Kentblade, I had the same emailed letter sent to me as well, this was my responce to him; Mr Ryder, Can you tell me how many effected c-abs equipped Honda CBR1000RR that Vosa has personally tested and also how many Honda have tested regarding the reported issues with the c-abs braking system? Can owners that are experiencing these faults, submit video evidence to support their clams regarding the failure of the c-abs braking system? I await your response regarding the above points.
I go back to my previous post in other thread with regards to Vosa and Honda doing an investigation into this issue, Did anyone EVER REALLY expect any other outcome than the everything's brilliant and the Honda ABS system works superbly all the time everytime! Tbh I think it's all BS they tested a very small number of bikes using people that don't even know exactly what they are looking for and have been given a job card saying "a person says this brake lever goes back to the bar while riding! Go test brakes" Why did the owner of the bikes who are able to repeatedly replicate the error not asked to accompany the bike to show the engineers what the bike was doing! I'm pretty sure there was also a mention that this fault was shown to a dealership on their premises until then like Honda took this sense of denial towards the riders complaints! Was this dealership bypassed in Hondas attempt to find dealers who have had abs issues?
Barry, I had mailed him before seeing the e mail with the statement in it. I asked how old the Blade was that he tested, how many miles it had done, and how long/mileage he tested it over, also giving the circumstances around the latest failure I had yesterday, it just appears to me that the system goes into sleep mode and does not recognise the movement of the brake lever, as I get zero braking retardation, until I release and reapply the lever. I also noted that the frequency of the issue is variable, the last time it happened was last month, and I have travelled over one thousand miles since, hence the request to know how long and far they have tested a bike for. I have had this happen 3 or 4 times this year covering a period of 10k miles.
I would just like to add that I am following this with great interest & I applaud those people whom are trying very hard to bring this matter out into the open. I have repeatedly had the same "fault" & also understand the circumstances in which it can occur. I'm frankly staggered at the responses from VOSA, but in the end, I think something positive will come from your efforts & they will be held to account. Maybe this issue needs a higher profile supporter on board. Good Job fellas!
Shame they didn't get in touch with me as I have dealt with one of these issues to a successful resolution for the customer.
May have missed something, if so please forgive, but has anyone of us with these ABS problems ever contacted MCN or any of the other bike mags? Seems like the only thing that would galvanise Honda to do anything is a press investigation. That kind of mass publicity really concentrates the mind. All we' really need to to do is start e-mailing all these and other threads to the Editorial staff of MCN and let them launch an investigations. Sounds like a cracking story for a bike mag to break.
Whilst I agree with you Mr G, there is not a biking publication in this country prepared to upset Honda, they will not bite the hand that feeds them
I wonder if a statement from the dealers on headed paper would help? Was just thinking if i can get a statement of what was done to my bike to fix the issue (Ludicrously expensive front power unit replacement done via goodwill) to keep with my records of the bike. If that was to be sent to vosa i wonder what their response would be?
Did he get back to you with any answers to your questions? When I had the issues, I could get it to happen regularly and it wasn't that hard to do. That was the worring bit about it.
I still await for VOSA to respond to my question, why was the dealer able to identify the fault, but HONDA UK and VOSA where both unable...as yet no response...clearly its a stictch up
Mcn While you are possibly quite right, I think it shame that no one has bothered. If the head moderator on this site collected all the quotes on ABS failures and forwarded them to the mags with an accompanying letter we could wait a while. If after a week or so nothing's been heard, follow it up with questions about who these mags are serving - the readership or big big business? While we know the answer it would be a shame not to challenge them, after all they're supposed to be on the side of the consumer - what's the point of them otherwise. It's a straight up and down news story and they should not be allowed to ignore if. If enough of us write in and inundate them with e-mails they've got to listen. It doesn't sound like anything else is ever going to work until someone dies and it can be proved the brakes failed.
Got a letter from the Honda, stating its the characteristics of the brakes, so brakes now have characteristics, that's their best explanation for going to the bar. Although I think we should try and go to a mag I have lost the will to live on the subject. I can't be bothered going down a road which will undoubtedly fall on deaf ears. I can't ever recall reading a magazine giving a bike manufacture bad press, so good luck with that one. I would remind ANYONE considering a new Fireblade with the electronic C-ABS to be careful and think before you buy, as be assured this may only effect a few people, on this forum, but it's worldwide, although as I say limited. Hopefully something comes from a safety organisation who have some balls, in another world, rather than one who sits a the side of the road checking peoples emission levels! The lesson learned for me is I WILL NEVER BUY A HONDA CAR OR BIKE no matter how good it looks or performs. I will continue to remind others of my experience and hopefully they don't buy either. I know I won't have an impact personally on their sales figures, but maybe others will see this an have a rethink. As soon as the heap of shit brakes even, its going.
I would say that selling the bloody thing maybe the only way out of this, you have reached the end with Honda and its time to move on. This C-ABS issue reminds me a lot of the oil burning problem, this also was strongly rebuffed by Honda. The issue i have with Honda now is .... if i ever did have a problem with one of their newer bikes, i simply could not be sure i could trust them to help me, that is enough for me not to shop with them. End of. I now know why my mint cond 954 has still held its value so much, its pure and simple with no ' guff ' fitted that is not needed.
Thats the opinion of my mates none of them will buy a Honda based on my experience, they can't believe the way I have been treated full stop, from dealers straight through to Honda Customer service. I have been without my bike since August and not even a box of chocolates
I wrote a complaint about a dealer and his sales person to Honda HQ. Never got an answer from Honda. Also I had a water leak on my Bike. The Honda dealer couldn't find the problem. I took some videos while the bike was leaking. Still, the dealer didn't find anything. I was more than disappointed with the Honda Customer Service which I would call "who cares". So, I went to Mototune Chesham and Nigel fixed my problem right away. mototuner.co.uk Home
I have emailed honda uk over a few issues, the what looks like a pre worded reply comes back saying go ask your local honda dealer, nice and helpful lol
Honda have taken a stance of divide and conquer over this whole issue. If any owners dares to contact them, they are immediately advised that the issue is not known and go to your dealer. How they think they can pull the wool over owners eyes with all the information that is in the public domain is breathtakingly arrogant and shows total contempt for their customers and their customers personal safety in this particular issue. They have advised VOSA that they have polled a number of dealers and that no dealer has seen this issue on a test ride, even though owners have demonstrated the issue. How strange they they appear not to have approached the dealers who have seen the issue and then have had Honda authorise component changes and it would seem due to the owners feedback on here, that the problem has not reoccurred and as such appears to be a fix. We even have a Honda tech on this forum, who has changed a front modulator, solved the issue, but Honda did not speak to his dealership, even though there is a log of this claim and work being completed. I to am awaiting a response from VOSA after advising them that my front brake failed to respond when the lever was operated from 50mph last week (not the first time its happened), and that the occurrence of this is intermittent, its been approx 1K miles since the last failure, and on reapplication of the lever the brake works correctly. This is great when you have the opportunity to come off the lever and back in again, in the case of a braking emergency, you might not get that second chance. You may potentially crash, you may potentially get injured or worse, or you may potentially injure a 3rd party.
