G’day Carl, have just recently purchased a new R1250 GSA Trophy (the last of them) - and thank you so much for the detailed well presented information regarding the riding & suspension modes & other info - it’s been a huge help to get my head around how to get the best out of this magnificent motorcycle! Cheers from West Aussie 🍻
Hi Paul, thank you for your feedback 🙏, and congratulations on your GSA much better looking than the new one…. I wish you lots of happy miles with your new best friend. Kindest regards Carl
Brilliant content, I am so happy I found your videos. Small nit: Dynamic ESA was introduced with the 2017.5 updates. Those bikes still have analog instruments, but dESA.
Hi and welcome to the channel. Yes many owners have highlighted this in earlier comments, about the 2017.5 updates. But thank you 🙏 Best wishes and kind regards Carl
I cannot thank you enough for this video. This is one of the best articulated Suspension videos out there. I agree with all of the other comments that this should be sent to everyone that has electronic suspension with BMWs. Thank you sir for your time.
Hi 🙋🏻♂️, thank you for your kind comment it is very much appreciated, I’m really delighted owners are finding it useful and helpful in understanding are motorbikes. Kindest regards Carl
Hey Carl, First off, thank you so much for the effort you put into these videos. I recently bought a 2023 R1250 GS Triple Black, and though I skimmed the manual, your channel has been a goldmine. Your insights are helping me use the bike to its fullest potential, particularly on the topics you cover in your videos. This is my first BMW bike, after owning Hondas, Kawasakis, and KTMs, and your channel is hands-down the best resource I've come across. Thanks again for your invaluable contributions to the GS1250 community. Best, Vesa
Hello Vesa and welcome to the channel and thank you for your kind words. Congratulations on your new TB GS 👍 I’m sure your going to have lots of fun and they do look lovely in TB. Yes it takes a fair amount of time to create the videos I make but the positive feedback is great and keeps me motivated. Currently working on an Exhaust Valve remove/delete episode explaining technical and maintenance options Kindest regards Carl
@@justthewayitis That's great to hear you're working on an Exhaust Valve remove/delete episode. I've always opted to remove exhaust servos from my bikes. I'm really looking forward to your insights on this, especially since I've already ordered a RapidBike Smart Fueling module for my GS. Can't wait to see how your upcoming video will tie into that.
Very very nicely explained. I am actually watching this before purchasing my bike in order to determine the options best suited for my needs. Thank you
Hi Cris, glad the video helped you, this is really why I make these episodes so that owners can enjoy their bikes more and learn about the amazing technology. Carl
I took me some time to finally find a video where you can see the suspension movement, also peeeerfect explanation of all the modes usign clear language some text and reference. Liked and Subscribed :)
Hello Masta, thank you for your feedback. The 3 episodes took a lot of time to bring together, and BMW were very helpful "their technical team" in confirming the modes and systems. I have a couple more system episodes to make this year, the engine brake torque control system is very clever indeed, so I will make one just about that too. Glad you found them helpful. Best wishes Carl
Hi Ray, thank you. The dealers dont really have enough time and we have so many options on our handlebars... but yes perhaps they could do better. Best wishes Carl
What sort of lazy bastard watches these instead of reading the manual.......guess I'm guilty lol. These are well presented thanks. What's the harm with a 100kg guy riding around in low on sealed surface all the time, is handling or braking affected?
Hi Tadster, your all good, no negative effects, But just be aware that in preload setting MIN the bike is not quite level and its a little low on the rear which just makes the steering on the front a little slower to respond. Braking is not affected. Carl
@@justthewayitis Hi Carl. I've seen enough of them to know! Good prop - worked perfectly. Wish your subscriber count would grow - your content is way too good to not be seen by many.
Hi Gerhard, thank you, I would like the subs to grow too... smile. It takes a lot of time to make episodes I upload. TH-cam keeps telling me that to grow I need to upload a minimum of 1 video a week, but that's just not possible for me, plus i only want to upload content that's actually useful and helpful to subscribers. So sometimes its 2 or 3 weeks between them. Thankyou for your supportive comments. Kindest regards Carl
@@justthewayitis Well, it looks like you don't really need the money (from TH-cam), so keeping it on your schedule is fine then. Also, your point about publishing only useful content is a good one. I see too many channels that publish unnecessary nonsense. You're welcome. Regards, and good luck!
In my owners manual for the S1000XR it says that the "min" preload is for making it easier to get on the bike and should not be used for riding! It should be changed back to "Auto" once you are on the bike.
Hi Thank you for sharing that, which year model do you have ?. I had a quick read of Gen 1 XR manual and couldn't find a reference to using it only for mounting / dismounting (Page 79-83) , Perhaps Gen 2 are different or maybe i just haven't found that specific detail in the manual. Regards Carl
Hi I don’t know why TH-cam blocked your reply, even the two recent ones I can’t access and reply too, I can see them but not reply!! But I have seen a notification come through with the link via email, so thank you for sending it I will have a read. I don’t think you can soften the ride anymore than the Road setting in terms of damping other than using MIN on the preload which you have highlighted as not recommended. You could call into your dealer and ask them for help.. Sorry I can’t assist anymore. I tested the XR before buying the GS and found the ride comfort not acceptable so that’s one reason I went for the GS. Carl
@@justthewayitis Thanks, thought as much. Happily most of my riding is done abroad where the roads are much better and the XR is an absolute hoot! Just need to hope they spend some money on the local roads soon - some of them look like they belong in Eastern Ukraine rather than Eastern England!
Very informative. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to riding 2 up in the low position? Being a taller bike, being more planted at stops would be advantageous but I’m wondering if the ride quality would suffer in any way or if the bike would be damaged by doing that.
Hi good morning, a lot of riders that are shorter in height use the LOW position all the time without any problems. The ride quality remains almost exactly the same, Two up is also fine in LOW Best wishes Carl
Correct, as did I. Didn't see your post before posting on this myself. The new settings/description were introduced with the 2017.5 bikes (Rallye and TE Excusive, with or without digital clocks).
Hi Carl, Thanks for creating your content - I'm sure there is a lot of background research work to create such informative and interesting videos - I see your GS has OEM engine bars - but which cylinder head covers do you have ? thanks, Philip
Hi Philip, thank you for your feedback, yes it did take a lot of time (and help from BMW) to put the Dynamic ESA 3-Part mini series together. WRT the cylinder head covers I use the ones from Wunderlich which i have really enjoyed, well made and add an extra layer of protection. Best Wishes, Carl
I find the BMW system to be rather confusing to change functional settings, with all the rules of what condition the bike needs to be in verses the DUCATI’s system which is more detailed and graphically explained. Much easier to understand and get what you want.
Hello Michael.... Yes i totaly agree, BMW need to improve the system and make it simpler and easier to use like the new Multistrada V4S in terms of suspension, ABS, DTC . Carl
Carl, in the RT 2021 manual say to use Min spring settings only to mount or dismount the bike, can that be right? I am 5;10 and weight 160 pounds. why can I use the min settings? I do have an GS 2022 where I also set it as Min...
Hello Juan, I don’t have an RT manual to check, but as far as I am aware it’s ok to use any BMW motorbike that has a automatic rear preload adjustment in the MIN setting. Lots of riders do this that are shorter In Height and have no problem. The only concern would be for a very heavy short rider and this combination should ideally be fixed with a new rear spring that is matched to the rider weight and height. Juan, perhaps you can ask your local BMW dealer to confirm this. Best wishes Carl
Hi Albert, good evening, i have been corrected on this in the below comments section. I came from Multistrada ownership so have not had the benifit of spending lots of time with the previous versions. As i mention below, i spent some time on a 2018 Rallye last weekend, and it was very nice indeed. Carl
By the sounds of it the ESA does everything but change the spring rate, basically the most important part of any good suspension set up. Hate to see the price to rebuild an ESA unit after it blows its guts out from doing all the work that the spring does, and by the sounds of it it seems a common thing for BMWs to blow seals on dampener units.
Hello WhiteDRguy, I have also seen the forum comments about shock rebuilds, but most of them did not have a (mudsling) type dirt protector , protecting the rear shock from dirt and grit. Personally I am not concerned about this. But.. if you are a very heavy guy you might like to have a new spring installed that perfectly matches your regular riding load. But this applies to any motorbike you buy. I hope this helps. Best wishes Carl
Hi Neil welcome! They are two different settings, auto maintains a pre determined height set by BMW regards less of 1 or 2 up or with Paniers and luggage. This is great on tour or for normal riding. MIN drops the rear ride height to the lowest setting. So for example to help a passenger mount and dismount or as I use it for gravel roads where I want my feet firmly able to rest on the ground. It can also be used safely all the time if you find AUTO to high. Hope that helps Best wishes Carl
Hello good morning, there are some very good reviews of the earlier pre 2017 model that cover this in detail, both on the forums and TH-cam Maybe later in the year I will cover the differences in a video Best wishes Carl
Hi, check with your local dealership but from what I understand. 2021 YM onwards had 3 ride modes as standard and 7 ride modes if the GS has ride modes pro. 2018 YM onwards had 2 ride modes as standard and 4 ride modes if the GS has ride modes pro. It's best to check exactly what's fitted by giving our local dealership the chassis number to check Best wishes Carl
@Boogz-gd3lo your welcome Ps if you can stretch your budget to a 2021 model with 7 ride modes it’s worth the extra as your probably find one with heated seats from and rear and the grips then have 5 heat settings which is much better. Happy shopping 🙏
@justthewayitis after watching your videos. I just purchased a 21 gs rallye today. Will Pick it up on the weekend. With all the extras like you said it's worth the extra .Test rode it. Fantastic.
Do you know if the front suspension of the GS1250 is adjustable? Preload or compresion damping? A friend of mine owns a 2020 model and he says that the front suspension feels hard when the bike is ridden on bad surface ( not off road use)
Yes it’s adjustable but only using the menu system I have 3 episodes covering this in a lot of detail Go to my channel Watch episode 12A Then 12B and 12C You will need to use the button on the left hand handle bar. I explain this in the videos Carl
@@justthewayitis your welcome i am not short i am 6ft but i chose stock chassis not lowered and i chose heated seats so its on the edge of feeling a tad high on auto so i lowered it on min and to me it feels fine
I am 6ft too, my preference is. Seat in lower position suspension set to auto for two up or gentle riding. But while on longer rides or touring I move the seat up to the higher position. If I feel like a fast ride down my favourite curves... seat back in low position, suspension set to MAX. We all have different preferences and the bike can accommodate almost all options. Have a nice weekend Carl
Yes, and they are brilliant, my wife loves the heated rear seat. I presume you watch my episode on controlling the seats and grips ?. That also really makes things easy to use. Best wishes Carl
Hi Dave, I’m happy for you to let BMW know that !!, but thank you for your kind words. I do enjoy putting these together for the viewers Best wishes Carl
Very informative thanks , but am I the only one cringing when you use a screw driver near the TFT (shuddering just thinking about it).. look forward to part 2.
Merhaba ve hoş geldiniz, 2011 R1200GS ile herhangi bir deneyimim yok. Yerel BMW GS forumunuza bir göz atabilirsiniz, her zaman çok yardımcı olurlar. Best wishes Carl
Hi Mike, well I had to laugh at your comment 😊 if only that was true. I do receive feedback from some BMW dealers who appreciate the work and who now give new owners my TH-cam channel name to find out more about the bikes , which is nice. The only real benefit I get is from building a good relationship with the Technical Support Team in Berlin who are happy to work with me in providing more technical understanding to owners about the bikes and technology they use. Best wishes Carl
Fantastic explanation. I am impatiently waiting for the video on auto v. dynamic damping v. mode settings and the relations there of.... Cheers from USA 🙂
Minimum Preload setting (one helmet) on LC watercooled GS's: You may notice more front end stability as it's more like a chopper, slacker head tube angle relative to the road. You might also notice that the windscreen appears to be higher giving more wind protection, I've used this for long highway runs. On Maximum (two helmets): You should notice less wind protection and that the bike wants to turn as you said at 17:00, meaning the front end is less stable, the head tube angle to the road surface is steeper, nicer for curvy days. On Maximum, it's also much easier to get it up on the center stand.
Just a note, I have a 2017 R1200GS Rallye (not X, ie sports suspension option) with Dynamic ESA at it has min, max and auto and not rider + luggage etc. Note you can still see the icons in the lcd...
So, just checking if I understood it correctly: considering my old 2009-R1200 RT, the MIN setting on ESA II corresponds to RIDER on my ESA I, the MAX setting corresponds to RIDER+PASSENGER, right? And obviously, ('cause there's no AUTO mode in my bike), the RIDER+LUGGAGE is just a middle setting. Or is just the opposite?
I'm 6'4" and weight 250 lbs but always keep my bike at MIN suspension setting when riding. I only switch it to MAX when parked to keep it from falling off the side stand. If I put it in AUTO or MAX it gets a very noticeable and extremely annoying tapping feeling (only when accelerating or keeping engine under load). The tapping is worst between 37 to about 53 MPH. It feels like a rock is stuck on the tire but it goes away if I push the clutch in. The dealer said everything is normal (like they always say unless the wheels fall off). Also, O don't notice much difference between the Road and Dynamic setting. The rear suspension is kind of rough. I can feel every tiny crack in the road like if the ture pressure was at several hundred PSI. My Kawasaki KLR650 has auch smoother suspension and also less vibration at the handlebars at 5 000 RPM. I expected a lot more from a BMW.
Hi Andrew, have you had your drive shaft inspection and test carried out ? I mention this because many owners have reported similar issues as you describe, going away after a drive shaft has been installed. I’m not saying I’m sure in your case it will but it’s definitely worth talking to your dealership about the inspection and test, as several thousands of new drive shaft units have been installed under warranty because they failed the test procedures that BMW outlined. Also if you think about it, running in MIN lowers the drive shaft rotation angle which is another indicator. Let me know your thoughts Regards Carl
thank you for the details you've shared Carl. really interesting, I have to play around with it to understand more. I have a question for you, what could be the softer suspension setup for a leisure ride with my wife? she always complained that the 1250/Y23 is not as comfortable as my 1200/Y11 for the back seat rider Cheers, Kostas PS: can you suggest any aftermarket rear seat that us more comfortable than the BMW factory seat? I own the 3ple black edition.
Hi Kostas, no problem Suspension: pre load set to auto, ride mode ROAD and importantly make sure the damping mode is in ROAD that’s the best suspension setting for comfort. Tyre check your pressures 36F/ 42R psi. Lowering by 2 psi on the rear can help but it depends on your combined total weight. You can experiment 👍 Seats: We tried all three types of OEM seats and found the COMFORT seats were the most comfortable especially the passenger seat. If you’re not sure which you have at the moment, remove both seats and google the part numbers on the bottom of both seats to see which you have currently. Some dealerships are very friendly and will let you test the other options for free. I’ve not personally tried any aftermarket seats so you could try the above first and then if it’s still not comfortable try a different brand. We all have different requirements for seats so hard to recommend one specific seat. Hope that helps Best wishes Carl
Very informative, so well explained. I am in the process of selling my RS for the GS. Can the GS be ridden in the minimum setting ? Also with the riders seat in the lower position and the preload set to Minimum, would you know the approx seat height of the GS,, I am 5’ 9” with a 33” in seam,, many thanks !!
Hi Paul, good morning, thank you for your kind words 🙏. Yes you can ride in MIN preload lots of owners do. I have 32” inseam and find that with the seat in the low position I’m not quite flat footed. Which works for me. My seat is the comfort seat. You could also change your seat to the low seat which would also make a difference 👍. Have fun with your new GS Kindest regards Carl
Great explanation!. One doubt now...My 2017 1200 GS ESA NG, preload Auto setting and Road mode, do not move at all. It keeps always as Min preload setting. I put an action camera to chech any compression action during riding and after several km I checked nothing. However it works when change to Max o Min preload setting...may it be not working? I am 90kg weight and upgraded the spring with the wilbers wesa kit. Thank you.
Sorry you are wrong in models years were Dynamic ESA was introduce. In earlies of year 2017 R 1200 GS (when executiive and first rally model appear), with analogic clocks. BMW deploy Dynamic ESA as options. with the Min-MAX-Auto adjustment replacing rider-Rider+passanger-etc.. So Dynamic ESA are not n-place only ini R 1250 gs. Actially i have the R 1200 gs with the Dynamic ESA and the Pro riding modes to control DTC and the ABS pro.
Hello Santiago, yes you are correct, if you look through the comments below I have been corrected by several knowledgeable subscribers who have made me aware of this. But thank you for sharing your experience. The 2018 bikes do have a stiffer rear spring which I actually like and provides a slightly firmer rear feel... Best wishes Carl
Carl, thanks for your immense effort in getting this "black art" explained. BMW should be ashamed at what they put out in a manual...absolute SHYTE ! Embarrassing manuals to go with their $25k+ moto's.
hi there, i forgot if I asked you already before... I am planning a first off road trip being on the GSA 2017 LC ...luggage for 5 weeks ...summer temperatures... until now i feel I should adjust my suspension into auto mode...? is this so simple or do i need to check anything else ? i feel my front suspension has maybe not really a long travelling distance? or is just a bit too compressed already? If I imagine to hit a road with bigger rocks..(I'm about 76 kg ) .thanks for your tipswill try this! Thanks so much
Hi, just change the setting on the left bar to Auto and the rear suspension will do what it needs to do with the extra weight you add. If the roads are smooth you can change the ride mode ( on the right bar) to Dynamic but if the roads are rough or poor use Road mode. Have a great trip 🤙
Awesome Video! I usually stop paying attention to everything after 2 or 3 minutes (unless it's topless lol) but I was very focused throughout your whole video. I need to lose some weight so I don't have to spend a fortune to swap out the spring. Although it feels decent at 330lbs. I also have a 2020 RR in stock form, yet the suspension still manages somehow. I do get some gyro affect on the track in the front end mid corner anything over 70mph. The gym will fix that.
Hi Bob and welcome 🙏 thank you for sharing and your honest approach, I guess will could all do with some gym time. Much cheaper than trying to reduce the bike weight 😉. You have a nice couple of bikes 👍 Regards Carl
I would be interested in some "coverage" of the tele-lever suspension. Does it affect trail braking or the weight shift from back to front when braking hard for example. Shock unloading so to speak. It's effect on braking in the turn is another interest. Cheers from the Continent.
Hi Mark, good morning, good questions, there will be a couple of videos up soon that touch on this regarding the EVO telelever system on the new 1300. Kind regards Carl
I've also taken to occasionally cycling through to min. and max. preload settings just to 'exercise' the stepper motor fully in both directions. Seems sensible to me. Word on the street is that the electrickery within the rear shock is prone to failure between 20 and 30k miles. Hope not!
I have discovered your videos and do enjoy them Carl. One point i do have to make though concerning your suggestion of lowering the bike to let the pillion on and off is this.. Customers doing this found their servos in the rear shock were failing because they of the extra load being put on the servo trying to "wind up" the shock when rider/pillion are already seated.. The pre load is supposed to be set before loading it.. This was covered in the forums a while ago.. Whether BMW have uprated the servo, i dont know. It woukd be good to find out..
Hi Jeff, welcome 🙏 and thank you for your comments on the rear shock preload adjustment. I can easily imagine that being the case as the servo is very slow to operate. I will ask bmw if it was upgraded during the 21-23 model run and if they have news I’ll report back. Glad your enjoying the series Kindest regards Carl
The levels on my ‘21 f850gs are 1 helmet, 1 helmet and luggage and 2 helmets, no auto for me. I am quite short, so ridding on the 1 helmet and luggage setting with a passenger works the best for me. In the long run, will it break the rear shock not riding the dedicated setting for 2 passengers? Thanks!
Carl - Does any type of ESA come standard with the the GS? This is part of the Dynamic Package which for the most part I don't think I need or would use. Thanks
Hi Cris, the only time it makes sense NOT to have the Dynamic ESA pack... is if you are a serious off road rider who is going to get the suspension replaced or adjusted by a professional. The Dynamic ESA pack is the most important pack to add... Also selling a GS with it is quite hard and without it the resale value is greatly affected. But that's just my thoughts Carl
Excellent explanation of the dark arts of suspension & damping controls. Great presentation skills. I must have watched a dozen TH-cam video’s on this subject that only conspired to confuse the subject. Thank you.
Hi Barney, welcome to the channel and thank you for your feedback it's nice hear. I guess I got that skill from my Father you was a Naval Engineer, who would always take time to explain complex systems in simple ways. Best wishes Carl
Hi Carl.. I have a question.. Im about 170cm high and my weight is with gear about 76kg. I always rode in the past in preload Min because of my short legs. My question is. Is there any problem if I do that this way? Maybe I am not that big guy where the auto preload starts to add some preload. If I start do ride more sporty the esa will see that und if the back goes to low while driving the esa will work against it with stiffer rebound compression and preload isn't it? On Maximum it feels like there isn't any negative sag at all.. Fells a bit unsafe. Just did it for testing how it feels to "change the geometry of the bike" Next time I have to check if I bottom out on the rear shock. Hope I can see an grease ring on the rod and see if I have about 2-3 mm left before bottom out. This is what my front rod shows. So that's in my opinion perfekt for my weight and riding style. I hope you understand my thoughts.. Kind Regards. Gruß ;)
Hi Melvin, guten Tag , correct there is no problem riding always in MIN on the rear preload and with 76kg fully equipped with your riding gear that would make complete sense. You of course can still which ride modes between Road and Dynamic if you want to firm up the damping to match a more sporty ride. Also MAX is too much for most riders as there is no real :sag: so it’s not that useful on the road unless the weight in total is very high. Some owners change the riders seat to the LOW version and then ride in AUTO preload , but that might be too tall for you. You could ask your dealership if you could try one for an hour or two. Lg Carl Hessen
Hi Paul, glad you enjoyed the 3 part mini series, lots to take onboard... I hope you continue to have lots of fun with your Rallye on and off road. Best wishes Carl
Hi there,, great videos thanks very much. A couple of questions if I can on pre load. Set at Min, the ride height is lowered and when set at max the ride height is at its highest. At min, the rear spring must be compressed to its shortest position to lower the bike. If true why isn’t this spring position when it is most compressed known as max pre load. When the max setting is chosen the ride height is at its highest: the spring is compressed less suggesting min pre load. Please clarify . Many thanks
Hi Chris, it can be confusing. MIN ride hight is the spring almost uncompressed. In other words virtually no preload. MAX is the highest ride height and to achieve this on any conventional shock you need to compress the spring. Another way to look at this is, when you compress a spring inside a shock assembly the forces increase which push harder in both directions... hence increasing the ride height. Hope this helps Carl
Carl, please explain why with Max Spring compression the bike height increases ? Surely if a spring is compressed it is not as long and thus REDUCES bike height? What have I misunderstood? Cheers , Pierre
Hi Pierre, good evening and a great question, sadly it would take me ages to type a reply that’s easy to understand. The example I have given in the video is correct. But….Basically when you add or compress a spring you change its force….in this case increasing it, so the spring has more force or push to hold something up, In this example the bike. So the bike ride height increases. But staying with this example because we have compressed the spring by preloading it we increase force / push but we lose travel… because we have used some of that travel to compress it, in effect reducing the springs range of movement. ( not good ) This is why it’s important to have a spring the is ideally matched to you and your bike and Weight. If done correctly the spring will have very little preload which means we have lots of travel. = a great ride quality with great ability to absorb bumps. Also spring length has nothing to do with suspension height it only relates to total travel , this explains why off-road bikes have big tall suspension lengths with long springs inside. If we add preload the spring pushes back with more force and increase the ride height. If we remove preload the spring relaxes and pushes less and the suspension lowers. It’s probably not easy to understand but I hope this helps 🙋🏻♂️ Thank you for a great question it’s nice to see owners wanting to understand their motorbikes and how systems like suspension work. 🙏 Carl
@@justthewayitis - Thanks Carl. I'll hunt for some mechanical animations to see this 1st hand. I used to own a R1200S with Ohlins with rings to adjust preload, I don't recall the ride height rising when doing so. many thanks .
Thanks for the video. Does anyone know what the seat heights are when using a standard seat with standard suspension (not the low suspension model) when the suspension settings are in MAX and MIN for the R1250GS (non adventure models)? thanks!!
Hi Aptek, I don’t know the answer without measuring it. The quickest way is to pop into your local dealership and sit on one and see if it works for your height / inside leg measurement. If they haven’t got one in the showroom they will probably have a customer bike in the workshop which they might let you briefly sit on. Carl
@@justthewayitis thanks yeah hoping someone might just know the nearest dealer to me is over an hour away but next time I’m over there I will check with them.
You probably have your GS set on auto and don't think much about. This video explains in great deal that you happen to be correct. Just leave it auto 👍
Not to be a language Nazi but if these modes do not affect the forks there is no auto leveling. There is just automatic 30% rider sag setting. No leveling.
Hi Peter, No that's not what I'm suggesting. If the rider alone is above 120-140 then going to specialist is highly recommended. Because then the combined weight of luggage and passenger could be too much for the standard spring rating.
Great video as always I’m a fatty at 140kg + gear 🧐 I’ve asked my bmw dealer before I’m on my fourth GSA this one is a lowered chassis version . They tell me you can’t update the spring as it’s a special shape & that the computer won’t work correctly is that rubbish ?
Hi Dale, well for your weight you could look at a complete unit rear unit, several companies offer them and of course they can match a spring rate to match you your luggage and bike. Wilbers, Nitron, Brooks, Touratech, to name just a few brands plus you have lots of suspension specialist that also do this. A lot depends on your geographic location. Some are also plug and play and a straight swop. Try contacting your local GS owners club or forum. They are very friendly and can offer personal experience of this upgrade. Best wishes Carl
Very informative and perfeclty explained, Excellent and thank you. I have an older 1200GS that has totally different modes, I have never understood them. Do you have any video for older generations?
Very informative and right. The XR only has AUTO and MIN. I never use MIN and leave it to AUTO all the time. If I'm going for a long trip abroad, so witb panniers and stuff, you can indeed feel the bike needs some time to adjust. To speed it up, I sort of compress en decompress the spring while riding the first meters, by doing some squats on the footrests while riding and really try to compress and decompress the spring, so the electronics can do their thing
Hi Antoine, thank you for sharing a tip that other owners can try, I'm just about to head out on the GS to go to a Wunderlich Riding Dynamics course... so I will test put your tip. Thankyou Carl
Yes you are correct, I have sent an email to TH-cam as this is the second video on my channel that has audio that disappears. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. Carl
Hi Jason, yes correct but they were the 5 Axis module, from 2021 BMW fitted the 6 Axis module from the S1000RR. Still a great bike 5 or 6 axis IMU. Best wishes Carl
I just bought a 23 GSA 1250. I'm on the balls of my feet when stopped, and would like the bike to be lower so that I feel more in control. Do you know how many inches (or centimeters / millimeters) the bike lowers when you put it into minimum setting? I feel like if I could get it an inch lower, it would be great for me.
Hello Nunya, welcome to the channel, I’ve not measured the exact change but you have several options, first make sure your current riders seat is in the lower position, their is 25mm in height between them. Next start your GSA and change the preload setting to minimum while the engine is running and your sitting on the bike, you’ll feel it lower slowly. If it’s still not low enough for you .. you could change the seat for a lower one, several manufacturers offer them. The last solution would be to ask your dealership to perform a factory low conversion to your GSA. Lots of owners ride their bikes in the minimum preload setting all the time. Hope this helps Carl
I’ve just taken delivery of my new 2022 GSA - my third. I’ve learnt a great deal from these videos, despite my previous experience with these machines. Thanks Carl.
My understanding from BMW Motorrad was that they advised to use the preload before loading the bike, not after loading and seated. Also, there are Rider, Rider+Luggage, Rider+Passenger and you left out, Rider+Luggage+Passenger. Great content, Thanks. Subscribed too.
Hi Iron Horse, thank you for your comments. The auto setting for preload will only work and set correctly once you sit on the bike and ride it. I tried setting this without getting on.... and it does not work and does not self level. Perhaps and earlier generation was different. I will have a look. Carl. Thankyou for subscribing 👍
Where did you get your dates from ? You're a little out. The Dynamic ESA with Max - Min & Auto came out from 2017. (Not 2021) Edit. Just seen this has already been pointed out !
@@justthewayitis Affirmative, However, several times you stated the suspension modes. Ironically, you state in one of the episodes that There is a lot of misinformation on forums, youtube etc ...... ;-) Some people recently purchase a GS and believe that the GS has just been born ! Are you a member of the Facebook BMW TFT connectivity group ?
Hi, im not on Facebook but I will have a look, thank you for the suggestion 👍. Having tried the earlier versions 2017/8 I actually prefer the ride quality on these compared to mine. I’ve been experimenting with altering the height sensor rod on the rear to give slightly more rear preload, but that project is not finished yet . Having moved from a multistrada it’s been an interesting experience and so far a good one. Carl
Firstly, thank you for probably the best explanation I’ve seen on TH-cam, of anything! A super presentation… I’ve owned by 2018 GSA 1200 from new, and although being a tall chap at 6ft 2in, I’ve generally kept the suspension in ‘Min’ mode to allow for my feet to be completely flat on the ground. I was under the impression that although lowered, the suspension would still react to additional weight placed on the bike, by keeping it at that height (I.e. still automatic levelling, but just at a lower level), but now I’m not sure…? Later this year I’m venturing into the world of motorcycle camping, and there’ll of course be a ton of weight on the bike, especially when added to my camera equipment, clothes, tools etc.. So, I’m now assuming that I will really need to set the suspension to ‘Auto’ mode, to allow the system to automatically compensate for all this extra weight? Thanks once again for a brilliant series of videos. Regards, Paul
Hi Paul, good morning, yes you would definitely be better running your bike in AUTO for the rear preload, once your loaded up for your adventure. Thank you for your feedback on the Dynamic ESA series, it was a lot of work but I’m delighted to see so many owners have found it useful. Kind regards Carl
An informative and well explained video... thank you. Had my RT a couple of years now and never played with the preload settings. Will give it a go next time I'm out. 👍
Hi Carl, another interesting, well explained video. I'm a bit short in the leg and was advised by the dealer to put it in MIN to keep the seat height as low as possible. However I found this interfered with ground clearance (I have a low chassis GSA) when cornering so ended up getting a lower seat and putting it back to AUTO, which is much better. Off on the ferry from UK to Spain later this month so will be trying out your tip of using MIN when boarding and disembarking the ship.😄
Hi Tsport, great solution to the ground clearance problem, I'm sure other viewers might use that tip, so thankyou for sharing. I hope you have a great time in Spain, it is supposed to be lovely in September...so have a great time on those empty smooth roads. Carl
Great video ! I picked up my R1250GSA last June. Looking at your videos has enabled me to learn how to use the bikes systems faster than reading the owner’s manual. Thanks
Hi Joe welcome to the channel, skid plate is original OEM fitted to the 2021 onwards Ralley version. Crash bars are again OEM GS1250 bars plus the Wunderlich cylinder head protectors for added gravel protection. Kindest Carl
TLDR Ray's comment below, is 100%!! At 61, I've been a road motorcyclist. In the last many years I've been interested in a little bit of adventure riding. So as of 2 days ago, I bought the 2024 1250 GSA! This gentleman's videos are an absolute must, at least for me. Classroom instruction, with real riding, layman's terms. With gratitude, Ron, Yosemite California.
Hi Ron, good morning and congratulations on your new GSA, I wish you many happy miles with your new motorbike. I am very grateful for all the positive comments and I’m delighted owners find the channel helpful and informative. Best wishes Carl 🙋🏻♂️
Small comment Carl: You sad in the video (15:25) to put the spring load on “MAX” on a R1250R. Today I tested that setting. The pre-load is too high for me (too little sag, it let the shock top out too “far” when going over bumps). Not pleasant for public roads. For me the “Auto-setting” is the right setting. By the way, I like the way you’re explaining this suspension chapters, tanks!
Hi Edward welcome to the channel, yes the max setting does not suit everyone and is road dependent, on smooth surfaces it works quite well. Glad to hear your having a play with the settings. I really enjoyed my time with the R1250R and if I could have found a seat solution that worked for me I would have one in my garage 👍
Thanks alot for your videos. I plan to buy a gs 850 adventure wit the lowering kit. Will that lessen the ride quality compared to the standard? I will watch your gs videos over and over because I love learning. Cheers. Subscribed!
Hello Bonwana, thank you 🙏 You only lose some suspension travel but the ride quality remains very similar the the standard version. Being able to get your feet on the ground is more important 👍 Best wishes Carl
I run my 2018 (TFT Version) 1250 GS on minimum all the time, reason being I only have a 28” inside leg. I also vary between ‘Road’ and Dynamic Pro depending on the type of ridding I’m doing.
Hello Darranna, and welcome to the channel. Thankyou for sharing your settings it will help other owners know it is completely ok to do this. I hope you are enjoying your GS and having lots of fun. Best wishes Carl
G’day Carl, have just recently purchased a new R1250 GSA Trophy (the last of them) - and thank you so much for the detailed well presented information regarding the riding & suspension modes & other info - it’s been a huge help to get my head around how to get the best out of this magnificent motorcycle!
Cheers from West Aussie 🍻
Hi Paul, thank you for your feedback 🙏, and congratulations on your GSA much better looking than the new one…. I wish you lots of happy miles with your new best friend.
Kindest regards Carl
What a phenomenal video, I wish the service department would have explained this to me in detail as you’ve done it! Grateful for your amazing work.
Hi AB, welcome to the channel and thank you for your feedback 👍
Brilliant content, I am so happy I found your videos. Small nit: Dynamic ESA was introduced with the 2017.5 updates. Those bikes still have analog instruments, but dESA.
Hi and welcome to the channel. Yes many owners have highlighted this in earlier comments, about the 2017.5 updates. But thank you 🙏
Best wishes and kind regards Carl
I cannot thank you enough for this video. This is one of the best articulated Suspension videos out there. I agree with all of the other comments that this should be sent to everyone that has electronic suspension with BMWs. Thank you sir for your time.
Hi 🙋🏻♂️, thank you for your kind comment it is very much appreciated, I’m really delighted owners are finding it useful and helpful in understanding are motorbikes.
Kindest regards Carl
Hey Carl,
First off, thank you so much for the effort you put into these videos. I recently bought a 2023 R1250 GS Triple Black, and though I skimmed the manual, your channel has been a goldmine. Your insights are helping me use the bike to its fullest potential, particularly on the topics you cover in your videos.
This is my first BMW bike, after owning Hondas, Kawasakis, and KTMs, and your channel is hands-down the best resource I've come across.
Thanks again for your invaluable contributions to the GS1250 community.
Best,
Vesa
Hello Vesa and welcome to the channel and thank you for your kind words.
Congratulations on your new TB GS 👍 I’m sure your going to have lots of fun and they do look lovely in TB.
Yes it takes a fair amount of time to create the videos I make but the positive feedback is great and keeps me motivated.
Currently working on an Exhaust Valve remove/delete episode explaining technical and maintenance options
Kindest regards Carl
@@justthewayitis That's great to hear you're working on an Exhaust Valve remove/delete episode. I've always opted to remove exhaust servos from my bikes. I'm really looking forward to your insights on this, especially since I've already ordered a RapidBike Smart Fueling module for my GS. Can't wait to see how your upcoming video will tie into that.
Thank you 👍
Very very nicely explained. I am actually watching this before purchasing my bike in order to determine the options best suited for my needs. Thank you
Hi Cris, glad the video helped you, this is really why I make these episodes so that owners can enjoy their bikes more and learn about the amazing technology.
Carl
Fantastic information. I’ve just bought a GSA, which is my first GS so I’m learning from you about the bike
Hi Andrew, congratulations 🥂 on your GSA, I hope you have a lot of great rides together, they sure are lovely motorbikes.
Kind regards Carl
I took me some time to finally find a video where you can see the suspension movement, also peeeerfect explanation of all the modes usign clear language some text and reference.
Liked and Subscribed :)
Hello Masta, thank you for your feedback. The 3 episodes took a lot of time to bring together, and BMW were very helpful "their technical team" in confirming the modes and systems. I have a couple more system episodes to make this year, the engine brake torque control system is very clever indeed, so I will make one just about that too.
Glad you found them helpful. Best wishes Carl
This is absolute quality content ❤️. Thanks for explaining it so well sir .
Thank you 🙏 glad you are enjoying the GS/A series
Best wishes Carl
Your videos should be sent to all the motorrad dealers, I sure most of the sales staff would learn a thing or two. Thanks that was very informative.
Hi Ray, thank you. The dealers dont really have enough time and we have so many options on our handlebars... but yes perhaps they could do better. Best wishes Carl
Agree!
😊
What sort of lazy bastard watches these instead of reading the manual.......guess I'm guilty lol. These are well presented thanks. What's the harm with a 100kg guy riding around in low on sealed surface all the time, is handling or braking affected?
Hi Tadster, your all good, no negative effects, But just be aware that in preload setting MIN the bike is not quite level and its a little low on the rear which just makes the steering on the front a little slower to respond. Braking is not affected. Carl
brilliant, thank you ,thank you ,thank you, at last someone takes the time to explain.
Hi Alf, thank you. Then perhaps your going to enjoy Part 2 next Thursday... smile.
Best wishes
Carl
Thank you - this was very informative. Now I understand it too!
Hi Bulls Fan, thankyou....
Really great videos. Anyone else nervous about the screw driver getting close to the TFT display?
Hi Grace, several people said the same lol, I was careful 🙏, best wishes Carl
Great video, that’s the best I’ve heard the modes being explained. Will watch the next one.
Hi Trevor, Thankyou.
Hear hear…. Best explanation I’ve seen by far. Thank you
Thankyou Nick, more to follow next week.
Excellent video! Thank you very much.
Pringles for the win!
Hi Gehard, thank you. Lol... yes it was a Pringles container...
Carl
@@justthewayitis Hi Carl. I've seen enough of them to know! Good prop - worked perfectly.
Wish your subscriber count would grow - your content is way too good to not be seen by many.
Hi Gerhard, thank you, I would like the subs to grow too... smile. It takes a lot of time to make episodes I upload. TH-cam keeps telling me that to grow I need to upload a minimum of 1 video a week, but that's just not possible for me, plus i only want to upload content that's actually useful and helpful to subscribers. So sometimes its 2 or 3 weeks between them. Thankyou for your supportive comments. Kindest regards Carl
@@justthewayitis Well, it looks like you don't really need the money (from TH-cam), so keeping it on your schedule is fine then. Also, your point about publishing only useful content is a good one. I see too many channels that publish unnecessary nonsense.
You're welcome. Regards, and good luck!
Thank you Gerhard.
Bloody brilliant thank you so much from a short arse has really helped me
Your very welcome 👍
In my owners manual for the S1000XR it says that the "min" preload is for making it easier to get on the bike and should not be used for riding! It should be changed back to "Auto" once you are on the bike.
Hi Thank you for sharing that, which year model do you have ?.
I had a quick read of Gen 1 XR manual and couldn't find a reference to using it only for mounting / dismounting (Page 79-83) , Perhaps Gen 2 are different or maybe i just haven't found that specific detail in the manual.
Regards Carl
Hi I don’t know why TH-cam blocked your reply, even the two recent ones I can’t access and reply too, I can see them but not reply!!
But I have seen a notification come through with the link via email, so thank you for sending it I will have a read. I don’t think you can soften the ride anymore than the Road setting in terms of damping other than using MIN on the preload which you have highlighted as not recommended. You could call into your dealer and ask them for help..
Sorry I can’t assist anymore. I tested the XR before buying the GS and found the ride comfort not acceptable so that’s one reason I went for the GS.
Carl
@@justthewayitis Thanks, thought as much. Happily most of my riding is done abroad where the roads are much better and the XR is an absolute hoot! Just need to hope they spend some money on the local roads soon - some of them look like they belong in Eastern Ukraine rather than Eastern England!
Don’t hold your breath waiting for road repairs 🥱
Yes the roads certainly here in Germany- Hessen are mostly empty and in great condition 👍
Thank you for your video series.. really helpfull!
Hello and welcome to the channel, glad you are enjoying the series, best wishes carl
Very useful. I was considering adjusting ESA to maximum in preparation for a fully loaded tour of Europe. Now I know not to. Many thanks
Hi Andy, have a great tour of Europe...while the sun is still shinning 👍
Very informative. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to riding 2 up in the low position? Being a taller bike, being more planted at stops would be advantageous but I’m wondering if the ride quality would suffer in any way or if the bike would be damaged by doing that.
Hi good morning, a lot of riders that are shorter in height use the LOW position all the time without any problems.
The ride quality remains almost exactly the same,
Two up is also fine in LOW
Best wishes Carl
I have 2017 GS Rallye with ESA (and "analog" dashboard) and min/max/auto options are available.
Correct, as did I. Didn't see your post before posting on this myself. The new settings/description were introduced with the 2017.5 bikes (Rallye and TE Excusive, with or without digital clocks).
Hi Stojce, thankyou for sharing, I have now learned something new today...
Great video, really well explained, thank you 👍
Hi Stags, thank you 👍
@@justthewayitis Presumably part 2, about the damping settings will be released soon Carl?
Yes Stags, currently editing the episode which always takes a long time, but the episode will be up next Thursday. Part 3 will follow after that.
@@justthewayitis Great! Thank you 😊
Hi Carl, Thanks for creating your content - I'm sure there is a lot of background research work to create such informative and interesting videos - I see your GS has OEM engine bars - but which cylinder head covers do you have ? thanks, Philip
Hi Philip, thank you for your feedback, yes it did take a lot of time (and help from BMW) to put the Dynamic ESA 3-Part mini series together. WRT the cylinder head covers I use the ones from Wunderlich which i have really enjoyed, well made and add an extra layer of protection.
Best Wishes, Carl
I find the BMW system to be rather confusing to change functional settings, with all the rules of what condition the bike needs to be in verses the DUCATI’s system which is more detailed and graphically explained. Much easier to understand and get what you want.
Hello Michael.... Yes i totaly agree, BMW need to improve the system and make it simpler and easier to use like the new Multistrada V4S in terms of suspension, ABS, DTC . Carl
Nice work. Thanks.
Thanks Lockey 👍
Carl, in the RT 2021 manual say to use Min spring settings only to mount or dismount the bike, can that be right? I am 5;10 and weight 160 pounds. why can I use the min settings? I do have an GS 2022 where I also set it as Min...
Hello Juan, I don’t have an RT manual to check, but as far as I am aware it’s ok to use any BMW motorbike that has a automatic rear preload adjustment in the MIN setting. Lots of riders do this that are shorter In Height and have no problem.
The only concern would be for a very heavy short rider and this combination should ideally be fixed with a new rear spring that is matched to the rider weight and height.
Juan, perhaps you can ask your local BMW dealer to confirm this.
Best wishes Carl
Good information, I am a little confused though. You jump from 2018 to 2021, 2019 and 2020 have dynamic EAS as well
Hi Albert, good evening, i have been corrected on this in the below comments section. I came from Multistrada ownership so have not had the benifit of spending lots of time with the previous versions. As i mention below, i spent some time on a 2018 Rallye last weekend, and it was very nice indeed. Carl
By the sounds of it the ESA does everything but change the spring rate, basically the most important part of any good suspension set up.
Hate to see the price to rebuild an ESA unit after it blows its guts out from doing all the work that the spring does, and by the sounds of it it seems a common thing for BMWs to blow seals on dampener units.
Hello WhiteDRguy, I have also seen the forum comments about shock rebuilds, but most of them did not have a (mudsling) type dirt protector , protecting the rear shock from dirt and grit. Personally I am not concerned about this. But.. if you are a very heavy guy you might like to have a new spring installed that perfectly matches your regular riding load. But this applies to any motorbike you buy. I hope this helps. Best wishes Carl
Is there a difference in height if, as a solo rider, you have it set in auto or min? Or, will it work out to be the same height?
Hi Neil welcome! They are two different settings, auto maintains a pre determined height set by BMW regards less of 1 or 2 up or with Paniers and luggage. This is great on tour or for normal riding.
MIN drops the rear ride height to the lowest setting.
So for example to help a passenger mount and dismount or as I use it for gravel roads where I want my feet firmly able to rest on the ground.
It can also be used safely all the time if you find AUTO to high.
Hope that helps
Best wishes Carl
@@justthewayitis Thanks Carl, I have it on Min as I am short, but was wondering about auto-I will leave it in Min! Thanks again.
No problem I wish you a happy season ahead. Carl
How does this differ for the 2016 model?
Hello good morning, there are some very good reviews of the earlier pre 2017 model that cover this in detail, both on the forums and TH-cam
Maybe later in the year I will cover the differences in a video
Best wishes Carl
Hi.As I'm in the market for a r1250 gs. How can I tell if a bike has the dynamic esa. It only only available on 2020 models on?Thanks
Hi, check with your local dealership but from what I understand.
2021 YM onwards had 3 ride modes as standard and 7 ride modes if the GS has ride modes pro.
2018 YM onwards had 2 ride modes as standard and 4 ride modes if the GS has ride modes pro.
It's best to check exactly what's fitted by giving our local dealership the chassis number to check
Best wishes Carl
@@justthewayitis ok . Thanks for clearing that up. Appreciate it 👍
@Boogz-gd3lo your welcome
Ps if you can stretch your budget to a 2021 model with 7 ride modes it’s worth the extra as your probably find one with heated seats from and rear and the grips then have 5 heat settings which is much better.
Happy shopping 🙏
@justthewayitis after watching your videos. I just purchased a 21 gs rallye today. Will Pick it up on the weekend. With all the extras like you said it's worth the extra .Test rode it. Fantastic.
Congratulations. excellent news, I wish you many happy miles on your new GS Rallye. 👍 Carl
Mine has one helmet, 2 helmets and one helmet and luggage bag
Yes, that’s the previous generation options. Which also works very well 👌
Do you know if the front suspension of the GS1250 is adjustable? Preload or compresion damping?
A friend of mine owns a 2020 model and he says that the front suspension feels hard when the bike is ridden on bad surface ( not off road use)
Yes it’s adjustable but only using the menu system
I have 3 episodes covering this in a lot of detail
Go to my channel
Watch episode 12A
Then 12B and 12C
You will need to use the button on the left hand handle bar.
I explain this in the videos
Carl
@@justthewayitis Thank you very much !!
He should try Road ride mode with Road damper setting 👍
It’s more comfortable
Carl
I ride my gsa in min all the time dealership said its ok it keeps it lower
Hi Austin, hello and welcome, thank you for sharing this....👍 It will help other owners. Kindest regards Carl
@@justthewayitis your welcome i am not short i am 6ft but i chose stock chassis not lowered and i chose heated seats so its on the edge of feeling a tad high on auto so i lowered it on min and to me it feels fine
I am 6ft too, my preference is. Seat in lower position suspension set to auto for two up or gentle riding.
But while on longer rides or touring I move the seat up to the higher position.
If I feel like a fast ride down my favourite curves... seat back in low position, suspension set to MAX.
We all have different preferences and the bike can accommodate almost all options.
Have a nice weekend Carl
@@justthewayitis is your seat the heated version
Yes, and they are brilliant, my wife loves the heated rear seat. I presume you watch my episode on controlling the seats and grips ?.
That also really makes things easy to use.
Best wishes Carl
Ps. You cannot over-exaggerate!
Ok 👍
BMW needs to make you an ambassador! These videos (and lots of your others) are immensely helpful. Thank you!
Hi Dave, I’m happy for you to let BMW know that !!, but thank you for your kind words. I do enjoy putting these together for the viewers
Best wishes Carl
Very informative thanks , but am I the only one cringing when you use a screw driver near the TFT (shuddering just thinking about it).. look forward to part 2.
Hi CBX, LOL...yes perhaps i should use something else...Part 2 will be up next Thursday. Carl
Ya, I was like whoa, careful!
Hi Joe, lol... I was careful 😏
Merhaba 2011 gs kullanıyorum boyum 1.72 . En alçak seviyeye alçaltmak için hangi ayarları tavsiye edersiniz? Çok teşekkür ederim.
Merhaba ve hoş geldiniz, 2011 R1200GS ile herhangi bir deneyimim yok. Yerel BMW GS forumunuza bir göz atabilirsiniz, her zaman çok yardımcı olurlar.
Best wishes Carl
By now BMW has offered you six figures to join the team and head up the education department?
Hi Mike, well I had to laugh at your comment 😊 if only that was true. I do receive feedback from some BMW dealers who appreciate the work and who now give new owners my TH-cam channel name to find out more about the bikes , which is nice.
The only real benefit I get is from building a good relationship with the Technical Support Team in Berlin who are happy to work with me in providing more technical understanding to owners about the bikes and technology they use.
Best wishes Carl
I am 1m74. I can actually drive in that min. mode all the time. or is that not recommended.
Lots of owners do just that 👍
Fantastic explanation. I am impatiently waiting for the video on auto v. dynamic damping v. mode settings and the relations there of.... Cheers from USA 🙂
Good morning USA, you will not have to wait to long, Thursday next week I hope to be finished with Part 2 and ready.
Best wishes Carl
Minimum Preload setting (one helmet) on LC watercooled GS's: You may notice more front end stability as it's more like a chopper, slacker head tube angle relative to the road. You might also notice that the windscreen appears to be higher giving more wind protection, I've used this for long highway runs. On Maximum (two helmets): You should notice less wind protection and that the bike wants to turn as you said at 17:00, meaning the front end is less stable, the head tube angle to the road surface is steeper, nicer for curvy days. On Maximum, it's also much easier to get it up on the center stand.
Hi Phila, and thankyou for sharing your experience and thoughts. I am sure it will help other owners. Best wishes Carl
BMW should be paying you. Awesome video. Going to watch your others too. Thanks.
Hi Brett, if only they did... 🙏
Thank you for your feedback, much appreciated, Carl
Just a note, I have a 2017 R1200GS Rallye (not X, ie sports suspension option) with Dynamic ESA at it has min, max and auto and not rider + luggage etc. Note you can still see the icons in the lcd...
Thank you for confirming 👍
So, just checking if I understood it correctly: considering my old 2009-R1200 RT, the MIN setting on ESA II corresponds to RIDER on my ESA I, the MAX setting corresponds to RIDER+PASSENGER, right? And obviously, ('cause there's no AUTO mode in my bike), the RIDER+LUGGAGE is just a middle setting. Or is just the opposite?
Sounds like you understood everything perfectly, Merry Christmas
I'm 6'4" and weight 250 lbs but always keep my bike at MIN suspension setting when riding. I only switch it to MAX when parked to keep it from falling off the side stand.
If I put it in AUTO or MAX it gets a very noticeable and extremely annoying tapping feeling (only when accelerating or keeping engine under load). The tapping is worst between 37 to about 53 MPH. It feels like a rock is stuck on the tire but it goes away if I push the clutch in. The dealer said everything is normal (like they always say unless the wheels fall off).
Also, O don't notice much difference between the Road and Dynamic setting.
The rear suspension is kind of rough. I can feel every tiny crack in the road like if the ture pressure was at several hundred PSI. My Kawasaki KLR650 has auch smoother suspension and also less vibration at the handlebars at 5 000 RPM. I expected a lot more from a BMW.
Hi Andrew, have you had your drive shaft inspection and test carried out ? I mention this because many owners have reported similar issues as you describe, going away after a drive shaft has been installed. I’m not saying I’m sure in your case it will but it’s definitely worth talking to your dealership about the inspection and test, as several thousands of new drive shaft units have been installed under warranty because they failed the test procedures that BMW outlined.
Also if you think about it, running in MIN lowers the drive shaft rotation angle which is another indicator.
Let me know your thoughts
Regards Carl
thank you for the details you've shared Carl.
really interesting, I have to play around with it to understand more.
I have a question for you, what could be the softer suspension setup for a leisure ride with my wife? she always complained that the 1250/Y23 is not as comfortable as my 1200/Y11 for the back seat rider
Cheers, Kostas
PS: can you suggest any aftermarket rear seat that us more comfortable than the BMW factory seat? I own the 3ple black edition.
Hi Kostas, no problem
Suspension: pre load set to auto, ride mode ROAD and importantly make sure the damping mode is in ROAD that’s the best suspension setting for comfort.
Tyre check your pressures 36F/ 42R psi. Lowering by 2 psi on the rear can help but it depends on your combined total weight. You can experiment 👍
Seats:
We tried all three types of OEM seats and found the COMFORT seats were the most comfortable especially the passenger seat.
If you’re not sure which you have at the moment, remove both seats and google the part numbers on the bottom of both seats to see which you have currently. Some dealerships are very friendly and will let you test the other options for free.
I’ve not personally tried any aftermarket seats so you could try the above first and then if it’s still not comfortable try a different brand.
We all have different requirements for seats so hard to recommend one specific seat.
Hope that helps
Best wishes Carl
Very informative, so well explained. I am in the process of selling my RS for the GS. Can the GS be ridden in the minimum setting ? Also with the riders seat in the lower position and the preload set to Minimum, would you know the approx seat height of the GS,, I am 5’ 9” with a 33” in seam,, many thanks !!
Hi Paul, good morning, thank you for your kind words 🙏.
Yes you can ride in MIN preload lots of owners do.
I have 32” inseam and find that with the seat in the low position I’m not quite flat footed. Which works for me.
My seat is the comfort seat.
You could also change your seat to the low seat which would also make a difference 👍. Have fun with your new GS
Kindest regards Carl
Great explanation!. One doubt now...My 2017 1200 GS ESA NG, preload Auto setting and Road mode, do not move at all. It keeps always as Min preload setting. I put an action camera to chech any compression action during riding and after several km I checked nothing. However it works when change to Max o Min preload setting...may it be not working? I am 90kg weight and upgraded the spring with the wilbers wesa kit. Thank you.
That's fairly normal for 90Kg,
If you put a passenger on the back it will be different
Carl
Sorry you are wrong in models years were Dynamic ESA was introduce. In earlies of year 2017 R 1200 GS (when executiive and first rally model appear), with analogic clocks. BMW deploy Dynamic ESA as options. with the Min-MAX-Auto adjustment replacing rider-Rider+passanger-etc.. So Dynamic ESA are not n-place only ini R 1250 gs. Actially i have the R 1200 gs with the Dynamic ESA and the Pro riding modes to control DTC and the ABS pro.
Hello Santiago, yes you are correct, if you look through the comments below I have been corrected by several knowledgeable subscribers who have made me aware of this. But thank you for sharing your experience. The 2018 bikes do have a stiffer rear spring which I actually like and provides a slightly firmer rear feel...
Best wishes Carl
Carl, thanks for your immense effort in getting this "black art" explained. BMW should be ashamed at what they put out in a manual...absolute SHYTE ! Embarrassing manuals to go with their $25k+ moto's.
Yep, that's a fair description they could definitely be much better, Carl
hi there, i forgot if I asked you already before... I am planning a first off road trip being on the GSA 2017 LC ...luggage for 5 weeks ...summer temperatures... until now i feel I should adjust my suspension into auto mode...? is this so simple or do i need to check anything else ? i feel my front suspension has maybe not really a long travelling distance? or is just a bit too compressed already? If I imagine to hit a road with bigger rocks..(I'm about 76 kg ) .thanks for your tipswill try this! Thanks so much
Hi, just change the setting on the left bar to Auto and the rear suspension will do what it needs to do with the extra weight you add.
If the roads are smooth you can change the ride mode ( on the right bar) to Dynamic but if the roads are rough or poor use Road mode.
Have a great trip 🤙
Awesome Video! I usually stop paying attention to everything after 2 or 3 minutes (unless it's topless lol) but I was very focused throughout your whole video. I need to lose some weight so I don't have to spend a fortune to swap out the spring. Although it feels decent at 330lbs. I also have a 2020 RR in stock form, yet the suspension still manages somehow. I do get some gyro affect on the track in the front end mid corner anything over 70mph. The gym will fix that.
Hi Bob and welcome 🙏 thank you for sharing and your honest approach, I guess will could all do with some gym time. Much cheaper than trying to reduce the bike weight 😉.
You have a nice couple of bikes 👍
Regards Carl
I would be interested in some "coverage" of the tele-lever suspension. Does it affect trail braking or the weight shift from back to front when braking hard for example. Shock unloading so to speak. It's effect on braking in the turn is another interest. Cheers from the Continent.
Hi Mark, good morning, good questions, there will be a couple of videos up soon that touch on this regarding the EVO telelever system on the new 1300. Kind regards Carl
I've also taken to occasionally cycling through to min. and max. preload settings just to 'exercise' the stepper motor fully in both directions. Seems sensible to me. Word on the street is that the electrickery within the rear shock is prone to failure between 20 and 30k miles. Hope not!
Hi Mike, I hope not too. Occasionally moving through the height range is a good idea. 👍
I have discovered your videos and do enjoy them Carl.
One point i do have to make though concerning your suggestion of lowering the bike to let the pillion on and off is this..
Customers doing this found their servos in the rear shock were failing because they of the extra load being put on the servo trying to "wind up" the shock when rider/pillion are already seated.. The pre load is supposed to be set before loading it.. This was covered in the forums a while ago.. Whether BMW have uprated the servo, i dont know. It woukd be good to find out..
Hi Jeff, welcome 🙏 and thank you for your comments on the rear shock preload adjustment. I can easily imagine that being the case as the servo is very slow to operate. I will ask bmw if it was upgraded during the 21-23 model run and if they have news I’ll report back. Glad your enjoying the series
Kindest regards Carl
The levels on my ‘21 f850gs are 1 helmet, 1 helmet and luggage and 2 helmets, no auto for me. I am quite short, so ridding on the 1 helmet and luggage setting with a passenger works the best for me. In the long run, will it break the rear shock not riding the dedicated setting for 2 passengers? Thanks!
Hello, what you are doing is fine, it's won't break anything. As long as your passenger is not really heavy.
Carl - Does any type of ESA come standard with the the GS? This is part of the Dynamic Package which for the most part I don't think I need or would use. Thanks
Hi Cris, the only time it makes sense NOT to have the Dynamic ESA pack... is if you are a serious off road rider who is going to get the suspension replaced or adjusted by a professional.
The Dynamic ESA pack is the most important pack to add...
Also selling a GS with it is quite hard and without it the resale value is greatly affected.
But that's just my thoughts
Carl
Excellent explanation of the dark arts of suspension & damping controls. Great presentation skills. I must have watched a dozen TH-cam video’s on this subject that only conspired to confuse the subject. Thank you.
Hi Barney, welcome to the channel and thank you for your feedback it's nice hear. I guess I got that skill from my Father you was a Naval Engineer, who would always take time to explain complex systems in simple ways. Best wishes Carl
Hi Carl.. I have a question.. Im about 170cm high and my weight is with gear about 76kg. I always rode in the past in preload Min because of my short legs.
My question is. Is there any problem if I do that this way? Maybe I am not that big guy where the auto preload starts to add some preload. If I start do ride more sporty the esa will see that und if the back goes to low while driving the esa will work against it with stiffer rebound compression and preload isn't it?
On Maximum it feels like there isn't any negative sag at all.. Fells a bit unsafe. Just did it for testing how it feels to "change the geometry of the bike"
Next time I have to check if I bottom out on the rear shock. Hope I can see an grease ring on the rod and see if I have about 2-3 mm left before bottom out.
This is what my front rod shows. So that's in my opinion perfekt for my weight and riding style.
I hope you understand my thoughts..
Kind Regards.
Gruß ;)
Hi Melvin, guten Tag , correct there is no problem riding always in MIN on the rear preload and with 76kg fully equipped with your riding gear that would make complete sense.
You of course can still which ride modes between Road and Dynamic if you want to firm up the damping to match a more sporty ride.
Also MAX is too much for most riders as there is no real :sag: so it’s not that useful on the road unless the weight in total is very high.
Some owners change the riders seat to the LOW version and then ride in AUTO preload , but that might be too tall for you. You could ask your dealership if you could try one for an hour or two.
Lg Carl Hessen
@@justthewayitis thanks Carl.. I will try the lower seat with preload on auto next time ;).
Yes content interesting I have a 2019 Rally 1250 never really looked at the suspension in detail. Thank you. And I do take it off road love it…
Hi Paul, glad you enjoyed the 3 part mini series, lots to take onboard... I hope you continue to have lots of fun with your Rallye on and off road.
Best wishes Carl
Hi there,, great videos thanks very much. A couple of questions if I can on pre load. Set at Min, the ride height is lowered and when set at max the ride height is at its highest. At min, the rear spring must be compressed to its shortest position to lower the bike. If true why isn’t this spring position when it is most compressed known as max pre load. When the max setting is chosen the ride height is at its highest: the spring is compressed less suggesting min pre load. Please clarify . Many thanks
Hi Chris, it can be confusing.
MIN ride hight is the spring almost uncompressed. In other words virtually no preload.
MAX is the highest ride height and to achieve this on any conventional shock you need to compress the spring.
Another way to look at this is, when you compress a spring inside a shock assembly the forces increase which push harder in both directions... hence increasing the ride height.
Hope this helps
Carl
Carl, please explain why with Max Spring compression the bike height increases ? Surely if a spring is compressed it is not as long and thus REDUCES bike height? What have I misunderstood? Cheers , Pierre
Hi Pierre, good evening and a great question, sadly it would take me ages to type a reply that’s easy to understand. The example I have given in the video is correct. But….Basically when you add or compress a spring you change its force….in this case increasing it, so the spring has more force or push to hold something up, In this example the bike. So the bike ride height increases.
But staying with this example because we have compressed the spring by preloading it we increase force / push but we lose travel… because we have used some of that travel to compress it, in effect reducing the springs range of movement. ( not good )
This is why it’s important to have a spring the is ideally matched to you and your bike and Weight. If done correctly the spring will have very little preload which means we have lots of travel. = a great ride quality with great ability to absorb bumps.
Also spring length has nothing to do with suspension height it only relates to total travel , this explains why off-road bikes have big tall suspension lengths with long springs inside.
If we add preload the spring pushes back with more force and increase the ride height.
If we remove preload the spring relaxes and pushes less and the suspension lowers.
It’s probably not easy to understand but I hope this helps 🙋🏻♂️
Thank you for a great question it’s nice to see owners wanting to understand their motorbikes and how systems like suspension work.
🙏 Carl
@@justthewayitis - Thanks Carl. I'll hunt for some mechanical animations to see this 1st hand. I used to own a R1200S with Ohlins with rings to adjust preload, I don't recall the ride height rising when doing so.
many thanks .
Thanks for the video. Does anyone know what the seat heights are when using a standard seat with standard suspension (not the low suspension model) when the suspension settings are in MAX and MIN for the R1250GS (non adventure models)? thanks!!
Hi Aptek, I don’t know the answer without measuring it. The quickest way is to pop into your local dealership and sit on one and see if it works for your height / inside leg measurement.
If they haven’t got one in the showroom they will probably have a customer bike in the workshop which they might let you briefly sit on.
Carl
@@justthewayitis thanks yeah hoping someone might just know the nearest dealer to me is over an hour away but next time I’m over there I will check with them.
You probably have your GS set on auto and don't think much about. This video explains in great deal that you happen to be correct. Just leave it auto 👍
Hi Craig, wisdom....😏
Not to be a language Nazi but if these modes do not affect the forks there is no auto leveling. There is just automatic 30% rider sag setting. No leveling.
Hi Robert, yes this is correct and I do say that in the preload episode. But I take onboard what you are saying. Carl
I’m short, leave at Min. Wish BMW would do what the Pan America does. Shame it doesn’t.
Maybe the new one will but I know what you mean, Carl
Are you suggesting we need a new rear spring if a passenger is regularly carried as the payload would certainly be more than 130kg?
Hi Peter, No that's not what I'm suggesting.
If the rider alone is above 120-140 then going to specialist is highly recommended. Because then the combined weight of luggage and passenger could be too much for the standard spring rating.
Ducati Multistrada.......another world.
Hi Carlos, yes.... 😊😏👍
Great video as always I’m a fatty at 140kg + gear 🧐 I’ve asked my bmw dealer before I’m on my fourth GSA this one is a lowered chassis version . They tell me you can’t update the spring as it’s a special shape & that the computer won’t work correctly is that rubbish ?
Hi Dale, well for your weight you could look at a complete unit rear unit, several companies offer them and of course they can match a spring rate to match you your luggage and bike.
Wilbers, Nitron, Brooks, Touratech, to name just a few brands plus you have lots of suspension specialist that also do this. A lot depends on your geographic location.
Some are also plug and play and a straight swop.
Try contacting your local GS owners club or forum. They are very friendly and can offer personal experience of this upgrade.
Best wishes Carl
Thanks for these excellent detailed explanations ;-)
Hello JCV, welcome to the channel and thank you for your feedback 🙏 much appreciated, glad you enjoyed the Dynamic ESA series.
Kind regards Carl
When is part two coming , thanks for your very clear delivery
Hi Carl, it will be up next Thursday. Currently working on Part 2 ...👍
Regards Carl
I am looking for Part 2 suspension damping ???…
Yes Part 2 is damping modes and ride modes a IMU. Carl
I guess it is NOT available yet, your Video says next week, sorry for asking. Thank you !
No problem. It will be up next week.
Very informative and perfeclty explained, Excellent and thank you. I have an older 1200GS that has totally different modes, I have never understood them. Do you have any video for older generations?
Hello 🙋🏻♂️, and thank you 🙏. I don’t have a specific video for the older versions but the principles are similar.
Best wishes Carl
@@justthewayitis Thank you very much, again awsome vidoes...
🙏🙋🏻♂️
Very informative and right. The XR only has AUTO and MIN. I never use MIN and leave it to AUTO all the time. If I'm going for a long trip abroad, so witb panniers and stuff, you can indeed feel the bike needs some time to adjust. To speed it up, I sort of compress en decompress the spring while riding the first meters, by doing some squats on the footrests while riding and really try to compress and decompress the spring, so the electronics can do their thing
Hi Antoine, thank you for sharing a tip that other owners can try, I'm just about to head out on the GS to go to a Wunderlich Riding Dynamics course... so I will test put your tip.
Thankyou Carl
Maybe it is intended, but the audio drops off abruptly at 19:46.
Great video. Well explained!
Hi Tory, thank you I’ll go check it right now 👍
Yes you are correct, I have sent an email to TH-cam as this is the second video on my channel that has audio that disappears.
Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
Carl
"rider gear?! Where we're going we don't need gear!" - typical gixxer 🤣
Hello Dennis, welcome to the channel 👍
We've had the inertial sensor on the USA GS bikes since 2018
Hi Jason, yes correct but they were the 5 Axis module, from 2021 BMW fitted the 6 Axis module from the S1000RR. Still a great bike 5 or 6 axis IMU.
Best wishes Carl
I just bought a 23 GSA 1250. I'm on the balls of my feet when stopped, and would like the bike to be lower so that I feel more in control. Do you know how many inches (or centimeters / millimeters) the bike lowers when you put it into minimum setting? I feel like if I could get it an inch lower, it would be great for me.
Hello Nunya, welcome to the channel, I’ve not measured the exact change but you have several options, first make sure your current riders seat is in the lower position, their is 25mm in height between them. Next start your GSA and change the preload setting to minimum while the engine is running and your sitting on the bike, you’ll feel it lower slowly. If it’s still not low enough for you .. you could change the seat for a lower one, several manufacturers offer them.
The last solution would be to ask your dealership to perform a factory low conversion to your GSA.
Lots of owners ride their bikes in the minimum preload setting all the time.
Hope this helps
Carl
@@justthewayitis Changed it to minimum as you suggested, and it made a world of difference. Now I can flat foot the bike. Thanks!
Your welcome 🙏
I’ve just taken delivery of my new 2022 GSA - my third. I’ve learnt a great deal from these videos, despite my previous experience with these machines. Thanks Carl.
Hello Glenn and welcome to the channel and congratulations on your new bike. Which colour did you choose?
My understanding from BMW Motorrad was that they advised to use the preload before loading the bike, not after loading and seated. Also, there are Rider, Rider+Luggage, Rider+Passenger and you left out, Rider+Luggage+Passenger.
Great content, Thanks. Subscribed too.
Hi Iron Horse, thank you for your comments. The auto setting for preload will only work and set correctly once you sit on the bike and ride it. I tried setting this without getting on.... and it does not work and does not self level. Perhaps and earlier generation was different. I will have a look. Carl. Thankyou for subscribing 👍
Phenomenal informative video, I've been using ESA for many years and just now I got the whole scoop on what is does
Thank you so much
Hello Marcelo, thank you for feedback, it’s a big topic hence 3 videos to cover it.
Kindest regards Carl
Where did you get your dates from ? You're a little out. The Dynamic ESA with Max - Min & Auto came out from 2017. (Not 2021)
Edit. Just seen this has already been pointed out !
Yes as others have highlighted 2017.5 is the correct approx date. But 2021 was the introduction of the additional modes. Best wishes Carl
@@justthewayitis Affirmative, However, several times you stated the suspension modes. Ironically, you state in one of the episodes that There is a lot of misinformation on forums, youtube etc ...... ;-)
Some people recently purchase a GS and believe that the GS has just been born !
Are you a member of the Facebook BMW TFT connectivity group ?
Hi, im not on Facebook but I will have a look, thank you for the suggestion 👍. Having tried the earlier versions 2017/8 I actually prefer the ride quality on these compared to mine. I’ve been experimenting with altering the height sensor rod on the rear to give slightly more rear preload, but that project is not finished yet . Having moved from a multistrada it’s been an interesting experience and so far a good one. Carl
It looks like an interesting group, Thankyou
Firstly, thank you for probably the best explanation I’ve seen on TH-cam, of anything! A super presentation…
I’ve owned by 2018 GSA 1200 from new, and although being a tall chap at 6ft 2in, I’ve generally kept the suspension in ‘Min’ mode to allow for my feet to be completely flat on the ground. I was under the impression that although lowered, the suspension would still react to additional weight placed on the bike, by keeping it at that height (I.e. still automatic levelling, but just at a lower level), but now I’m not sure…?
Later this year I’m venturing into the world of motorcycle camping, and there’ll of course be a ton of weight on the bike, especially when added to my camera equipment, clothes, tools etc.. So, I’m now assuming that I will really need to set the suspension to ‘Auto’ mode, to allow the system to automatically compensate for all this extra weight? Thanks once again for a brilliant series of videos. Regards, Paul
Hi Paul, good morning, yes you would definitely be better running your bike in AUTO for the rear preload, once your loaded up for your adventure.
Thank you for your feedback on the Dynamic ESA series, it was a lot of work but I’m delighted to see so many owners have found it useful.
Kind regards Carl
You scared the hell out of me when you put the screwdriver near the TFT 😀
Thank you so much for the videos ride safe
Thank you 🙏 yes several subscribers commented about the screwdriver and the proximity to the TFT.
Have a great weekend 👍 Carl
An informative and well explained video... thank you. Had my RT a couple of years now and never played with the preload settings. Will give it a go next time I'm out. 👍
Hi Hero Bob, The RT is a lovely bike, and i hope you have fun playing with the settings, Welcome to the channel, best wishes Carl
Hi Carl, another interesting, well explained video. I'm a bit short in the leg and was advised by the dealer to put it in MIN to keep the seat height as low as possible. However I found this interfered with ground clearance (I have a low chassis GSA) when cornering so ended up getting a lower seat and putting it back to AUTO, which is much better. Off on the ferry from UK to Spain later this month so will be trying out your tip of using MIN when boarding and disembarking the ship.😄
Hi Tsport, great solution to the ground clearance problem, I'm sure other viewers might use that tip, so thankyou for sharing. I hope you have a great time in Spain, it is supposed to be lovely in September...so have a great time on those empty smooth roads. Carl
Great video ! I picked up my R1250GSA last June. Looking at your videos has enabled me to learn how to use the bikes systems faster than reading the owner’s manual. Thanks
Hi Mark.. Lol... yes I can imagine it saves time. Glad you gained something that you liked. Carl
My respects. Lovely explanation video. Well done.
Hi BWS thankyou 👍
Interesting video and well explained as always.
Thank you.
Hello String, thank you for the compliment.
Congratulations on such a perfect sharing in how these settings work and when and how to set them.
Keep Being You 🏍🇨🇦👍
Hi Paul, welcome and thank you 👍
Well explained. For me, this was a great video explaining how a suspension works, as well as how this applies to the ESA on the GSA.
Hello and welcome, thank-you for your feedback, Best wishes Carl
D ESA is already on the 2018 bikes.
Yes, some subscribers have reported as early as 2017.5 that's what they call them. Regards Carl
What crash guard and skid plate brand are you using?
Hi Joe welcome to the channel, skid plate is original OEM fitted to the 2021 onwards Ralley version. Crash bars are again OEM GS1250 bars plus the Wunderlich cylinder head protectors for added gravel protection.
Kindest Carl
TLDR
Ray's comment below, is 100%!!
At 61, I've been a road motorcyclist. In the last many years I've been interested in a little bit of adventure riding. So
as of 2 days ago, I bought the 2024 1250 GSA!
This gentleman's videos are an absolute must, at least for me.
Classroom instruction, with real riding, layman's terms.
With gratitude,
Ron, Yosemite California.
Hi Ron, good morning and congratulations on your new GSA, I wish you many happy miles with your new motorbike.
I am very grateful for all the positive comments and I’m delighted owners find the channel helpful and informative.
Best wishes Carl 🙋🏻♂️
Thank you - great explanation...
Hi Franco, thank you 🙏
Small comment Carl: You sad in the video (15:25) to put the spring load on “MAX” on a R1250R. Today I tested that setting. The pre-load is too high for me (too little sag, it let the shock top out too “far” when going over bumps). Not pleasant for public roads. For me the “Auto-setting” is the right setting.
By the way, I like the way you’re explaining this suspension chapters, tanks!
Hi Edward welcome to the channel, yes the max setting does not suit everyone and is road dependent, on smooth surfaces it works quite well.
Glad to hear your having a play with the settings. I really enjoyed my time with the R1250R and if I could have found a seat solution that worked for me I would have one in my garage 👍
Very good video, thank you very much!!
Thankyou Albert 👍
Thanks alot for your videos. I plan to buy a gs 850 adventure wit the lowering kit. Will that lessen the ride quality compared to the standard? I will watch your gs videos over and over because I love learning. Cheers. Subscribed!
Hello Bonwana, thank you 🙏
You only lose some suspension travel but the ride quality remains very similar the the standard version. Being able to get your feet on the ground is more important 👍
Best wishes Carl
I run my 2018 (TFT Version) 1250 GS on minimum all the time, reason being I only have a 28” inside leg. I also vary between ‘Road’ and Dynamic Pro depending on the type of ridding I’m doing.
Hello Darranna, and welcome to the channel. Thankyou for sharing your settings it will help other owners know it is completely ok to do this. I hope you are enjoying your GS and having lots of fun.
Best wishes Carl