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.As the title says, has anyone successfully put a 17" front wheel onto an Icon replacing the standard 18" wheel?
Many thanks.
I think the abs/speedo ring is the same on both the cafe racer and the 18" wheels.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.I think the abs/speedo ring is the same on both the cafe racer and the 18" wheels.
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.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.
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”...
I don't know where you're getting your information.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.