Upgraded suspension

stick · Oct 24, 2020

Alan R said:
So not so useful then.
It’s irritating when unsubstantiated opinions are posted in an authoritative, untroubled by doubt, fact or qualification, manner.
Alan R

Maybe aTT hater , some do due to cost , but it’s well made stuff and quality to boot , also tested , improved and sold as a balanced and worthwhile product that does it job .

Alan R · Oct 24, 2020

I’ve fitted Wilber’s to two bikes and have been impressed by the noticeable difference over stock equipment even though the set fitted to a r1200gsa LC utilised the damper units from the OE equipment. The r1250 suspension seems better quality and will stay in place until the 3 year warranty period is over: then probably Touratech.
Alan R

Warlord · Oct 24, 2020

In the future if I ever upgrade from BMW ESA it'll be to Touratech Extreme suspension (the electronic version), 100% no doubts.

I've got manual adjustment Ohlins TTX on my current R1200GSA and it's good, but WAY too fiddly to set up. To be honest its a pain in the arse and I've been extremely patient with it.

I've got Touratech Extreme on my Africa Twin and in my opinion it's better suited to heavy adventure bikes.

Although Touratech is extremely expensive it's 100% worth it.

buncobooth · Oct 25, 2020

Alan R said:
So not so useful then.
It’s irritating when unsubstantiated opinions are posted in an authoritative, untroubled by doubt, fact or qualification, manner.
Alan R

Just to be clear for my particular bike (a 2008 GSA Hexhead), the Touratech option was £2,500 and the Tractive option (albeit with a front EPA delete rather than a front shock with electronic preload) was £2,000. That's about as substantiated and authoritative as I can manage

I bought my units from a place called ESARepair in Holland, only because they are the only people to sell the EPA delete dongle thing which guarantees no warning/error messages when the front EPA is removed. If it wasn't for that I would have got them a bit cheaper from Rally Raid.

BDG · Oct 25, 2020

stanley said:
Thanks,
I'm maybe a bit lighter at under 80kg and also leave it in Dynamic and Auto too (although it remains great with a passenger too). The automatic preload is the only bit that I find slightly erratic... It seems to adjust itself fairly regularly, even if the load hasn't changed: I notice the height variation when I park the bike up. Luckily, for me, the damping remains perfect.

On an earlier GSA (2012 twin cam) I completely removed the ESA and fitted Touratech (made by Tractive) units; they were a great improvement.
I've also fitted a Wilbers rear unit to a similar bike, again with good results.
Both of these manual shocks had the full array of adjustments: preload, height adjust, high+low comp, rebound and correctly weighted spring. Both were beautifully made... I'd struggle to say I preferred one over the other! I'd buy either again.
I've no experience of upgrading to one of the dynamic systems though. I'd probably want to keep the original shocks intact for the future.

I guess you have to decide between a dynamic system and an old-school manually adjusted set up. As you understand suspension, I suspect you'd prefer old-school. Probably a bit less impact on the wallet too!

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Interesting comments Stanley from you and the likes of Stick, CPJS et al who’ve used the the Tractive option. Despite the fact I’ve got a bit of a grasp of setting up suspension, I do like the ESA over manual. Having invested in a bike with ESA I’d like to keep it. Despite the eye watering cost I’m erring more towards TracTive than Wilburs or manual. Time to save up/drop hints for Christmas pressies/rob a bank/stick the missus on eBay or whatever.

Winjar · Oct 27, 2020

TT specs are better and heavy duty built, tractive do build TT but more heavy specs, the tractive is cheep because cheep specs.

stick · Oct 28, 2020

Winjar said:
TT specs are better and heavy duty built, tractive do build TT but more heavy specs, the tractive is cheep because cheep specs.

I would check that statement due to when I looked at both they were the same spec , the differences were colour only , ie the anodised parts were yellow (TT) and orange (Tractive ) and I think the springs were White on the TT . Again only an assumption but it was the fact TT were helpful at the time so my choice was based on that and I felt orange would have been too Ktm lol

Warlord · Oct 28, 2020

Winjar said:
TT specs are better and heavy duty built, tractive do build TT but more heavy specs, the tractive is cheep because cheep specs.

This is what I was told by Tractive themselves....

Touratech Extreme shocks were licenced exclusively to Touratech. The Extreme range was a heavier duty shock designed for Adventure bikes. That Tractive could not sell directly to public because of this contract arrangement with Touratech.

So unless that's changed recently???

BDG · Oct 28, 2020

Warlord said:
This is what I was told by Tractive themselves....

Touratech Extreme shocks were licenced exclusively to Touratech. The Extreme range was a heavier duty shock designed for Adventure bikes. That Tractive could not sell directly to public because of this contract arrangement with Touratech.

So unless that's changed recently???

Very interesting but I would guess that TracTive wouldn’t sell s shit shock with their name on. I understand the exclusive agreement with TT, sensible business not allowing the manufacturer to undercut your TT product, however even if the TT item is beefed up a bit and stronger, I’m sure the TracTive one will be perfectly adequate as well, especially just for road use.

CPJS · Oct 28, 2020

The TT extreme shocks are non ESA, they are a very sturdy, fully adjustable shock. RTW stuff.
The regular TT and Tractive shocks look to be the same specs to me.

Winjar · Oct 28, 2020

BDG said:
Very interesting but I would guess that TracTive wouldn’t sell s shit shock with their name on. I understand the exclusive agreement with TT, sensible business not allowing the manufacturer to undercut your TT product, however even if the TT item is beefed up a bit and stronger, I’m sure the TracTive one will be perfectly adequate as well, especially just for road use.

Tractive is very good, just a small lighter materiel than TT, so you have a choice, big price ride forever heavy duty TT, or ride long time cheaper tractive, still better than sachs 100 dollar shocks sold at TT prices by BMW.

Warlord · Oct 28, 2020

CPJS said:
The TT extreme shocks are non ESA, they are a very sturdy, fully adjustable shock. RTW stuff.
The regular TT and Tractive shocks look to be the same specs to me.

I thought the Extreme shock was ESA?

Isn't that what Stick has fitted to his bike, the Touratech Extreme ESA Version??

stick · Oct 28, 2020

Warlord said:
I thought the Extreme shock was ESA?

Isn't that what Stick has fitted to his bike, the Touratech Extreme ESA Version??

I think the extreme is the manual as mine are the plug and travel ones which are the same as the tractive units , but with TT colours.
The Extreme are for the nutters going serious off road with luggage etc as the manual settings in this cenario would
work well over the ESA sets as its more off road bias and more tuneable for the extreme bits .

Warlord · Oct 28, 2020

stick said:
I think the extreme is the manual as mine are the plug and travel ones which are the same as the tractive units , but with TT colours.
The Extreme are for the nutters going serious off road with luggage etc as the manual settings in this cenario would
work well over the ESA sets as its more off road bias and more tuneable for the extreme bits .

Righto, I didn't know that :thumb2

BDG · Oct 28, 2020

CPJS said:
The TT extreme shocks are non ESA, they are a very sturdy, fully adjustable shock. RTW stuff.
The regular TT and Tractive shocks look to be the same specs to me.

If I was riding round the other half of the world I've yet to do, I wouldn't be crossing deserts on anything as humungous as a 1250/1290 etc no matter who makes the overweight thing. I've been stuck in swamps/dunes etc and a big single is heavy enough thanks. The thought of dragging a GSA across the Aral Sea makes me feel ill.

However I can feel the possibility of lashing on the TT/Tractive ESA shocks coming on. "Darling the new kitchen has been cancelled" If I stop posting here, I've been murdered and the prime suspect is …………..

If I survive the next step will be to reduce weight by 50 lbs, fit 17 inch wheels and find another 35 bhp.

CPJS · Oct 28, 2020

BDG said:
If I survive the next step will be to reduce weight by 50 lbs, fit 17 inch wheels and find another 35 bhp.

Change your name to Boxerlust.

BDG · Oct 29, 2020

CPJS said:
Change your name to Boxerlust.

Oh no

buncobooth · Oct 29, 2020

Winjar said:
TT specs are better and heavy duty built, tractive do build TT but more heavy specs, the tractive is cheep because cheep specs.

This is not the case at all. The Tractive "standard" ESA shocks are exactly the same as the TT "standard" shocks as I compared them directly, the TT ones are a different finish/colour and they don't offer the same options e.g. front EPA delete but the shock itself is the same. So your additional money buys you the same thing albeit more blingy (which I thought was a bad thing as it looks kinda Ohlins/expensive and therefore more nickable). TT do higher spec shocks but they are even more money again. But the same spec of shock from TT and Tractive are the same.

Upgraded suspension

stick

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Alan R

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Warlord

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buncobooth

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BDG

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Winjar

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stick

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Warlord

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BDG

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CPJS

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Winjar

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Warlord

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stick

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Warlord

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BDG

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CPJS

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BDG

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buncobooth

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