So ... Electronicaly adjusted Suspension - who has it ?

[jimyamaha]

So who has the Electronicaly Adjusted Suspension ??
I ask as i have been reading the Yamaha manual waiting for my XT1200ZE to arrive and am a bit confused - on every bike i have owned i can adjust the preload, rebound and compression front and rear independantly from each other. But reading the Manual it says i can adjust the rear preload and no mention of the front. And more crutialy it says 'damping' and not front or rear damping.
So are the front and rear seperate or when you adjust the damping it automaticaly adjusts front AND rear. (which seems mad to me) I do not want to set up the suspension like a sports bike but after 22 years of Yamahas i have had to set up the front way differently from the rear to get the balance right.
Please let me know your experiences and / or settings you have tryed and works for you.

 

[MIKE R]

I too am waiting to pick up my ZE (March 1)

According to the Rider's Manual:-

'PRELOAD
Changing the preload setting will also adjust the front and rear suspension damping forces accordingly'
(page 3.38)

DAMPING
Within each preload setting there are 3 damping force settings; HARD, STD and SOFT. When the preload setting is changed, the damping force settings will change accordingly'
(page 3.40)

Previously I have owned a BMW GS with ESA. That had less settings and worked perfectly.

I hope this addresses your concerns.

Mike

 

[Donk]

I have it, it works great, and I love it. You cannot adjust front and rear independently that I know of but the system works great. I have never felt the need to change beyond what I can do with the electronic suspension. It is a world better than the suspension on my Triumph Explorer, which can be manually adjusted front and rear. No matter what, the front end on the S10 ALWAYS feels more planted when I push the bike. On top of that the Yamaha rides better too!

 

[mrpete64]

I have it on my 2014 ES. Works great! It is nice to be able to set it on soft when in the interstate highways....takes out the nasty bumps. On The Blue Ridge Parkway..set it on hard...and zip along!

Mr. Pete------>
aging hippie

 

[Goldwing]

I have an ES, love it! I don't change it as much as I thought I would.

No independent changes, when you set it, it is adjusting front and rear.

 

[Lutsie]

Love my es. Haven't wanted anything more from the suspension. Still fine tuning the settings/experimenting...but it's so easy.

 

[Vanderwho]

I'm very pleased with the ES. It's so much better than the suspension on the harsh-riding 2010 FJR I traded for it, and the bike handles better, too.
::012::

 

[Brick]

I too have the ES with 21,000 US miles on it and I too love it. I too had questions about the suspension and well it just works very well. There are certain roads that I just know I want to put it in Soft and some I know are fun and smooth enough to put in Hard. ::021::

::004::

 

[Ron15S10]

I have the '14 ES and very pleased with the plush ride on the slab. Haven't tested it on dirt yet but based on the settings that I've been playing around with, it should perform extremely well. Also, I had a 2013 FJR non ES and even though the ride was very nice and smooth, the S10 ES blows it away when it comes to ride quality (ergo's, smoothness, etc. you get it).

 

[jimyamaha]

Awesome, thanks guys. At least you've put my mind to rest about the suspension. Seems like it just works !

 

[EdOnS10]

Greetings Jimyamaha...
I thought I would also chime in and say I love mine.. Once I figured it out.. I am actually a convert - maybe some guys who adjust more than I do had different expectations. To me it was just an extra feature I was afraid would break LOL but after having the Ah-ha moment with it on some rough roads - I am really glad I got the ES version!

Here is an interesting thread where I an others explain in more detail how they end up using it in practice
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=11731.msg218009#msg218009

::022::

 

[jimyamaha]

Thanks EdOnS10, a good read. I am used to setting up the suspension on R1's so am looking forward to less hassle with this electronic set up and a nice comfier ride on the Tenere !

 

[richarddacat]

As a potential new owner I'm still undecided on the ES but glad to see that all the comments have been positive.

Doesn't any adjustments have to be made at a standstill?

So, if I'm setup for slab work and decide to hot-shoe-it through an exit ramp, like I do quite often, I feel that my suspension needs to be a bit firmer for this activity. Am I SOL and just have to deal with it the best I can or can I adjust on the fly?

I'm also one to set things up like I want them and leave them alone. Plus my off-roading adventures may not be through any "serious" terrain. I think the extra money for the ES might not be worth the extra cash in my case?

 

[Lutsie]

As a potential new owner I'm still undecided on the ES but glad to see that all the comments have been positive.

Doesn't any adjustments have to be made at a standstill?

So, if I'm setup for slab work and decide to hot-shoe-it through an exit ramp, like I do quite often, I feel that my suspension needs to be a bit firmer for this activity. Am I SOL and just have to deal with it the best I can or can I adjust on the fly?

I'm also one to set things up like I want them and leave them alone. Plus my off-roading adventures may not be through any "serious" terrain. I think the extra money for the ES might not be worth the extra cash in my case?

You can adjust between soft, medium and hard on the fly but adjusting inside those parameters has to be done while stopped.

 

[EdOnS10]

What Lutsie said - and from what I have found that is enough to cover the level of change you would really experience without really switching activities... It's covers just enough for changing road conditions.. And even if you have to stop, it changes in a few seconds and beats having to get off it and adjust something manually... I think if I did not have the ES, I would simply not know it was nice to change settings, because I never would... Now ask me if that luxury is worth 1000? Maybe. But better still, if you're buying the left over 2014s you might find the spread surrounding the local options is not that much. I actually found a pretty good deal on the ES because that is what they had local stock of. It was certainly below sticker!

My guess is an ES in the room can be had for cheaper or similar cost to ordering a standard 14 they ship in and setup.. At least if the sales department is hungry. It's really just what you're after.. If you think a suspension mod is in your future either way, maybe the standard is easier.. But if you find a good deal, I have no complaints in ending up with an ES.

 

[Ron15S10]

Just to clarify on the ES function:

Preload has to be done while the bike's engine is running, at a standstill and no rider/pillion on the bike. The rest can be done on the fly i.e. compression/damping, however, if using settings other than the computer's last known settings in either of the 3 (soft, standard, hard) options, the settings you adjust e.g. -1 in the soft setting, while underway, will not be recalled. Only the changes you make tto the compression/damping while stationary can be remembered/recalled. I hope this makes sense.

Think of it as a seat + steering wheel memory in the car. When set, the computer remembers them for either drivers, but when changes are made without memorizing, the last saved memory is only recalled.

 

[richarddacat]

Thanks good info.

A left over 14 is what I have in mind so a $1000 discount shouldnt be too much to ask.
Actually I'm counting on more of a break than that.

 

[Lutsie]

I payed 13,900 otd in California for my 14es. Biggest reason I chose the es...now that I have one I would have payed full price for it.

I feel like I won life