that list of honda

yamaha and benelli models maybe that you

won't but i'm guessing they will always

ask you just to be safe

my seller told me what measurements they

needed to be able to custom make those

sensor speed discs

and they actually got me to supply them

some photos just to make it easier now

please please follow their instructions

carefully and be as exact as you can

this is very important if you really

want a smooth installation

so off they go and custom make those

sensor discs and a few weeks later after

ordering three i think it was my parcel

arrived by courier

after i opened it i then noticed that

the kit came with only a chinese

installation manual and this is when you

already get to find out how good the

support is that you get from your seller

mine emailed me an english pdf version

of that manual within a few hours so it

all was good

so obviously now you should check over

what they delivered to make sure that

you got the complete kit

i then realized that this kit came with

two sensor mounts one was flat and one

was a angled or bent mount

that might suit some bikes but it didn't

suit mine when i looked into it so it

was time to contact the seller again

i needed to get a spare pair of mounting

brackets another angle and another flat

and they're sending those over to me now

while i wait for those new mounts to

arrive i didn't want to wait a few weeks

to do the install so i measured the

angle bracket and i drew that up and 3d

printed

a temporary angle bracket that i could

use right now

i mean it's not load bearing so this abs

plastic mount that i printed does the

job fine until those new ones arrive

now my russia friends

you should ask your seller to include a

spare pair of those mounts when you

order the kit just to save time later

and finally it's time to start that

install

so step one of course is read the

flaming manual carefully

yes the english translation may not be

great in some places but

anything you aren't sure about email

your seller and ask them about it get

them to explain it i sent mine a few

emails and i got pretty good responses

pretty quickly actually i was really

happy with their support

the next thing i did was to get those

sensor speed discs mounted onto my front

and rear brake discs

okay so the wheels need to come off to

do that so it's a lot easier with two

guys so i ended up taking my bike back

to my bike store and i got them to do

this part for me because it's a lot

easier for them

and this is also where you're going to

find out how accurate your measurements

were that you sent to the seller and my

measurements for the front disc were out

they were about one millimeter too small

so my tyre guy marked out with a pen

what adjustment needed to be made and he

grabbed out his dremel grinder and he

fixed that in about 10 minutes you know

it's an easy fix if you need it but you

know exact measuring is just a lot

better

so now with those sensor discs mounted

it's back home and it's time to strip

the bike down you're going to need to

spend a bit of time deciding where to

mount that ecu pump module and seeing

where you will need to route your brake

hoses so off comes the fuel tank the

seat and the side covers so we've got

good access

instead of the usual two broke hoses

that you have on a motorbike you now

have four hoses as we're plumbing in the

abs module in between the master

cylinders and the brake calipers

so you may spend quite some time

deciding where to fit this ecu pump and

making sure that those hoses give enough

slack

for your steering and your suspension to

work properly still so i bolted the

brake hoses onto the pump and on my

russia i ended up trying two different

locations the first was up high where

the air box is but that was too far back

on the bike and the front hoses were too

tight for the steering to work properly

so

instead i found that the ecu pump fitted

nicely between the air box and the

starter motor and all the hoses reached

fine from there

you really want to mount the ecu pump

securely so it doesn't move around or

rattle at all you don't want the wiring

harness or the hoses working loose

my kit came with a great universal

mounting bracket that i bent to the

shape that i needed so i could mount it

nice and securely with that abs pump now

mounted we can remove the original brake

hoses and run those new hoses through

and connect them to the master cylinders

and to the brake calipers

if you do this carefully and quickly you

won't end up with a huge mess of spilled

brake fluid but just to be safe for your

paintwork make sure you cover it all up

while you're trying

now we can start on wiring in the new

abs system the first step is the abs

light

this indicator light shows the status of

the abs system and it flashes an error

code if there's any system faults

you want to mount that near your gauges

where you can easily see it

of course to do the wiring is going to

be a big help if you can get a hold of

the wiring diagram for your bike that

way you're not going to need to identify

the bike wires with some test equipment

like i ended up doing

your kit is going to come with some

wiring instructions of course and these

are the instructions for my kit the

translation was a little bit ambiguous

so i sent a few emails to my supplier to

work it all out they also sent me a bit

of diagram that helped quite a lot

for my rusi classic 250 friends after

some trial and error and some new

translations that all came down to these

connections shown here being made you

might want to pause this one to have a

look at it

and same again for my russy friends

tapping into the front brakes i did that

under the fuel tank

using a vampire tap into the original

black wire that takes power to the front

brake switch and then for the rear

brakes just follow the wires up from the

rear brake switch

to that connector under the seat and tap

into the green and yellow wire that goes

to the rear brake light

with all the electricals all now wired

in we want to mount those probes or

those sensors on their brackets and

attach those brackets to the bike so the

probes sit

very close to those sensor discs you

know those discs that i got mounted at

the bike tire store

now for my kit they need to be mounted

so they sit around about 0.75

millimeters very very close to and above

the surface of those discs now this

might take some time for you to adjust

of course

for the rear probe on my russia i had to

drill a small hole in my swing arm and

then i used loctite on the mounting bolt

same again the front probe and bracket

need to be positioned and mounted that

same

0.75 millimeters above the surface of

the sensor disk on the front brakes this

time on my russia the front was pretty

easy there was no drilling i just needed

to use the mud guard bolts to connect it

all

oh and one important note on those

probes and check your manual for your

kit for this they can only be mounted in

certain directions or they just won't

work my manual showed the correct

directions that could be mounted and

they're shown here on the left on this

slide and then the sensor directions or

alignments that won't work remember rtfm

read the flame and manual

so finally we're nearly done with

installation we need to bleed those

brakes properly now

you will need to go and buy some new

brake fluid and probably twice as much

as you would normally get you've got to

remember that we just added four new

longer and empty brake hoses and a new

and empty abs pump

so we're adding more brake fluid than

usual

the manual also suggests turning

ignition on and off a few times which

will initialize the abs ecu pump a few

times and suck some of that fluid

through to make life a bit easier

and there you go the kit's installed

it's mounted routed it's wide and the

brakes have led now you need to test it

and

you've got to calibrate it if your kit

has a calibration procedure

but before anything you've got to just

test these brakes to see if you've bled

them properly even push and roll the

bike a little somewhere safe make sure

that the basic braking is okay and that

you did bleed them properly

if they do stop okay now you need to

find a safe area maybe like a big car

park or a quiet long safe street to

calibrate the abs system again go and

read your manual for the calibration

procedure if there is one i don't know

that all systems will have one

this slide shows the quick and easy

calibration for my abs system and it

only took about two minutes or so to

complete

once you've calibrated the abs system

and that is if yours has that option you

want to safely test this kit properly

again

find somewhere safe and quiet to do this

you're going to be hitting the brakes

hard to try to get the bike to lock up

its brakes on a skid you need to see

that the abs stops this locking up and

you don't want someone driving behind

you to run into you from behind so be

careful

now the good thing is even if the abs

function fails to work or you didn't

correctly wire it up or anything your

original standard basic disc brakes

should still work as long as you bled

them properly

my kit makes a quick buzzing sound when

you turn on the bike that's as the ecu

pump initializes listen for that to see

if your kit does that too

check for leaks to make sure you don't

have any

hoses that aren't tightened up properly

and look for any error codes on your abs

light if you have one and if all of that

is okay now you want to go on your first

test ride

you want to ride straight ahead and ride

slowly let's say 20 kilometers an hour

if that's safe and apply the rear brakes

first hard and fast if the abs system is

working you should get no lock up you

shouldn't get any skidding you should

feel the abs system modulating under the

under your foot on the brake pedal it's

like a pulsing feeling if it's working

if that worked go a little faster try

those rear brakes again

only once you're happy that the rear

brakes are working and therefore the abs

system is working you want to try the

fronts

do the same sequence on your front

brakes now but even more carefully only

do it straight ahead and do it slow to

start with you can have many more

accidents with your brakes on the front

than you can with the back

so if your kit is working properly you

should hear a buzz of the pump when you

turn on the bike provided yours does

that you should feel the pulsating foot

pedal and brake lever when you brake

really hard and fast

you should see no error messages or abs

indicator lights flashing that there's

any errors with the system

and of course you should get no skids or

no lock ups on a dry and clean road

if yours did work fine in your tests

well you could try testing on a gravel

road too but be extra extra careful a

lot of these kits are standard like mine

they have no modes or settings for

off-road or gravel roads they'll still

work but less successfully you will feel

probably a series of small fast little

skids one after the other

just because there's gravel under the

tires so be careful until you get used

to that and test on slower speeds and

with extra care but it is worth testing

if you have the chance just so you got

some experience with it

okay finally just a quick summary i'm

happy to say that there are real abs

kits available that you can fit to some

non-abs bikes i really wasn't sure until

i did my research and then bought this

and experimented

my kit works really well i've got no

lock ups no matter how hard i try

unsealed roads i'm really happy with it

these kits really only support bikes

with front and rear disc brakes that's

unless you can find a kit that

specifically says otherwise that it

supports a rear drum brake

don't always go with the cheapest seller

find the one that has the best and

fastest support as well it's just as

important as the price

really make sure you're accurate with

those measurements for those probe

wheels save yourself some grief

i really didn't need any special tools

to fit this just some spanners some

screwdrivers a brake bleed kit and some

wire strippers

and it really isn't that expensive and i

think the money is really well spent if

it means that you avoid crashing

and any sort of stay in hospital i think

it pays for itself

okay so where to from here i mean i'd

really next i'd like to be able to show

a real world video test of this abs kit

option you know showing my abs equipped

to roosie versus a standard non-abs

russy side by side you know so i'll ask

for some volunteers here in my local

area if they want to help help me out

with that one

this is a technical but important option

for our basic bikes i think so hopefully

this hasn't been too long and boring if

you've gotten this far to the end

i hope this information is of interest

to some of you guys and it helps a few

of you to make your bikes safer anyway

ciao for now guys

you