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So, I rode the new RS today.....
- Thread starter 36654
- Start date
BMW Triumphant
Ed Kilner #176066
Gosh, I do hate it when folks publish wrong info and would not want to do that myself. I did say at the the beginning of my post that I was talking about my RT and I do believe my post is accurate for the 2015 RT.
From my manual: " The interplay of engine torque, throttle response, ABS control, and ASC control is optimised for each of these scenarios [Rain, Normal, Dyna].
On my RT, Rain defaults to Soft, and so on. I don't think I I claimed other models are the exact same as the RT, but on the RT a mode does invoke ESA and as far as I know, you get to ESA choices via the mode choice.
Is this different on the GS?
AKsuited
New member
It's the same on a GS, the only difference being there are "enduro" and "enduro pro" modes available, the second with a plug hooked up.
Harry
Last edited:
Emoto
New member
My post was not meant as criticism; I only wanted to clarify what was what for the person who might buy one.
Yes, your manual says that, and it is correct, but the distinction I was trying to point out was that ESA is NOT the same thing as the modes. ESA is ONLY the suspension. ESA only controls the damping and the preload. ESA does NOT control any engine or ASC or ABS functionality.
On the other hand, if you have the modes and you have ESA, the modes do reach in and alter some of the ESA settings to be what BMW considers to be the ideal combination. Select a specific mode, and the engine, ASC, ABS, and ESA will be adjusted to the parameters for that mode. However, it does not go the other direction - in other words ESA never reaches into the modes, so therefore, making an ESA setting change never causes a mode change.
Hope that gets my point across. Sorry for being so verbose.
lee
Debbie's Servant
Do you need to have the Dynamic ESA option before the engine modes communicate with the ESA?
Do you also need the Ride Mode Pro option?
lkraus
New member
Beginning with the wetheads, Dynamic ESA is the only ESA available. So, yes, you need D-ESA if you want the ride modes to affect the suspension.
I have not found a similar options list for the RS or the 2016 RT, but this link provides the individual options and packages for the 2015 RT. Note that Ride Modes Pro did not require ESA. But don't expect find one configured like that on your dealer's floor unless you ordered it and it is awaiting pickup.
I have not found a similar options list for the RS or the 2016 RT, but this link provides the individual options and packages for the 2015 RT. Note that Ride Modes Pro did not require ESA. But don't expect find one configured like that on your dealer's floor unless you ordered it and it is awaiting pickup.
Emoto
New member
I cannot attest to the accuracy of this, but I am sure the shop presenting it is trying to be accurate. It shows the various options for the 2016 RS and which ones have to go together.
http://www.bmwmotorcycle.com/2016_bmw_r_1200_rs_information.htm
http://www.bmwmotorcycle.com/2016_bmw_r_1200_rs_information.htm
BMW Triumphant
Ed Kilner #176066
I now do see your point. To make it perfectly clear, on the RT, the mode is set by a right hand button marked Mode. To adjust ESA, there is a left hand button marked Menu that allows scrolling to a screen allowing selection of Soft, Normal, Hard. So, the two are indeed separate.
I suppose one could order a bike with none, one, or both. Mine came with both. Since it came with modes, it must always be in one of them, Rain, Road, or Dyna. From there, one can adjust ESA. If you change a mode, the new mode will have a default ESA applied, Rain/Soft, Road/Normal, and Dyna/Hard.
In normal riding, my menu is often showing the ESA settings. So, if I change modes, I almost always follow with an ESA setting. After a short time, this becomes rather intuitive, to the point I forgot about the left hand Menu button operation. Just becomes automatic.
On my 2011 RT, there were no modes and the ESA settings did not seem to do very much, frankly. The 2015 really feels different in every setting. Much more effective.
lee
Debbie's Servant
Thanks for the info.
Emoto
New member
I don't have an RT manual handy, but on my GS (and I believe this to be the same on the RT), the ESA allows for adjustment of damping on the fly, meaning you can change while you're riding. I love this because if I get to a rough stretch of road, I can put it into "soft" and glide over the pavement imperfections more comfortably.
The second thing that the ESA button allows you to do cannot be done on the fly, it can only be done while the bike is stationary. At a stop, with motor running (but might work with motor off, not sure) press and hold the ESA button for a few seconds and it give you 3 icons to select from: a single helmet (riding solo), a helmet with luggage (solo with luggage), and 2 helmets (riding with passenger, assumes luggage, I think). A quick tap of the ESA button moves you on to the next one. Leave the ESA button untouched for a few seconds and it selects whichever icon was displayed when you stopped cycling through the 3 icons. I could be wrong, but I do not believe that you can even get the system to display these choices unless you are stationary.
On my GS, I tend to leave it in Road mode with the suspension on soft. If I am engaged in spirited pavement riding, I may change the damping to normal or firm unless the road is bad.
36654
New member
Are you changing the damping or the pre-load? I'm guessing preload, but could be wrong.
In any case, I could change my rear pre-load, on the fly, on my 99R11RS by turning a knob. Seemed to work pretty well. The non-ESA has a manually adjustable rear shock, or so I've heard.
Emoto
New member
Damping. I can change damping on the fly with the push of a button. I already have the preload set before I start my ride, to set the bike up for the load it is carrying. I have a lot of rough New England roads around me that I ride on, so the damping is often set to soft, to help absorb the bumps. To elaborate on what I said before, If I am riding in a spirited (read: fast-ish) manner, the soft damping may allow for more suspension motion that I would prefer at speed, so I will change the damping to one of the firmer settings.
This is somewhat oversimplified, but you adjust your preload to handle the weight that the bike is carrying. You adjust the damping to cause the suspension to react to the road as you desire.
I ride with the same set up as Emoto on the RT. Easy to adjust damping on the fly. When changed the RT damping to Firm it will also change the mode to Dynamic at the same time, I change that back to Road just close the throttle for a moment once selected.
Jay
Emoto
New member
Wow! So, on your RT, a change to the ESA setting causes the Mode to change?
If that is true (and I have no reason to doubt you) then that behavior may well also be present in the RS. It would also make my explanation of how ESA and Modes interact incorrect. Apologies, if so!
I will try to research this interaction. I wonder if it is the same for the newer than 2013 GSes.
BMW Triumphant
Ed Kilner #176066
Really? I'm doubtful.
Jay, when I change the mode to Dyna, I get damping set to Hard. Similarly, Road/Normal, Rain/Soft. I think maybe you got it reversed. Can't verify that until Spring, but what I recall also matches the manual.
Have the manual right beside me, needed for this thread. But good time of year to read it again. There's good stuff therein, but one has to read most paragraphs more than once... .
Jay, when I change the mode to Dyna, I get damping set to Hard. Similarly, Road/Normal, Rain/Soft. I think maybe you got it reversed. Can't verify that until Spring, but what I recall also matches the manual.
Have the manual right beside me, needed for this thread. But good time of year to read it again. There's good stuff therein, but one has to read most paragraphs more than once... .
exgman
Active member
Ed - I have the same observation when riding my 2015 RT. E.G. changing to "DYNA" changes the damping to "Hard," as per your example. The preload can't be changed while moving, as far as I can tell. When making a mode change while moving, the display window on the left will show the upcoming change while also displaying the present mode on the right. It won't change until the clutch is pulled slightly. Perhaps a change in the throttle position will effect the change but I haven't observed that, or maybe don't really remember.
Once in the new mode, the damping can be changed from the BMW-programmed damping...say from "Hard" to "Normal," if you'd want to do that.
jamesevans
New member
It ain't the same on the RS. Just hit the heated grip button on the right bar and the icon comes up on the dash. Button again for low heat. Couldn't be simpler.
jamesevans
New member
Wow, glad I got a RS instead of a RT.
AKsuited
New member
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