How dependable are your modern electronics?

[larry kahn]

Personally more comfortable with less stuff, and lucky to be happy with current machines because the idea of buying most newer road bikes with all the electrickery does not appeal to me very much. Too complicated and too much stuff to go wrong. So other than me being a luddite and paranoid what do those of you with such machines have to say about dependability?

(This coming from a 1975 Norton rider...)

 

[ST Guy]

When I read the thread title, I thought you were talking about computers, phones, various software and things.

The only bike I ever had that had any electronics besides ignition systems and stuff I added was the ABS and traction control systems on my Honda ST1100. They worked flawlessly and saved my ass a couple times.

 

[Z3n]

I've owned most variations of bikes with modern stuff since the 1290 Superduke first came out and zero problems. Did have an issue with my S1000XR, but it was wire chafing leading to a harness short after about 50k miles, nothing wrong with the electronics. I've had more issues with carbs and fuel injection on old pre-TC bikes than any of my modern electronics. The KTM 890 electronic setups are incredible, one ECU, an extremely straightforward wiring harness, and everything via CANBUS, so wiring is very simple. As well as reporting when things fail, so you don't have to guess / troubleshoot, it'll just tell you. Plenty of companies that can fuck something up (I think the older multistrada 1200 has like 7 ECUs?) but that's just mechanical systems.

 

[budman]

I had a glitch on the older Duc. Kill switch thing got annoyed in a huge downpour. It became just a killer. Once dried out I got home. Replaced the part and all good.

Other than that nada.

 

[GAJ]

Both of the F800 STs I bought, (hated the one with ABS), had a "bike didn't recognize key fob so won't start" problem.

The ABS on the first one would take away your front brake if the rear wheel got even a half inch off the pavement while braking so I got rid of it.

 

[greenmonster]

I’ve never had an issue with any electrical stuff on my bikes. We’re talking BMW and Suzuki.
But…I never ride in the rain and I clean using towels and spray detailer.
If I use a hose it’s only on the lower part of the bike.

 

[OldGuy]

I was a Yamaha XS650 guy for years. About eight years ago, bought a '17 Triumph Street Twin. Electronic everything, including ride-by-wire. Absolutely trouble-free, and was superior to the old-school 650s in every respect, except maybe styling.

 

[ichabodnt650]

If you ride near cell coverage and near BMW/Ducati/KTM dealers then go all in on the electronic doodads.

If you venture off hundred miles away from civilization, something as simple as a dead battery in your transponder key fob will leave you stranded with a 500 lb brick.

Modern bikes have multiple points of failure. Long are the days of diagnosing with three basic questions: is the motor getting air? fuel? spark?

Now, we also have to consider: dead battery? Sidestand switch malfunction? Bad crank position sensor? Chafed wiring open circuit or short circuit? Neutral indicator failing? Loose connector somewhere in the wiring harness? Security lock out not recognizing key transponder? Bad fuel pump? Bad fuel injector?

I can diagnose none of these by the side of the road. I'd be looking at a long walk and an expensive tow.

 

[ucmgrad]

15 FZ-07 here, I feel the LCD screens must be made of the softest plastic known to man. I just look at it wrong and it ends up with tons of swirl rocks, I'm having to constantly swap out screen protectors to keep it safe. Also the High Beam Switch has always been finnicky, if I push it too hard the high beam doesn't kick on.

When I had the 02 zx-6r with actual gauges I feel the plastic used on the lens is wayyyyy more durable. I could wipe it down with a rock and it'll still clean up nicely.

 

[larry kahn]

When I read the thread title, I thought you were talking about computers, phones, various software and things.

The only bike I ever had that had any electronics besides ignition systems and stuff I added was the ABS and traction control systems on my Honda ST1100. They worked flawlessly and saved my ass a couple times.

My 2018 Ducati 1100 Scrambler has ABS and TC and yes I appreciate them. Also the gear indicator, clock and fuel gauges are nice conveniences. And it's still the air-cooled engine. So I'm good at this level. I was interested in the Triumph 1200 Scrambler when first introduced but first time I saw one getting started and the dash lit up like a video game I was out. Happiest with my Norton set-up...

 

[ScottRNelson]

My 2020 KTM 790 Adv R has multiple levels of magic traction control and ABS and I like it a lot. I've owned it since new (Dec 2019) and have never had an electronic issue other than forgetting to put it into dirt mode before getting into loose stuff. It has an ABS setting for off road, but I never bother changing the braking because it does everything I want it to do in the normal mode. The 2008 990 Adv ABS that I owned was terrible in downhill gravel if you forgot to turn ABS off - it didn't want to stop. The 790 does the right thing all the time.

I've had more issues getting stuck out in the middle of nowhere with my no-electronics 2001 XR650L having electrical issues than with the KTM. However, a friend that I ride with has a recent BMW F850 GS and he's been stuck two or three times due to electronics issues.

So basically, I haven't had any electronics issues, but that doesn't mean that you won't.

 

[Erbuck]

The OP stated a preference for simpler controls and fewer bells and whistles, but then the question became about the reliability of the electronics being built today. Moto manufacturers are cutting corners with the quality and reliability of the electronics they are installing. I wish there was more accountability from manufacturers.

It will be interesting to see 20 or 30 years from now where motorcycles on the road will be either electric or old internal combustion models with electronics that didn't break.

 

[Erbuck]

And I'd like to add that I marvel at the simplicity of the points ignition of my 50yr old Honda. Freakin' simple yet does the job.
I wonder if it is a theft magnet for a kid with a piece of wire with two alligator clips at each end and AI assistance on his phone.

 

[Pushrod]

There's something to be said for anvils and a steel maul.

My 73' airhead Bimmer R/75 had fewer moving parts than an anvil and, reading the owner's manual, it seemed that BMW assumed that the owner would want to be able to do a repair out in the middle of BFE.

And the included tool kit meant you should try. The camping tools I carried had the hammer.

 

[larry kahn]

There's something to be said for anvils and a steel maul.

My 73' airhead Bimmer R/75 had fewer moving parts than an anvil and, reading the owner's manual, it seemed that BMW assumed that the owner would want to be able to do a repair out in the middle of BFE.

And the included tool kit meant you should try. The camping tools I carried had the hammer.

If you forgot your hammer there was usually a Bronson rock around.

 

[bmwbob51]

If you ride near cell coverage and near BMW/Ducati/KTM dealers then go all in on the electronic doodads.

If you venture off hundred miles away from civilization, something as simple as a dead battery in your transponder key fob will leave you stranded with a 500 lb brick.

Modern bikes have multiple points of failure. Long are the days of diagnosing with three basic questions: is the motor getting air? fuel? spark?

Now, we also have to consider: dead battery? Sidestand switch malfunction? Bad crank position sensor? Chafed wiring open circuit or short circuit? Neutral indicator failing? Loose connector somewhere in the wiring harness? Security lock out not recognizing key transponder? Bad fuel pump? Bad fuel injector?

I can diagnose none of these by the side of the road. I'd be looking at a long walk and an expensive tow.

Ichyboots 1987 Yamaha XT 600 for instance

 

[greenmonster]

I follow Itchyboots and am amazed she chose such an old moto. I would have picked something brand new.

But she has had some breakdowns along the way and was able to correct the problems herself because of the old simple tech she’s riding on.

 

[larry kahn]

I follow Itchyboots and am amazed she chose such an old moto. I would have picked something brand new.

But she has had some breakdowns along the way and was able to correct the problems herself because of the old simple tech she’s riding on.

Catch the episode where she gets the Yamaha from some guy in Germany who seems to do nothing but deep dives into the Yamaha singles and carefully built her bike from the axles and crank out with the most desireable parts from various years and versions.

 

[Z3n]

The biggest liability in my eyes is the keyless ignition stuff. Absolutely pointless against the risk and failure points.

For anything else? I'd take a new-ish modern bike over something old that I could fix, because my experience across ~250k miles of modern bikes is that the failure modes I see on modern bikes are just as survivable in the field as the older bikes failures, but a lot more rare. My S1000XR had a failure after ~50k miles down at a wiring attachment point in the frame, that's not a problem with modern electronics, it's just getting unlucky with how the factory did up the wire retention on the harness, and until the problem got bad enough to diagnose (it'd occasionally try to start itself), I kept riding it without an issue. Every other modern bike? Totally fine on the electronics department, all the failures were mechanical (bent rims, etc).