Whats the “lowest” riding setting for ESA ‘18 model?
- Thread starter Stevebez
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You could always let the tyres down too.
Deleted account 191119001
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Do you notice a big difference between Max and Min
Same difference as solo and two up with luggage.
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Yep seen that but on the newer models, you do have not 2 up with luggage, just Auto, Min and Max, and I noticed when set at minimum bike goes down about 2cm, just for info.
I have the new model, Min is the same as solo and Max is the same as two up with luggage. It is not how much the suspension rises it is how much it is stiffened against downward force that matters for loading purposes. When set in Auto the suspension automatically maintains the same ride height as Minimum setting when loaded.
fred_jb
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I have a slightly different understanding of this latest auto preload setting system, which I have on my bike. I believe that the AUTO mode attempts as far as possible to keep the suspension sag at the ideal setting, which is generally considered to be about 1/3 compressed when fully loaded. At this sag the bike still has about 2/3 of the suspension travel available to soak up bumps, while having 1/3 available to extend the wheels down into negative bumps, i.e. holes.
Because the bike has level measuring gadgets to determine and monitor suspension compression, it knows when the weight on the bike changes, and by how much the sag has increased, so will adjust the preload accordingly to get back as near as possible to the ideal sag. Because it knows how much preload is needed to reach this ideal sag state, then it can infer how much weight is on the bike and can also factor this into the dynamic damping adjustment - biasing it towards more compression and rebound damping for heavier loads.
My feeling is that MIN and MAX are not equivalent to previous settings as according to the manual they simply give you the minimum possible preload and maximum possible preload respectively, regardless of the load on the bike and what sag that results in. I think this means that they are not necessarily equivalent to the old rider only and rider and pillion plus luggage settings, as these were intended to get you the correct sag and damping for those loads, albeit they were factory chosen presets to suit average weights of rider, pillion and luggage, so would only be approximate for most users. This is why the new AUTO setting is better - it sets the preload for the weight actually on the bike, not for theoretical averages.
Maybe MAX is useful if you are off road and want maximum ground clearance but I can't quite see why you would want MIN. I don't think it is supposed to be used by short riders just so they can reach the ground as this will make the sag greater than ideal, and the damping possibly less than ideal, especially for heavier riders. Maybe it would be helpful when getting rider and pillion on the bike though note that you cannot change while on the move, so would have to select AUTO when stationary, but this will not adjust ride height to the correct level immediately, it only does so once you are moving so you would have to start off with a less than ideal configuration until the AUTO mode does its stuff.
Fred
Because the bike has level measuring gadgets to determine and monitor suspension compression, it knows when the weight on the bike changes, and by how much the sag has increased, so will adjust the preload accordingly to get back as near as possible to the ideal sag. Because it knows how much preload is needed to reach this ideal sag state, then it can infer how much weight is on the bike and can also factor this into the dynamic damping adjustment - biasing it towards more compression and rebound damping for heavier loads.
My feeling is that MIN and MAX are not equivalent to previous settings as according to the manual they simply give you the minimum possible preload and maximum possible preload respectively, regardless of the load on the bike and what sag that results in. I think this means that they are not necessarily equivalent to the old rider only and rider and pillion plus luggage settings, as these were intended to get you the correct sag and damping for those loads, albeit they were factory chosen presets to suit average weights of rider, pillion and luggage, so would only be approximate for most users. This is why the new AUTO setting is better - it sets the preload for the weight actually on the bike, not for theoretical averages.
Maybe MAX is useful if you are off road and want maximum ground clearance but I can't quite see why you would want MIN. I don't think it is supposed to be used by short riders just so they can reach the ground as this will make the sag greater than ideal, and the damping possibly less than ideal, especially for heavier riders. Maybe it would be helpful when getting rider and pillion on the bike though note that you cannot change while on the move, so would have to select AUTO when stationary, but this will not adjust ride height to the correct level immediately, it only does so once you are moving so you would have to start off with a less than ideal configuration until the AUTO mode does its stuff.
Fred
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Have to agree Fred I leave mine on Auto when in Road mode, seems to work fine, and either solo or 2 up I do not see the difference, like you say the bike does everything, and agree offroad might enjoy the MAX setting, otherwise simple enough, but the bike does drop down when you set it to Min, so maybe useful for shorter legs at junctions.
I think that's about bang on.. I find on mine that when heavily loaded switching the suspension setting to dyna helps a little and seems to give a bit more damping / stiffness to the feel of the bike. Really can't see the point of the Min setting.
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Rich Min is probably suited to Solo and short legs that is my understanding.
to expand........when tying the bike down on a ferry after running with the Auto setting is there a need to change the settling to allow the bike to be tied down securely. A friend of mind went to great lengths to reduce the setting as he said the strap down would loosen when the bike settled down. i didn't see how this would happen but i could be wrong. Any views?
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By the time they strap your bike down, it will be well settled, no worries there
fred_jb
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My experience is that preload stays where was last set while the bike is switched off. For example, if I last rode it solo, then if the next ride is two-up I find that the bike sags excessively when my wife gets on, in fact so much so that if I don't retract the side stand before she gets on then it is trapped and can't be moved. This excessive sag then persists as I ride off because AUTO mode requires you to ride for a short distance before it will adjust to any change in load compared to the last ride. Conversely, if the last ride was two-up, the bike starts off quite high if the next ride is solo. Given this, there should be no worries about strapping the bike down in AUTO preload mode. I've had mine strapped down on ferries several times since I bought it last March and have had no problems leaving it in AUTO preload mode.
Deleted account 191119001
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Mine is set to Road and Road Auto, wonder what difference, Road and Dynamic Auto will feel like, and Dynamic Min or Max
Ill need to fiddle ... so far ive had it on auto and min and I cannot notice any diff in ride or ride height. Then again i am a proper newbie.
On an aside is there a way to raise the ride height if you are going proper off road and wanted more sysp travel?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
On an aside is there a way to raise the ride height if you are going proper off road and wanted more sysp travel?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Deleted account 191119001
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Set it to Dynamic Max on the preload
If you don't weigh much you won't compress the suspension enough for the auto preload to activate, therefore no difference between min and auto. In AUTO the bike only self adjusts on the move so you don't notice it.
Go out for a ride with preload set on AUTO, when yo get home, before getting of the bike and when it is still running set the preload to min and see if it changes. You have to do it quickly as you have to scroll through MAX to get there.
I have a 2017 GSA TE. Where is auto? All I see are the rider/pillion settings and the road/ wet modes.
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You have to press the button with the little shock absorber on it, below the ABS button.
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As I have had trouble with a intermittent fault on my suspension I have little (and I do mean little) knowledge. First the fault with the suspension was that in 'Auto' mode it would occasionally set itself to the 'Max' setting and believe me you do not want to be approaching a bend at a rate of notts in this setting....I got to calling it 'APM' (arse pinching mode)....Anyway my dealers seem to have cured it, how they don't know BUT they have re-programmed everything and fingers crossed....all is well
I think Freed is about right although there's numerous settings....Min....Auto....Max, mix in the Enduro modes and it all gets a little messy, so my take on it mixed with the Riders manual is
'Min' does lower the bike for "better ground accessibility".
'Auto' I find it easier to think of as self levelling, whatever the weight is on the bike it should/does adjust to while riding....This is the mode I use.
'Max' according to the Riders manual is for off road use, you really don't want to be riding fast on-road in this setting + when you come to a stop I found my feet would just about touch the floor.
When the encoding plug is fitted it gives a lot more and I really can't be bothered to copy the txt from the riders manual, needless to say it alters the modes yet again for road and off road.
I think Freed is about right although there's numerous settings....Min....Auto....Max, mix in the Enduro modes and it all gets a little messy, so my take on it mixed with the Riders manual is
'Min' does lower the bike for "better ground accessibility".
'Auto' I find it easier to think of as self levelling, whatever the weight is on the bike it should/does adjust to while riding....This is the mode I use.
'Max' according to the Riders manual is for off road use, you really don't want to be riding fast on-road in this setting + when you come to a stop I found my feet would just about touch the floor.
When the encoding plug is fitted it gives a lot more and I really can't be bothered to copy the txt from the riders manual, needless to say it alters the modes yet again for road and off road.
