Says in the book when i looked, for the same reason, that on rider & pillion BMW also assume your carrying luggage.
Hence no reason for the setting
Hope it helps
ESA - is it me, or.......
- Thread starter Nutty
- Start date
Says in the book when i looked, for the same reason, that on rider & pillion BMW also assume your carrying luggage.
Hence no reason for the setting
Hope it helps
Tusky
Registered user
So should the bike move up and down by much when you switch between modes? I want to check it works properly before I take it to the dealer, to avoid making an idiot of myself! Any tips to how I can actually notice the difference? And don't say ride it in each setting!
Between 1 rider and 2 with luggage it's usually 35-50mm dependant on how fat you are......
I'm forever riding 1up and 2up on a real mixed bag of roads and would not be without it.
Got to watch the pre-load when on my own, if it's in sport mode and 2up as my 28 inch legs need to be nearer 30 inch to touch down with flat feet.
Bottom line is that people with sub 28 inch legs will really notice the pre-load and spirited riders will really notice the difference between comfort and sports
Myke Rocks
Registered user
You are not the only one.
I know this is crazy, but I have an R1200RT over 3 years with this suspension.
Maybe RTFM is applicable, but I only found out last year how to raise & lower the bike ( As per quotation abovel)
No, it doesn't make a great deal of difference whatever setting I use.
It is working ok.
The front suspension on my previous R1100RT was a lot sweeter over bumps.
Myke
( In Neutral)
I know this is crazy, but I have an R1200RT over 3 years with this suspension.
Maybe RTFM is applicable, but I only found out last year how to raise & lower the bike ( As per quotation abovel)
No, it doesn't make a great deal of difference whatever setting I use.
It is working ok.
The front suspension on my previous R1100RT was a lot sweeter over bumps.
Myke
oyster
Registered user
Money Saved!
Excellent Thread,so how much have i saved? i don't find it a problem adjusting the rear suspension when i take the wify on the back,2 clicks at the top,1 turn at the bottom, however i do alter the Tyre Pressures for 2up,how does ESA alter Tyre Pressures?
Excellent Thread,so how much have i saved? i don't find it a problem adjusting the rear suspension when i take the wify on the back,2 clicks at the top,1 turn at the bottom, however i do alter the Tyre Pressures for 2up,how does ESA alter Tyre Pressures?
snerkler
Registered user
So should the bike move up and down by much when you switch between modes? I want to check it works properly before I take it to the dealer, to avoid making an idiot of myself! Any tips to how I can actually notice the difference? And don't say ride it in each setting!
Some will tell you that the bike will rise/fall between rider, rider plus luggage, and rider plus pillion plus luggage. However I've never seen this, and it doesn't make sense if it does. All that is happening between these settings is changing the preload, and so on an unladen bike there will be little compression on the rear shock and so changing the preload won't make the bike rise/fall by any significant amount, at least not enough to see with the naked eye imo. Maybe if you've got the bike laden with luggage you may see it change a touch.
However, changing the ESA from road to off-road and extreme off-road you are actually changing the suspension travel and so will see the bike rise fall. Sometimes it even shifts on the side stand which is a bit unnerving
Back to the original question, I find quite a dramatic difference between Comfort, normal and sport, much as I do on my M3. I don't even have to be riding spiritedly on the bike to notice it. For example, if I'm riding on the shockingly potholed roads of Sheffield in sport my back takes a right pounding. Flick it into comfort and a lot of the shocks are absorbed. It's much more of a 'floaty' ride in comfort and a great option when you've had a long ride and are knackered and just want to ride home in comfort
snerkler
Registered user
Isn't the preload rider, rider plus luggage and rider plus pillion plus luggage, ie no rider plus pillion?
Interesting thread. I think ESA is great and would not be without it. Often have different loads and the quick change makes life easy (and it alters the front as well as rear).
I also find the difference between the 3 seetiings very noticeable and will quite frequently change depending on conditions and mood; great to be able to do on the fly. Coming home last night, Normal on some rather ordinary roads, Comfort for a waft down a short stretch of Motorway and then Sport for the twisties.
Strangely on both this bike and my previous 2005 RT, I didn't think the ESA was working at first or I could tell little difference. I can't now think why this could have been unless it just took time for me to get dialled into the bike (probable) or the system takes time to "run in" (unlikely).
Mind you Wilbers ESA looks tempting if the current ones give up the ghost.
I also find the difference between the 3 seetiings very noticeable and will quite frequently change depending on conditions and mood; great to be able to do on the fly. Coming home last night, Normal on some rather ordinary roads, Comfort for a waft down a short stretch of Motorway and then Sport for the twisties.
Strangely on both this bike and my previous 2005 RT, I didn't think the ESA was working at first or I could tell little difference. I can't now think why this could have been unless it just took time for me to get dialled into the bike (probable) or the system takes time to "run in" (unlikely).
Mind you Wilbers ESA looks tempting if the current ones give up the ghost.
Going up and down
It may not make sense but, being a short arse, I can tell you it does happen and it is visible as well. Rider only - no problem, rider plus luggage - getting a bit onto the toes, Two up - quite scary, off road - snow starts to form on my helmet (stop sniggerign at the back).
It may not make sense but, being a short arse, I can tell you it does happen and it is visible as well. Rider only - no problem, rider plus luggage - getting a bit onto the toes, Two up - quite scary, off road - snow starts to form on my helmet (stop sniggerign at the back).
snerkler,you need to read up about esa 2 as fitted to the latest bikes,it alters preload and spring rate.
Some will tell you that the bike will rise/fall between rider, rider plus luggage, and rider plus pillion plus luggage. However I've never seen this, and it doesn't make sense if it does. All that is happening between these settings is changing the preload, and so on an unladen bike there will be little compression on the rear shock and so changing the preload won't make the bike rise/fall by any significant amount, at least not enough to see with the naked eye imo. Maybe if you've got the bike laden with luggage you may see it change a touch.
However, changing the ESA from road to off-road and extreme off-road you are actually changing the suspension travel and so will see the bike rise fall. Sometimes it even shifts on the side stand which is a bit unnerving
Back to the original question, I find quite a dramatic difference between Comfort, normal and sport, much as I do on my M3. I don't even have to be riding spiritedly on the bike to notice it. For example, if I'm riding on the shockingly potholed roads of Sheffield in sport my back takes a right pounding. Flick it into comfort and a lot of the shocks are absorbed. It's much more of a 'floaty' ride in comfort and a great option when you've had a long ride and are knackered and just want to ride home in comfort
I have ESA on my 2010 GSA and have subsequently upgraded to Wilbers ESA.
With the standard ESA there was little discernable difference between comfort, sport or normal. With the Wilbers ESA there is a huge difference!
Re. the ride height change from 1 rider to 2 riders, there will always be an increase in ride height as you are effectively pre-loading the spring to maintain ride height.
snerkler
Registered user
Oh right, so it increases suspension travel going from rider>rider plus luggage>Rider plus pillion plus luggage? I can't see it moving. I'm sure if you're sat on the bike you'll feel it moving as the amount your weight compresses the spring will vary through the different settings, but when off the bike will you really see it move between these settings? I need to read up on ESA 2. Why would you need more suspension travel if you have luggage or a pillion?
On another note I thought you were'nt supposed to change pre-load ie rider>riderplus luggage etc when you're sat on the bike?
snerkler
Registered user
Oh right, so it increases suspension travel going from rider>rider plus luggage>Rider plus pillion plus luggage? I can't see it moving. I'm sure if you're sat on the bike you'll feel it moving as the amount your weight compresses the spring will vary through the different settings, but when off the bike will you really see it move between these settings? I need to read up on ESA 2. Why would you need more suspension travel if you have luggage or a pillion?
On another note I thought you were'nt supposed to change pre-load ie rider>riderplus luggage etc when you're sat on the bike?
OK having read this, neither spring rate nor preload should affect the height of an unladen bike as far as I can tell. Sure if you're sat on it (which you shouldn't be according to the manual, not to confuse this with comfort>sport of course) you'll feel as though the bike is moving up as you're compressing the spring less as preload increases, but as I keep saying you're not truly altering the height of the bike as you're not increasing the length of the suspension, all you're doing is lessening the amount your body weight compresses the spring.
Therefore (assuming the bike isn't laden with luggage), if you alter the ESA from Rider>Rider plus luggage whilst you're stood at the side of the bike (as you should be) you won't see the bike move. However, if you change it to off-road you are increasing suspension travel and therefore the bike physically raises up, which you can see when you're stood at the side of the bike.
61nearlybold
Registered user
Did not take too long for a negative reply, read all the posts to see I am not the only one who cannot feel the differance. ESA is like modern art, you have to say its good even if you do not understand it or people will think you are not educated.
Did not take too long for a negative reply, read all the posts to see I am not the only one who cannot feel the differance. ESA is like modern art, you have to say its good even if you do not understand it or people will think you are not educated.
No, you only need to be sensitive enough to feel the difference. Some people are just too thick-skinned....
Good point, well made.
I always change when on board (I just take the weight off the bike when going to one of the higher preloads) so you are probably right. If my knee didn't hurt so much I would go and experiment.
snerkler
Registered user
ESA is like modern art, you have to say its good even if you do not understand it or people will think you are not educated.
I'm more than happy to say something's crap whether I understand it or not. But in this case I feel a big difference between the settings, and it's not in my head. I remember one day riding my bike thinking "this feels a bit wollowy today". After a few minutes I realised I'd left it on comfort. Switched it to sport and it stiffened right up
littleredrooster
Registered user
Makes a big difference on mine, too. Comfort is super-wallowy, Sport shakes my teeth out.
graythunda
Registered user
The offroad settings really do make a difference, feels more like a 400 enduro bike. (a heavy one if you drop it though !)
Similar threads
