75s brake question

i am interested in a 1993 k75 s
when i asked if the abs was functioning the owner said that the original owner ordered it without abs , this sounded extremely odd to me , so i have put the purchase on hold until i can do some research.
if anyone has info on this subject it would be very helpful

Might be plausible, I believe that the ABS was never standard equipment on the K75. I'm sure there will be more thourough (sp?) answers to follow.
Gilly

This might help:
http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=40805

Early ABS is nothing to brag about. Compared to the latest ABS on BMW motorcycles, it sucks. I have it on my 1991 K100RS and I have to reset more than I like. It complicates the procedure of changing the brake fluid.

If I were making the decision to get the 93 K75, ABS would not have any weight in that decision.

thanks i just thought it was odd that abs was an option in 1993
so now i have to make a decision
any other information will be greatly appreciated

I agree that the early ABS in clunky compared to the later systems. However it works well and only adds two bleed points. Some of the later BMW systems are very complicated.

Unless you REALLY want ABS, I would not be that concerned that it did not have it. While ABS sounds like a good idea, on a 17 year old bike it can be more of a liability.

It is not uncommon for the early ABS to fail after all these years. The repair bill can easily be more than the price of the bike. Dealers will not use used parts to repair it. The two hydraulic modulators are $1,795 EACH. The computer is $1,872. Troubleshooting is extra.

None of my K75Ss have ABS. Personally, the attraction of a $3,000 20ish year old bike is the ability to maintain and repair it myself inexpensively. ABS greatly adds to the complexity and expense. Your priorities may differ. Only you can decide what's best for you.

And I'll disagree with Lee.

One visit to the emergency room for an accident that could be avoided having ABS will make the repair costs seem trivial.

Used ABS modulators are very cheap since they very rarely fail. There is now a chap in Japan rebuilding the ABS-1 brains - reliably and cheaply.

I've added ABS to two K bikes that didn't come with it. I wouldn't own a bike without it - I'm not faster or better than a computer - and anyone who thinks they are is deluding themselves.

YMMV - but I doubt it.

I will happily testify that even the "clunky" ABS-I on the early K-Bikes (including my '93 K75S) are DEFINITELY WORTH THE TROUBLE. It has quite literally saved my life twice so far from idiots who turned left in front of me. Will the early ABS still dump you on the ground - yep. Will it slow you down enough to avoid a helicopter life-flight - more than likely.

The bleeding of all BMW ABS systems, specifically excepting iABS on the '02-04 bikes, is not that difficult - especially with the use of a simple vacuum bleeder. If you have one that's run off of an air compressor (i.e. bleeder - see Harbor Freight, about $30 if memory serves me correctly), its a snap. The 'trick is to learn your bike's bleed sequence - which bleeder to start at, how many times to repeat the process, etc.

YMMV, but I doubt it too...

i have a MY94 K75 standard without ABS. When I brought it in to Bob's for it's initial inspection I told the service rep that I was a bit upset that it didn't have ABS. He said that it's probably better that it doesn't. It's just something to go wrong and is very expensive to fix. Since I have never ridden on a motorcycle with ABS it turned out to be no biggie.

I couldn't help but put my 2 cents forth, as that clunky ABS-1 system saved me yesterday from an almost certain catastrpohic event.

My bike is a 93 K75RT and I had the fellow in Japan that Don mentions above fix the brain so the system would function. I regularly "test" the system, as I like to practice my emergency stops - not much of a choice living in NYC.

So to tell the truth I was not paying attention to traffic on Rt. 23 after a 12 hour, 400+ mile day, looking down at my GPS. When I glanced up, the BMW X5 in front of me (in the left passing lane) was completely stopped. I won't get into the rest of the details, but if not for that clunk, clunk, clunk noise that the ABS-1 system makes - I would not have been able to slow and steer myself away from flying through the rear window of that X5.

ANY ABS SYSTEM IS BETTER THAN NONE. Make the investment and fix it. I am here to tell the tale.