Suspension hard- changing preload

Recently changed my bike and now have a BMW F800GT. Test ride and ride home seemed ok suspension wise. Played around with ESA settings and felt I could notice a slight difference between the three modes but tended to stick to "Normal".

On my first ride out I was on the A10 Ely bypass and it was awful, really uncomfortable and bouncing off the seat somewhat. I experienced it to a lesser extent on my previous bike but this felt far worse. Bumps on other roads were sometimes equally horrible.

Reading the manual it suggests with one up and no luggage decreasing the preload to it's lowest setting (Turn the adjuster as far as

it will go counter-clockwise(One-up without luggage)). It's seems equally as bad if not worse! It feels like the rear wheel is actually leaving the road and I'm sure there has been a clunk (bottoming out?). Do I need to increase the preload? I feel that would make the suspension harder and the situation worse though.

Any advice would be most welcomed. If it's makes any difference I weigh about 11.5 stone (73kg) so I'm not a heavy bugger weighing the bike down!

I would increase the pre-load one click at a time go and ride then repeat until you find something comfortable, but is sounds more like the damping thats the problem. The damping is to stiff dont know if it can be adjusted on your bike but I;m sure someone will be along to give advice.

It can't as it has ESA.

So you can't manually adjust the damping?

Don't sound right to me. I'd take it back to the dealer and politely tell him to fix it.

Oh noes. I've just looked back and seen you got it in Guildford. Was it from a dealer or private sale?

From a dealer. Only done about 300 miles since getting it and only 1800 on clock. If there are problems this early I'll be well ticked off!

I'll experiment with the preload and see if it makes any difference

So you can't manually adjust the damping?

Nope. As I said it has electronic suspension.

No, you said it had ESA. Why would I know what that means?

Anyway, there's your problem.

Sorry, working on the obvious assumption that people would know what that stood for.

Sorry, working on the obvious assumption that people would know what that stood for.

Most of us do and if we don't then most find out for ourselves

I would start with setting the preload to give as close to about 30mm of rider sag as possible then bounce the bike and see how if feels

then adjust the damping throughout the full range (soft/hard) and bounce between each setting to see if there is a difference just to make sure the suspension is actually changing when its adjusted

you should see a difference between max and min damping if not then you may have a problem

if all appears to adjust then keep playing with the damping till it feels right

I know some bikes can be a twat to set up

I must have missed something. How many bikes have ESA?

I must have missed something. How many bikes have ESA?

Loads!!

You need to move with the times!

According to Ploss, 90 percent of BMW’s motorcycle buyers opt for ESA,

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/03/14/bmw-dynamic-electronic-suspension-adjustment-explained

ESA

European space agency

Employment and support allowance

NAH

BMW suspension obviously. not

ESA

Electronic Suspension Adjustment. (obviously)

Not at the top of Google

indeed.

Neither of my bikes have it.. and Im rather pleased about that.

People generally rave about it until it goes wrong.. and then they get a quote and fall to the floor and foam at the mouth (a bit)

particularly if they don't have a warranty.. from new or extended.

Nah

Try goggling ESA.

ESA is old school now, DDC is the new kid on the block!

I'll be diligent and check that out.

Think I'll stick to adjusting damping myself. Less to go wrong.

I bloody hate technology. People are only buying it because it's being lumped on the cost of their never-never.

If I want to monitor my tyre pressure - I measure my tyre pressure. If I want rain mode - I ride slower. And why does anybody ever need 200 suspension measurements per second? Fat bloke, luggage, preload, job bloody done.

Gah. Bloody technology.

*shakes fist at cloud*

I bloody hate technology. People are only buying it because it's being lumped on the cost of their never-never.

If I want to monitor my tyre pressure - I measure my tyre pressure. If I want rain mode - I ride slower. And why does anybody ever need 200 suspension measurements per second? Fat bloke, luggage, preload, job bloody done.

Gah. Bloody technology.

*shakes fist at cloud*

Having a good day, Dave?

Having a good day, Dave?

A succession of power cuts - I need an indie power supply for the computer.

But I really do hate the way bikes are being designed so that you have to have them sorted at the dealers and not at the roadside. It's all guff and nonsense. (Today's excuse is sleep deprivation)