1200GSA LC ESA harsh suspension
- Thread starter Paul G (BHT)
- Start date
Worn tires certainly affect handling in a negative way but I don't see how they can cause the ride to become harsh? If anything I would think a worn tire with less (thinner) rubber could ride better rather than worse.
My bike isn't as comfortable over the bumps now that my Anakee 3 is at 7000 miles, so the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced it could be tyre related.
There's the problem. You're getting too many miles out of your tyres.
That's the front. I'm on my second rear!
andylel
Registered user
There's the problem. You're getting too many miles out of your tyres.
10,000 miles on original fitment Trail Attack 2's. Rides perfectly with no change in ride quality over its life so far and still prob another 2-3k left in the tyres.
Before anyone chips in with the obvious I ride as fast as is safe on public roads and keep it smooth. I am not known for hanging around.
sven
Registered user
You are allowed to accelerate and brake you know
I rarely get more than 4k out of any tyre.With regards to comfort, some tyres definitely have a stiffer carcass and consequently a harsher ride. BT023GT's were quite a harsh ride on my RT when riding solo
Well your tyres are the bikes primary suspension, made up from tyre wall stiffness and compressed air (tyre pressure).
Well your tyres are the bikes primary suspension, made up from tyre wall stiffness and compressed air (tyre pressure).
I'd have changed the tyres straight away, to rule those out. If that solves it, give BMW the bill, if not, you've got a couple of spare tyres in the shed for later.
Deleted account 181015003
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Sound like too much rebound damping and the spring is still compressed and not having time to recover before hitting the next bump resulting in a harsh ride
Just found this that explains better than I can
http://www.sportrider.com/technicalities-rebound-damping
Sound like too much rebound damping and the spring is still compressed and not having time to recover before hitting the next bump resulting in a harsh ride
Just found this that explains better than I can
http://www.sportrider.com/technicali...ebound-damping
I think that you have it about spot on Steve, and thanks for well written article.
Just found this that explains better than I can
http://www.sportrider.com/technicali...ebound-damping
I think that you have it about spot on Steve, and thanks for well written article.
Just been out for a 200 mile ride on my GS today, and the Anakee 3's are bloody awful. 7k on the front, still quite a bit of tread left, and it crashes over the bumps. I'm now convinced this is tyres, as it wasn't like that before. It hasn't done my recovering back any favours.
If I wasn't trading the bike in next week, I'd be getting in touch with Michelin to see what they have to say.
If I wasn't trading the bike in next week, I'd be getting in touch with Michelin to see what they have to say.
I did have my suspicions as to weather it was the tyres. But, the demo bike that Chester Motorrad have had done almost the same mileage as mine (3,000) and was also fitted with Anakee 3's, but their bike was a perfect smooth ride compared to my harsh crashing machine.
I was beginning to wonder if it could possibly be the tires also but your post has me convinced otherwise. My GSA came with A 3's and the bike rode wonderfully over rough roads. Somewhere after 1/2 way through the replacement Conti TA 2's is when mine became harsh riding.
During the Cotswolds event fast ride out I was unhappy with the suspension on my GSA, on the narrow bumpy back roads the suspension felt harsh and slow to react, tried several different modes and settings to no avail, took the bike to my dealers yesterday where they plugged it in to BMW central and attempted to read for faults, there were none, the tetchy checked the function of all susp settings which checked out ok, after a physical check of all moving parts they "re calibrated" the ESA, the tech seemed savvy to the stiffer sidewall of certain tyres ( mine has Conti TA2 from new) and suggested a drop in pressure may help.....
I asked that my complaint was logged in case things don't improve. The ride home was brief and direct and I had no chance to try the bike on the sort of surfaces where it didn't perform as expected, on smoother and more open roads the bike seems to ride and track well.
I think the stiffer tyres like Annakees may well give a harsher ride and generate more noise but I don't believe they are the primary cause for the complaints of a poor ride, fingers crossed the re calibration and software update have yielded some improvement but somehow I doubt it.
I asked that my complaint was logged in case things don't improve. The ride home was brief and direct and I had no chance to try the bike on the sort of surfaces where it didn't perform as expected, on smoother and more open roads the bike seems to ride and track well.
I think the stiffer tyres like Annakees may well give a harsher ride and generate more noise but I don't believe they are the primary cause for the complaints of a poor ride, fingers crossed the re calibration and software update have yielded some improvement but somehow I doubt it.
I'll have a play with the different settings tomorrow, but the bike has gone from supple to shite overnight. Up until now, it's been spot on, so I'm even more convinced that it's tyre related. Report to follow.
If I don't make it, I want firestarter played at my cremation!
If I don't make it, I want firestarter played at my cremation!
Before moving my WC on one of the things I had noticed was, that when I first got the bike and was messing with the suspension if I set the suspension on soft and started to ride in a spirited fashion I could feel the suspension stiffen mid corner, after about 4k it stopped doing this.
I pointed it out to the dealer at first service, but was told everything was ok.
Steve
I pointed it out to the dealer at first service, but was told everything was ok.
Steve
Before moving my WC on one of the things I had noticed was, that when I first got the bike and was messing with the suspension if I set the suspension on soft and started to ride in a spirited fashion I could feel the suspension stiffen mid corner, after about 4k it stopped doing this.
I pointed it out to the dealer at first service, but was told everything was ok.
Steve
I heard that BMW were talking about cancelling the contract with Michelin, due to the short supply of the Anakee. I am genuinely surprised at the difference, after today's ride, and have told the supplying dealer of my GSA that if it comes with Anakees, I would like them swapped before I take delivery. I'll even pay for something else if I have to, as these really are terrible.
I can still feel the difference between suspension settings though. In soft, when opening the throttle, the back will dip down and sink into the road, as it should. In normal, less so, and in hard there is no dip, so the suspension is doing as it should. It's just those damned tyres.
