Regret not optioning ESA on new 1250 GSA!!

LBJ GSA

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Hmm.....I messed up not optioning in the ESA. It's just not the same 'magic carpet' sublime ride I have come to love about GSs and GSAs. This is my 4th GS and I'm just not bonding with it due to the lack of ESA. Apparently it's a £3000 job to retro install at the dealer - and it's looking like even more to part exchange my 2 month 700 mile GSA for another new one with the ESA spec'd in (along with the extras I have on this one). It's an £825 option from factory or (as you well know) included in the TE model, so this is a shit sandwich whichever way you look at it! :) To top that, there's a supply problem on them anyway. Anyone who prefers standard suspension in the market for a spanking new GSA 1250 in ice grey, with cruise control, fogs and heated grips (just had 600 mile service)? After market suspension obviously another option, but that's a journey into the unknown.
 
Give Revs racing at Halesowen a call, they'll advise on what suspension upgrades they could do for you which will be a lot cheaper than trading it in
 
wreck diver said:
I would keep it and stick Ohlins or Maxton shocks on.
Click to expand...

It's the unknown outcome / ride for probably quite a meaty financial cost that turns me off that idea - despite the both being well known 'quality' shocks. If they had a GS demo with those shocks, that would be a different story, but that's obviously not possible.
 
littleade said:
Give Revs racing at Halesowen a call, they'll advise on what suspension upgrades they could do for you which will be a lot cheaper than trading it in
Click to expand...

I will. Thanks dude. Need to know what the options are for sure. Problem is that would be an investment without knowing the outcome.
 
LBJ GSA said:
Hmm.....I messed up not optioning in the ESA. It's just not the same 'magic carpet' sublime ride I have come to love about GSs and GSAs. This is my 4th GS and I'm just not bonding with it due to the lack of ESA. Apparently it's a £3000 job to retro install at the dealer - and it's looking like even more to part exchange my 2 month 700 mile GSA for another new one with the ESA spec'd in (along with the extras I have on this one). It's an £825 option from factory or (as you well know) included in the TE model, so this is a shit sandwich whichever way you look at it! :) To top that, there's a supply problem on them anyway. Anyone who prefers standard suspension in the market for a spanking new GSA 1250 in ice grey, with cruise control, fogs and heated grips (just had 600 mile service)? After market suspension obviously another option, but that's a journey into the unknown.
Click to expand...

Keep it and get Ohlins for £1500

You will have a far better bike than an ESA equipped bike

ESA shocks are just cheap emulsion shocks

Why are you scared of fitting proper quality shocks ?

They will be 10x better than an ESA bike

Call Andy at Kais Performance in Manchester - one of the best shock and suspension men in the UK and all the racers use him



I have Ohlins on mine (albeit not a WC, but a GS Adv, nonetheless) - front and rear and it's amazing
 
I have been contemplating getting a basic GSA at some point, how much would you want for yours if you decide to sell?
 
littleade said:
Give Revs racing at Halesowen a call, they'll advise on what suspension upgrades they could do for you which will be a lot cheaper than trading it in
Click to expand...

+1. I’d look at Wilbers, as they’re not as much as the others, but are a great alternative.
 
By far the best riding/handling GS I had was my 2009 GS with Non ESA Wilbers. My 2013 TC GSA has Wilbers ESA and IMO is far superior to the current crop of WC ESA bikes. I just can not get on with current semi active stuff. I find the ride either very soft or too hard and unsettled. The non ESA bike was better because I could tune the ride easily with a couple of twists...infinite adjustment to my requirements rather than pre set for a mythical 80kg rider.

If I were to spring for a WC it would be non ESA with Wilbers set to fast road....sublime...and even better loaded up with luggage and Mrs Oldnfat.
 
littleade said:
Give Revs racing at Halesowen a call, they'll advise on what suspension upgrades they could do for you which will be a lot cheaper than trading it in
Click to expand...

When I had my F650GS reworked at Revs in 2017 , they said they were converting two ESA GS’s per week! So John’s worth talking too as its not unknown to them.

Steve
 
The ohlins ttx shocks were excellent on my Lc,
Very smooth action ,controlled but compliant,
they came out of the box with correct sag settings
The bonus is you can take them off when changing bikes,
They are in a different league to manufacturer fitted units,
I deliberateley bought non esa to allow budget for aftermarket shocks,
Wilbers only did a basic front shock at the time which may still be the case,
The matched pair ohlins piggyback units are specific adventure bike design ,
Not road shocks, made to your weight etc,
 
LBJ GSA said:
I will. Thanks dude. Need to know what the options are for sure. Problem is that would be an investment without knowing the outcome.
Click to expand...

Had 2 LC’s with ESA and now have a 1250 basic with TTX Ohlins. My reason for buying a basic was so I could do just that. As has been said the ESA actual shocks are just cheap and nasty and expensive when they go wrong.

The handling on my 1250 is loads better than my previous GSA. Really pleased I went for a Ohlins. Cost between mine and ESA one was about the same. Won’t have ESA shocks again.
 
The Nutty KTMer said:
+1. I’d look at Wilbers, as they’re not as much as the others, but are a great alternative.
Click to expand...

+1. I had Revs racing fit Wilber's to my 2013 GSA and it was a real transformation. I'd had the stock shocks on there for 2 years and 12k miles so I knew the bike well, it's not a case of Emperor's new clothes. Best upgrade you can do to your bike.
 
The biggest problem is that although as has been mentioned, the ESA shocks are quite shonky in comparison to Ohlins etc the none ESA shocks are worse still.
My first GS was non ESA and was bloody awful I could never ever dial it in right it was too soft and soggy for cornering or too hard and un compliant for straight roads

|Cured by fitting a set of Wilburs which were a real ey opener !

All that said the elecktrickery that adjusts damping and rebound at trillions of times per heart beat is something that not even the very best Ohlins ( non ESA type) can achieve

I have Ohlins on my Hyper and they are brilliant but do have their limitations on certain surfaces compared to ESA type
 
Interesting thread - theres a lot of talk about people thinking they'd prefer the "std" models, but I didn't imagine anyone would order one. The £3k retrofit might not be such a bad investment - I suspect you'd get quite a chunk of it back in re-sale value. Certainly more than you would if you fitted 3-rd party shocks.

I'd expect that the residual value of a non-ESA 1250 be pretty poor - have you asked about changing?
 
Geekay said:
Interesting thread - theres a lot of talk about people thinking they'd prefer the "std" models, but I didn't imagine anyone would order one. The £3k retrofit might not be such a bad investment - I suspect you'd get quite a chunk of it back in re-sale value. Certainly more than you would if you fitted 3-rd party shocks.

I'd expect that the residual value of a non-ESA 1250 be pretty poor - have you asked about changing?
Click to expand...

Get a grip!
£3000 to retro fit BMW ESA shocks or full fat Ohlins at less ??
No comparison
Quality suspenders are the very best mod you can do to your bike
Forget a chip or Hilltop or a Akra - change to quality suspension
 
Geekay said:
I'd expect that the residual value of a non-ESA 1250 be pretty poor
Click to expand...

Why? A 5 year old bike with ESA with average mileage is around £8000/8500 to replace the ESA is around £1500. That is almost 20% of the value of the bike. Think about. My ESA went pop at 18000 miles, replaced under warranty. Bike was only 3 years old. My latest GS LC IS Standard, only cruise and heated grips. I don't care about residual values, if I would... I would never have got married and have kids :D
 
Just a thought why not get a set of Touratech high end shocks, and get BMW to just install the sensors and software needed, all this might still come to about 3 grand, however you will have the best on the market, and later if you wish to sell the bike, you could get a decent priced pair of BMW esa shocks second hand, and resell easilly the Touratech shocks, this is just a thought, so do not shoot...................

https://shop.touratech.de/touratech...set-for-bmw-r1200gs-lc-r1250gs-from-2013.html
 
£3000 for something that should have cost £825.. youll be £££ out.. get some Ohlins and have the best ride out there...
and when you want to sell it.. give me a bell.. I love the manuals on my GS.. much better IMO than the ESA set up ;)
 
JohnnyBoxer said:
Get a grip!
£3000 to retro fit BMW ESA shocks or full fat Ohlins at less ??
No comparison
Quality suspenders are the very best mod you can do to your bike
Forget a chip or Hilltop or a Akra - change to quality suspension
Click to expand...

doesn't change the residuals on the bike though. I'm not saying i'd buy the ESA at £3k either, but the mistake was to order a bike without ESA!

but as said above, I guess its not all about residuals.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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