Semi-Active Suspension

[Edumakated]

Has anyone had any experience with semi-active suspension? I'm putting a deposit on an MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso and it comes with Sachs semi-active suspension. Basically, the suspension reads the road and adjust dampening in real time. Ducati calls it Skyhook. I believe the BMW Gs1200 and the S1000rr have it as well. Just curious if it is the real deal or just hype. Can you really tell the difference on a bike with semi-active vs manually adjustable?

 

[yellasei]

i have ridden the S1000RR with this but i havnt used the bike in anger. our sales guy's report how amazing it works when they rode them on the track.
all i hear about the system is good reports so i would say that it isnt just hype, i would go for it.

 

[JaimeC]

Anyone here riding long enough to remember the Nivomat shocks BMW used to have available for their bikes? I had one for my 1985 K100 and one on my 1992 R100RT. Nothing electronic, it was fully mechanical but was self-adjusting for ride height (preload) once in motion. At rest the bike looked like it was sagging too low, but once you started moving it pumped itself up to a pre-designed ride height and you never had to worry about bottoming out. Those shocks were made in East Germany and once the wall fell, I guess the company went out of business. BMW switched to Showa for their suspension pieces and the self-adjusting Nivomat shock disappeared.

 

[Snowdog]

Two winters ago, I worked a temp job at a company that was developing controllable shocks, they would even generate electricity. One of the uses was computer variable suspension. They were doing a project for BMW when I worked there.

 

[Snowdog]

Here is the company.

Levant Power

 

[SteveADV]

Wow! Looked at the site. I always thought you know stuff. But now I know you know STUFF!! That kinda thing is what's gonna power my GPS without a farkle bar, right?

 

[Snowdog]

Farkle bar? Are there nuts in it?

Supposedly they would generate enough power to save fuel. I think the ride control ability was a bigger selling point.

 

[Snowdog]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNG1hcnaU_M

 

[SteveADV]

Wow! That is pretty cool.