to esa or not to esa??!

[Paul Wakefield]

+1 for ESA.

Had it on the RT and now the GSA. Very reliable (very few reports of problems) and cheapish to rebuild (though I've never had to).

I am frequently changing loadings so maybe I'm biassed but when its cold, dark and raining as I'm off to work, I can appreciate not having to muck around with suspension settings (well to be honest I wouldn't bother, I would just leave them on the "wrong" setting).

And its childish but I still get pleasure from bunging it on comfort on the motorway and then switching it to Normal or Sport on the twisties and feeling the whole thing tighten up and change character.

I agree Sport was pretty hard on the RT and could make the ride rather choppy but I haven't found that on the GSA.

I have also found it takes a while to get dialled into. With both bikes, I wondered whether it was working at first. Not sure whether the suspension needs a sort of running in or, much more likely, it just takes me a while to get the feel of a new bike.

 

[lastcard]

Well I like it! That all that bothers me. Had a couple of test rides on a K13 with ESA and then the GSA. I personally found it worked or felt much better when on the GSA. I thought it would be a gimmick but after a couple of camping trips I love it. Maybe childish but as stated before going from comfort to sport is summat I don`t think I`ll tire of and hey I bought new so i`m warranted for 2 years
Pity dealers don`t have non ESA bike to test. What "setting" would the non ESA come on as standard?

Anyway there will be peeps who loath it as much as love it. Maybe have a poll to decide

 

[WindyChuffer]

From the research I did, ESA does seem reliable. And if it goes wrong you can replace it with a conventional shock.

But as I'm doing a big overland trip next year, decided to go old school and get a bike without it as its less to go wrong. I really don't want it getting stuck on a sporty road setting when faced with some knarly off road.

It really is no problem to adjust the preload manually. The rear takes seconds to turn the knob. For the front I keep the C-Spanner in a handlebar bag; again, seconds.

For off road, you don't really need to adjust the front; doesn't seem to make much difference, and confirmed by the BM off road school.

But for on road I found adjusting the front makes quite a difference when carrying a load. Carrying a load is generally planned, the missus takes so long to get ready; so the tiny overhead of adjusting the front with the spanner is nothing...

I don't feel the need to adjust the settings whilst on the move, so saved myself a wad of cash.

But each to their own.

But I do have the need to switch the ABS on and off whilst riding... (whilst doing roadwork between off road tracks). Now that would be useful and a far more practical option for me than ESA. You can only change ABS settings whilst stationary.

 

[stonetown]

ESA works for me, I am constantly switching between comfort, normal and sport on my daily commute as well as longer rides as I encounter everything from tiny backroads to motorways. Taking the twisties on sport is far more pleasurable than the other settings as is riding the dual carriageways or motorways on comfort.

Nothing has gone wrong on the GSA for 12K miles well worth the money

 

[Alex B]

As "Stonetown" said .............

Yesterday, on a 150 mile round trip I changed settings every 30 - 40 miles depending on road conditions.

 

[Dreamer]

Another vote for ESA

I wasn't sure that I'd ever use it, but I do... soft for motorways, norm most of the time and Sport for fun. All at the press of a thumb.

 

[Ibex]

from 06 to 09 GSA

I just did the change from an 06 to an 09 because I was also concerned about the electric brakes despite their being responsible for saving my life one hot afternoon in the Pyrenees when I met a tractor coming the other way. My old 1150 GS would simply not have stopped in the distance available. However, a few weeks ago I had total servo failure on the 06 GSA requiring a return to dealer on a trailer - 110 miles round trip, because the front brake switch was faulty and therefore not operating my brake light properly! The bloke responsible for that little piece of design wants shafting with a ragman's trombone IMHO.

Moving on, I would not have believed the difference between the two bikes. The new one is faster, smoother, livelier, and more comfortable. I like the ESA because it's easy and I can't frankly be bothered to manually change settings. I've just been to Budapest on it and I used the comfort setting pretty much all of the way and it was just that - comfortable. Saved me a Corbin seat! In the last 22 hrs I covered over 900 miles, and came through the Channel Tunnel. On the 06 I simply couldn't have done it - I would have been in agony. On the 09 I had no problems at all with just my usual sheepskin seat cover in place.

I bought the bike 2nd hand, albeit only 500 miles old, so didn't choose the ESA, but I'm glad its there, but most of all I'm pleased I no longer have to rely on electric brakes!

 

[ovenpaa]

What does the ESA actually adjust? I have ordered a bike with ESA but have no idea what it will actually do, normally I just wind the rear pre-load up and leave it there, is this what the ESA does or will it still need pre-load winding up and then it will change compression and rebound which would be my preference.

I would have asked at the time of order but I was away so my wife added it as an option when she ordered the 'bike and I have not looked into it any further.

 

[ovenpaa]

Does nobody have a view on how this works? I would RTFM but the 'bike is not here yet and the webynet is quite devoid of specifics to do with ESA, at least my excuse is the wife ticked the box when I was away

 

[Prattapillar]

Pre load can be changed to preset settings when the bike is stationary and compression and rebound damping whilst on the move.

Personally I would't be without now I've got it.

 

[Putneybiker]

. ESA on RT since June 05 and on GSA since 08. No probs, just so convenient for me.

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

 

[WindyChuffer]

Does nobody have a view on how this works? I would RTFM but the 'bike is not here yet and the webynet is quite devoid of specifics to do with ESA, at least my excuse is the wife ticked the box when I was away

If you look here http://www.bmw-motorrad.dk/dk/da/in...rrad.dk/dk/da/services/downloads_service.html

you'll see an array of handbooks to download. The 1200GSA manual includes ESA instrukshuns...will give you the general idea. But you may strike lucky and find your bike's handbook here...

 

[Big Derek]

Its a plus for me I to had a 2007 and now a 2009 GSA and I think the ESA is tops so easy and handy if and when you need to play suspensions....