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2006 K1200GT ESA adjustment questions???

7K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  petar 
#1 ·
I just swapped a 2006 K1200S for 2006 K1200GT and love the change to a more upright position.

I am interested in ESA and how does it actually work.

When i turn ON the ignition key and press ESA button and cycle through three different damping settings for three riding modes, Comfort, Normal and Sport by changing the modes I only get very short noise but do not see any movement on the spring or the shock component. Should I?

Before testing the spring preload adjustment while the motor is running i would like to know if adjusting the damping setting with the engine off but ignition key ON i should see any movement on the spring or the shock?

Does ESA on 2006 K1200GT does anything to the front spring and the shock, or only the rear one? Is there any front adjustment available for 2006 K1200GT?

My 2006 K1200S did not have ESA and was easy to adjust. I enjoyed the "One up/Sport" setting adjustment as I mainly rode alone.

I
 
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#2 ·
petar said:
I just swapped a 2006 K1200S for 2006 K1200GT and love the change to a more upright position.

I am interested in ESA and how does it actually work.

When i turn ON the ignition key and press ESA button and cycle through three different damping settings for three riding modes, Comfort, Normal and Sport by changing the modes I only get very short noise but do not see any movement on the spring or the shock component. Should I?

Before testing the spring preload adjustment while the motor is running i would like to know if adjusting the damping setting with the engine off but ignition key ON i should see any movement on the spring or the shock?

Does ESA on 2006 K1200GT does anything to the front spring and the shock, or only the rear one? Is there any front adjustment available for 2006 K1200GT?

My 2006 K1200S did not have ESA and was easy to adjust. I enjoyed the "One up/Sport" setting adjustment as I mainly rode alone.

I
Hi Petar,

Congratulations on your new K1200GT. I hope you enjoy many delightful miles on it. Regarding your ESA, here is my experience:

* Damping:
I notice the Comfort, Normal, and Sport changes while riding on the open road. Try riding your motorcycle on an open highway with bumps and vibration, and it should be easily apparent when you change from Comfort (very smooth, a little mushy), to Normal (firm), to Sport (very firm). Also notice the handling. Turns seems sluggish in Comfort, more responsive in Normal, and very tight and responsive in Sport.

* Preload:
To change the preload setting, the engine must be running, and you should be stopped in neutral. Press and hold the ESA button and after a second or two, you will see the 1-up, 1-up-with-luggage, or 2-up display. Press the ESA again quickly over and over and the display will cycle between the three settings. Stop when you see the setting you want. Keep your feet on the ground to lighten your weight on the seat. Wait a few seconds. The display will start blinking and you will feel the preload spring motor adjust while the display blinks. It takes a few seconds to complete, and then the display stops blinking. You should notice the seat rise or drop slightly as the preload motor adjusts the shock springs. The seat will end up lowest for 1-up, highest for 2-up. The movement is not huge, but definitely noticeable.

Notes:
Make sure you have enough time for the preload to finish adjusting. You do not want to try adjusting it at a traffic light, and have the light turn green while you are waiting for the preload adjustment to finish.

The engine must be running to adjust the preload. I don't think it will work if the engine is not running.

To answer your questions:
Regarding damping: I have not noticed any external changes when adjusting the damping, but would not expect much, if anything. What I notice are the significant "feel of the road" and handling changes - Comfort is smooth and cushy, where Normal and Sport allow increasingly tighter coupling between the handlebars and the road.

Yes. Both front and rear shocks are adjusted for damping and preload adjustments.
 
#3 ·
Thanks mate,

I did try the preload this morning when i started the engine and seen the change in spring movement. I am 220LBS so "One Up" may not be the most suitable for me and i use One Up and luggage. I tried changing the damping and did observe the difference, so my ESA is in fact working. I was worried reading some members complaining about premature failures and my GT is at 38K miles hence I got worried.

These gadgets are nice as long as they work, but when they fail it costs a lot of $ to repair.

Otherwise I enjoy the bike for the first few days especially the seating position/posture after riding my K1200S for three years. K1200S is a nice sporty bike better than any i've ridden before but at my age and back issues I prefer GT to continue riding and enticing my 'better half' to join me.
 
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