Ben, I enjoy your content, and admire your self confidence and downright guts to produce without the cover of anonymity. AWESOME.
Please never ride your bike without a front brake, ever again! Get a trailer. Consider it essential equipment for any motorcycle owner.
You could have had a safe front brake system operating on that ride. The ABS system does not have to be bled with that dealer system, at least to make it operational. Understood that you may wish to follow the manufactures recommendations when possible.
A braking system with ABS can be bled like a system without ABS and it will work perfectly fine. Under normal operation, the braking system pushes fluid through the ABS unit just like through any other portion of the brake system.
There is a small amount of fluid that is contained within the ABS unit that will mix with the primary system if those ABS unit valves are open under ABS operation. You can get the ABS unit to activate yourself, even in the front, by braking it hard on wet grass. Do this while standing alongside the bike and walking it fast on the slick surface while locking that front wheel. Don't do it with feet off the ground, riding. You will fall.
No need to go to a dealer for that. After the activation, bleed the system yourself again. All old fluid that may have excessive water absorption or trapped air will have entered the primary system.
That is why many motorcycle manufacturers with advanced ABS systems on their bikes do not require dealer activation of ABS for a bleed. (Aprilia, Ducati, etc...)
Riding a motorcycle without a front brake eliminates the primary ability to stop quickly. The front brake is the most important life saving device on any motorcycle.
IMHO.
nor do I advocate anyone doing it either. I knew there was a lot of inherent risk in doing so - suppose that's in my nature😬 Once my channel starts to take off, I should be able to invest in a trailer/truck! Thanks!
