Does “race sag” matter?

After I purchased my 2012 R1200GSA I took the time and measured the amount if sag with me sitting on the bike with gear and all three aluminum cases on (relatively empty cases). With the ESA setting on one helmet plus luggage it is set almost perfect with around 66mm of rear sag.

But does any of this really matter? or when i am riding alone with just the side cases on should I put the ESA to one helmet (rider only) and go?

The dealership said I should just set it to one helmet and go, but my OCD tells me not all riders are the same weight and would sag a bike to different degrees.

Thoughts on this? Thanks.

You've determined that 1+luggage is theoretically correct for your weight with the stock spring. If you cannot detect an improvement of some sort at another setting, there is no reason to make a change.

lkraus said:

You've determined that 1+luggage is theoretically correct for your weight with the stock spring. If you cannot detect an improvement of some sort at another setting, there is no reason to make a change.

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Thanks Larry. kinda what i was thinking. I am overthinking this more like.

I agree that it will depend on the rider's weight. I weigh 180, my wife a portly 105 pounds. I see single riders that weigh almost this much, or a rider at 250 and a 175 wife on back.

On my R1200RT with my wife riding I set the ESA for one rider and luggage and either the soft or normal damping settings. Two people and luggage seemed too firm for us, although when I pull my Unigo trailer with both of us I will set it for two up and luggage and normal or the middle damping setting.

IMO, set it where you like it. If the suspension rarely or never bottoms you should be good. Some riders will like the firmer settings all the time.

Thanks for the feedback!

My edc gear in the side bags weighs 30#'s, the racks and bags weigh 33#'s. I weight 185#'s. I ride the GS in 1 up + luggage all the time. Passenger gets aboard, 2 up +luggage. Trip to Ak. last summer loaded with 95#'s of gear, 2 up setting was used.

I run in normal mode, hitting the twisties I move to sport mode. Rarely ever use comfort mode even on the highways and never two up.

A strut (shock) with a threaded adjuster provides infinite variability within the thread range. The jigh tech setup provides maybe 5 or 6 discrete settings. So find the one that weems to work best and ignore whether it is for two slim folks or one heavyweight doing commuting or track use.