ABS
 

Hi

Just want to know if there is an ABS upgrade for the SV and the cost/benefits of it if anybody has done this to their bike?

This has been mentioned before... and the general conclusion was that there was no such addition available for the SV, and it's unlikely there ever would be.

Such a project would be a massive undertaking... not just because it would have to replace the bike's entire brake hydraulic system (the front anyway); but also would require some modification to the brake disc to allow for a the sensor wheel; as well as the control box hydraulic routing.

It was suggested that one of the future generations of SV's might have it as an option, I think in response to the fact that the Kawasaki ER6 has it as an option. It might happen, you never know.

It sometimes strikes me as odd that there's not an aftermarket system out there... It wouldn't be drastically difficult, if I understand the mechanics right.

Cheers, it's a shame though, it would be useful!

I'd give a lot for good ABS on mine. A lot of people turn up their noses at it, but for those greasy wet commutes in midwinter it'd be a gift.

Your right there is not much to the system.

From what i have seen most modern motorbike systems are all in one units, a toothed gear on the wheels with a sensor, brake lever to pump/controler then onto the brake caliper. If it does not sense the toothed gear properly when you start moving then the ABS light will stay on, thats why most systems only activate after you have started moving.

If you could find a system from another bike that had all the correct peices, eg same wheel type, then you may be able to retrofit it on.

The issue would be...would you trust the system if it was a retrofit rather than OEM?

That's the thing isn't it... you could fit it, but if you didn't trust it, then you might as well have not bothered.

The SV's forks and brakes just weren't designed for that kind of addition, and I imagine the most sure way of achieving it would be as part of a front end swap with a bike that had the hardware.

Also consider the power consumption of the ABS unit - and is the SV's loom capable?

The only parts that vary on most of the with/without setups are the ABS system itself- the forks and calipers remain exactly the same. The Bandit 650 with ABS has exactly the same calipers and forks as the non-ABS ones, or so it's claimed and I'd be surprised if those are substantially different from the SV's standard bits.

As for the loom, you wouldn't neccesarily tap it off the standard loom, you could make a new switch harness same as you do with HID or high-draw horns, etc.

Fair enough... but how does the ABS sensor mount?

Usaly its just a toothed disk that mounts on top of the standard rotor with the bolts then a pickup (a hall effect) that can sense the tooths on the disk.