BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I am new to this forum, and dont know jack. I am interested in a 2011 R1200R with all the bells and whistles but cant find one with ESA. Looks like all you guys bought them up! I have a '02 K12RS that i purchased new after selling a Harley i had for 9 years. I really like the 2011 R1200R with DOHC, havent ridden or even sat on one...cant find one to sit on. I rode the 2011 GS for about 3 hrs and really liked it, but alas i dont see myself riding offroad, and the R1200R is a hell of a lot prettier than a GS! Feedback on ESA and non ESA R1200R would be appreciated. I like my twisties, and i like comfort in a good all round bike. Matte Grey one is calling my name.... I know it's not possible to order at this late date, as usual a day late and a dollar short!

Interesting question. I'd also like to know whether people with ESA find it useful enough to justify the cost.

I remember a thread about ESA. As I recall it can be added it to the bike but only if the bike has ABS? If it doesn't have ABS then you are out of luck. I think it has something to do with the computer and adding a code that enables the ESA. You'd also have to purchase a new left hand control assembly if you want the ESA button, otherwise the ESA is enabled permanently.

Search and ye shall find.
-Jim

You would also need a different rear shock and mechanism for damping adjustment to front forks.

You may be confused with ASC which can be activated as you suggest.

Is it useful? Probably, especially if you regularly ride with or without pillion/luggage. For solo use the damping adjustment is noticable but 'soft' makes the bike wallow and pitch, 'normal' is good on most sufaces and 'sport' is good for scratching. Sometimes sport is also good on bumpy/undulating roads as it steadies te bike.

2wheels, you are right. I got messed up in my TLA's.

I would suggest that you reconsider any desire for esa. Sure the adjustment is nice . . . but what happens in 30000 miles when you need to rebuild the shocks. That cost is huge and perhaps not the way to go. You're better off getting quality shocks form the aftermarket. Ohlins, Wilburs, Hyper-Pro all provide better performance than the esa system and at better price.

Bob - one option is to move the ESA controllers to an aftermarket shock. Hyperpro offers this - and I think Wilbers, dunno on Ohlins. Best of all worlds that way..

rockbottom wrote:Interesting question. I'd also like to know whether people with ESA find it useful enough to justify the cost.

Mine is a spec bike with every option except the alarm. I was drawn to the bike's safety options and the serendipity of the classic white. (Had my heart set on granite grey.) If I'd ordered my bike, I would have skipped ESA and put the $800 toward aftermarket shocks. There are subtle differences in ESA's comfort, normal and sport modes — too subtle for that much money — and I almost always in normal. If you ride 2 up, you might have a better reason to add ESA. I ride 1-up exclusively and almost always have the saddle bags on — you dial that in once.

I like ESA. COMF is only appropriate for the interstate, but it's fun to click a button a few times and then take a nice off-ramp in SPORT. I used to ride around in NORM most of the time until I bought my Ducati. Now I use SPORT unless the road is really bad...It still feels like a Gold Wing in comparison.

Whether it's worth $800 is a question that only you can answer. I'm not persuaded by the argument that it's not worth getting because it will wear out in 30,000 miles, however. It's just parts: you use them up, replace them, repeat. Most suspension will be past its prime after 30,000 miles. My ESA still feels fine at 25,000 though.

Cheers, Tom

Tr250Tom wrote: Most suspension will be past its prime after 30,000 miles.

Cheers, Tom

Oh, gee, don't tell me that! I'll hit 30K when the bike is maybe a year and half old.

I have seen a bunch of 2011's on dealer sites (mostly sold now) and they all seemed to have ABS, ASC, sport windshield and bag mounts. The only variation was one had the tire pressure option and a few were Classics with wire wheels. The sales guys at Max expressed surprised at how well the 2011s sold. For the last couple years they were hard pressed to sell one or two R12Rs per year. At this point they have sold everything but the demo bikes. When I bought mine they said they could not get any more from BMW.

In Australia all the bikes imported are fully optioned ABS, ESA etc. and to be honest if I had a choice the bike would have been purchased fully optioned as it was. The ESA is useful if you carry gear or passengers as I do. Plus the suspension modes add that little bit extra to the biking experience. If you think you dont need ESA, dont bother getting it and pocket the dosh.

BMW today announced Dynamic Damping Control (DDC), the next "evolution" in electronic suspension adjustment. The bike in the illustration looks familiar. Might be why it's difficult to find ESA on the 2011 R12Rs?

Within the shortest of times the system evaluates a huge amount of information and selects the high precision suspension configuration best suited to the situation. This provides a considerable boost to active riding safety, operating comfort, and – not least of all – riding fun. The suspension damping system DDC will be introduced to the first BMW Motorrad series motorcycles in the near future.

My 2011 has ESA although I had to spec it as an option. I decided against ASC because I've ridden without traction control till now and don't think I need it.

If nothing else, ESA will make it easier for my pillion to get on and off the bike (probably)

My bike, 2011 R1200R Classic, has ESA and as I seldom carry a pillion I am not sure that it is worth the extra money. I bought the bike off the showroom floor as I wanted rid of the Buell before its warranty ran out but I seldom change the suspension settings and could have done that manually. If I do change them on the move (usually Sport to Normal) it is only for a few miles of rubbish roads and I find the "Comfort" too bouncy for anything but motorway. Having the ESA stopped me fitting a hugger and means I cannot change the suspension for after market without wasting the cost of the ESA (actually it is probably what I should do but I am too much of a skinflint ).

So if you are going to constantly have a pillion jumping on or off the bike and cannot be bothered to manually adjust the suspension then it is probably worthwhile but it may be better to consider putting the money towards alternate shocks....

Just a point to consider, ESA gives damping adjustment to both front and rear suspension. Non ESA only the rear and it's a hands and knees job - not easy for us old farts!