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Adding preload spscers to ESA on 2013 R1200RT

wyman.winn

i should be out riding!
it looks to be a pretty straight forward job to add preload to the ESA shocks on the R12RT....has anyone attempted this modification...

FWIW, i like a bit stiffer ride and i am finding that solo riding i am in the middle (rider/luggage) to stiff (rider/pillion) preload with the normal to sport setting on the dampening....when riding two-up i would like a bit more adjustment...

any and all comments appreciated...

wyman
 
wyman,

Adding spacers may not result in the change you want. Once a spring is in it's working range - especially a linear wound spring like BMW uses - it doesn't change "spring rate" by compressing it - until the coils bind (and at that point it has no spring rate.) If the spring is already compressed at something say - 9" long, adding spacers to make it 8" long (compressing it 1") won't change the amount of force required to compress it the next inch (making it 7" long.)

To achieve what you want - you likely want a higher-rate spring. Aftermarket springs are available that will accomplish this for you.. I know Hyperpro sells them for the stock BMW shocks. At the same time, you'll likely want higher damping settings on both rebound and compression damping to help control the extra force the higher rate spring requires to compress (and releases when it expands.)
 
yep, what Don said. I'm planning on getting Wilburs WESA shocks. Maintains the ESA functionallity, but with springs for my weight and riding style and the shock internals set up to match. Surprisingly not as expensive as you'd think. Plus I already have 36k miles on my shocks so it is time anyway.
 
well, just waiting for Ted to call me and let me know that the parts have arrived to upgrade my RT to Wilbers WESAs.....

Ted is VERY accommodating and VERY informative....we plan on riding up for an early morning arrival so his crew can R&R the shocks and properly set them up for us on the same day....and the pricing is VERY reasonable for everything involved...

will post back with the ride upgrade report...

wyman
 
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