The ESA on my R1250RS is better than I realized

[runnerhiker]

I got my R1250RS a year ago now, when I first got it, the difference in the engine compared to my older R1200RS was very noticeable right away. The 1250 engine was better in every way. The improvement in the suspension did not jump out at me, I think I was paying less attention to that, and the improvement was more "evolution" than "revolution". Many of you have probably seen my thread on the new Kawasaki ZH2 I bought a month ago, I said the suspension on that bike was very harsh. That woke up my senses to that topic and leads me to proclaim the BMW ESA is greatly improved.

I found some roads near my house that have washboard ripples and I rode them many times to check out the adjustments I was making to the ZH2 suspension. Then I thought "I have ridden these roads many, many times before and I didn't think of these roads as being rough until I got the ZH2". A light bulb lit up! The BMW suspensions are pretty good!

The ZH2 suspension is now "acceptable", it was horribly harsh at its factory setting.

Over the last three days, I've ridden the R1250 RS, the S1000XR, and the ZH2 over the same roads to compare suspension compliance.

What a difference!

The 1250 ESA is on automatic, I don't set anything, and it is very compliant. Before my ZH2 experience, I never gave a second thought traveling over these roads. It was simply a non issue. I never thought the roads were not in good shape.

The S1000XR has a similar ESA to the 2016 R1200RS - I set the suspension to helmets and saddlebags icons on the screen to change the spring pre load. I have my XR set at 1 helmet. The ESA setting is "Road". The compliance is not as good at the 1250RS but it is pretty good. I am not left thinking "these roads need repairs"

The ZH2 has manual suspension, Kawasaki makes the ZH2 SE with electronic suspension, but I don't have that model. The factory suspension setting was very harsh and I felt every imperfection on the road surface. My first round of adjustments greatly improved things, to maybe almost as good as the XR. I hope to get this a little better still.

But this experience made me see how fantastic the suspension is on the new R1250RS. My bad for not noticing this before, but I sure do appreciate it now.

[Grumpy Goat]

Good feedback on the three. Thanks for sharing. Good to know that there is improvement between the EAS of the 1200 and the 1250.

[Lee]

I got my R1250RS a year ago now, when I first got it, the difference in the engine compared to my older R1200RS was very noticeable right away. The 1250 engine was better in every way.

The 1250 engine is better than we expected. Neither one of us test road any 1250 bikes so it was a pleasant surprise.
I knew it has a pretty good jump in torque but it feels stronger than the numbers.

[Lee]

The 1250 ESA is on automatic,

I have the preload set to Max because of the long sidestand.
In the spring I'll try Auto and see how that works.
I'm guessing Auto sets the ride height about the same as One Rider and Luggage.

Sometime can you compare the bike on the sidestand with the the suspension set on Max and Auto?

[runnerhiker]

The 1250 ESA is on automatic,

I'm guessing Auto sets the ride height about the same as One Rider and Luggage.

Automatic senses the ride height and adjust spring preload accordingly, so you should always have the same sag no matter how loaded or unloaded the bike is. On my 1200 I used to pull up on the back end to extend the suspension when on the side stand. It always came up a little bit and stayed up. I need to try that on the 1250 to see what I get.

[Lee]

Automatic senses the ride height and adjust spring preload accordingly, so you should always have the same sag no matter how loaded or unloaded the bike is. .

I realize that. I was wondering what the standard right height is and if the sidestand seems too long without pulling up on the bike before shutting it off.

I have to start our bikes to get them back into their parking spot and I try to avoid starting them in the winter and only running a minute or two.

[runnerhiker]

The 1250 ESA is on automatic,

Sometime can you compare the bike on the sidestand with the the suspension set on Max and Auto?

OK, but it might be a week or two. I ride year round but winter time is still minimal.

[Lee]

The 1250 ESA is on automatic,

Sometime can you compare the bike on the sidestand with the the suspension set on Max and Auto?

OK, but it might be a week or two. I ride year round but winter time is still minimal.

No hurry. It might be spring before I check ours

I never had the problem, but some people had problems with fouling plugs on the early fuel injected K bikes if they only ran the bike for a minute or two after start up.
Modern fuel injection probably doesn't have that problem, but I got in the habit.

[runnerhiker]

The 1250 ESA is on automatic,

Sometime can you compare the bike on the sidestand with the the suspension set on Max and Auto?

OK, but it might be a week or two. I ride year round but winter time is still minimal.

No hurry. It might be spring before I check ours

I never had the problem, but some people had problems with fouling plugs on the early fuel injected K bikes if they only ran the bike for a minute or two after start up.
Modern fuel injection probably doesn't have that problem, but I got in the habit.

I went for a ride yesterday, roads are dry and clean right now. When I got home, I put the bike on the side stand and changed the suspension setting to Max, Auto, Min, just scrolled several times through the settings. The ride height did not change at all while doing this at a stand still on the side stand.

I have read some comments about people noticing the ride height changing while the bike is at a stand still, using the previous version of helmets & luggage symbols. I noticed nothing, on the side stand, with the current Max, Auto, Min, settings.

[Lee]

I have read some comments about people noticing the ride height changing while the bike is at a stand still, using the previous version of helmets & luggage symbols. I noticed nothing, on the side stand, with the current Max, Auto, Min, settings.

On my R1200RS I could feel the bike raise or lower when changing preload but the bike had to be running.
I don't know about Max or Min but I'm guessing you need to ride awhile before Auto can sense the load and adjust on the new bikes.
It might Auto level when sitting still and loaded with two people and gear while the bike is running.

[Grumpy Goat]

On my R1200RS I could feel the bike raise or lower when changing preload but the bike had to be running.

There is the operative word ... running. On my "old RS" the suspension changes height / stiffness when the bike is stopped and running. I typically do this while sitting on the bike, but I expect that it would be no different if it was on the sidestand and I was standing to the side fiddling with the controls.

Ron wasn't entirely clear ... sounds like his bike was ON but not running ...?

[runnerhiker]

On my R1200RS I could feel the bike raise or lower when changing preload but the bike had to be running.

There is the operative word ... running. On my "old RS" the suspension changes height / stiffness when the bike is stopped and running. I typically do this while sitting on the bike, but I expect that it would be no different if it was on the sidestand and I was standing to the side fiddling with the controls.

Ron wasn't entirely clear ... sounds like his bike was ON but not running ...?

The engine was running. The setting cannot be changed if the engine is off and the ignition is on. The engine has to be running. The preload did not make any adjustment while on the side stand.

What I understand about the AUTO setting is that the suspension has a position sensor, it knows how much the suspension has sagged, and it will adjust the spring to get to the target sag, so no matter how much weight is on or taken off, the sag will be targeted to a software determined number. The owners manual description of MIN and MAX use says MIN for one rider and MAX for 2 people but it doesn't explain whether, or how, or if, it uses the sag sensor to make some automatic adjustment.

I don't have any gut feeling or guess to Lee's question about the rear suspension height when on the side stand. But I'll keep pulling up on the rear at a gas station: this 2020 1250 already tipped over on me once in less than a year of ownership; the 2016 1200 never did in 5 years of ownership. The bike is newer, the owner is 5 years older, it must be the owner's fault.

[Grumpy Goat]

The engine was running. The setting cannot be changed if the engine is off and the ignition is on. The engine has to be running. The preload did not make any adjustment while on the side stand.
....
I don't have any gut feeling or guess to Lee's question about the rear suspension height when on the side stand. But I'll keep pulling up on the rear at a gas station: this 2020 1250 already tipped over on me once in less than a year of ownership; the 2016 1200 never did in 5 years of ownership. The bike is newer, the owner is 5 years older, it must be the owner's fault.

Thanks for clarifying, Ron. I learned something new today. Now I am wondering it my bike will actually change ride heights when running and on the side stand.

Sorry to hear that the new bike already tipped over once. Mine has tipped over maybe 3 times due to this long sidestand nonsense ... definitely a flaw in the R12xxRS. On the other hand the Tracer has almost too much lean, as it seems to keep coming and coming as I set it on the sidestand. PITA when I have to park it in a tight garage space next to the RS and my wife's car.

[Lee]

I looked at the manual this morning.
Auto does not set until you start riding.

In the loading mode Auto,
the spring setting is only adjusted
after riding off.
Adjusting spring preload
To adjust the spring preload:
Starting the engine ( 121).
Repeatedly press and hold
button 1 until the desired setting
is displayed.
The spring setting cannot
be changed while the motorcycle
is underway.
The following message is displayed
if no setting is possible:
Load adjust. only avail.
when halted.

[Lee]

I don't have any gut feeling or guess to Lee's question about the rear suspension height when on the side stand. But I'll keep pulling up on the rear at a gas station: this 2020 1250 already tipped over

That makes me think when you use Auto the ride height is similar to the R1200 when using One Rider.

[runnerhiker]

Since the 1200 did not have an AUTO setting, I assume it did not have a position sensor and the helmets/pannier settings would be similar to turning the old style ring to adjust the spring preload.

Guessing how the AuTO works would be difficult because now it is controlled by a software program and there is no telling what conditions they are looking at to make an adjustment.

But one thing is for sure, in AUTO, putting my 1250 on the side stand after riding, and pulling up on the pillion seat, makes the back end come up a little bit, which helps the lean of the bike on the side stand.

[Grumpy Goat]

But one thing is for sure, in AUTO, putting my 1250 on the side stand after riding, and pulling up on the pillion seat, makes the back end come up a little bit, which helps the lean of the bike on the side stand.

Likewise (and for those who might not be aware) this is similarly the "trick" with the RS I have (2016 RS with "manual" D-ESA). When stopped and before turning off the bike, I unweight the suspension (i.e. get off the seat) and then exert an upward force and to the left, and that increases the lean of the bike, thereby increasing stability. Comes automatically to me now.