to esa or not to esa??!

[Nook]

Hi Guys, im looking at possibly chopping in my 06gsa for a newer one but i'm not sure i'm overly keen on the esa...has anyone any opinions (sensible ones please! ) has there been any faults reported or problems experienced!? I know the old electronic brake servo's had a few failures and this has always been a niggle at the back of my mind....

opinions on a postcard please

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

ESA................no question

It's built by WP

 

[EggChaser]

Don't ESA if you ever think you might mess around with after market suspension products - also the reduce height option is incompatible with ESA (which is why I don't have esa)

 

[bisbee]

+1 easy life

 

[Roberto]

Had ESA on my '05 RT and now on an '09 GSA. Not had any problems (that said only 15K total miles covered). Very useful addition when often needing to change the settings, pillions, luggage etc..

 

[Andy_E]

Another from me - I'm not into fine-tuning suspension and the settings work well enough for me. My GS has had its fair share of drops and knocks and it all still works. As for future replacement part costs, we'll see but a lot can change in a couple of years with regard to what's available aftermarket.

 

[haga lout]

no esa

got rid of my 08gsa esa is just a toy just stick it on sport my next one will come esa free £850 plus bend over for mr bmw to fit you can get ohlins for that and ohlins are rebuildable and better

 

[autogs]

thumbs up for esa for me,just so easy,and really makes a noticable diff,

 

[Big Nick]

ESA from me as well (at least while the bike is in warranty!)

 

[Stickleback]

ESA gets a big from me too.

If you are a suspension tuning god then ESA would not float your boat as it is fixed in its adjustment if you see what I mean (as in for example it has a setting for 1 up comfort/normal/sport and you have to live with the setting it returns.)

For me though I don't have much clue about what I should tweak and by how much, so in my case it allows for adjustments that make a noticeable difference without having to figure it out (and no doubt get it wrong).

Big Nick has a point - it is something else that could potentially go wrong out of warranty, but being a glass half full kind of guy I take the view that it probably won't go wrong and am happy to take my chance!

 

[elefantmanshawn]

Save your money and then buy good quality after market units with unlimited settings,unless you just need bells and whistles

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

ESA =

The ability to move between sports and comfort at the flick of a switch is sooooo easy. This can even be done when you have adjusted for luggage/pillion.

 

[wheelnut]

It's on mine and I did think it would be a bit of a gimmick, but it really does make a difference. Especially two up, flicking between sport for the twisties and comfort for the longer straight bits stops her complaining about her back as much...

 

[cookie]

Save your money and then buy good quality after market units with unlimited settings,unless you just need bells and whistles

my view too, but i don't own a bike with ESA. ridden one for a day though.

Comfort setting too soft, Sport too hard. Normal seemed the best option so i left it there all day, so what's the point?

i do think the ride quality of the suspension on said ESA GS was significantly better than my GSA was when it had the OEM shockers fitted pre wilbers.

 

[KarlC]

Had ESA on my 1200RT and would say that once the novelty wears I didnt use it much despite many long distance tours around Europe.

It is VERY expensive and wont add much to any resale value.

So if you consider £700+ good value to alter the settings from solo to luggage etc and on occasion setting sport on twisties just when you hit them rather than planning when you set out - good value.

Otherwise an over expensive toy.

Oh and by the by, if you are short in the leg, ESA wont help....it can only stiffen up the setting from the lowest if that makes any sense.

My tuppence worth.

 

[jonothan]

...It is VERY expensive and wont add much to any resale value....and...if you are short in the leg, ESA wont help....it can only stiffen up the setting from the lowest if that makes any sense.

Absolutely with you on that. I have the non-ESA version GSA, which I can just manage height-wise. I've tried the ESA version and the difference height-wise is quite noticeable.

J

 

[demandcurve]

Side stepping the question of cost and reliability, I don't see the point of this feature.

Once I fine-tune my suspension settings I don't need to change them frequently, if at all. Very occasionally I'll up the preload for an extended trip heavily laden, but really the preload needs changing a couple times a year, and even if it was a monthly or weekly event it is hardly arduous.

In my opinion ESA is just a toy to go wrong and has no place on a motorcycle - spend your money on better a quality suspension unit rather than an electric spanner. Tony

 

[Dellis]

£563 if you spec it as an an option which seems rather a lot of cash when the suspension adjustment is so very easy. Needless to say my GSA doesn't have this gimmick fitted and I will be spending the cash on petrol after I have adjusted my suspension

Dave

 

[R2D2]

agree with Dellis, load of bo..ix, spend it on something more practical , nice luggage for nearly that price

 

[scotia_steve]

Was told by one dealer than a non ESA GSA would be difficult to shift.... But you've got to take that with a pinch of salt..

Both my ESA units have been replaced so far, next bike, not so sure I'd spec it...