17" front wheel on Icon
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I haven't tried a 17" in place of an 18" but I did try a 17" onto a Desert Sled which uses a 19" and the diameter difference threw a problem with the ABS and speedo shut down.
The Cafe Racer uses a 17" so I presume they recalibrated the speedo.
Your probably correct as was the ring on the Diavel wheel I wanted to use but the rotating speeds are different and the ABS units shytes itself thinking one wheel is losing grip.
It shouldn’t. ABS measures wheel lock up not wheel spin. ABS units calibrate themselves every time the bike starts moving from being started. AFAIK the ABS on the Scrambler is independent on each wheel so it is only concerned about whether a particular wheel Is on the verge of lock up or not. Plenty of people have fitted odd sized wheels to bikes with ABS over the years without any issues what so ever.
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Ive seen on multiple bike with ABS you need to change the ABS rotor for a custom made one if you change front wheel sizes.
BMW R11x0/1200 GS
BMW G650X
And they are NOT self learning.
From the information I gathered going from 18” to 17” on an Icon doesn’t lead to problems, but 19” to either 21 or 17” on a DS surely does.
BMW R11x0/1200 GS
BMW G650X
And they are NOT self learning.
From the information I gathered going from 18” to 17” on an Icon doesn’t lead to problems, but 19” to either 21 or 17” on a DS surely does.
BMWs run a CAN bus system that might explain why changing wheels would cause issues.
The issue of changing front wheel sizes crops up quite regularly on Triumph forums and people always chime in and say the world will end but everybody who has actually done it has always reported not issues whatsoever. I've been involved in changing wheel sizes on Japanese ABS equipped bikes and there has never been an ABS related issue with them. Obviously if the speedo runs off the front wheel that needs to be recalibrated or have something like a speedo healer installed.
Unless there is a CAN bus the ABS is only concerned whether a wheel is rotating. If it senses that the wheel is about to lock up it activates. The size of the wheel diameter is immaterial to the ABS.
Having to change the ABS ring could also be a function of different sized brakes and different caliper and sensor mounts for different wheels.
The issue of changing front wheel sizes crops up quite regularly on Triumph forums and people always chime in and say the world will end but everybody who has actually done it has always reported not issues whatsoever. I've been involved in changing wheel sizes on Japanese ABS equipped bikes and there has never been an ABS related issue with them. Obviously if the speedo runs off the front wheel that needs to be recalibrated or have something like a speedo healer installed.
Unless there is a CAN bus the ABS is only concerned whether a wheel is rotating. If it senses that the wheel is about to lock up it activates. The size of the wheel diameter is immaterial to the ABS.
Having to change the ABS ring could also be a function of different sized brakes and different caliper and sensor mounts for different wheels.
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The BMW R1150GS does not have a Can bus, yet you do get ABS problems if gou change wheel sizes... the ABS expects the pulses from the front and rear to be within a certain ratio. Cross that ratio and the ABS panicks..:
Ive read about ABS troubles with the DS too once switching to 17”...
Ive read about ABS troubles with the DS too once switching to 17”...
I don't know where you're getting your information.
I've reported here a while ago about this when I actually took the time to try it myself. If the ABS system is using wheel speed differential to figure out if a wheel is locking up or not then how can the wheel diameter be 'immaterial' ?
If the ABS is only concerned if the wheel is rotating then how does it know if it's about to lock up ?
I did not try from 18" to 17" so it is possible it's OK as the differences are within parameters.
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We’ve done a few of the swaps from 18inch to 17inch at @coterie.west
Abs and speedometer work just fine with no codes, speedometer will be off by a smudge, I forget the final number for the difference but any wheel and tire calculator will give you the final number.
:encouragement:
Abs and speedometer work just fine with no codes, speedometer will be off by a smudge, I forget the final number for the difference but any wheel and tire calculator will give you the final number.
:encouragement:
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