How can you tell if a Silverwing has ABS?

I am working on purchasing my first scooter. The wife thinks it's the start of my mid life, but we'll see. Hoping to get her to ride her own someday after we get out on the road together with this one.

I live in MN and there aren't a lot of used Silverwings locally, so I am looking to buy one on eBay. There is one currently listed that is a 2006 and I am trying to find out if it has ABS. The current owner isn't sure how to tell and neither am I. Is there an ABS logo somewhere to look for on the 2006 and other model years in case I don't get this one? Or something I can have her check on the instrument panel?

And secondly, as a newbie buying my first used scooter. I think I know the basics of what to ask... as it's just about like buying a used car right. But anything specific I should be asking a seller when it comes to buying a scooter? The scooters I am searching to buy would have under 15k miles. Any advice would be appreciated.

And finally, I am really tight on space for parking. I don't want to store at an offsite location since that will totally take away from the quick jump on the scooter desire for a nice hour ride after a work day during the summer. I have about a 5'x10' concrete pad that I poured this last fall beside my garage. Biggest I could do. I have been looking online for storage and have found the Speed-Way and Bike Barn. I live in St. Paul so I am very worried about the winter weather with these things and wondering how secure they could be too. I always find it funny how they put a padlock on the thing, but with a simple jackknife you could just cut the canvas off and there sits the scooter. Any users out there of the Speed Way or Bike Barn that can give any advice. Or anyone that has other outside northern weather storage for someone who is very space limited. Thanks

odds are against this having ABS. The easiest way to tell is by the toothed ring inside the brake rotor (either wheel). If it is there, so is ABS. I think that ABS was not available until 2007.

Jon

Thanks for the response. This is where I get confused, as I've seen other bikes older than the 2006 which note that they "do" have ABS. One for example is a completed auction on eBay for a 2005 scooter http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/05-SILVERWING-ABS-ELDER-OWNER-26K-TOURING-MACHINE-600CC-SMOOTH-AUTO-IMMACULATE-/250945768515?pt=Scooters_Mopeds&hash=item3a6d888c43??

According to KBB.com the silver wing was offered with and without ABS beginning in 2003 model year.

Jesse

Can't speak for the FSC varient, (US) but here in the UK, the FSJ has an ABS logo on the front fender.

rlehs wrote:

I live in St. Paul so I am very worried about the winter weather with these things and wondering how secure they could be too. I always find it funny how they put a padlock on the thing, but with a simple jackknife you could just cut the canvas off and there sits the scooter. Any users out there of the Speed Way or Bike Barn that can give any advice. Or anyone that has other outside northern weather storage for someone who is very space limited. Thanks

One of the methods employed on padlocks over here in the Uk is to apply liquid nitrogen to the padlock and a firm 'tap' with a decent hammer and the lock shatters. Simple but effective.

Me! I just use the HISS. (Honda Ignition Securioty System.) Again, don't know if you guys over the pond have that fitted. Well they have't fitted the power outlet to the glove box and that is a real useful accesssory.

Hi "riehs",
For the ABS model, look not only for the toothed discs that "Jon" mentioned, but also look at the "data" plate above the front fender and on the left inside of the air intake area(looking from the front). The VIN and model should be there stating FSC600A for the ABS model. That's the way it is on my 2005 model.

Ask for the VIN number.

Enter the VIN number on http://www.motoverse.com/tools/vin/honda.asp ... it will confirm it is an ABS Silverwing.

without the VIN, the best way to verify ABS is visual inspection - look for the speed sensing ring on the front or rear wheel (check Cheapcycleparts.com for the "PULSER RING" which is part #7 on the front wheel exploded view of parts for a 2008 Silverwing FSC600A). I was looking at a used Silverwing that was advertised by a 'motorcycle shop' as having ABS, it didn't, it just had the linked brakes - the salesman tried to tell me that was what ABS was for Silverwings! needless to say i stay away from that shop.

i guess i'm not trusting enough to buy a used motorcycle sight unseen and have it shipped to me - people have their own definitions of 'dropped', 'wrecked', 'minor damage', etc.

go thru this forum and look at what issues others have had with their bikes - oil leaks, sputtering, wear, seat latch - after spending some time reading thru the threads you will have an idea of what kind of specific things to look for on a used bike that you would consider a deal breaker - some things bother some people and not others.

I did buy a Valkyrie Interstate via long distance in 2003, called the guy after doing my research of what to look for and talked with him about his bike (it was 800 miles from my house), when I was satisfied that i wouldnt be surprised about the condition (he was in Tennessee and stored it outside under a champion heavy duty bike cover) i went up to see and test drive it before finalizing the deal and payment.

Bought mine on E-bay knowing it had ABS from the pictures of the wheels. The seller was unaware that it had ABS and did not list it thus. I'm not sure if I had to have it, like I thought I did, as the combined braking and the over all excellent brakes, may have been all I needed.

I think ABS is one of those things you don't think you need until you need it, then you wonder how you got along previously without it!!!!!!!

I guess to 'put-the-proof-in-the-pudding', as some folks are wont to say sometimes... just take the bike out and ride it. Get up to about 60 mph and smash on the brake handles as hard and fast as you can. If there's no problem, then tell us about it right away... otherwise, after you've recovered, let us know about that too...

A lot of people don't know what it is or what it does. They put up the bike for sale and they brag about the ABS but they don't have a clue. Here is what you do.

Have them send you a close up picture of the front wheel / left side where the brake disk is. Other than the large brake disk which has it's own ROUND HOLES, there is an additional ring, smaller, that has a lot of little / next to each other / RECTANGLE holes in it. If you can't see this ring ... it is not an ABS.
There is also the same ring on the back tire but is harder to see. As many holes there are, that's how many times it pulsates your brakes. Your car has it to.



NOTE TO SELF: I will never buy a vehicle that goes faster than I can run without the ABS...unless I start drifting at every curb, jump or join the circus.

Anybody that says that can control the bike without it ... they never smashed their heads in to vehicle in front of them ... like I did.
If you have to say Oh Sh%^t and have to slam the brakes in the same time, BOTH your tires will lock and you will continue to go in to wherever direction your bike was pointing last. You can't to do anything about it. I have the scars to prove it.
Also you can not stop on wet or slippery pavement the same way you do with an ABS. I am not saying you can not stop without it, but in an emergency, when you have less space to stop for your speed, you will lock your tires without it.

We all know that ABS stands for Anti-lock Breaking System .... and it does just that. God bless those people who invent it.

lucian wrote:

God bless those people who invent it.

The first unit I heard of was fitted to aircraft. The 'Maxaret' system. Aided aircraft landings. The last thing you want at speed is a tyre to stop and the wheel continue moving!!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxaret

Wasn't the Maxaret developed by Dunlop. at least for cars. Probably first used in Formula 1 by something built by one of the English builders.

Jon

joncallihan wrote:

Wasn't the Maxaret developed by Dunlop. at least for cars. Probably first used in Formula 1 by something built by one of the English builders.

Jon

Yes, Dunlop. The sensor prior to electronics was a simple ball bearing in a 'U' shaped race. The ball bearing dictated the amount of pressure applied. Very simple - but it worked. My experience of it was limited to Mil fixed wing!!

First, thank you to everyone for their great information, I love this site. And I especially want to thank lucian for the absolutely great photo and information, your photo has made all the difference. I have actually been bidding on two scooters on eBay that both state they had ABS brakes and both ended today. After sending the sellers this information to validate that they truly had ABS, both sellers modified their listings to show that the scooters "were not" ABS equipped. Thanks again to everyone for helping me avoid purchasing a scooter that isn't equipped with the ABS that we are looking for. So our quest continues for a used first Silverwing with ABS.

Good hunting 'riehs', patience is the best tool when on a quest such as yours.

lucian wrote:

A lot of people don't know what it is or what it does. They put up the bike for sale and they brag about the ABS but they don't have a clue. Here is what you do.

Have them send you a close up picture of the front wheel / left side where the brake disk is. Other than the large brake disk which has it's own ROUND HOLES,  there is an additional  ring, smaller,  that has a lot of little / next to each other / RECTANGLE holes in it. If you can't see this ring ... it is not an ABS.
There is also the same ring on the back tire but is harder to see. As many holes there are, that's how many times it pulsates your brakes. Your car has it to.



NOTE TO SELF: I will never buy a vehicle that goes faster than I can run without the ABS...unless I start drifting at every curb, jump or join the circus.

Anybody that says that can control the bike without it ... they never smashed their heads in to vehicle in front of them ... like I did.
If you have to say Oh Sh%^t and have to slam the brakes in the same time, BOTH your tires will lock and you will continue to go in to wherever direction your bike was pointing last. You can't to do anything about it. I have the scars to prove it.
Also you can not stop on wet or slippery pavement the same way you do with an ABS. I am not saying you can not stop without it, but in an emergency, when you have less space to stop for your speed, you will lock your tires without it.

We all know that ABS stands for Anti-lock Breaking System .... and it does just that. God bless those people who invent it.

Hello lucian,

I'd have loved to see that pic that you posted, but the link doesn't work anymore. Do you by chance have the actual pick to post here/

Thank you,

Ron V.

The smaller ring mounted in the middle of brake rotor is the ABS pulse ring and the sensor is located back of the left front fork.

There have been many replies giving you ways to check on if the bike has ABS or not but for the best fun way ... go with DickO's method.  The more important thing to check when buying an older bike is the state of the tires.  Check for fine cracks in the sidewalls and of course get a look at the date code of the tires.  Anything older than 5 years should be changed to new rubber ...no matter how much tread the is remaining.   The tires on mine when I bought it were 10 years old !  I have learned a lot from this site !!!

5 X 10 is big enough to build a small shed for storage.

My Silverwing is a 2005 and has ABS.  There is at least one pedestrian who walked out in front of me who is grateful for that fact.

Enjoy your new Silverwing ... whenever you buy one.
Mike