Front Damper Calibration

[1NOTRED]

My 2008 R1200RT has the optional electronic suspension adjustment (ESA), which has very stiff front and rear shock damping calibrations. This has the effect of stiffening the apparent front fork spring rate when going over bumps, and even when set on the COMFORT damping and ONE-UP preload settings, it is very stiff and uncomfortable.

 

This is very different from my previous 2006 R1200RT, which didn’t have ESA, and had very comfortable (soft) fork compression damping.

 

Are all R1200 RTs with ESA like this, and is there anything that can be done to confirm the suspension is operating properly and/or reduce the fork compression damping?

[lkraus]

It's possible that the damping motor(s) have failed due to corrosion.

 

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, 1NOTRED said:

My 2008 R1200RT has the optional electronic suspension adjustment (ESA), which has very stiff front and rear shock damping calibrations. This has the effect of stiffening the apparent front fork spring rate when going over bumps, and even when set on the COMFORT damping and ONE-UP preload settings, it is very stiff and uncomfortable.

 

This is very different from my previous 2006 R1200RT, which didn’t have ESA, and had very comfortable (soft) fork compression damping.

 

Are all R1200 RTs with ESA like this, and is there anything that can be done to confirm the suspension is operating properly and/or reduce the fork compression damping?

Morning  1NOTRED 

 

As long as nothing has failed as Larry mentions then YES, those darn hexheads can vary quite a bit.  I have seen soft ones & stiffer ones throughout the hexhead model run. 

 

My own personal 2009 1200RT is just like yours (very stiff even on the soft setting),   especially the front. 

 

My friends (almost identical 2008 1200RT) is softer than a cotton ball so he pretty well rides on the max damping setting. 

 

I can help the front of my 2009 slightly if I bleed  the trapped air out of my front forks every spring (gets in there from storing the motorcycle on center stand all winter in very cold ambient temps).  Kind of a big pain to bleed them but it does seem to help slightly.

 

 

[1NOTRED]

Is there a good and convenient process to bleed the forks?

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, 1NOTRED said:

Is there a good and convenient process to bleed the forks?

Morning  1NOTRED 

 

In a word, NO.