BMW trying to hard

[knutk]

Active suspension vs old fashioned manually adjustable suspension is debated from time to time, and there are several good arguments provided from both sides.

Fact: Active suspension is banned from racing in order to keep the speed and cost down. Also, since the AS allowed for higher cornering speed, a failure of the AS in a turn could cause an accident. Here it needs to be added that these racing systems are way more sophisticated than the current ESA systems.

To brake it down, the ESA may be considered as no more than an old fashioned damper, where the adjustment screws have been replaced by tiny motors that allow the system to continuously be adjusted as you ride along, and another motor for adjusting the preload, But the system will never become better than what the quality of the shock allows for.

Quality shocks are expensive, and the best ones also comes with the penalty of needing service at short intervals, compared to 'regular' shocks.

To the manufacturers, it all about keeping the cost down. This means that they put in a shock that works 'well enough' to most riders. Upping the price with a quality shock that would be appreciated by a selected few is not an option. The bike will cost more, upping the purchase price as well as the maintenance cost. And the selected few have all their own opinion about 'whats best', and will probably trash the better shocks for their preferred brand anyway.

Being, at best, an average rider, I do appreciate the Dynamic ESA. Riding with quite variable loads and on very variable road conditions I find the Dynamic ESA system very convenient. Prior to ESA, I most of the time forgot to change the adjustments prior to the ride, so first stop was also quite often an 'adjustment stop'.

In order to improve the ESA, the shocks must be improved, and the options are there, it's a matter of paying for it (and they do carry a hefty price tag). I know of people that have done it, and the ride has been improved. However, for yours truly, with my needs and riding style, the extra cost would be a total waste. I don't race, and only push the limits when I screw up...

Hence, the Dynamic ESA is not without potential for improvements, but to most riders it serves the purpose better than any earlier system offered as an OEM option.

 

[Arte]

Yesterday rode my r1200gsa non esa bike up to the dealers to try out a new 1250gsa, typical demo it was a te model with dynamic esa , rode the bike a set route with dual carriageway,fast b roads and stretches of poorly maintained moorland single track roads.
Tried it in various modes including the different heights and the one that sets it to your weight and yes the ride was very good compared with my last 2014 esa bike but once on poor surfaces it started to become a bit crashy and had a slightly remote feel on faster bends
I would rate it as on par with my basic when it was on standard suspension but not as good as when the Maxton shocks are fitted.
To confirm this I did the same route on the way home and my bike definitely felt better, ride was more compliant, more feedback through the steering and it corrnered better holding its line , basically the bike was more composed and comfortable.
Have ordered a new 1250 ,however, I will have to wait as it is special order ie a Basic uprated to the spec I want, imagine a TE without esa,sos, the chatty new pink and amber indicators and gsap. Shame I have to have keyless ignition.
Once it arrives the Maxton suspension is going on and it will be my ideal bike and I will save a few thousand pounds , I did not intend changing my bike but the 3 year warranty is a clincher after this years holiday and this WILL be my last new bike ( until they bring out the hydrogen powered 1300 with twin turbos, rocket launchers and 17" wheels and of course 200 bhp)

In a month i will have my gsa 1250 without ESA
Can you tell me which makes you feel better the daynamic ESA or not? Are there many differences?

Στάλθηκε από το M2004J19C μου χρησιμοποιώντας Tapatalk

 

[bosnjo]

I love my setup. Standard rear suspension (non-ESA) that I fine-tuned for my liking.
I'm maybe too much of "old school" after 35 years of riding and owning motorcycles, but I simply refuse seeng myself using ESA, cruise control, listening to the music while riding... It even took me a while to get used to hydraulic clutch...
But that's just me. My only concern is about how many years I still have to keep on riding.

 

[Flipfly]

I loved my 1150GS’s, my 1200 Twin cam was a peach and my new 1250 is…….a learning curve.

The 1250 I love also, but it is taking a while to gel with it. I think the auto preload could be allow it to be a bit softer, but the faster you go the better it gets. The 1150’s had the most front end ‘feel’ but the 1200 twin cam turned in better and, with Wilbers shocks, was a dream over the rough stuff.

The 1250 is very very good, but needs to be pushed, which I haven’t had the opportunity to do on my own bike (although I rode a friends in summer and it was brilliant, whilst not as soft as the twin cam, it did soak up everything and just felt very taught).

Each to their own.

Personally I find the 1250 has less character, but it is very very fast for a GS, maybe too quick, it’s certainly unnecessary to have 130+ bhp in a GS imho, but it’s quite good fun

 

[BigT]

I loved my 1150GS’s, my 1200 Twin cam was a peach and my new 1250 is…….a learning curve.

The 1250 I love also, but it is taking a while to gel with it. I think the auto preload could be allow it to be a bit softer, but the faster you go the better it gets. The 1150’s had the most front end ‘feel’ but the 1200 twin cam turned in better and, with Wilbers shocks, was a dream over the rough stuff.

The 1250 is very very good, but needs to be pushed, which I haven’t had the opportunity to do on my own bike (although I rode a friends in summer and it was brilliant, whilst not as soft as the twin cam, it did soak up everything and just felt very taught).

Each to their own.

Personally I find the 1250 has less character, but it is very very fast for a GS, maybe too quick, it’s certainly unnecessary to have 130+ bhp in a GS imho, but it’s quite good fun

I've just emigrated (May 21) from a K1600 GTL to a 2021 GSA TE and am seriously impressed in all respects. Sadly Covid buggered up the summer a tad, although I've managed to put 11,000 miles on her despite the pandemic, but am hopeful of some v.long rides across Europe and into Asia next year. Since moving to Austria I've found a whole new world in Eastern Europe that's both great, great riding and cheap as chips hotel, food, beer wise etc. I was in Romania a few weeks ago and out of the blue got an official SMS warning of Bear activity in the area, you don't get many of those in the Yorkshire Dales ;-).

The highlights of my bike move have been the suspension on the GSA which, is quite something and way, way superior to any other bike I've ridden in the last 50 years which, coupled to the ergonomics of the GSA (I'm 6'5"), its go anywhere flexibility, fuel range, an RDL seat (the OEM thing is a torture contraption, what were BMW thinking? and the new TFT. Which I have to say has proven to be very successful and better still it just works and is a very refreshing change to the abortion that was a very expensive audio/nav/comms package on the K1600.

Lastly a quick thanks to the many who've helped a new boy transition to the dark side, from a K1600 perspective