Update MM EFI to delphi and get ABS
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 24
Likes: 9
Update MM EFI to delphi and get ABS
Hi there!
Unfortunately I had a crash with the bike last week. Its a 1996 FLHTCUI that I just bought 2 months ago. The accident was real bad but the good thing is that Im here writing this post and seems that all will heal with time - at the end of the day thats what matters.
I dont know if I will have the courage to ride again. But if I do, I decided that I need ABS. This time was close, and I feel that ABS would have significantly mitigated the accident.
I did some research, but it seems impossible to adapt any aftermarket ABS kit to the bike. I got the bike at a good price, and spent a lot of time working on it, and sell it to buy a new one with ABS would be the last option. The bike has only 25000 km.
As I will have time (the recover process seems that it will last months), I came across to the idea of change the entire MM system to a post 2008 delphi EFI system
and somehow add the ABS. I didnt read this anywhere, its an idea that I had, so I dont know if its even possible.
I like challenges and I love to spend time working on the bike and learning things, so that wont be a problem. I know also that if its possible it wont be cheap, but Im decided to do it (obviously with a reasonable price limits).
Do you think its possible? Has anyone tried or thought it?
Thanks!
Unfortunately I had a crash with the bike last week. Its a 1996 FLHTCUI that I just bought 2 months ago. The accident was real bad but the good thing is that Im here writing this post and seems that all will heal with time - at the end of the day thats what matters.
I dont know if I will have the courage to ride again. But if I do, I decided that I need ABS. This time was close, and I feel that ABS would have significantly mitigated the accident.
I did some research, but it seems impossible to adapt any aftermarket ABS kit to the bike. I got the bike at a good price, and spent a lot of time working on it, and sell it to buy a new one with ABS would be the last option. The bike has only 25000 km.
As I will have time (the recover process seems that it will last months), I came across to the idea of change the entire MM system to a post 2008 delphi EFI system
and somehow add the ABS. I didnt read this anywhere, its an idea that I had, so I dont know if its even possible.
I like challenges and I love to spend time working on the bike and learning things, so that wont be a problem. I know also that if its possible it wont be cheap, but Im decided to do it (obviously with a reasonable price limits).
Do you think its possible? Has anyone tried or thought it?
Thanks!
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 1,614
From: Eastern Ohio
Firstly, glad you are ok and looking to get back on the horse.
Second, trade the bike for a newer model. Mainly because of the ABS. I don't think there's enough room in the older chassis to fit an ABS unit. Plus all the electrical work that would be required.
Second, trade the bike for a newer model. Mainly because of the ABS. I don't think there's enough room in the older chassis to fit an ABS unit. Plus all the electrical work that would be required.
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 24
Likes: 9
Thank you for your words! Yes, it will all heal with time, Im confident about that.
About the bike, I know itd be easier and probably cheaper to just sell it and buy a new one equipped with ABS. But man, I love this bike, and I will need something to keep me entertained while I cant get back to work. I did some more research and found this on another forum, credits to the user twolanerider
I will try to contact him and see if its possible to do on a EVO engine, maybe its just for twin cam. Ill keep updating.
What are your thoughts about this?
About the bike, I know itd be easier and probably cheaper to just sell it and buy a new one equipped with ABS. But man, I love this bike, and I will need something to keep me entertained while I cant get back to work. I did some more research and found this on another forum, credits to the user twolanerider
2008 and you've got some options. But it's not entirely plug and play. Close, but not quite. You can use 2008 ABS for the donor conversion parts and make an old Marelli bike (or a pre-08 Delphi bike) an ABS bike. It's more work and more parts but it's a do-able proposition. Have done two of these (and wish I'd done my own like that years ago when I converted it).
What are your thoughts about this?
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 367
Likes: 264
From: Massachusetts
Definitely not worth doing. Buy a newer bike with abs. If youre bound and determined to keep that bike. Id recommend upgrading the calipers to the twin cam two piston ones and get rid of the old garbage single piston calipers that came on that era of bikes and swap the MM efi to a carb.
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 24
Likes: 9
I think that it has to be a delphi EFI post 2008. Still investigating, but as the ABS was introduced in 2008 I suposse that the EFI changed to receive the parameters of the ABS sensors and etc. At least that is what I understand.
Yep, I know that maybe is not the best option on the paper, but I'd like to make the numbers first and see of how much we're talking about in time and money, that's why I'm trying to figure out if it's possible. And thank you for the calipers recommendation, to be honest I didn't know that but I will take a look for sure! Smile
Definitely not worth doing. Buy a newer bike with abs. If youre bound and determined to keep that bike. Id recommend upgrading the calipers to the twin cam two piston ones and get rid of the old garbage single piston calipers that came on that era of bikes and swap the MM efi to a carb.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 4,476
Likes: 3,860
From: Florida
Really glad youre ok.
Curious, why do you feel ABS would have helped?
Were your brakes stock? In good working condition?
An option watch YouTube training videos on stopping a Harley. Have no clue your skill level.. just offering you could probably benefit learning all you can in way of technique. For example smashing the rear break youll slide, if you slide you start to lose control of direction. Front break in harmony with back is the ticket.
Also could you upgrade your brakes? Buy the bracket to put late model dual four piston calipers in place of your single calipers. Upgrade the lines to hard lines or at least braided stainless with less flex.
Upgrade your rotors to floating rotors.
Flush your break fluids and use good quality dot 5 fluid.
Check your fork oil and spring tension, does it brake dive?
Practice stopping not kidding here. Go to a large parking lot daily for a few months. Go at say 30 mph and see how fast you can stop. Try different techniques.
then go 40 mph and do it again. Then 50 mph.. ride over the lines and count how many? As you improve get it to less and less.
Youll discover with some practice youll cut your stopping time in half. The upgrades I mentioned will go a long way.
If you think on your accident, if you could have stoped 10-12 feet sooner could it have been avoided altogether?
Curious, why do you feel ABS would have helped?
Were your brakes stock? In good working condition?
An option watch YouTube training videos on stopping a Harley. Have no clue your skill level.. just offering you could probably benefit learning all you can in way of technique. For example smashing the rear break youll slide, if you slide you start to lose control of direction. Front break in harmony with back is the ticket.
Also could you upgrade your brakes? Buy the bracket to put late model dual four piston calipers in place of your single calipers. Upgrade the lines to hard lines or at least braided stainless with less flex.
Upgrade your rotors to floating rotors.
Flush your break fluids and use good quality dot 5 fluid.
Check your fork oil and spring tension, does it brake dive?
Practice stopping not kidding here. Go to a large parking lot daily for a few months. Go at say 30 mph and see how fast you can stop. Try different techniques.
then go 40 mph and do it again. Then 50 mph.. ride over the lines and count how many? As you improve get it to less and less.
Youll discover with some practice youll cut your stopping time in half. The upgrades I mentioned will go a long way.
If you think on your accident, if you could have stoped 10-12 feet sooner could it have been avoided altogether?
Last edited by Rains2much; Sep 30, 2025 at 03:23 PM.
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Joe Kucinski
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,089
Likes: 19,250
From: The Wasteland
And if you love the bike you have, upgrade the brakes to later year Twin Cam style. Yes, you probably can add ABS with enough time, money, and labor, but at what point does it become too much?