GS Exclusive Dynamic ESA Next Generation

DavidH

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I thought I'd post this to give prospective buyers a heads up on the Next Generation ESA.

I've had the Exclusive just over a month, it's a great bike, smoother quieter and appears less wind than my 2016 TE.

The new Dynamic self adjusting suspension gives fabulous ride regardless of load. BUT, on a standard GS my feet are on ground albeit not totally flat at times. On the auto setting I often get caught out, as it adjusts to different surfaces and inclines when I come to a stop I find myself on tip toes, not just toes but like a ballerina!!!!!

I came to a T junction on a hill at the weekend and was stretching to try and touch the ground.

You can set it to MIN but it is quite soft and bouncy and not suited to increased load. I do actually much prefer the older method of manually selecting the load setting although the auto setting does give a good ride and compensates for a lot of situations.

If anyone is borderline on height I would seriously consider the low suspension option, I am looking to part ex already as for me I've found myself in some awkward situations
 
Interesting comment. I too have had an Exclusive about 6 weeks and 1200mls. Mine is factory lowered and I've not had your experience of varying ride heights. Maybe being lowered it is less obvious. I was very unhappy with ride quality initially but this has improved, maybe parts loosening up. Do find I switch between Road and Dynamic more often depending on road surface.
Otherwise engine is superb and I'm loving it.
Did find if you lock steering whilst still sitting on the bike you can't get off. Shame you can't lock steering either left or right.
 
I've just moved from a 2015 GS TE to a 2017 GS TE, both lowered. Auto setting on the new bike gives a much better ride than old, but is higher to the extent I'm worried about cambers at junctions (or my daughter's drive). I tended to ride the old bike in ESA Low, but I could feel the suspension bottoming out now and again. Steering lock? Couldn't make it work one way last week-end. Thought I had a dud, but worked with the bars the other way.
 
I've come from a 2015 non ESA GS To an Exclusive and after 700 miles dare I say I prefer the basic suspension.I agree ,i seem to be on my tip toes more too.Love the bike overall though.
 
Interesting, so the new bike is weighing the rider and thinks it needs to jack up the pre-load.

I wonder, would it be rude of me to ask how much the lads weigh who are having the fluctuating ride height issues?
 
Interesting, I hope to change from my 15 plate TE in July so will need to order my new bike in about 6 weeks. I have been chasing Vines to give me a proper test ride on a standard height GS not the high suspension version they have as a demo bike. I won't order a new bike before due to all the comments I have read on the new suspension as I am 5ft 8in with 29in inner leg and don't want problems like listed!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Just a thought but if you brake hard to a stop this could have effect of loading suspension causing bike to rise. Not saying any of you are of course.
 
I've not had any issues with it being too high; I ride in Dynamic Pro throttle/ Auto suspension, and highly rate it. I weigh around 164lbs.

I did notice that you can only lock the handlebars one way now; on my 2017 GSA you could lock them either way.
 
04/17 Lowered GS TE.
I leave mine in auto/road and switch between road and dynamic damping, I am only 5'6" and 12 stone with little legs.
I have had no height issues with the preload changing, it is the same height as the min setting I think, I have not tried loading the Doris on the back yet to see what happens.
Has anyone loaded the bike and noticed the AUTO esa doing its thing and lifting/ self leveling the rear of the bike?
 
CPJS said:
04/17 Lowered GS TE.
I leave mine in auto/road and switch between road and dynamic damping, I am only 5'6" and 12 stone with little legs.
I have had no height issues with the preload changing, it is the same height as the min setting I think, I have not tried loading the Doris on the back yet to see what happens.
Has anyone loaded the bike and noticed the AUTO esa doing its thing and lifting/ self leveling the rear of the bike?
Click to expand...

I have the GS TE with lowered suspension, and haven't noticed any untoward behaviour with ride height, though I have noticed how well it behaves with a pillion on board which I think must be at least partly due to the self levelling. I would suspect that the previous system, where you had to choose from three predetermined levels of preload, is unlikely to be as accurate at levelling the bike due to the great variation in rider and pillion weights - the three factory settings must be generic settings which are not going to be spot on for everybody's situation.

I do also think the terminology BMW use is quite confusing, using the same word dynamic shortened to dyna for automatic adjustment of spring preload as part of Dynamic ESA, for one of the damping settings, as in ROAD, DYNA, and ENDURO and also for one of the riding modes - as in RAIN, ROAD and DYNA. I'm still not sure if the suspension damping settings (as opposed to preload settings) are dynamically adjusted in any or all of the suspension damping settings. I have been through several RTFM sessions but am so far still not clear. I also have the Riding Modes Pro plugin, though haven't installed it yet, but that just seems to complicate matters further.
 
Fred, plug the plug in, and it'll remember your riding mode/ damping settings for you. Makes life easier, as you don't have to faff about every time you go out.:thumb
 
Rode the RALLYE & EXCLUSIVE back2back for the day with a friend last Wednesday whilst our 2014 TE models were in for service. I felt the older menu system was easier to meddle with and understand. The bikes were smoother than my 14 model, the quick shifter was slick in both. I much preferred the EXCLUSIVE to ride than the RALLYE but the way the RALLYE looks is just perfect.

We both wanted to ride the RALLYE based on its looks when leaving the dealer but we were both soon wanting the EXCLUSIVE. Not sure why but it just rode better, felt smoother and less upright than the RALLYE.

The reality tho, I'm in love with 2014 model TE - I wouldn't dream of upgrading for the silly figures they quoted.
The MENU buttons are easier to adjust on the older ones

I might just have the GSAP fitted tho
 
I'm still not sure if the suspension damping settings (as opposed to preload settings) are dynamically adjusted in any or all of the suspension damping settings.

My arse thinks it does, if I have the settings in ROAD mode/ROAD damping the ride at slow to medium pace is a bit bouncy/under damped, if I then up the pace to fast the bike does not seem to wobble all over the place as would happen with normal under damped suspension it seems to cope, just.
If you want to get serious then it is AUTO preload/ROAD mode/DYNA damping, with this setup I find the suspension stunning, it is firm but not harsh and will take anything thrown at it.
 
I rode a 2017 TE recently with this new ESA and found it much superior to my 2016 model. I have a crap back so am quite sensitive to suspension settings etc.

What I can't figure out......isn't this 'active' suspension, as opposed to 'Semi-active?'

I've read the BMW blurb on the website and it is described as such but not referred to explicitly as 'active' suspension.

If it adjusts for pillion/load differences automatically (it does) and for differing road conditions (it does) isn't that 'active' suspension?

I would genuinely like people with knowledge of this to comment as i'm thinking of doing the dirty and upgrading. :nenau
 
Active suspension (I think) also can alter the spring rate. As you can't alter the rate of a spring, something else is being used in place of a spring. Semi-active adjusts damping rates only. I'm pretty sure the pre-load is not being adjusted all the time. It's possibly only done when stationery or travelling at very low speed. And pre-load doesn't alter the rate of a spring, anyway.
 
2015 Dynamic esa/ 2017 dynamic esa

I too had a 2015 1200 gs te standard height and loved it, I now have a 2017 Rallye with standard suspension and chassis. I don't have a problem with the ride height at stand still but on hard cornering with suspension in dynamic mode the rally foot pegs touch down indicating the suspension must be a little softer as I never had this problem with the 2015 bike although on the te I did set the suspension to rider with luggage to avoid the pegs touching down.

I do think the later version dynamic esa is a much better ride quality but I would prefer to have some manual adjustment.
 
ROLL DOG said:
Rode the RALLYE & EXCLUSIVE back2back for the day with a friend last Wednesday whilst our 2014 TE models were in for service. I felt the older menu system was easier to meddle with and understand. The bikes were smoother than my 14 model, the quick shifter was slick in both. I much preferred the EXCLUSIVE to ride than the RALLYE but the way the RALLYE looks is just perfect.

We both wanted to ride the RALLYE based on its looks when leaving the dealer but we were both soon wanting the EXCLUSIVE. Not sure why but it just rode better, felt smoother and less upright than the RALLYE.
Click to expand...

I made the same conclusions.

I'm not sure what the differences are, maybe the Rallye has more travel ?

Lets hope the "exclusive" gets some attractive colours at some point, because at the moment its dull dull dull.
 
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