MY 2014 GSA te needed 2 front and 2 rear shocks withing 34 months and 13,000 miles ( luckily under two years manufacturers warranty and the third year given to me for free by BMW UK) , I have ridden numerous GS/GSA's LC models with all the iterations of ESA and non of them handled as well as a Basic on it's standard shocks (never mind when fitted with Maxton or similar ), as I previously said every BMW technician who has ridden either of my Basic model lc's or my previous Maxton equipped R1200GSA TC hexhead have commented how the Basic runs rings around the ESA models with regards to handling and ride quality .
Best description from an Ohlins trained BMW technician was that the front ESA senses a road imperfection and by the time the signal reaches the rear it decides that the best solution is to try and road roller the bump flat with the rear wheel.
I know last year when I bought the 1250 I could have picked a TE model from the showroom floor but I had ridden a set lap of 40 or so miles over varying roads including moors roads on the way to the dealers on my r1200gsa Basic, then I rode the same lap on their r1250gsa demonstrator with ESA and yes on smooth roads it was fine but pushing it on badly surfaced roads it was awful and not comfortable .
Made the decision to order a r1250gsa triple black Basic and put down the deposit and then just to be 100% in my own mind rode the circuit on the way home on my own bike and it was like chalk and cheese, settled and above all else comfortable.
For the sake of twiddling the adjuster know three or four turns when I carry a passenger and luggage I am more than happy to not have ESA
.A shame 
will now have to start looking at other makes or keep my twincam gs sounds like BMW only want pcp customers,im not blaming Jeffries i have had half a dozen bikes of them and always got well looked after and it will be interesting to see what its like with vertu.
it will also be my last gs if i have to have esa.
taking the last standard models and make the adjustments as we like...