2008 Kawasaki ZG1400A8F

WHEN RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE I BRAKED HARD TO TEST OUT THE ABS SYSTEM. THE ABS SYSTEM TRIGGERED AS IT SHOULD MODULATING THE BRAKING. WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKES, THE REAR BRAKE DID NOT RELEASE AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SLOW COMING TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE REAR BRAKE WOULD NOT RELEASE AND I COULD NOT GO. EVENTUALLY I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND TURNED IT BACK ON WHICH SOLVED THE ISSUE LEADING ME TO BELIEVE IT IS A FAULTY ABS SYSTEM. I WAS IN A LOCATION IN ORDER TO SPECIFICALLY TEST OUT THE MOTORCYCLE WHICH IS NEW TO ME. HAD I BEEN IN AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION ON THE HIGHWAY IN WHICH I NEEDED TO ONLY TEMPORARILLY SLOW AND THEN GO, I WOULD HAVE BEEN FORCIBLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD TO POWER CYCLE THE MOTORCYCLE OFF/ON TO RESET THE ABS. ALL RECALLS TO DATE HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON THIS MOTORCYCLE BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE ISSUE IS REPLICATEABLE AND SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THE ISSUE AS NOTED ON OWNERS FORUMS ONLINE.

EXITING EXIT 115 NORTHBOUND ON I-75 AND WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES I FOUND I HAD NO REAR BRAKES WHATSOEVER. LIKEWISE, AS I CONTINUED ON TO A SAFE SPOT TO PARK THE BIKE THE BACK WHEEL WOULD OCCASIONALLY FEEL AS IF IT WAS TRYING TO LOCK UP. IT WAS AS IF THE ABS WAS MALFUNCTIONING WHEN I WAS MAKING LOW SPEED TURNS. NO ABS WARNING LIGHTS OR FAULT CODES APPEARED ON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL TO PROVIDE ANY WARNING THAT I HAD AN ISSUE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME HOWEVER THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ABS MODULE HAD FAILED. RESEARCHING THE ISSUE IT APPEARS THAT MANY OTHER KAWASAKI CONCURS OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. WHILE KAWI APPEARS TO PLACE THE BLAME ON BRAKE FLUID THAT ISN'T CHANGED AT 2 YEAR INTERVALS MINE WAS FLUSHED AT 15-18 MONTH INTERVALS SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2010. FURTHERMORE, THE DEFAULT MODE FOR ABS FAILURE SHOULD BE LOSS OF ABS, NOT LOSS OF THE ENTIRE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. THE PART NUMBER THAT MALFUNCTIONED IS 16082-0023. *DT UPDATED 10/5/18*JB

ANTILOCK BRAKE UNIT FAILURE, RESULTING IN TOTAL REAR BRAKE LOSS. THE ABS UNIT IS COMPOSED OF 2 SEPARATE HALF'S. ONE HALF CONTROLS THE FRONT BRAKES, AND ONE FOR THE SINGLE REAR CALIPER. THE MAGNETIC SOLENOID IN THE DISTRIBUTION BLOCK OF THE UNIT, STUCK IN IT'S BORE. THIS RESULTS IN A TOTAL FLUID BLOCKAGE, WITH ZERO LINE PRESSURE ON THE OUTPUT SIDE OF THE UNIT. I WAS ABLE TO DISASSEMBLE THE UNIT, (CONSIDERED A NON SERVICEABLE PART) AND REPAIR THE ISSUE. THE FRIGHTENING THING IS, ON A BIKE, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FRT SUFFERS THE SAME FAILURE? THIS FAILURE HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING, OR SWITCH OFF, AND IT'S NOT SPEED RELATED. THE SOLENOID VALVES ARE VISIBLE IN THE ENCLOSED PICTURE, AND ARE THE PROBLEM COMPONETS.

THE CURRENT BRAKE PADS HAD 9000 MILES ON THEM, VERY BROKEN IT WITH PLENTY OF FREE PLAY. WHEEL SPINS FINE WHEN BRAKES NOT APPLIED. REAR BRAKE DRAGGING ALMOST TO LOCK UP. BURNED THE ROTOR AND MELTED THE BRAKE PADS. THIS HAPPENED VERY SUDDENLY AFTER ONE DAYS RIDE. WHEN NOTICED THE REAR WHEEL STILL WAS FAIRLY FREE SPINNING. SOMETHING IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM CAUSED THIS. *TR