I bled my ABS 2009 Ultra Classic, and got air in the system. I then took it to the dealer and they fixed it. I stayed in the Holiday Inn Express until they finished.

Thanks

 

I had a similar experience recently when I had the rear brake light switch replaced. I talked with the service manager and he insisted they has to use the Digital Technician. After the switch was installed the service tech told me I could have installed the brake light switch myself.

The only consdieration was that if the brakes failed I had rather it be on them. It would only have to happen once.

 

I have done two bar jobs in recent months on my bikes with ABS, and have first hand experience with both success and failure. On my first attempt, I bought a LA Chopper cable kit and apes, and to my dismay introduced air into the system as I tried bleeding them with out a vacuum style bleeder. The brakes still worked fine, but the ABS light would not go out and they were spongy at times. I took it in to the dealer, and they rebled and reset the system and all was 100% in less than 30 minutes. It is a fallacy that the brakes will not work, it is only that ABS will not work. After sending that bike over seas to a relative, I got a 2012 FLTR and immediately installed new bars and cables. This time however, I purchased a Vacuum bleeder and succeeded in bleeding my lines and completing without the assistance of a dealership. It annoys me how Dealers posture things to the consumer to create a feeling of fear and helplessness. They instill doubt and leave us questioning our ability to alter our own motorcycles. I applaud folks like Handlebarlouie who are willing to sift through the nonsense and give us back our confidence. Pessimism is a plague for the weak. Ride safe.

 

well said, +1!!

 

Hey Louie thanks for the info. Going to tackle a handlebar swap myself. I'm no wrench but I like working on my own stuff. I have ABS and if I can get them bled then so be it, if not I will take it to the dealer. It's B.S. to get bashed for giving your personal experience on an install. I've never done a bar swap, or bled the brakes. I'm smart enough to realize that if my brakes feel spongy, or my ABS light stays on after the install then I probably didn't do right and I should take it to a dealer. I'm sure as hell not going to ride it around like an idiot thinking that everything is fine because YOU didn't have problems on YOUR installs.

 

I just FEDEX my ABS module to my dealer, they hook it up to the DT and send it back.

 

Wow.
I have been reading this forum for quite a while and I have got a lot of useful info and I have never seen such bitter responses as this and 05 night train.
If you don't agree thats fine but save the nasty responses for the other 14 year olds on the bmx sites.
I will decide what I think is right and wrong without the childish comebacks thanks.

 

I used a syringe to force fluid up through the upper line, then vacuum bled the brakes after swapping my upper ABS line for apes. I then took the bike out and attempted to get the ABS to activate, when it finally did it definitely released air trapped in the solenoid block. the level dropped some, and I rebled again. Now it doesn't feel any different than when I first bought the bike.

The best way to do it was to take it to the dealer and hook it up to the tool. I don't think anyone is going to argue that.

 

The dealers aren't the ones making you feel "fear and helplessness" in this case, it's the manufacturer and the service manual. But your rhetoric does make you sound really important and knowledgeable.

 

Hey Louie! I just installed my 2nd set of apes today on my 05eg. Think i should take it down to the local stealer to have it inspected? I rode it about 60 miles this afternoon and nothing fell off so does that mean i should be ok?