2016 R1200R ESA fork, what happens if ESA fails or plug is disconnected?

3383 Views 43 Replies 5 Participants Last post by K1600R, 17 d ago

K1600R

Discussion Starter · Apr 4, 2022

Anybody here knows what happens to an ESA fork leg if ESA fails or the plug is disconnected? What state would the fork be in? How would the bike behave?

I know that only the left leg is active so the right one would not be affected.

I have some trouble connecting my R1200R ESA fork to the K1600 ESA controller

They are quite different it seems, R1200R has two wires and K1600 has four, even though there is no preload adjustment up front on the K1600.

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K1600R

Discussion Starter · #21 · Apr 6, 2022

fireman said:
OMG, this is so crazy, that it might actually work. If you have a chance, would be awesome to see the driveshaft side as well.

Hmm, odd, I just don't seem to have any picture showing that side, I'll make sure to get one next time I'm in the garage

This is what I have, also at the end I have pic that really shows the width of that engine

Tire Automotive tire Wheel Automotive lighting Bumper

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5

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Panzermann

· #22 · Apr 6, 2022

K1600R said:
7 liter LS7 V8 in the latest Mazda MX5 Miata

Ba ha ha ha haaahh!!! 🤪

Reactions: 1

Panzermann

· #23 · Apr 7, 2022

K1600R said:
after looking at the diagrams

Thomas, where did you find the electrical diagrams? I've not seen a source of them before.

The transistor symbol such as that in the R1200R ESA indicates a microprocessor. The three leads in are positive, earth, and a LINBUS data connection from the instrument panel. As you say, the K1600 symbol seems to be a stepper motor, so there's a clear incompatibility.

K1600R

Discussion Starter · #24 · Apr 7, 2022

Panzermann said:
Ba ha ha ha haaahh!!! 🤪

Yes, that is correct, 513HP @ the wheels 😉

Panzermann said:
Thomas, where did you find the electrical diagrams? I've not seen a source of them before.

The transistor symbol such as that in the R1200R ESA indicates a microprocessor. The three leads in are positive, earth, and a LINBUS data connection from the instrument panel. As you say, the K1600 symbol seems to be a stepper motor, so there's a clear incompatibility.

Yeah, that's my conclusion as well, I think I'll just try to see if I can get the K1600 ECU fault code free.

Those diagrams are from the BMW service equipment/computer, it was a funny story really, when I had gotten the engine and went to my local BMW dealer to order some parts, I gave the license plate number to the guy at the counter, and he says, "oh, that's my old K1600", what are the odds for that 😁 He had bought it new but sold it a year or so before and the second owner apparently went off the road or something. So I got a really good connection with him and when I had explained my project I asked if it was possible to get some wiring diagrams since I really couldn't find anything online, not even in the shop manual. So he got me the complete setup for the K1600 but only this one for the ESA for the R1200R to compare with.

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Panzermann

· #25 · Apr 7, 2022

K1600R said:
I think I'll just try to see if I can get the K1600 ECU fault code free.

It might need circuitry like an exhaust flapper valve eliminator (e.g. Healtech of Servo Buddy).

Reactions: 1

r0ckrat

· #26 · Apr 7, 2022

I would locate different forks if not going to use the ESA electronics. The ESA fork is "dead" when not active, and kind of stays where it is... when off the damping valves are closed in both directions.

Sent from my SM-N970U1 using Tapatalk

43220

· #27 · Apr 7, 2022

Awesome project

. Looks like the hardest part is over, but hope you can achieve the looks, functionality, and performance you want out of it. By the way, that huge I-6 engine actually looks slim, compared to the ultra wide boxer twin. Ha ha. Good luck. And thank you for posting all that info

.

K1600R

Discussion Starter · #28 · Apr 10, 2022

Panzermann said:
It might need circuitry like an exhaust flapper valve eliminator (e.g. Healtech of Servo Buddy).

I know Touratech has some ESA elimination dongles for the GS series, I'll check and see if I could use something from them.

Reactions: 2

K1600R

Discussion Starter · #29 · Apr 10, 2022

r0ckrat said:
I would locate different forks if not going to use the ESA electronics. The ESA fork is "dead" when not active, and kind of stays where it is... when off the damping valves are closed in both directions.

Sent from my SM-N970U1 using Tapatalk

OK, what has been said here before was that they revert to the hardest setting, i.e. dynamic with passenger and cargo, I would presume that is closed in both directions then, or do you suggest they behave differently?

It was a real struggle to find a pair of fork legs to begin with, to the point that all I managed to find was a pair of RS legs that I put on my donor R while keeping the R legs for the project. The other alternative would have been to buy a pair of non ESA R legs, but I think those are even harder to come by than ESA legs, and buying them new aren't very cost effective at all.

K1600R

Discussion Starter · #30 · Apr 10, 2022

ElpTXjc said:
Awesome project . Looks like the hardest part is over, but hope you can achieve the looks, functionality, and performance you want out of it. By the way, that huge I-6 engine actually looks slim, compared to the ultra wide boxer twin. Ha ha. Good luck. And thank you for posting all that info .

Thanks

Just looking purely at width the 6 is slightly narrower than the R1200 boxer, not by much though, but as a whole it's obviously larger and very different in shape.

fireman

· #31 · Apr 10, 2022

K1600R said:
OK, what has been said here before was that they revert to the hardest setting, i.e. dynamic with passenger and cargo, I would presume that is closed in both directions then, or do you suggest they behave differently?

It was a real struggle to find a pair of fork legs to begin with, to the point that all I managed to find was a pair of RS legs that I put on my donor R while keeping the R legs for the project. The other alternative would have been to buy a pair of non ESA R legs, but I think those are even harder to come by than ESA legs, and buying them new aren't very cost effective at all.

Considering the $$$$ spent already, wouldn’t it be more cost effective to buy an aftermarket manually adjustable set of forks!

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K1600R

Discussion Starter · #32 · Apr 11, 2022

fireman said:
Considering the $$$$ spent already, wouldn’t it be more cost effective to buy an aftermarket manually adjustable set of forks!

That's an option of course, however, I don't know how much adaptation needs to be done to the tripple clamps, wheel, brakes, mud guard, ABS sensor and so on. Buying a pair of non ESA legs for the R1200R would obviously be the easiest swap. But I'll stick with the legs I have for the time beeing and see how they behave, and if I can find a way to cancel the ESA fault code. If they don't work good enough I'll look into this again.

Reactions: 1

r0ckrat

· #33 · Apr 11, 2022

@K1600R - see if you can sit on a 1200 or 1250 with ESA, just sit on it. Turn on the ignition, bounce the front end. Then turn off and try again...

Sent from my SM-N970U1 using Tapatalk

K1600R

Discussion Starter · #34 · Apr 11, 2022

r0ckrat said:
@K1600R - see if you can sit on a 1200 or 1250 with ESA, just sit on it. Turn on the ignition, bounce the front end. Then turn off and try again...

Sent from my SM-N970U1 using Tapatalk

I sold my donor R1200R last year, but I have a friend with a R1250R, I'll make sure to do that next time I see him on it

Reactions: 1

K1600R

Discussion Starter · #35 · May 1, 2022

fireman said:
OMG, this is so crazy, that it might actually work. If you have a chance, would be awesome to see the driveshaft side as well.

Found a picture of the left side, maybe not the best one though.

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fireman

· #36 · May 1, 2022

K1600R said:
Found a picture of the left side, maybe not the best one though.

View attachment 115261

Keep ‘em comming

K1600R

Discussion Starter · #37 · 11 mo ago

r0ckrat said:
@K1600R - see if you can sit on a 1200 or 1250 with ESA, just sit on it. Turn on the ignition, bounce the front end. Then turn off and try again...

Sent from my SM-N970U1 using Tapatalk

Just managed to do this the other day, and yes, the fork turns very stiff with the ignition off, much stiffer than in the hardest setting with the engine running. You might call it dead as you said before.

So, I'll either need to find a way to electronically force the ESA in Dynamic mode, or I'll need a pair of non ESA legs

Reactions: 2

r0ckrat

· #38 · 11 mo ago

K1600R said:
Just managed to do this the other day, and yes, the fork turns very stiff with the ignition off, much stiffer than in the hardest setting with the engine running. You might call it dead as you said before.

So, I'll either need to find a way to electronically force the ESA in Dynamic mode, or I'll need a pair of non ESA legs

I think you will want to find non-esa forks... From what I learned at the MOA rally weekend before last (June 16-18) the front and rear are electronically linked, and require the computer and sensors associated. The front apparently tells the rear when it hits a bump, and both adjust thousands of times per second... It's called "dynamic" for more than just the expected riding style...

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K1600R

Discussion Starter · #39 · 11 mo ago

Yeah, I'll need to look in to that, wonder if it's possible to change the internals to non ESA and keep the legs, I would prefer the gold legs over the silver ones.

Reactions: 1

Panzermann

· #40 · 11 mo ago

Unfortunately the gold staunchion part numbers are different left and right, so it certainly won't be a straight swap.

Maybe the right gold staunchion is physically the same as the silver non-ESA staunchions and you could source a second one of those.

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