1200 GS TE Exclusive suspension

Well the 2017 bike has something they are calling Dynamic ESA "Next Generation", which will be a pretty meaningless title once the next version is released! I can't find any technical white papers or similar describing how it works, just this video which does not go into much detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr9jRc4b-YU

So, I think we can probably assume that these bikes don't have adjustable spring rate, which is a shame as it seems like good technology. However, the combination of the front and rear sensors, fast acting damping adjustment, plus the auto levelling seems to do a very good job, and in my case I particularly appreciate how well it handles two-up riding as I have had problems coping with a pillion on previous bikes.
 
fred_jb said:
That is the same information I linked to earlier, but as engineer has said, it looks like it probably applies to the K1300 bikes. I've not been able find any similarly detailed information on the ESA system used on the latest GS.
Click to expand...
Read paragraph 3 line 3.
 
CPJS said:
Read paragraph 3 line 3.
Click to expand...

Yes - I scanned quickly down to the part about spring rates so missed the earlier reference to the GS. Unfortunately however, the top section and the bottom sections of the article you linked to appear to be cut and pastes from two separate BMW information sources, with the second one with the heading "A further description by BMW" being from the BMW web page I originally referenced. There is no BMW source that I have been able to find that contains a mention of the GS in the same article as a reference to adjustable spring rate.

Unfortunately I think this means we are no nearer a definitive answer on this as your reference seems to be an article at www.motocyclespecs.co.za which has been cobbled together from more than one BMW source.
 
fred_jb said:
Well the 2017 bike has something they are calling Dynamic ESA "Next Generation", which will be a pretty meaningless title once the next version is released! I can't find any technical white papers or similar describing how it works, just this video which does not go into much detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr9jRc4b-YU

So, I think we can probably assume that these bikes don't have adjustable spring rate, which is a shame as it seems like good technology. However, the combination of the front and rear sensors, fast acting damping adjustment, plus the auto levelling seems to do a very good job, and in my case I particularly appreciate how well it handles two-up riding as I have had problems coping with a pillion on previous bikes.
Click to expand...

It's frustrating not having a definitive answer - all I am sure of is that my 2015 TE GS suspension is great, two-up with Karen and full luggage, it handles very well indeed and is very stable through the corners - I hope the 2018 bike is as good whatever the suspension details. The 2017 TE loan bike just seemed a bit too soft whichever setting I chose and 'wallowed' on fast sweeping corners - I will need to do more testing before I commit to a new bike next April.
 
Apologies for how this may read as I am just putting things down as they come back to me. All this is done in Road mode (right hand button)
I took out the bike yesterday to play with the suspension. I have come to the conclusion that I am not heavy enough to activate the suspension in auto mode. I was trying the preload settings and found that there is no difference in ride height between MIN and AUTO solo and the auto preload was maxed out with me and the Doris on the back with an empty topbox.
The Doris and I weigh 23st combined.
I am guessing the the auto mode increases the damping in line with the amount preload required to self level the bike, so if the suspension requires no extra preload there is no extra damping added either, this starting point on my bike is comedy soft. Sitting solo on the bike with it running or not or stopped at the lights I can bounce the suspension up and down 2 or 3 inches (don't forget only 11.5 st) and if I change to DYNA as I am doing this the movement is reduced to about 1/2 an inch.
When I first rode this bike I tried the MIN preload setting and the bike rode like chopper all up at the front and skittery so haven't been back to it till yesterday. This time I felt no diference in height than AUTO, strangely though, the damping was much better than in AUTO the differece between ROAD and DYNA markedly reduced. Later in the ride I switched back to Auto and the damping 'carried over' from the MIN setting, much better than it has been for the last 3,000 mls.
And so the saga continues, we shall see what happens next time out.
 
I am not having issues at all on my Exclusive, (I cannot compare it to previous GS's) but as it feels to me on the road it is not an issue. I ride in Road and Auto (min), for the most part it is fine, and the roads I ride are generally pretty rough in places, it may be a little bouncy at times on certain types of bumps where they are certain distance apart, but nothing that bothers me, I put in Dyna, and it stiffens everything up, again it is acceptable not too hard even on the rougher stuff, the one thing I noticed the engine gear change at slow crawling revs and slow traffic not as smooth as in road. I am about 11 1/2 Stone too.
 
My 5penneth maybe its a sim a 18.5 stone rider but I have done 100's of thousands miles on BMW gas's and had 2 LC models all with ESA now i am riding my new Rallye sport 600 miles in week one I have to say its the best suspension I've ever had. The ride is effortless the damping is stiff and when your riding it hard the suspension on ROAD AUTO or Dynamic Auto is bloody fantastic IMHO. Best thing I've had on a bike in years, well quick shift too i guess..
 
Just back from a brief 1600 mile tour of France on a 2017 Exclusive... First LC GS I've had following a 2009 GSA with non ESA suspenders but I did had a brief flirtation with a Skyhook Multistrada between times..

All I can say is that despite my previous misgivings the suspension is brilliant. I was solo but fully loaded ( all three boxes full plus a heavy bag on rear seat) and just stuck the suspension in auto mode with dynamic ie firmer damping and it was perfect. Really couldn't fault it anywhere. When riding without luggage simply changed the damping to road mode and found the same. Well impressed.
 
I rode my Rallye Sport from St Malo to Copenhagen via Chablis, the vosges and the Black Forest (Yes it was a very long bloody way!) the 5 day ride was 2700 miles. I am 11st and had vario panniers loaded up but not expanded. I rode every thing from a gravel cycle path to 800 miles of Autobahn. I feel the suspension is brilliant. Auto road and dynamic depending on the road and loved it.

This particular trip was on my bucket list but I won't be doing it again. Northern Germany was too busy and too many road works. Bike was faultless - as it bloody should be. My mate came along on his Tracer 900 and at half the price did everything that was asked of it.

BUT MY SUSPENSION WAS MUCH NICER :thumb2
 
Rich C said:
Just back from a brief 1600 mile tour of France on a 2017 Exclusive... First LC GS I've had following a 2009 GSA with non ESA suspenders but I did had a brief flirtation with a Skyhook Multistrada between times..

All I can say is that despite my previous misgivings the suspension is brilliant. I was solo but fully loaded ( all three boxes full plus a heavy bag on rear seat) and just stuck the suspension in auto mode with dynamic ie firmer damping and it was perfect. Really couldn't fault it anywhere. When riding without luggage simply changed the damping to road mode and found the same. Well impressed.
Click to expand...
I've just started my little trip on my Exclusive to Austria but had a great days riding in the Ardennes and Luxembourg yesterday. Like you, fully loaded up but without the bag on the back seat. I have found that when loaded with bags or passenger, then ROAD just doesn't seem to cope - I get a pronounced front to rear motion as if the rear is significantly underdamped. In DYNAMIC and with my new Roadsmart 3 tyres it was fantastic on the twisties and very composed on the straighter stuff. Did you try it in ROAD damping when fully loaded, and if so did you get the same feeling?
 
I'm just back from a trip to Brittany which has clocked up about 1400 miles, and was very happy with the suspension. There and back it was me and two person's worth of luggage, and while in Brittany I also had my wife on board as she flew to Dinard airport to meet up with me (she does fly/ride if possible to avoid the long more boring bits of such trips). The bike was in AUTO preload and essentially felt no different with luggage, plus with and without a passenger, which to me is just so impressive after finding this an issue to some extent on previous bikes. The only stressful bits were the usual challenges with a heavily loaded bike of having to stop/start on uphill and sometimes off-camber junctions, and acute angled T-junctions, but managed not to drop it!

Nothing to do with the suspension, but I had a slightly worrying incident while riding alone with no luggage, when I nearly lost control as the bike suddenly accelerated coming off a mini island, but it was most likely pilot error, maybe due to having left the bike in DYNA mode from the previous day and also left the cruise control in the on position - described more fully and with some video footage in another thread.

This trip was a rehearsal for a much longer organised tour in August to Northwest Spain and Portugal, after which we will head over to near Barcelona to stay in a friend's apartment for a week, before I ride home and my wife flies back, so I'm pleased that it seems the suspension will be well capable of coping with this. Now just need to decide whether to replace the tyres before that trip as I'm near to 3000 miles now and that trip will probably add at least another 2500, which could leave me a bit marginal for the return journey. I want an excuse to get rid of the noisy Annekees anyway. :)
 
fred_jb said:
I'm just back from a trip to Brittany which has clocked up about 1400 miles, and was very happy with the suspension. There and back it was me and two person's worth of luggage, and while in Brittany I also had my wife on board as she flew to Dinard airport to meet up with me (she does fly/ride if possible to avoid the long more boring bits of such trips). The bike was in AUTO preload and essentially felt no different with luggage, plus with and without a passenger, which to me is just so impressive after finding this an issue to some extent on previous bikes. The only stressful bits were the usual challenges with a heavily loaded bike of having to stop/start on uphill and sometimes off-camber junctions, and acute angled T-junctions, but managed not to drop it!

Nothing to do with the suspension, but I had a slightly worrying incident while riding alone with no luggage, when I nearly lost control as the bike suddenly accelerated coming off a mini island, but it was most likely pilot error, maybe due to having left the bike in DYNA mode from the previous day and also left the cruise control in the on position - described more fully and with some video footage in another thread.

This trip was a rehearsal for a much longer organised tour in August to Northwest Spain and Portugal, after which we will head over to near Barcelona to stay in a friend's apartment for a week, before I ride home and my wife flies back, so I'm pleased that it seems the suspension will be well capable of coping with this. Now just need to decide whether to replace the tyres before that trip as I'm near to 3000 miles now and that trip will probably add at least another 2500, which could leave me a bit marginal for the return journey. I want an excuse to get rid of the noisy Annekees anyway. :)
Click to expand...

I can thoroughly recommend the Roadsmart 3 Fred.
 
XPilot said:
I've just started my little trip on my Exclusive to Austria but had a great days riding in the Ardennes and Luxembourg yesterday. Like you, fully loaded up but without the bag on the back seat. I have found that when loaded with bags or passenger, then ROAD just doesn't seem to cope - I get a pronounced front to rear motion as if the rear is significantly underdamped. In DYNAMIC and with my new Roadsmart 3 tyres it was fantastic on the twisties and very composed on the straighter stuff. Did you try it in ROAD damping when fully loaded, and if so did you get the same feeling?
Click to expand...

Did you have the bike in AUTO when set in Road mode?????? when it is not in auto that is when it has a huge difference I found, once in auto it is very good
 
MaDPRoFF said:
Did you have the bike in AUTO when set in Road mode?????? when it is not in auto that is when it has a huge difference I found, once in auto it is very good
Click to expand...
Preload set to AUTO, yes. I first noticed the fore/aft oscillation, for want of a better word, when my wife was on the back. Went into DYNAMIC and the problem went away. On this trip I am using my SHAD SH58X for clothes etc so it's quite heavy up top - bit like yours truly - and the ride in AUTO/DYNAMIC is far more controlled both in spirited cornering and on fast main roads or motorways.
 
I wonder if it would have made a difference if you set suspension to MAX, then put back to AUTO and tried that in ROAD?
 
I'll try that today although not sure why it would be any different. The Black Forest roads will certainly be a fair test.
 
XPilot said:
I've just started my little trip on my Exclusive to Austria but had a great days riding in the Ardennes and Luxembourg yesterday. Like you, fully loaded up but without the bag on the back seat. I have found that when loaded with bags or passenger, then ROAD just doesn't seem to cope - I get a pronounced front to rear motion as if the rear is significantly underdamped. In DYNAMIC and with my new Roadsmart 3 tyres it was fantastic on the twisties and very composed on the straighter stuff. Did you try it in ROAD damping when fully loaded, and if so did you get the same feeling?
Click to expand...

Yes tried road mode damping when fully loaded and it was underdamped for my tastes for twisty action. It was ok on the motorway for an ultra smooth ride though. Its so easy to switch between the two that I find the two options brilliant.
 
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