Is there a definitive esa fix.

I've just been having a look at my esa rear shock and it seems to me that when you use the button to change from soft to neutral to hard, all you are doing is changing the damper settings and not the actual spring rate as the spring length does not seem to alter, unlike when you change the load ie 1-helmet to 1-helmet+suitcase to 2-helmets, where you can clearly see the spring top mounting electronically extend downward about 10mm for 1-helmet-suitcase to about 20mm for 2-helmets.

If this is correct and the white springs that are now fitted as standard have a spring rate that is factory set for proper lardy riders, the light-weights among us will always feel the bumps more as playing around with the damper rates can only have a limited amount of effect on the actual bump setting because we are not softening the spring at the same, am I correct? Perhaps someone on here knows and understands the suspension in more depth and will enlighten me?

I'm about 12 stone and on bumpy roads particularly town or village roads with lots of road repairs my bike has a harsh ride, however if I stick my lass on the pillion who is about 9 stone the bike is nigh on perfect.

Perhaps I need to drink even more beer and bulk up a bit more.

Having moaned about the quality of the ride on bumpy roads at low speeds, once I get the bike out onto a decent fast flowing A or B road that has a half decent road surface I tend to ride in dynamic mode which defaults to the hard ride setting and the bike is just sublime...it's fantastic and I love it.

So when this ride issue that only some of us are unhappy about is fixed, which I have no doubt will happen, the GS-LC will be an even better bike than it is now and will 'comfortably' remain the best all round big adventure bike that money can buy. :beerjug:
 
batman1 said:
I've just been having a look at my esa rear shock and it seems to me that when you use the button to change from soft to neutral to hard, all you are doing is changing the damper settings and not the actual spring rate as the spring length does not seem to alter, unlike when you change the load ie 1-helmet to 1-helmet+suitcase to 2-helmets, where you can clearly see the spring top mounting electronically extend downward about 10mm for 1-helmet-suitcase to about 20mm for 2-helmets.

If this is correct and the white springs that are now fitted as standard have a spring rate that is factory set for proper lardy riders, the light-weights among us will always feel the bumps more as playing around with the damper rates can only have a limited amount of effect on the actual bump setting because we are not softening the spring at the same, am I correct? Perhaps someone on here knows and understands the suspension in more depth and will enlighten me?

I'm about 12 stone and on bumpy roads particularly town or village roads with lots of road repairs my bike has a harsh ride, however if I stick my lass on the pillion who is about 9 stone the bike is nigh on perfect.

Perhaps I need to drink even more beer and bulk up a bit more.

Having moaned about the quality of the ride on bumpy roads at low speeds, once I get the bike out onto a decent fast flowing A or B road that has a half decent road surface I tend to ride in dynamic mode which defaults to the hard ride setting and the bike is just sublime...it's fantastic and I love it.

So when this ride issue that only some of us are unhappy about is fixed, which I have no doubt will happen, the GS-LC will be an even better bike than it is now and will 'comfortably' remain the best all round big adventure bike that money can buy. :beerjug:
Click to expand...

Interesting . When I had a Ducati MTS with electronic suspension the spring was for lightweight riders so a lot of owners changed it for a higher rate spring which cost about £80 and it transformed the ride.

Wonder if this is an option for the GS? I am 15 stone as I eat pies and the GS is super smooth and controlled most of the time......can you load the panniers as a temporary fix......just a thought!
 
JohnnyBoxer said:
Because they would have to carry dozens of spring choices to cover all variables

Not cost effective for a manufacturer, I would guess
Click to expand...

I think it's a great idea and in reality they'd only have to carry maybe 3 different spring rates to cover 90% of peeps.
I'm sure a lot WMB buyers would happily pay, say, £100 extra to have a spring that more or less was for their weight?

Andres
 
Or by an Aprillia Caponard.....which takes rider weight into account automatically.
 
Spring rates are fixed and thats it end of. The weight of the rider and what type of riding he does determine which spring rate is chosen. Trouble is when replacing the rear spring to suit the individual the damping on esa bikes cant then be tweaked manually. So your stuck with the correct spring rate but have to accept the esa damping parameters.....so the ride could still be poor. From memory i think the k50 is sprung for a 83.0 kg rider ..
 
madmartin said:
Spring rates are fixed and thats it end of. The weight of the rider and what type of riding he does determine which spring rate is chosen. Trouble is when replacing the rear spring to suit the individual the damping on esa bikes cant then be tweaked manually. So your stuck with the correct spring rate but have to accept the esa damping parameters.....so the ride could still be poor. From memory i think the k50 is sprung for a 83.0 kg rider ..
Click to expand...

Mine appears to be sprung for a 23 stone rider , an 18 stone pillion and 60 kgs of luggage
 
yankeedoodledandy said:
Fwiw, the ESA does not just adjust the preload, it changes the combined rear spring rate of the regular shock spring and the elastomer collar:
http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/...ogy_detail/suspension/item_esa_II.html¬rack=1

This doesn't really help if you're significantly lighter than 85 kg, though.
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Thats impossible. Spring rate can only be achieved by swapping the spring for a stronger or weaker spring. When esa adjusts for pillion and luggage it is altering the preload which is affecting the ride height and damping. It cannot increase spring rate without changing the spring.
 
Mr BMW recons it can be done,
The change in spring rate is facilitated by two springs switches in series. An elastomer element (Cellasto) in combination with a conventional helical spring below absorbs the forces during compression. The radial outward expansion of the Cellasto element is permanently limited by a steel sleeve. On the inside, an electrohydraulic mechanism is used to move an aluminium sleeve. The position of the inner sleeve influences the inward expansion of the Cellasto element and therefore its spring rate. This has the same effect as the use of two springs of different strength. If the inner sleeve sits on the steel spring, the Cellasto element will not function and only the steel spring will work. If the internal sleeve is then moved, it is also possible to vary the spring mount of the steel spring, in other words the "spring preload".
 
Kenny Rodkiss said:
Mr BMW recons it can be done,
The change in spring rate is facilitated by two springs switches in series. An elastomer element (Cellasto) in combination with a conventional helical spring below absorbs the forces during compression. The radial outward expansion of the Cellasto element is permanently limited by a steel sleeve. On the inside, an electrohydraulic mechanism is used to move an aluminium sleeve. The position of the inner sleeve influences the inward expansion of the Cellasto element and therefore its spring rate. This has the same effect as the use of two springs of different strength. If the inner sleeve sits on the steel spring, the Cellasto element will not function and only the steel spring will work. If the internal sleeve is then moved, it is also possible to vary the spring mount of the steel spring, in other words the "spring preload".
Click to expand...
Wow...need to read more. Makes me wonder then why bmw state the bike is suited for an 83kg rider. Cool.
 
Latest Email from my dealer regarding the harsh suspension;

BMW does believe that the yet to be released software update is going to address your issue. Their recommendation is to try the update first, and if this doesn't work, proceed with further testing. I will let you know as soon as the update is officially released stateside.
 
83kgs is about 13 1/2 stone, so apparently bmw set the esa for someone who undressed and not in full bike gear weighs between 12 1/2 and 13 stones.

Some esa bikes seem spot on , yet quite a few others are not, it can only be down to either inconsistent build quality of the shocks or programming problems within the esa system.

As for the above comment from the US , dealers across here seem to be either in denial or in the dark about a software problem
 
Neil W said:
83kgs is about 13 1/2 stone, so apparently bmw set the esa for someone who undressed and not in full bike gear weighs between 12 1/2 and 13 stones.

Some esa bikes seem spot on , yet quite a few others are not, it can only be down to either inconsistent build quality of the shocks or programming problems within the esa system.

As for the above comment from the US , dealers across here seem to be either in denial or in the dark about a software problem
Click to expand...

At the top price range this simply should not happen period they build an "unstoppable" bike that clearly has many problems then deny its happend WTF :nenau
 
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Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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