ESA check
- Thread starter birdseye
- Start date
Ride it and change modes. You should at least recognise the difference between sports and comfort modes.
RoyF
Registered user
You should feel a difference between the three damping levels if you bounce down on the rear of the bike when stationary, these can also be adjusted on the move, it doesn't alter the height though.
As for the preload, then they can only be changed when stationary. As I remember, from rider only to luggage rear goes up about 5mm, with pillion about 10mm, off road 1 (little mountains) front and rear up about 5 mm, and off road 2 (big mountains), front and rear up about 10mm.
To be honest, I can't really feel any great difference between the 3 x damping settings on the move, the range is not that great.
As for the preload, then they can only be changed when stationary. As I remember, from rider only to luggage rear goes up about 5mm, with pillion about 10mm, off road 1 (little mountains) front and rear up about 5 mm, and off road 2 (big mountains), front and rear up about 10mm.
To be honest, I can't really feel any great difference between the 3 x damping settings on the move, the range is not that great.
It's a bit of an old chestnut this one.
You might want to do a search I'm sure you'll find plenty.
FWIW I've had ESA on all 3 of my BMW's & can never tell the difference between any of the modes.
You might want to do a search I'm sure you'll find plenty.
FWIW I've had ESA on all 3 of my BMW's & can never tell the difference between any of the modes.
For the damping modes I have only ever been able to tell the difference since I fitted Wilburs WESA shocks. Its easy enough to tell if the rear preload works just by sitting on the bike and feeling it move up and down.
Roymondo
Registered user
Changing the damper settings (Comfort/Norm/Sport or Soft/Med/Hard) won't lift or lower the bike at all, as the springs are not affected. There is a little bit of difference in "feel" on the road - more so if you are carrying a passenger or a heavy load of luggage, when it definitely feels a bit "wallowy" over bumps etc at softer settings. Best way to feel the difference in damping is to bounce up and down vigorously on the seat. The differences between solo, +luggage and +passenger are easier to feel, as the bike definitely raises up slightly on the rear suspension as it moves from Solo through to +passenger. Likewise you can feel the front end rise if you change the off-road preload from small mountains to big ones 
. Spring preload can only be changed with the bike stationary and engine running.
. Spring preload can only be changed with the bike stationary and engine running.
Villanjc
Registered user
FWIW I've had ESA on all 3 of my BMW's & can never tell the difference between any of the modes.
Wow....... I'm amazed
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Roymondo makes an important point - the preload only changes when the bike is stationary and the engine running. Having scrolled through the 3 different preload settings, wait a few seconds until the selected setting adjusts the rear shock. You will feel the rear rising or falling. Taking your weight off the saddle puts less stress on the suspension motor I guess.
Fanum
Toubab
Don't let the fukkers convince you!
King Key
Registered user
Whilst it's changing you'll also notice the display (Rider, +Pillion & luggage, mountains) flashes.
FWIW I've had ESA on all 3 of my BMW's & can never tell the difference between any of the modes.
I couldn't really tell the difference either. It just went around corners very well
Outsider
Registered user
Sport mode definitely feels harsher on poor surfaces just as Comfort wallows more.
A mate and I were riding "spiritedly" in Austria last year, fully loaded, and I had to knock the ESA into Sport to make it feel right in the bends. Fully loaded in Normal just wasn't cutting it. I always use the Off-road modes (mountains) when Green-laning.
The differences are subtle but they are there.
- Paul C
Via Tapatalk on iPhone.
A mate and I were riding "spiritedly" in Austria last year, fully loaded, and I had to knock the ESA into Sport to make it feel right in the bends. Fully loaded in Normal just wasn't cutting it. I always use the Off-road modes (mountains) when Green-laning.
The differences are subtle but they are there.
- Paul C
Via Tapatalk on iPhone.
Don't let the fukkers convince you!
Like that!
Roymondo
Registered user
The point being -Does the display still flash even if the adjustment doesn't change (due to motor or mechanism failing to operate)...?
Gossy
Registered user
ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment)
ESA. This optional feature enables the rider to adapt the chassis of the motorcycle ideally to his riding style, the load of the motorcycle and the road conditions in question.
Using a button on the left handlebar panel, the rider can vary the suspension and damping characteristics of the front and rear suspension strut. Adjustment is effected in two steps by means of a control unit in the central electronics system.
IIn the first step, the rider sets the pre-load of the spring mount according to the motorcycle load (solo; solo with luggage or passenger, with luggage and passenger). An electrical motor performs the adjustment function which is only possible when stationary for reasons of functional efficiency and safety bike will rise and lower
In the second step, the rider selects the damper setting appropriate to his riding style: here, Sport, Normal and Comfort modes are available soft to hard. The setting of damping characteristics can also be undertaken while riding. In the front ESA strut, the rebound damping is adjusted, in the rear strut both the rebound and compression stages are adjusted. The actual adjustment is performed by step motors directly at the damper. The electronic systems selects the damping rate which is appropriate for the spring rest selection: thus suspension and damping characteristics are always perfectly matched. Since the rider can combine all three modes for load and riding style, a total of nine different adjustment programs are in fact available to him. A display on the info flatscreen in the cockpit indicates the currently selected program.
The advantage of electronic chassis adjustment with ESA as compared to conventional mechanical adjustment of spring pre-load and damping characteristics lies in the constantly harmonious co-ordination between all chassis components. The rider also saves awkward and time-consuming fiddling with tools: instead he can make adjustments conveniently by a press of the button within ten seconds. This makes it possible to adjust the chassis within a very short time, for example when taking a pillion along at short notice or in the event of a sudden change in road surface characteristics - BMW MMotorrad
ESA. This optional feature enables the rider to adapt the chassis of the motorcycle ideally to his riding style, the load of the motorcycle and the road conditions in question.
Using a button on the left handlebar panel, the rider can vary the suspension and damping characteristics of the front and rear suspension strut. Adjustment is effected in two steps by means of a control unit in the central electronics system.
IIn the first step, the rider sets the pre-load of the spring mount according to the motorcycle load (solo; solo with luggage or passenger, with luggage and passenger). An electrical motor performs the adjustment function which is only possible when stationary for reasons of functional efficiency and safety bike will rise and lower
In the second step, the rider selects the damper setting appropriate to his riding style: here, Sport, Normal and Comfort modes are available soft to hard. The setting of damping characteristics can also be undertaken while riding. In the front ESA strut, the rebound damping is adjusted, in the rear strut both the rebound and compression stages are adjusted. The actual adjustment is performed by step motors directly at the damper. The electronic systems selects the damping rate which is appropriate for the spring rest selection: thus suspension and damping characteristics are always perfectly matched. Since the rider can combine all three modes for load and riding style, a total of nine different adjustment programs are in fact available to him. A display on the info flatscreen in the cockpit indicates the currently selected program.
The advantage of electronic chassis adjustment with ESA as compared to conventional mechanical adjustment of spring pre-load and damping characteristics lies in the constantly harmonious co-ordination between all chassis components. The rider also saves awkward and time-consuming fiddling with tools: instead he can make adjustments conveniently by a press of the button within ten seconds. This makes it possible to adjust the chassis within a very short time, for example when taking a pillion along at short notice or in the event of a sudden change in road surface characteristics - BMW MMotorrad
