Kawasaki ER5 Pros and Cons

[ms51ves3]

I'm hopefully going to be viewing this ER5.

I'll be using it as a commuter so not bothered if it has bland power delivery. I'm looking for reliability.
Looks tidy and has pretty low mileage, fitted with crash bars, big screen, top box and new BT45s. Anything specific to watch out for?
What's the opinion on the price? I'd say it was pretty normal but will be making a low offer when I'm there.

Any better alternative bikes? I will consider them but I only have until Monday to find a new bike because I don't really want to commute on my TZR.

[P.addy]

Erm well pros... It's a bike :p parallel twin engine seemed pretty bulletproof in the gs500, can't imagine mug differences between than and the er5.

Powerful enough for overtakes, comfy seating position and fairly economical.


Cons... 4 stroke, wtf Chives.. Depends on the year/model.. The 1992-1996 electrics were shambles according to the local bike dealer.. Aside from that I can't think of many issues.

[Pernig]

I had one as a courtesy bike and it was more than up to the job. The riding position makes it very comfortable in town, more so than my GPZ. I missed having a fairing, also this bike doesn't have as much top end power as the GPZ. The fuel gauge is toss, mine read empty at work halfway. It does have your usual reserve tap too though.

Overall I found it quite capable, although the finish was nothing like as good as the GPZ 500 S and it managed to do everything that bit better.
____________________
H100 Breaking for spares

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Pro : It's not a GS500
Con : It's not a CB500


____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Flip]

CB's are better IMO but the ER would do the commuting job fine.

[Carvel]

They're good bikes, and you cant really go wrong at that price, especially if you can knock him down. The only thing I would look out for is corrosion. They dont last too well, but going by the photos it looks pretty good.
____________________
2002 Aprilia RSV1000R, Cbr600Fs, Mk1 B12, Vfr400 NC30...

Matt B: I can deal with crushed nuts to beat Ollie.

[Smooth]

There's nothing wrong them really. It won't keep up with a Fireblade, but it can be hustled around reasonably.

A CB500 might be better, but it is really just splitting hairs when you're talking about 500 commuters.
____________________
TDM850

[ms51ves3]

This is what I wanted to hear.

I know about the corrosion issues so as soon as I get it I'll be coating it in FS365 and will be keeping on top of that.

[ollieholt]

[HopmanUK]

Probably worth having a look here... https://www.bikersoracle.com/er5/forum/

ER5 and 6 dedicated forum. Lots of info, especially good for when you're working on the bike.

[Dr. DaveJPS]

[DrDonnyBrago]

IIRC the er5 reg/rec is connected using a mild steel connection which is rather exposed to the elements when the bike doesn't have a hugger...

Buy a hugger, move the reg/rec or find something to cover it over with (i.e. a johnny and some gaffa tape).

[sebastianw]

look here

[sebastianw]

look here
https://www.bikersoracle.com/er5/forum/

[sebastianw]

look here
https://www.bikersoracle.com/er5/forum/

[Stelmer]

Reg Rec issues - They can take out the Tacho and CDI before the battery. Keep an eye on the charging voltage. Tacho's are hard to come by and the whole unit is pricey.

Reg Rec could potentially short out and torch your bike like what happened to my old one on another owner. Keep an eye on it though that was an isolated issue.

Rear Drum and single front disk. They work but you ain't doing any stoppies!!!!!

Check the cooling fan works too. They have a temperature light not gauge. I'd also check the coolant in the bottle under the seat too. They have 2 caps- one ontop of the thermostat and one on the coolant bottle. I was told to keep the bottle full to the line on it.

Join the ER owner's club on Biker's Oracle. They're excellent and will source parts for you cheap.


Plus side- they go for ever, have fuel guage, take heated grips well, have centrestand, will keep at 80mph on a motorway.....etc.....

[ms51ves3]

Cheers everyone. I'll make it my priority to move the reg/rec. Run out of karma for today.

It's just a waiting game now for the seller to get back to me.

[Whosthedaddy]

I had one on my DAS, cant really be that bad if most of the training schools use them, they can obviously take a fair amount of abuse and keep on ticking.

Not going to be the fastest in the world but in tight and heavy traffic should more than make up for it as quite stable at slow speeds.
____________________
Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[steppen22]

Hi

I have an er5.

The rr is notoriously unreliable. Check it with a multimetre (see the bikers oracle forum for details). Mine screwed the tacho - previous owner.

Another con is the paintwork, which seems fairly shoddy. If the bike you look at has a good finish still, be sure you try to preserve that, as otherwise it'll start flaking.

The '2-1' section of the exhaust will rust like no ones business - get on your hands and knees and check it when you view. Again, if it's good, start using anti rust straight away to keep it that way.

As a bike, its fairly bland - but if you want a no thrills ride to and from work, you can't really complain, I don't think. No one's ever got excited about an er5, but it does its job quietly and reliably.
____________________
no regrets, no retreat, no apology.
I've made mistakes in the past, and I apologise for FUCK ALL.

[kawakid]

I had one for 4 years as my commute.

Same as other posters really. MPG Excellent at legal speeds I could get 72mpg.

The fuel gauge was rubbish, I used to just use the trip counter.

My Regulator/Rectifier went. Luckily all it took out was a bulb, but I understood what was happening straight away, so new not to use it till fixed. (To be honest for the £30 or £40 it'll cost, i'd just swap it straight out).

I had issues with the exhaust also, where the 2 pipes join.

I wouldn't worry about all the rust/paintwork comments, I road it through 4 winters, no issues. I just did the usual maintenance of hosing it down daily and spraying FS 365 on it.

Seat is really low even for me at 5'8", you can even get a shorter seat.

What I loved about the ER5, is that I could max it out on my moorland rides, I could ride it to the limit and I had to work for my gear changers etc. My bikes now are too powerful to ride to the max on the roads I go on. It sort of felt good having to push it, so you got every last ounce out of it.
____________________
I've a twin and a 4.

[ms51ves3]

[Casper]

The GPz500 was a better looking bike and in my opinion the CB500 is even better. But you like it and that is what counts.

[27cows]

The ER5 is much more plentiful than the CB500, which is also a Honda, so spares prices take the piss if you have to buy new. Many CBs are despatched and then tarted up for resale...the ER5, much less so.

I can't think of any good reason for not having an ER5 for commuting duties, particularly with fuel being the price it is.
____________________
The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[ms51ves3]

[Smooth]